I have been saved once again from writing a post by the amazing PF. Here is his latest Pound Foolish Wisdom... this time on a character I don't have a whole lot to say on... Barret. Savor his eloquent musings...
Pound Foolish Wisdom
Where AIO Characters Are Put Beneath the Microscope
#4: Barrett
When it comes to fiction, the little guys are the big guys.
Side characters leaven a story to perfection. Who do we remember from Macbeth? Not Macbeth, Lady Macbeth. Tintin? The Thompsons. The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe? Tumnus, yet he barely gets any lines.
The reason is we like them, so we want to see more of them. But the key is we’re denied that. We catch only glimpses, and so they become like beautiful sea shells. We can’t have the entire beach in our room, but shells give us crumbs of a much greater beauty.
But if a sibling were to take a box of beach sand into our room to make a sand castle on our floor, we would be… well, displeased. A box of sand would be more of the beach than a shell, but still we would… maybe get a little grumpy. Okay, we’d pull our hair, say some rather nasty things, yell for our parents, and then storm downstairs and write in our diary how horrible our sibling is.
The magic of shells is that they’re only crumbs of the beach.
Therein lies the balance. It can be difficult to turn a side-character into the main character. In general, it’s best not to attempt it. (Remember Cars2, starring Mater? If you’d managed to forget, I apologize for reminding you.)
Barrett is one of those characters who started as a shell. But now he’s grown. Is he beautiful beach, or a bunch of messy sand in your room?
We first met Barrett in album 51, Game for a Mystery. This episode has taken some online abuse. People always find something to complain about in it.
The mystery’s too complicated. The mystery’s too simple. Emily’s voice is too childish. Emily’s voice doesn’t sound enough like a child. Matthew is too uninvolved. Matthew is too involved.
Now, frankly, these arguments are like clean shoes and a mud puddle. They cannot coexist. People may dislike the episode, but reviewers have yet to hit on a concrete problem with it.
Except one:
You don’t care about Barrett getting his game back.
However, this is only a problem… if Barrett’s the one you’re supposed to latch onto. He’s not. Emily is the star of the episode. What detective with a love of questions wouldn’t be interested in finding something missing? And so, the missing game matters to her. And she matters to us.
Barrett is, after all, a side-character at first.
In, When You’re Right, You’re Right, Barrett, without a great and glorious “Verminoids” fetish to panic over, comes off as more mature. He has a good line or two: “I’m sure she loved it. Make her eat the whole bowl.” In his birthday song for Priscilla, he’s still buffoonish, but on purpose. This, subtly developing him, shows us he can be funny on purpose but still be the same person.
Next stop, Stage Fright. Ah, by now, we’ve come to know Barrett. The charming actor, the remarkable singer, the smooth flirt… wait, what!?
In many ways, Barrett acts not at all like himself in this episode. Barrett was none of these things until now. Yes, we heard him practicing the trombone a bit, but why is he suddenly so good at singing? Lessons from Selena Gomez?
Also, Priscilla flirts with Barrett in a coquettish voice. Priscilla is either “Knee Deep in Love” or her “Wells Fargo Wagon” has gone around the bend. And one can almost see Barrett’s romantic smile when he says, “Charm is locked and loaded, Miss Adelaide.” It’s a wonder our romantic Emily didn’t put on a cheerleader outfit and hop and down yelling, “Yay, Barrett, make ’er swoon!”
But all that rather throws out the buildup we’ve had till now of Barrett the Bumbling Blunderbuss. But not entirely. Barrett, after-all, is a scaredy cat in this episode. He’s still a buffoon, just a buffoon with talent and a girl who adores him. So, Barrett is developed in this episode into someone more relatable and rounded. Well played, Kirby Atkins, McCusker and Dave Arnold.
Barrett is back to his silly self in the thought-provoking slice-of-life episode Opposite Day and the entertaining, The Malted Milkball Falcon, with amusing results.
But then trumpets, The Amazing Loser. Emily is apparently off spying on people with binoculars in a tree or something, Barrett is now a full-fledged protagonist on his own. But do we care? The show tries to make us focus on his rivalry with Jay, but since Matthew’s the one who solves all the clues, Barrett’s really competing against Matthew. And what would be so bad about Matthew beating Barrett?
Then comes, Unbecoming Jay. This well written episode feels like a black-and-white movie classic rewritten to star kids. It has all the subtlety and emotion, and lack thereof, of a Cary Grant film, and for that, it earned an impressive, “91.4” Odyssey Wiki fan-rating. At the center of it all is Barrett, the witty Barrett, the pleasant Barrett, the… huh? Now, where did this come from? In this episode, Barrett gently cracks a number of quick little jokes, making Jay’s cousin Cindy, and the listener, laugh.
Who are you, and what’ve you done with Barrett?
Are you the same guy who yelled, “I’m proud of you for admitting that you have a problem!”? Are you the same person who said, “Your flute playing was very… flute like.”? Since when do you easily know what to say?
We all like this episode, but what’s up with Barrett?
Then comes his latest appearance, his first three-parter, For Three Dollars More. And his metamorphosis is complete. Now, the tables have turned! Now we can see Matthew be absurd, with his rat-disease inflicted Katrina! Come see Connie spontaneously program the ROC (how exactly did she do that?) to absurdly make a bank explode. But is Barrett absurd? Oh heck no.
Barrett? Absurd? Never.
Instead, he’s frustrated how absurd everyone else is. And where is all the humor he had in his last episode? Does he see any of the hilarity in his situation? Does he try to make even one joke? Oh no, he’s just mad. And don’t forget, there’s more! Whoopy! Whit teaches Barrett a lesson by making us listen to him as a grouchy, stingy miser for ten minutes. Oh joy.
Some months ago, a commenter on the AIO podcast said something like, “Does Barrett have a personality? He seems to have a different one with every episode.” I chuckled, ignored it and forgot it. I can’t even remember who said it. Now, we can see the commenter was right.
This isn’t to say Barrett is a bad character. Barrett is a fairly good character. All his appearances, even Three Dollars, are enjoyable on their own. Some are unforgettable.
But put together, they’re problematic. Barrett is glaringly inconsistent. First he’s just plain nuts. Then he’s a talented musician with a girl who adores him. Then he’s a clever joke-making gentleman. Then he’s mature but grouchy and never makes a single joke.
Those are facts.
And Barrett will have to deal with them if he’s to endure.
It’s shape up time, Barrett. Or else, get back in your sister’s shadow, and be a side-character again. You must either be a lovely shell or a beach. But if you’re going to be messy sand in our room, hit the road. We hate vacuuming.
Bravo! Bravo, Mr. Foolish! I do hope you enjoyed that. It's certainly longer and more complete than anything I could do. (Unless I spent more time on my articles. Hey! that's an idea. I'll make a note of it.)
Thanks for reading!
Showing posts with label AIO Articles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AIO Articles. Show all posts
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
AIO Article: Top 5 Reasons Why Wooton Must Change 6/25/13
Yes, yes, that's right. I'm not dead. And neither is JAAIOB. I have made three promises involving JAAIOB to myself:
1. Before this blog ends, I will finish AIC (I'm not telling you when it ends, but I will say it's soon).
2. Before this blog ends, I will release the Top 100 AIO Episodes of All Time List I talked about earlier.
3. Before this blog ends, I will review all 12 episodes of Album 57.
PF recently dubbed this blog "Just Another Silent Black Hole". And he's right. But he also claims that Wooton has been greater than ever since the relaunch. And he's wrong. Or at least, that's what this post is trying to prove. So here it is, the Top 5 Reasons Why Wooton Must Change...
