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Welcome to Just Another AIO Blog, a site that is dedicated to the popular radio drama Adventures in Odyssey. We provide news, reviews on the latest episodes, articles, features, and we also are home to Adventures in Connellsville, a unique look at the town next to Odyssey through book form, We also provide a U.S.S. Response page that gets updated every other day. This page provides a response to recent comments on The Soda Shop Message Boards. And just recently, we started a unique Adventures in Odyssey podcast: called JAAIOP, or Just Another AIO Podcast. Feel free to post comments or subscribe to this site by email or with Google Friend Connect. Thank you!

Signed,
Alex Jefferson, creator and operator of Just Another AIO Blog

Saturday, September 15, 2012

AIO Article: Jack's Partner: Joanne's Return 9/15/12

     Well, everyone, my little blog is still living on. It's been almost 1/3 of a year since I started this thing, (Big milestone, huh?) so I've surpassed several AIO blogs with my supreme extended blogging time. Anyway, I have a couple announcements to make before I give you my amazing article...
     First, I'd like to give a special shoutout to Hannah J., who is, of course, the blogger who started the half-AIO half-personal blog Me 4 the King (A truly great blog by the way, if you haven't checked it out, click that link right now!) as well as a prominent member of CC and SS. Why am I giving her a shoutout? Well, when on CC today, I mentioned JAAIOP, my AIO podcast. She replied that she was listening to it and commented on how good it was. It fueled my inspiration, and I have decided to get to work on JAAIOP as soon as possible. So thank you, Hannah J., if you're reading this. Because of you, I'll have a new episode soon.
     Secondly, I'm so sorry about AIC. It's not lack of inspiration that I'm not writing it, it's mostly just laziness. I'm not making anymore promises, except that I will have the Installment out at some point.
     Thirdly, I'm doing something unorthodox for my blog today. Last night, I started writing the article that you are reading right now. But I didn't get to finish it. So I thought I would do something crazy and release an article and a review on the same day. I might be doing this in the future.
     Finally, I realize my blog has been on a bit of a lull since last month. I'm trying to fix that, but, like Christian A., I can be a bit of a procrastinator. But I want to pick things up. But if no one is reading this thing, there's no point in churning out post after post and spending hours a week keeping up with this thing. So, I would like to say that if you read this, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, PLEASE, leave a comment. I just want to know how many readers I have, and you don't have to have a Google account to comment, so just comment as Anonymous if you have to. I just want to know if anyone's reading this blog. And, if I do not get any comments at all, I'm going to do something incredibly drastic. I'm going to stop blogging, since there's no point in blogging if no one is reading this. So, if you don't want JAAIOB to shut down, comment right after you're done reading this!
     Also, I would just like to thank whittaker96 for being the first person to sign up for JAAIOBS. If you would like to sign up for JAAIOB Scoop, contact me at CreativeThinker101@gmail.com or pm me on any major message board. Now, enough rambling. Here's my article...

     The Decision that brought Joanne in (Joanne's first episode was called The Decision. That was an epic pun, wasn't it?) must not have been incredibly hard to make. After all, Eugene had a love interest, Jason had a love interest, Connie had had a love interest and would have a love interest, and Bernard had a wife. It was Jack's turn. So AIO brought a character much like him in. Joanne Woodston, soon to be Joanne Allen.
     But, as the Official Guide said, Joanne's introduction was not just to give Jack a partner. They also wanted to give Janet Waldo (Who actually played Judy Jetson in The Jetsons) another recurring role on the show. Janet Waldo is what you might call a voiceover legend, as The Jetsons is one of the most acclaimed animated television shows in history. She played Maureen Hodges, Laurence's mother, and did a wonderful job at it. AIO didn't want to lose her, of course, so they created Joanne.
     Joanne and Jack flirted a bit in The Decision, and then got married in For Whom the Wedding Bellls Toll. Now, you may think, from the first two paragraphs, that this is going to be a character analysis similar to Pound Foolish Wisdom. But that's not why I wanted to write this article. I wanted to explain my predictions for Joanne's return and look at the pros and cons of it. I figured I should give a brief history of the character first, however. But I shall now discuss what I was planning on discussing...

     When I found out about Joanne's return on AIOwiki, (the spoiler destination for every AIO fan out there), I was ecstatic. I had always loved Joanne, and her and Jack's return was probably in my Top 10 List Of What Odyssey Should Do In The Future. (Hey, that's another good idea for an article!) I heard on The Voice of Odyssey that there was some big, important spoiler that we shouldn't check out. I, of course, immediately did check it out, as, like Connie, I don't like surprises. I believe I was one of the first fans to know about Joanne's return, and Mitch's return, as I find out all I can about new albums. No, I don't like to wait for things.
     The question I immediately asked myself was: "Why is she returning?" I couldn't answer the question, and I still really can't. I'm always excited about characters returning, but in the case of Monty and Mitch, sometimes I ask myself why they returned.
     It's very strange to me that Monty's return wasn't as big as Jason's, considering the writers made hints that Jason would be coming back in various podcasts. But Monty's return was straight out of the blue, considering he'd been gone for decades. Perhaps if they hadn't told us about his return in Part 1, it would have been more exciting. But I honestly saw no point whatsoever in Monty's return, as all he really did was leave the hospital, showing up at Whit's house later, and then telling Whit a couple things about the Green Ring before getting nabbed again. Then he talked to Derk at the end and that was that. I suppose I can understand that they wanted to bring Monty back, but it seemed quite pointless to me. Same with Mitch.
     But I'm getting quite off-topic. I was worried that the same thing would happen to Joanne, and I'm still worrying, so I will compile a list of things that must happen in order for this return to be really great:

     1. AIO must not simply dismiss the character of Jack and not mention him at all. I understand that the actor is very old, in his 90s in fact, but if they do not mention him, I think it would be doing Joanne's character injustice, as she was created to marry Jack and compliment his character.

     2. Joanne must be involved with J & J Antiques. This shop is a big part of Joanne's character, and Joanne wouldn't be Joanne if she wasn't involved with her shop in her return episode. I know for a fact that Joanne will in fact be involved with J & J Antiques in Album 56, so this will come true.

     3. Joanne should not be a very small character in her episodes, like Monty was. I am worried that, since Great Expectations is about young Whit and IS and Emily, Joanne will not be a big part of it. I will not stand for this! Joanne must be an important part in the episodes that she's in! Home Again is another problem, because it seems as if it's mostly about Jason, and I'm worried Joanne will be brushed aside.

     You see, I originally thought Joanne was returning in Home Again and would not be in any other episodes. Miracle of miracles, she is returning in two episodes in 56! I am honestly looking forward to Home Again more than Great Expectations, for several reasons, but since Joanne is in Great Expectations, I don't think Emily will ruin it too horribly.
     But the thing everyone is now asking themselves is: "Is this return permanent?" I honestly am not sure. That she is not returning in a grand, action-adventure or epic fashion like Mitch and Monty did is a good sign. Her return does not sound like it will be a big event in Odyssey, it sounds to me like she will settle right back in. And that she is in two episodes instead of one is another great sign, as most big returns are only in one episode.
     But an issue is Janet Waldo's age. She is approaching her 90s as well. (She's 88, in fact.) So, I hate to say this, but Odyssey fans should expect a death announcement for Alan Young and Janet Waldo within 5 years or so. People don't live forever. So I don't think Joanne can realistically become a permanent fixture on the show. But we can always hope...
     In conclusion, I think every AIO fan should be excited about Joanne's return, as it will be a true treat for old and new devoted Odyssey fans alike.

     Did you like the article? Then, if you don't want there to be no more articles after this one, comment RIGHT NOW as Anonymous, or, if you have a Google account, comment with that! Expect a review later today...
     Thanks for reading!
    

8 comments:

  1. Hey, Alex!!! That was a good article! Please do not shut Just Another down! You do a very good job at this. I mean, seriously, you have your own page on the AIOWiki! Oh, and good job on your 75th post. I can't wait to have some more Just Another AIO Podcasts out.

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  2. YAY! I can't wait till the the podcast. I love that you don't edit it and it's unscripted it displays that it's real life and not a audio play. What's the JAAIOB Scoop? DO NOT STOP BLOGGING! Even though I don't read it a ton cause I'm thinking about my own blog or I'm being lazy or doing the dishes I really do love your blog :) I will finish reading the post about Jack and Joanne in awhile but I'm too lazy right now LOL.

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  3. Thanks guys. This is actually quite reassuring. I will attempt to record JAAIOP tomorrow, so expect it being out sometime around Monday - Wednesday. I'm sorry I couldn't get a review out, but I'm afraid my family and friends threw me a surprise birthday party, so I was quite honestly having too much fun to think to write a review. But I will have a Top 5 list for you tomorrow. And to answer your question, Hannah, JAAIOB Scoop is a feature similar to TNT Insider, giving readers JAAIOB news, such as new posts, as well as giving you an opportunity to voice what you would change about the site. You can sign up by emailing or pming me. Thank you all again! I hope to continue this for years to come.

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  4. I hope you do too. Oh and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!How old are you know? LOL. I will defiantly be waiting for the podcast :)

    I'd love to sign up for JAAIOB Scoop can you send me the Pm's on Campbell County?
    Thanks for answering your questions so thoroughly.

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  5. GAH! I'm late...and YES, I realize I'm ALWAYS late, but gosh, I commented, so it counts...err, at least- it better count!! Anyways, I would just die if you shut down this blog, soooo...unless you want me to die...
    Anyhoo, great article, I enjoyed reading it. I'm so excited to have Joanne back in our midst, but I do agree with a lot of what you said.
    Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY by the way! Hope it was the best!=)

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  6. I will be turning 12 later this month, but we did it a little early. Alright, Hannah, I'll sign you p for JAAIOBS!

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  7. Yay! Thank You. Wow, I'm 12. I turn 13 in march though. SAVE ME!!

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