#5: He's lost much of his spirituality.
Many have pointed out that Wooton never bothered to ask Penny if she was a Christian when he became romantically involved with her. This is true, but it's only part of the reason why I believe he's lost his spirituality. When is the last time Wooton explicitly referenced God or Jesus? You know, it might have been in "The Highest Stakes", which was, what, 7 albums ago? I believe he's mentioned praying once in the post-50 episodes he's in, but I'm not sure that quite counts. I have no problem with Wooton not mentioning God in every episode he's in. He doesn't need to. In fact, I have no problem with Wooton mentioning God in every album he's in. But in a Christian radio drama, particularly when he used to be a very Christian character, it is a bit unacceptable. I don't believe AIO itself is lacking in spirituality, but the character of Wooton certainly is.
#4: He doesn't play a large-enough role in enough episodes.
Lately, Wooton has not exactly been involved in the plot of his episodes. He's certainly been involved in the episodes themselves, but as far as the plot, he could be taken out of the whole episode with little to no effect. Take "Opposite Day". What is Wooton's purpose? To talk to Barret about social networking, right? Well, I believe, in that particular episode, Whit talked to Barret as well about social networking, and warned him of the dangers of obsessing over it. Wooton did that a bit as well, but Whit did it better. If Wooton was removed, the only thing that would be removed with him is airtime. The plot would go along just as smoothly. Airtime is really the key here, obviously. What is Wooton now? Filler. This is the case for several other recent episodes: "Target of the Week", "Anger Mismanagement", "Something Old, Something New", "Home Again". Shall I go on? It's fine if the guy is a minor role in a few episodes, he just needs to be a major role in a few episodes as well.
#3: His jokes are not as... good.
I suppose I could've come up with a better word than "good", but whatever... Anyway, humor is a matter of opinion. That's true. But, as I will say in Reason #2, the general consensus is that Wooton's humor is far more juvenile than before. For examples, read my review of "Happy Hunting".
#2: More people think he was better before the hiatus than after.
This is self-explanatory. Now... PF, and apparently his siblings as well, are exceptions, but on message boards, blogs, and basically anywhere where AIO fans meet, complaints about the "new Wooton" are quite common. There aren't as many "Wooton Lovers" as there were 4 or 5 years ago, and AIO isn't reading off letters praising Wooton on OAIOP anymore.
#1: He was such a phenomenal character before.
This is the real reason, the #1 reason that we have a right to complain. Honestly, my complaints have more to do with the character Wooton was before than who he is now. He was ridiculous,. he was kind, caring, purposefully goofy, spiritual, clever, likeable, wise, spiritual, and, more than anything... hilarious. Those are the things we loved about him before, and most of them are basically absent. Or perhaps not absent, but just not done in the right way. He was goofy before, but now he's too goofy. He wasn't really supposed to be a cartoon character. He deserves to be multidimensional. Like he was... before.
I'll hopefully have a review and an AIC out tomorrow.
Thanks for reading!
1. Before this blog ends, I will finish AIC (I'm not telling you when it ends, but I will say it's soon).
2. Before this blog ends, I will release the Top 100 AIO Episodes of All Time List I talked about earlier.
3. Before this blog ends, I will review all 12 episodes of Album 57.
PF recently dubbed this blog "Just Another Silent Black Hole". And he's right. But he also claims that Wooton has been greater than ever since the relaunch. And he's wrong. Or at least, that's what this post is trying to prove. So here it is, the Top 5 Reasons Why Wooton Must Change...
#5: He's lost much of his spirituality.
Many have pointed out that Wooton never bothered to ask Penny if she was a Christian when he became romantically involved with her. This is true, but it's only part of the reason why I believe he's lost his spirituality. When is the last time Wooton explicitly referenced God or Jesus? You know, it might have been in "The Highest Stakes", which was, what, 7 albums ago? I believe he's mentioned praying once in the post-50 episodes he's in, but I'm not sure that quite counts. I have no problem with Wooton not mentioning God in every episode he's in. He doesn't need to. In fact, I have no problem with Wooton mentioning God in every album he's in. But in a Christian radio drama, particularly when he used to be a very Christian character, it is a bit unacceptable. I don't believe AIO itself is lacking in spirituality, but the character of Wooton certainly is.
#4: He doesn't play a large-enough role in enough episodes.
Lately, Wooton has not exactly been involved in the plot of his episodes. He's certainly been involved in the episodes themselves, but as far as the plot, he could be taken out of the whole episode with little to no effect. Take "Opposite Day". What is Wooton's purpose? To talk to Barret about social networking, right? Well, I believe, in that particular episode, Whit talked to Barret as well about social networking, and warned him of the dangers of obsessing over it. Wooton did that a bit as well, but Whit did it better. If Wooton was removed, the only thing that would be removed with him is airtime. The plot would go along just as smoothly. Airtime is really the key here, obviously. What is Wooton now? Filler. This is the case for several other recent episodes: "Target of the Week", "Anger Mismanagement", "Something Old, Something New", "Home Again". Shall I go on? It's fine if the guy is a minor role in a few episodes, he just needs to be a major role in a few episodes as well.
#3: His jokes are not as... good.
I suppose I could've come up with a better word than "good", but whatever... Anyway, humor is a matter of opinion. That's true. But, as I will say in Reason #2, the general consensus is that Wooton's humor is far more juvenile than before. For examples, read my review of "Happy Hunting".
#2: More people think he was better before the hiatus than after.
This is self-explanatory. Now... PF, and apparently his siblings as well, are exceptions, but on message boards, blogs, and basically anywhere where AIO fans meet, complaints about the "new Wooton" are quite common. There aren't as many "Wooton Lovers" as there were 4 or 5 years ago, and AIO isn't reading off letters praising Wooton on OAIOP anymore.
#1: He was such a phenomenal character before.
This is the real reason, the #1 reason that we have a right to complain. Honestly, my complaints have more to do with the character Wooton was before than who he is now. He was ridiculous,. he was kind, caring, purposefully goofy, spiritual, clever, likeable, wise, spiritual, and, more than anything... hilarious. Those are the things we loved about him before, and most of them are basically absent. Or perhaps not absent, but just not done in the right way. He was goofy before, but now he's too goofy. He wasn't really supposed to be a cartoon character. He deserves to be multidimensional. Like he was... before.
I'll hopefully have a review and an AIC out tomorrow.
Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
AIO Article: Whit vs. Tom vs. Jack 4/9/13
I'm sorry I haven't been posting regularly, but I had company last week and I was really sick this weekend, so I kept forgetting about this thing. But, I'm back, at least for the moment, with an interesting AIO Article...
Elderly people are fascinating. There's something mysterious about them, as if they know some massive secret that no one else knows, or they have generations of wisdom locked inside their minds that they won't show anyone. Each elderly person has many quirks and oddities, but, at heart, they all have the same basic traits: a constant devotion to the past, occasional irritability, (this is for a variety of reasons) and a love for their own children and grandchildren (if they have any). They also don't have any fondness for 21st Century appliances. If the entire world were populated by old people, smartphone companies would go out of business. And yet, elderly people are more experienced than us in many, many ways. The same goes in Odyssey.
And so, that brings me to the point of this article. I simply put in that introduction in order to give a complex definition of old people, so you might understand the article better. The real purpose of the article is to debate the three main elderly people of Odyssey: Whit Tom, and Jack. I could add Bernard to the list, but he's never come across as an old man to me. Maybe he hangs around Wooton too much... Anyway, unlike what many other bloggers would do, I'm not, at the end of this article, simply going to say: "Well, all of these characters are good in their own special ways, so I just can't decide who's the best." Oh, no no no no no no. I'm going to decide a winner. I will rate them all in several different categories and add up all their points. Here goes...
Elderlyness -- This is basically whether or not the characters follow the traits I laid out earlier for elderly people. Old characters should either be really out of character (like Whit, who's basically a ninja in a space suit) or in character without being too stereotyped (like Tom). In the case of Whit, he's not really supposed to in general act like an old man, so, in this category, he's out. Tom is a stubborn farmer who's always saying his back hurts. Very elderly. Jack is a wise, for the most part unadventurous man who loves antiques. So overall, it's a race between Jack and Tom. But in my book, Tom wins. Why? He's just more of an old man!
Wisdom: -- This is pretty obvious. Advice-giving skills, quick desicion-making, ability to remain calm. Once again, one of these characters seems to be lacking in a couple of these things: Tom. I don't believe I need an explanation, if you've heard even 5 episodes with Tom. Whit and Jack are both superior when it comes to wisdom. Whit has been giving advice since the early days, and Jack has proved himself useful as a beacon of wisdom as well. Ultimately, though Whit doesn't really fall short in his advice-giving, Jack's is slightly superior. He also can be cool under fire, and demonstrate many other wise desicions. There are those who disagree with me, but I give the Wisdom category to Jack by a thin margin.
Warmth: -- Old men must be warm and friendly as well. The characterestic of a grandfather is something the kids of Odyssey look to in Whit, Jack, and Tom. All of them deliver, but I think it's obvious Whit has a clear edge in this category because of his unfailing friendly nature. I will give it to him.
Complexity: -- Now the score is tied up, and this last category will produce a clear winner. All characters must be complex, and the elderly are no exception. All 3 of these characters are good in this category, so it's difficult to tell who excels the most. Whit is an ice cream shop owner, an inventor, an adventurer, a spy, a grandfather, and a strong Christian at the same time. Jack can be willing or unwilling to accept adventure depending on his mood, and he and his wife somehow maintain a happy marriage despite the fact that they have vastly different personalities. He also is involved in many Odyssey sagas, despite his contemplative nature. Tom is a cowboy and a farmer, as well as a former mayor and business owner. He's stubborn yet sensitive, and, despite all this, he loves kids. Any of these could take home the prize of "Best Old Man" just because of this category, but I suppose, for Complexity, it should be given to... (I am having a horse race in my head between Whit and Tom now... yes, I should have decided who would win before I started writing.) Tom.
Are you surprised? Well, you'll get over it.
Thanks for reading!
Elderly people are fascinating. There's something mysterious about them, as if they know some massive secret that no one else knows, or they have generations of wisdom locked inside their minds that they won't show anyone. Each elderly person has many quirks and oddities, but, at heart, they all have the same basic traits: a constant devotion to the past, occasional irritability, (this is for a variety of reasons) and a love for their own children and grandchildren (if they have any). They also don't have any fondness for 21st Century appliances. If the entire world were populated by old people, smartphone companies would go out of business. And yet, elderly people are more experienced than us in many, many ways. The same goes in Odyssey.
And so, that brings me to the point of this article. I simply put in that introduction in order to give a complex definition of old people, so you might understand the article better. The real purpose of the article is to debate the three main elderly people of Odyssey: Whit Tom, and Jack. I could add Bernard to the list, but he's never come across as an old man to me. Maybe he hangs around Wooton too much... Anyway, unlike what many other bloggers would do, I'm not, at the end of this article, simply going to say: "Well, all of these characters are good in their own special ways, so I just can't decide who's the best." Oh, no no no no no no. I'm going to decide a winner. I will rate them all in several different categories and add up all their points. Here goes...
Elderlyness -- This is basically whether or not the characters follow the traits I laid out earlier for elderly people. Old characters should either be really out of character (like Whit, who's basically a ninja in a space suit) or in character without being too stereotyped (like Tom). In the case of Whit, he's not really supposed to in general act like an old man, so, in this category, he's out. Tom is a stubborn farmer who's always saying his back hurts. Very elderly. Jack is a wise, for the most part unadventurous man who loves antiques. So overall, it's a race between Jack and Tom. But in my book, Tom wins. Why? He's just more of an old man!
Wisdom: -- This is pretty obvious. Advice-giving skills, quick desicion-making, ability to remain calm. Once again, one of these characters seems to be lacking in a couple of these things: Tom. I don't believe I need an explanation, if you've heard even 5 episodes with Tom. Whit and Jack are both superior when it comes to wisdom. Whit has been giving advice since the early days, and Jack has proved himself useful as a beacon of wisdom as well. Ultimately, though Whit doesn't really fall short in his advice-giving, Jack's is slightly superior. He also can be cool under fire, and demonstrate many other wise desicions. There are those who disagree with me, but I give the Wisdom category to Jack by a thin margin.
Warmth: -- Old men must be warm and friendly as well. The characterestic of a grandfather is something the kids of Odyssey look to in Whit, Jack, and Tom. All of them deliver, but I think it's obvious Whit has a clear edge in this category because of his unfailing friendly nature. I will give it to him.
Complexity: -- Now the score is tied up, and this last category will produce a clear winner. All characters must be complex, and the elderly are no exception. All 3 of these characters are good in this category, so it's difficult to tell who excels the most. Whit is an ice cream shop owner, an inventor, an adventurer, a spy, a grandfather, and a strong Christian at the same time. Jack can be willing or unwilling to accept adventure depending on his mood, and he and his wife somehow maintain a happy marriage despite the fact that they have vastly different personalities. He also is involved in many Odyssey sagas, despite his contemplative nature. Tom is a cowboy and a farmer, as well as a former mayor and business owner. He's stubborn yet sensitive, and, despite all this, he loves kids. Any of these could take home the prize of "Best Old Man" just because of this category, but I suppose, for Complexity, it should be given to... (I am having a horse race in my head between Whit and Tom now... yes, I should have decided who would win before I started writing.) Tom.
Are you surprised? Well, you'll get over it.
Thanks for reading!
Sunday, March 10, 2013
AIO Article: The Trash Bucket 9/25/12
I just realized that I actually didn't have 100 posts, because one of my posts was a draft. About 6 months ago, I started an article called "The Trash Bucket", but never finished it. Apparently, Blogger counted this as an actual post, and so they said I had one more post than I actually did. And so, in order to actually have 100 posts and not have to write a whole lot, I resurrected unfinished piece of writing from the JAAIOB vault, and now I shall release it to the public. I would finish it, but, first of all: it would take a while, but also, it is, in a way, a part of my blog history, and it would seem wrong to finish it now, after 6 months of forgetting it. So, here is the article from the "Trash Bucket" of drafts... (You can just pretend this is the 99th post and the post entitled #100 is the 100th, by the way...)
I felt I should really do an article today, but I wasn't sure what it should be about. So I actually looked at the Wikipedia article on Adventures in Odyssey and was shocked to find it was not very comprehensive. But that's beside the point. Anyway, I looked at the article and found no inspiration, but I saw the name Walker Edminston in the actors list and decided to click to see what his Wikipedia page contained. It wasn't too big either, but remembering how the Odyssey team dealt with Walker's death inspired me to do an article on why characters are dumped altogether.
Also, I will be releasing on Sunday: (a) A very special Intereview, (b) A new AIC (finally), and (c) Possibly Ep. 1 of JAAIOP. So that'll be a busy day to close September off. But for now, I just have an article...
Bernard, Tom, Bart, June, Cal, Alex, Isaac, and the entire Washington family. What do these characters have in common? All were dumped in, as I call it, 'The Trash Bucket'.
The trash bucket is the black hole, the well, the point of no return. Many characters have gone there, both kid and adult alike. These characters just dropped off the face of the earth with no explanation whatsoever.
I believe that, for the most part, AIO handles almost everything perfectly. But dropping characters falls into the 'not so perfect' element of AIO. Though the Barcalys goodbye was brilliant, many other characters just left, and new 'citizens' came in to take their place. In this article, I'll give you some prime exampls of this:
Bernard: Bernard was in 87 episodes, quite a few for an AIO character. He was one of Odyssey's beloved characters, beating almost all other characters in popularity. Dave Madden did an excellent job as him, but, I'm sorry to say, he made his last appearence in The Triangeld Web, though he stuck around for a live show that I haven't even heard. What's the deal? I understand that Dave Madden is in, as Wikipedia put it, 'semi-retirement', but they could have at least said something about him, like that he went away to Florida as Dave Madden did.
I felt I should really do an article today, but I wasn't sure what it should be about. So I actually looked at the Wikipedia article on Adventures in Odyssey and was shocked to find it was not very comprehensive. But that's beside the point. Anyway, I looked at the article and found no inspiration, but I saw the name Walker Edminston in the actors list and decided to click to see what his Wikipedia page contained. It wasn't too big either, but remembering how the Odyssey team dealt with Walker's death inspired me to do an article on why characters are dumped altogether.
Also, I will be releasing on Sunday: (a) A very special Intereview, (b) A new AIC (finally), and (c) Possibly Ep. 1 of JAAIOP. So that'll be a busy day to close September off. But for now, I just have an article...
Bernard, Tom, Bart, June, Cal, Alex, Isaac, and the entire Washington family. What do these characters have in common? All were dumped in, as I call it, 'The Trash Bucket'.
The trash bucket is the black hole, the well, the point of no return. Many characters have gone there, both kid and adult alike. These characters just dropped off the face of the earth with no explanation whatsoever.
I believe that, for the most part, AIO handles almost everything perfectly. But dropping characters falls into the 'not so perfect' element of AIO. Though the Barcalys goodbye was brilliant, many other characters just left, and new 'citizens' came in to take their place. In this article, I'll give you some prime exampls of this:
Bernard: Bernard was in 87 episodes, quite a few for an AIO character. He was one of Odyssey's beloved characters, beating almost all other characters in popularity. Dave Madden did an excellent job as him, but, I'm sorry to say, he made his last appearence in The Triangeld Web, though he stuck around for a live show that I haven't even heard. What's the deal? I understand that Dave Madden is in, as Wikipedia put it, 'semi-retirement', but they could have at least said something about him, like that he went away to Florida as Dave Madden did.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
AIO Article: Pound Foolish Wisdom #3 12/16/12
I apologize for not posting the last two days. I'm afraid blogging was not my highest priority. But, PF saved me yet again with a new Pound Foolish Wisdom. It's not Christmas-themed, but... eh, who cares? But before I get to PF's article, allow me to write a short introduction to it...
Magazine and website articles are often made to sway the reader's view on things. This is not the case with newspaper articles, as newspaper articles are boring little things that are "fair and balanced". I actually enjoy reading the newspaper, but not because I think it's great writing. Articles on the other hand, can be rich of information and opinionated at the same time, and that's what makes them so great.
And there are some articles that don't make a dent in the public's view on a certain subject. These articles are weak and void of meaning and good writing. I am embarrassed to say that I have written some articles such as this on this blog, mostly because I was in a rush, or I didn't really know what my opinion was on a particular subject. But either way, those kind of articles do nothing to sway anyone's opinion or even give information on something.
But there are other articles that do stir things up just a bit, and do change the someone's view on a subject just a bit. I believe I can safely say I have written a couple of these as well. These articles could be considered merely "good" or "average", as they're certainly not bad and certainly not fantastic.
And, finally, there are those articles that might cause an earthquake, metaphorically speaking of course. These articles are so brilliantly written that they can sway a reader's opinion on a particular subject, even if they give both sides of the argument. These articles can cause a good or bad effect, depending on what the writer's stance on an issue is. I can also safely say that I haven't written a single one of these kinds of articles. But I believe PF has.
Now, you may be wondering where this intro is going. It hasn't mentioned the article yet at all, and I apologize for that; I will get right to the point now. This article might be PF's best yet, though admittedly the Liz one could arguably be his best. I will tell you right now that this article is on Emily. For all you Emily-haters out there, prepare to have your view on Emily changed forever. Well, if you are a really stubborn Emily-hater, this article may not change your view completely, but it sure makes a good argument for the brilliance of Emily's character. So I will now present you with: an article that could cause an earthquake. (Metaphorically speaking, of course)
Pound Foolish Wisdom
Where AIO Characters Are Put Beneath the Microscope
#3: Emily
In Defense of Goin’ Green
“Some characters…. Won’t do much, and they fade out of the strip. Others, like Snoopy, just take off, and will do anything. These are the characters that stay.”
Charles Schulz, the Peanuts Golden Collection
Such a character is Emily. She can do anything. She behaves terrifically, recklessly, then sadly and humbly regrets it. And, one of the most amazing moments of Emily is… she giggles lovingly with Buck… then, with a clearing of her throat, assumes a business manner of authority as she begins her case of Buck’s missing phone.
Some months ago, I made this remark (here it’s a bit shortened):
"I'm a bit sad as I find that so many AIO Soda Shop Board Members look down on Emily. She is charming and wonderful. The very things so many despise about her are the things that make her amazing: her passion, her boldness, her incredible natural talent for knowledge and deduction, her forcefulness, yes, even her rudeness. Emily is all that a woman should be, and possibly the best role-model of all the female characters in the show today. YES, she is forceful. YES, she outspoken. YES, she speaks her mind. And that is what a female should be.I cannot say it passionately enough. Thank you, AIO, for Emily Jones."
Mr. Thinker – err, that’s a pet name my friend “Suzylou” came up with for CreativeThinker101, aka “Alex Jefferson.” You know, the guy who runs this awesome blog. Anyhow, here’s a bit from an article he wrote, in which he used my remark to represent the side for Emily, and then tried to debunk it:
“Sorry Pound, but I think your hearing aid needs to be adjusted. (No offense, if you're reading this! :) Emily is by no means the best of the new child characters… And I wouldn't call Emily 'naturally talented'… a small sense of deduction does not mean you are at the same level as Mozart. And in episodes like 'Game For A Mystery' and 'Stage Fright', she almost seems to just stumble upon the solution without doing a whole lot to solve the case. And she even got the wrong culprit in 'The Malted Milkball Falcon'. For someone who's a naturally talented detective, that's bad.) And you said that Emily was rude, so how does that make her the best role-model?
Emily is very complex. She is stubborn, bossy, ambitious, perceptive, helpful, and a normal girl all at the same time. I like that AIO has an incredibly complex character, and I like that we get to see a lot of different sides of Emily. But her voice is rather annoying, and all that complexity gets to be too much. And so, Emily is my least favorite AIO kid character, though she's not too horrible.”
Oh, did you notice he said she’s “not too horrible”? Isn’t Mr. Thinker so kind? Anyhow…
The debate, as all you Soda Shoppers know, rages on. Mostly, it has evolved into a ridiculous everlasting showdown of shamelessly absurd remarks and fake insults. On a whim, I formed the club E.R.K. on the Soda Shop. (the Emily RULES! Klub.) Which led to… well, mayhem, including a barrage of people starting their own “Emily Klubs” as they unsurprisingly came to be called, particularly the E.S.K. (Emily Stinks Klub) and both E.R.K. and E.S.K. now have their own separate, independent site! http://emilyrulesklub.wordpress.com/ http://emilystinks.webs.com/
Months later, E.R.K. and E.S.K. are still consistently towards the top of the first page of the Character forum.

The battle still rages and new miniature character wars, about Mitch and Camilla, are springing up, but so far nothing has challenged the Emily monstrosity that reigns continuously over the character section. But this is all just the tip of the iceberg. Just about every single big AIO blog has snapped at Emily, revised their opinion of Emily, and praised Emily, and condemned Emily to death. Everyone, for some reason, has something to say about Emily (!):
“In previous episodes, such as "Stage Fright" and "The Malted Milkball Falcon", she's been the bossy, know-it-all. I'm surprised she didn't flaunt her test results in front of everyone's faces or tell Matthew or Barrett they could be as smart as she was if only they worked a little harder. And yet, today's episode takes the stronger and more attractive sides of her personality--her dedication, her willingness to persevere--and combines it with a dash of much needed humility, giving someone I could easily empathize with for 25 minutes.”
Ben Warren in a review of Emily’s first title-episode, Emily the Genius
“… disliking Emily Jones (She grows on me)…”
The Josh and Ally Company, Out of Control in Odyssey
“…to me, Emily Jones has been the most annoying new character. This episode made me change my mind about her. She was embarrassed by all the attention she was getting for being a "genius" and then when she was told that she wasn't, she brushed it off and took the advanced placement test anyway. I really admire that in a person.”
Odyssey Thoughts
So, why all the controversy? Just what exactly makes people get so insanely and irreversibly opinionated about Emily, with others lost in the middle unsure what to think?
Before we answer that question, we must understand Emily herself.
How mysterious Emily is. She falls in love and giggles, then clears her throat and calmly sets about piecing together clues and investigating. She bosses Matthew around, yet values him as her best friend and closest companion. She is everlastingly confident, yet doubts herself.
Mr. Thinker complains she is “too complex.” SS moderator T.S. suggest we cannot understand her, cannot see where she is going, cannot piece together who she is or what God may wish for her.
Nor can she. She is soul searching. Wandering. Are we meant to understand Emily? Or is she to be mysterious, (an interesting idea, since then, her cases could be seen as a metaphor for her own being.) However, before we assume Emily to be impenetrable, let’s take a careful look at her. That’s my job with these, after all.
One of the most basic, everyone-knows-this elements of making a character is there has to be something they want. They have to desire something. After all, it’s what we want that so often determines our destinies, and what we sometimes must sadly abandon when called in the opposite direction. So, what does Emily want?
1. She wants love.
We know that from Buck and the lengths she went to maintain Matthew’s friendship. She goes about trying to make her peace with Matthew, desperately.
Emily Hater Interruption: “But she blackmailed him!”
Yes, but that’s the point. She did things she knew were unkind to get what was important to her heart. That’s how badly she wanted it. Now, I’ll conveniently move on.
2. She wants meaning.
As I said, T.S. once was wisely pointed out: “She is… like pieces of gravel or sand. I know that God must have a plan for her, that these pieces, however small, fit together to form a creation of determination and flame for God, but I cannot see how the pieces fit to form that being. I wonder whether Emily knows that that being could one day exist.”
It’s true. She doesn’t know who she is. But she wants to. She needs significance. All she does can be seen as striving for significance. Every case, every time assertion of her opinion over another’s, every argument and bossy remark. Every time she asserts herself. She wants to have direction. Purpose.
Emily Hater Interruption: “But all that means is she’s bossy! She’s out to control everyone! She’s overbearing to Matthew! She’s a BRAT! Argh.”
No it doesn’t. Emily is seeking who she wants to be. She is trying to have an impact on the world. Her forcefulness shows her desire to head in particular direction. In her heart, she wants to make a difference. If you think she’s doing it the wrong way, fine. The point is she’s trying.
3. She want to be heard
She wants this so badly. She just can’t contain herself. Her own emotions and thoughts explode out of her. Her energy has to get out. She knows her opinions have worth and shouldn’t be ignored.
Emily Hater Interruption: “I think they should be ignored!”
I’ll ignore that.
4. She wants to love
Maybe tonight, true love will show-owww, under the mistletoe… sorry. Ahem. You may be rolling your eyes right now, but it’s true. Emily wants to show love to people. She doesn’t just do things for her own benefit. In fact, to quote myself (ahem) we “People accuse her of doing things for her own benefit, yet we never see her doing a deed that only she benefits from.”
Emily Hater: “Yes we do! Who else benefits from all her griping!? Huh?”
She thinks she’s right. She’s trying to fit the world into her view of perfect. Yes, mostly she just can’t shut up. But she does care about others.
So, there’s Emily in a nutshell. She’s wandering. She doesn’t know who she is. She’s a growing, changing girl. Emily wants love, importance, other people to pay attention and know what she thinks, and she wants to love.
Does that seem all that unlikable to you?
If you really just can’t like Emily, then you just can’t. But maybe we just can’t get passed what at first seems brattishness and her “annoying” voice. Maybe we haven’t really tried to care about Emily. Maybe… dare we admit it… we’re not really listening to her?
Emily is all a woman should be. Her rudeness is one of her ways of being strong. We aren’t meant to constrain ourselves. Emily dares to show us this.
She’s Emily.
In closing… how can I resist? Emily RULES!
“She stinks! She stinks! You hear me!? STINKS I tell you!”
Oh, shut up.
My view on Emily was, in truth, not completely changed after reading this article. I still think she has an obnoxious voice and attitude, but I can see her more clearly now. I suppose that's the point of "putting AIO characters beneath the microscope": so you can see them clearer. So that's it.
Thanks for reading!
Magazine and website articles are often made to sway the reader's view on things. This is not the case with newspaper articles, as newspaper articles are boring little things that are "fair and balanced". I actually enjoy reading the newspaper, but not because I think it's great writing. Articles on the other hand, can be rich of information and opinionated at the same time, and that's what makes them so great.
And there are some articles that don't make a dent in the public's view on a certain subject. These articles are weak and void of meaning and good writing. I am embarrassed to say that I have written some articles such as this on this blog, mostly because I was in a rush, or I didn't really know what my opinion was on a particular subject. But either way, those kind of articles do nothing to sway anyone's opinion or even give information on something.
But there are other articles that do stir things up just a bit, and do change the someone's view on a subject just a bit. I believe I can safely say I have written a couple of these as well. These articles could be considered merely "good" or "average", as they're certainly not bad and certainly not fantastic.
And, finally, there are those articles that might cause an earthquake, metaphorically speaking of course. These articles are so brilliantly written that they can sway a reader's opinion on a particular subject, even if they give both sides of the argument. These articles can cause a good or bad effect, depending on what the writer's stance on an issue is. I can also safely say that I haven't written a single one of these kinds of articles. But I believe PF has.
Now, you may be wondering where this intro is going. It hasn't mentioned the article yet at all, and I apologize for that; I will get right to the point now. This article might be PF's best yet, though admittedly the Liz one could arguably be his best. I will tell you right now that this article is on Emily. For all you Emily-haters out there, prepare to have your view on Emily changed forever. Well, if you are a really stubborn Emily-hater, this article may not change your view completely, but it sure makes a good argument for the brilliance of Emily's character. So I will now present you with: an article that could cause an earthquake. (Metaphorically speaking, of course)
Pound Foolish Wisdom
Where AIO Characters Are Put Beneath the Microscope
#3: Emily
In Defense of Goin’ Green
“Some characters…. Won’t do much, and they fade out of the strip. Others, like Snoopy, just take off, and will do anything. These are the characters that stay.”
Charles Schulz, the Peanuts Golden Collection
Such a character is Emily. She can do anything. She behaves terrifically, recklessly, then sadly and humbly regrets it. And, one of the most amazing moments of Emily is… she giggles lovingly with Buck… then, with a clearing of her throat, assumes a business manner of authority as she begins her case of Buck’s missing phone.
Some months ago, I made this remark (here it’s a bit shortened):
"I'm a bit sad as I find that so many AIO Soda Shop Board Members look down on Emily. She is charming and wonderful. The very things so many despise about her are the things that make her amazing: her passion, her boldness, her incredible natural talent for knowledge and deduction, her forcefulness, yes, even her rudeness. Emily is all that a woman should be, and possibly the best role-model of all the female characters in the show today. YES, she is forceful. YES, she outspoken. YES, she speaks her mind. And that is what a female should be.I cannot say it passionately enough. Thank you, AIO, for Emily Jones."
Mr. Thinker – err, that’s a pet name my friend “Suzylou” came up with for CreativeThinker101, aka “Alex Jefferson.” You know, the guy who runs this awesome blog. Anyhow, here’s a bit from an article he wrote, in which he used my remark to represent the side for Emily, and then tried to debunk it:
“Sorry Pound, but I think your hearing aid needs to be adjusted. (No offense, if you're reading this! :) Emily is by no means the best of the new child characters… And I wouldn't call Emily 'naturally talented'… a small sense of deduction does not mean you are at the same level as Mozart. And in episodes like 'Game For A Mystery' and 'Stage Fright', she almost seems to just stumble upon the solution without doing a whole lot to solve the case. And she even got the wrong culprit in 'The Malted Milkball Falcon'. For someone who's a naturally talented detective, that's bad.) And you said that Emily was rude, so how does that make her the best role-model?
Emily is very complex. She is stubborn, bossy, ambitious, perceptive, helpful, and a normal girl all at the same time. I like that AIO has an incredibly complex character, and I like that we get to see a lot of different sides of Emily. But her voice is rather annoying, and all that complexity gets to be too much. And so, Emily is my least favorite AIO kid character, though she's not too horrible.”
Oh, did you notice he said she’s “not too horrible”? Isn’t Mr. Thinker so kind? Anyhow…
The debate, as all you Soda Shoppers know, rages on. Mostly, it has evolved into a ridiculous everlasting showdown of shamelessly absurd remarks and fake insults. On a whim, I formed the club E.R.K. on the Soda Shop. (the Emily RULES! Klub.) Which led to… well, mayhem, including a barrage of people starting their own “Emily Klubs” as they unsurprisingly came to be called, particularly the E.S.K. (Emily Stinks Klub) and both E.R.K. and E.S.K. now have their own separate, independent site! http://emilyrulesklub.wordpress.com/ http://emilystinks.webs.com/
Months later, E.R.K. and E.S.K. are still consistently towards the top of the first page of the Character forum.

The battle still rages and new miniature character wars, about Mitch and Camilla, are springing up, but so far nothing has challenged the Emily monstrosity that reigns continuously over the character section. But this is all just the tip of the iceberg. Just about every single big AIO blog has snapped at Emily, revised their opinion of Emily, and praised Emily, and condemned Emily to death. Everyone, for some reason, has something to say about Emily (!):
“In previous episodes, such as "Stage Fright" and "The Malted Milkball Falcon", she's been the bossy, know-it-all. I'm surprised she didn't flaunt her test results in front of everyone's faces or tell Matthew or Barrett they could be as smart as she was if only they worked a little harder. And yet, today's episode takes the stronger and more attractive sides of her personality--her dedication, her willingness to persevere--and combines it with a dash of much needed humility, giving someone I could easily empathize with for 25 minutes.”
Ben Warren in a review of Emily’s first title-episode, Emily the Genius
“… disliking Emily Jones (She grows on me)…”
The Josh and Ally Company, Out of Control in Odyssey
“…to me, Emily Jones has been the most annoying new character. This episode made me change my mind about her. She was embarrassed by all the attention she was getting for being a "genius" and then when she was told that she wasn't, she brushed it off and took the advanced placement test anyway. I really admire that in a person.”
Odyssey Thoughts
So, why all the controversy? Just what exactly makes people get so insanely and irreversibly opinionated about Emily, with others lost in the middle unsure what to think?
Before we answer that question, we must understand Emily herself.
How mysterious Emily is. She falls in love and giggles, then clears her throat and calmly sets about piecing together clues and investigating. She bosses Matthew around, yet values him as her best friend and closest companion. She is everlastingly confident, yet doubts herself.
Mr. Thinker complains she is “too complex.” SS moderator T.S. suggest we cannot understand her, cannot see where she is going, cannot piece together who she is or what God may wish for her.
Nor can she. She is soul searching. Wandering. Are we meant to understand Emily? Or is she to be mysterious, (an interesting idea, since then, her cases could be seen as a metaphor for her own being.) However, before we assume Emily to be impenetrable, let’s take a careful look at her. That’s my job with these, after all.
One of the most basic, everyone-knows-this elements of making a character is there has to be something they want. They have to desire something. After all, it’s what we want that so often determines our destinies, and what we sometimes must sadly abandon when called in the opposite direction. So, what does Emily want?
1. She wants love.
We know that from Buck and the lengths she went to maintain Matthew’s friendship. She goes about trying to make her peace with Matthew, desperately.
Emily Hater Interruption: “But she blackmailed him!”
Yes, but that’s the point. She did things she knew were unkind to get what was important to her heart. That’s how badly she wanted it. Now, I’ll conveniently move on.
2. She wants meaning.
As I said, T.S. once was wisely pointed out: “She is… like pieces of gravel or sand. I know that God must have a plan for her, that these pieces, however small, fit together to form a creation of determination and flame for God, but I cannot see how the pieces fit to form that being. I wonder whether Emily knows that that being could one day exist.”
It’s true. She doesn’t know who she is. But she wants to. She needs significance. All she does can be seen as striving for significance. Every case, every time assertion of her opinion over another’s, every argument and bossy remark. Every time she asserts herself. She wants to have direction. Purpose.
Emily Hater Interruption: “But all that means is she’s bossy! She’s out to control everyone! She’s overbearing to Matthew! She’s a BRAT! Argh.”
No it doesn’t. Emily is seeking who she wants to be. She is trying to have an impact on the world. Her forcefulness shows her desire to head in particular direction. In her heart, she wants to make a difference. If you think she’s doing it the wrong way, fine. The point is she’s trying.
3. She want to be heard
She wants this so badly. She just can’t contain herself. Her own emotions and thoughts explode out of her. Her energy has to get out. She knows her opinions have worth and shouldn’t be ignored.
Emily Hater Interruption: “I think they should be ignored!”
I’ll ignore that.
4. She wants to love
Maybe tonight, true love will show-owww, under the mistletoe… sorry. Ahem. You may be rolling your eyes right now, but it’s true. Emily wants to show love to people. She doesn’t just do things for her own benefit. In fact, to quote myself (ahem) we “People accuse her of doing things for her own benefit, yet we never see her doing a deed that only she benefits from.”
Emily Hater: “Yes we do! Who else benefits from all her griping!? Huh?”
She thinks she’s right. She’s trying to fit the world into her view of perfect. Yes, mostly she just can’t shut up. But she does care about others.
So, there’s Emily in a nutshell. She’s wandering. She doesn’t know who she is. She’s a growing, changing girl. Emily wants love, importance, other people to pay attention and know what she thinks, and she wants to love.
Does that seem all that unlikable to you?
If you really just can’t like Emily, then you just can’t. But maybe we just can’t get passed what at first seems brattishness and her “annoying” voice. Maybe we haven’t really tried to care about Emily. Maybe… dare we admit it… we’re not really listening to her?
Emily is all a woman should be. Her rudeness is one of her ways of being strong. We aren’t meant to constrain ourselves. Emily dares to show us this.
She’s Emily.
In closing… how can I resist? Emily RULES!
“She stinks! She stinks! You hear me!? STINKS I tell you!”
Oh, shut up.
My view on Emily was, in truth, not completely changed after reading this article. I still think she has an obnoxious voice and attitude, but I can see her more clearly now. I suppose that's the point of "putting AIO characters beneath the microscope": so you can see them clearer. So that's it.
Thanks for reading!
Thursday, November 15, 2012
AIO Article: The Modern Classics 11/15/12
I had two ideas for an article, but I figured I should use this one first, as the other idea will probably be more in-depth. For some of you readers who have been reading my blog pretty much since its creation, you'll remember I did an article several months ago that showcased the "classics" of AIO from albums 1 - 5. I wanted to do a Modern Classics article, but I hadn't heard all of Album 51 yet, so I held back. But, I heard the rest of Album 51 about a month ago, and so, I shall now write the article...
Most people complain about entertainment at some point in their lives. Specifically, people like to tear down music, movies, and TV that have been made in the past 10 years. I think this is, in most cases, quite biased and unfair. Sure, entertainment might have been better 50 years ago, but why does that have to mean it's awful now? I think there are many great music, movie, and TV alternatives that are being produced now. I believe many elderly folk (Like 40 and up. LOL (that may seem unprofessional, but I had to put it.)) are used to the entertainment back in the "good old days" and simply can't confront the fact that entertainment has changed. It hasn't necessarily changed for the worse, it's just moved on. It's for a new generation now. And I personally find both old movies and new movies great, both old songs and new songs great, and so on. And so, the same is true for radio dramas. Radio dramas like... oh, I dunno - AIO?
That's enough ranting about entertainment, I suppose. For this article, I shall acknowledge the new era of AIO, and put up a lengthy list of episodes that I believe embody it from Albums 51 - 55. Here goes...
The Inspiration Station: Ah, yes. I remember first hearing this episode. I was just 9, and still a relatively new AIO fan. I remember being confused about all the changes; I didn't really understand why the AIO team was doing what they were doing. I was frustrated that there was a new Whit, as I had listened to Paul Herlinger for three years. Also, I had just figured out AIO was producing new episodes, and the ones I had at my library were not the only AIO episodes out there, so to be plunged into an unfamiliar setting with an unfamiliar Whit was a bit perplexing and annoying to me. However, I quickly got into the episode, and soon discovered it was actually pretty good. It's not perfect, but it was a brilliant introduction to post-50 AIO. And for that, I certify it a Modern Classic.
The Jubilee Singers: The illustrious Avery winner is still just as great as it was 2 1/2 years ago. I recently heard the episode for the first time, and I must say it was a refreshing reminder that, in the midst of Emily Jones and all the other atrocious things going on around Odyssey, there was still good old-fashioned historical fun. However, this episode and Sgt. York have a different feel than previous Odyssey historicals. Dave Arnold treats each history episode more like an epic, and I like this approach. Ultimately, you can not simply ignore this choir of Christ, as they're absolutely amazing in nearly every way, and the episode they star in is without a doubt a Modern Classic.
The Owlnapping: Where's The Mystery of the Clock Tower? you may be wondering. I considered putting it on here, but I finally decided it had too many plot holes and cliches to be put on a list of classics. As I said before, Album 52 is the worst AIO album in history, but it includes this little gem called The Owlnapping. The thing I adore about this episode is its ridiculousness. Of course it's ridiculous to rely on an stuffed owl for athletic victory, but that's Marshal Younger, and Odyssey in general, for you. It was rather funny as well, and Adam Wylie's vocal performance was stunning. And so, though I believe this album as a whole is mediocre at best, this episode is really quite grand, and is a definite classic.
The Green Ring Conspiracy: I didn't really want to post this on here, as it would be incredibly predictable, but I really have an obligation too. This is such a great series of episodes, I can't really praise it enough. I have very little flaws with this, as everything from Monty's appearance to the finale was handled almost perfectly. I truthfully don't know what else to say, except this is absolutely a classic.
The Amazing Loser: I probably just love music, and that's why this episode really struck a chord, (pardon the metaphor again) but I really believe it's one of the best of the new era. Barret and Priscilla's classic flirting is something AIO hadn't really fully explored until this episode, the musical trivia was exciting and interesting for both music fans (like me) and people who would prefer to sit on the couch and eat. And Jay topped the whole thing off. So, I truly think this is a Modern Classic.
Childish Things: Penny + Wooton + Jacques Henri + stupid book about body language = BEST EPISODE OF ALBUM 54. Enough said there...
The Labyrinth: Jason is an interesting character. I'm gonna quote PF on this one:
"Jason, Jason, Jason! Every darn person around here (The Soda Shop) is Jason-happy! Jason is fantastic as an AIO character, but he fails to stand out much as a fun agent action character. A good children's comic writer or cartoon making team could've constructed his behavior and character when he's being "James Bond."
I would like to say that PF is absolutely right when he says a children's comic writer could've constructed his personality as an action-adventure hero. But isn't that exactly the point? Jason's supposed to be cliche and goofy, and it's put in a funny, interesting way. Most 8 - 12 year old listeners of AIO aren't allowed to see James Bond, so Jason is an interesting alternative. And The Labyrinth is truly him at his finest. And so, I award it the highly-coveted "Modern Classic" award.
Mistaken For Good: This is just a nice, nostalgic, relatively slow-paced by AIO standards, touching, and amusing AIO episode that stands out. It's my favorite post-50 episode, as I think it combines some great chemistry and emotions, and is just plain great to listen to. Jay is the highlight of the episode, and with the comic foils of Olivia and Mrs. Kramer, as well as his fascinating relationship with Mrs. Wilson, he is entagled in many things, and Whit Hertford does a stellar job of capturing these complex emotions. And the moral is an interesting one as well. Everything is pitch-perfect and this episode is a certified classic.
Sgt. York: This episode is everything The Jubillee Singers was... and more. Dave Arnold is a very excellent writer. He managed to pull out a diary and a few books on York along with extensive research, and turned it all into a full-blown epic drama, complete with parental warning, great moral, and relateable, fun characters. The sound design was top-notch, as well as the accents. Overall, Sgt. York is a highlight of the post-hiatus era and deserves the last spot on this list.
Well, that's it for now. I want to work on my links page, but I shall be busy this weekend, and won't have access to a computer. So, for now, I hope you enjoyed the article.
Thanks for reading!
Most people complain about entertainment at some point in their lives. Specifically, people like to tear down music, movies, and TV that have been made in the past 10 years. I think this is, in most cases, quite biased and unfair. Sure, entertainment might have been better 50 years ago, but why does that have to mean it's awful now? I think there are many great music, movie, and TV alternatives that are being produced now. I believe many elderly folk (Like 40 and up. LOL (that may seem unprofessional, but I had to put it.)) are used to the entertainment back in the "good old days" and simply can't confront the fact that entertainment has changed. It hasn't necessarily changed for the worse, it's just moved on. It's for a new generation now. And I personally find both old movies and new movies great, both old songs and new songs great, and so on. And so, the same is true for radio dramas. Radio dramas like... oh, I dunno - AIO?
That's enough ranting about entertainment, I suppose. For this article, I shall acknowledge the new era of AIO, and put up a lengthy list of episodes that I believe embody it from Albums 51 - 55. Here goes...
The Inspiration Station: Ah, yes. I remember first hearing this episode. I was just 9, and still a relatively new AIO fan. I remember being confused about all the changes; I didn't really understand why the AIO team was doing what they were doing. I was frustrated that there was a new Whit, as I had listened to Paul Herlinger for three years. Also, I had just figured out AIO was producing new episodes, and the ones I had at my library were not the only AIO episodes out there, so to be plunged into an unfamiliar setting with an unfamiliar Whit was a bit perplexing and annoying to me. However, I quickly got into the episode, and soon discovered it was actually pretty good. It's not perfect, but it was a brilliant introduction to post-50 AIO. And for that, I certify it a Modern Classic.
The Jubilee Singers: The illustrious Avery winner is still just as great as it was 2 1/2 years ago. I recently heard the episode for the first time, and I must say it was a refreshing reminder that, in the midst of Emily Jones and all the other atrocious things going on around Odyssey, there was still good old-fashioned historical fun. However, this episode and Sgt. York have a different feel than previous Odyssey historicals. Dave Arnold treats each history episode more like an epic, and I like this approach. Ultimately, you can not simply ignore this choir of Christ, as they're absolutely amazing in nearly every way, and the episode they star in is without a doubt a Modern Classic.
The Owlnapping: Where's The Mystery of the Clock Tower? you may be wondering. I considered putting it on here, but I finally decided it had too many plot holes and cliches to be put on a list of classics. As I said before, Album 52 is the worst AIO album in history, but it includes this little gem called The Owlnapping. The thing I adore about this episode is its ridiculousness. Of course it's ridiculous to rely on an stuffed owl for athletic victory, but that's Marshal Younger, and Odyssey in general, for you. It was rather funny as well, and Adam Wylie's vocal performance was stunning. And so, though I believe this album as a whole is mediocre at best, this episode is really quite grand, and is a definite classic.
The Green Ring Conspiracy: I didn't really want to post this on here, as it would be incredibly predictable, but I really have an obligation too. This is such a great series of episodes, I can't really praise it enough. I have very little flaws with this, as everything from Monty's appearance to the finale was handled almost perfectly. I truthfully don't know what else to say, except this is absolutely a classic.
The Amazing Loser: I probably just love music, and that's why this episode really struck a chord, (pardon the metaphor again) but I really believe it's one of the best of the new era. Barret and Priscilla's classic flirting is something AIO hadn't really fully explored until this episode, the musical trivia was exciting and interesting for both music fans (like me) and people who would prefer to sit on the couch and eat. And Jay topped the whole thing off. So, I truly think this is a Modern Classic.
Childish Things: Penny + Wooton + Jacques Henri + stupid book about body language = BEST EPISODE OF ALBUM 54. Enough said there...
The Labyrinth: Jason is an interesting character. I'm gonna quote PF on this one:
"Jason, Jason, Jason! Every darn person around here (The Soda Shop) is Jason-happy! Jason is fantastic as an AIO character, but he fails to stand out much as a fun agent action character. A good children's comic writer or cartoon making team could've constructed his behavior and character when he's being "James Bond."
I would like to say that PF is absolutely right when he says a children's comic writer could've constructed his personality as an action-adventure hero. But isn't that exactly the point? Jason's supposed to be cliche and goofy, and it's put in a funny, interesting way. Most 8 - 12 year old listeners of AIO aren't allowed to see James Bond, so Jason is an interesting alternative. And The Labyrinth is truly him at his finest. And so, I award it the highly-coveted "Modern Classic" award.
Mistaken For Good: This is just a nice, nostalgic, relatively slow-paced by AIO standards, touching, and amusing AIO episode that stands out. It's my favorite post-50 episode, as I think it combines some great chemistry and emotions, and is just plain great to listen to. Jay is the highlight of the episode, and with the comic foils of Olivia and Mrs. Kramer, as well as his fascinating relationship with Mrs. Wilson, he is entagled in many things, and Whit Hertford does a stellar job of capturing these complex emotions. And the moral is an interesting one as well. Everything is pitch-perfect and this episode is a certified classic.
Sgt. York: This episode is everything The Jubillee Singers was... and more. Dave Arnold is a very excellent writer. He managed to pull out a diary and a few books on York along with extensive research, and turned it all into a full-blown epic drama, complete with parental warning, great moral, and relateable, fun characters. The sound design was top-notch, as well as the accents. Overall, Sgt. York is a highlight of the post-hiatus era and deserves the last spot on this list.
Well, that's it for now. I want to work on my links page, but I shall be busy this weekend, and won't have access to a computer. So, for now, I hope you enjoyed the article.
Thanks for reading!
Monday, November 5, 2012
AIO Article: The Land of the Free 11/5/12
Sorry this took so long, (I should've had it up 6 days ago) but here's PF's latest edition:
Thanks for reading!
Hi, all! This is Pound Foolish. I realize I’ve been long away, but as you are reading this, I assume you all
survived with your lives.
Therefore, I shall skip the formalities of corny jokes and apologies about my horrendous lack of
glorious words
enliven your lives, and get to the article.
Mr. Thinker hinted I’d be doing an article breaking the “Pound Foolish Wisdom” routine. Indeed, my
article is on a rather touchy subject...
survived with your lives.
Therefore, I shall skip the formalities of corny jokes and apologies about my horrendous lack of
glorious words
enliven your lives, and get to the article.
Mr. Thinker hinted I’d be doing an article breaking the “Pound Foolish Wisdom” routine. Indeed, my
article is on a rather touchy subject...
Politics in AIO
The Presidential Debates left me excited, fascinated, worried, and hopeful.
Mitt Romney, winning the debate according to most, kept on the offensive and enthusiastically
communicated his vision, while Barack Obama spent much time defending “Obamacare”,
that dangerous act which threatens to destroy all private insurance companies.
Mitt Romney, winning the debate according to most, kept on the offensive and enthusiastically
communicated his vision, while Barack Obama spent much time defending “Obamacare”,
that dangerous act which threatens to destroy all private insurance companies.
And yet, the Oddysians seem to ignore all this.
Is everyone in Odyssey a completely irresponsible American, uninterested in voting
the future of their country?
Such a pity, and Whit seems so great.
the future of their country?
Such a pity, and Whit seems so great.
Somehow, Odyssey remains a place whose only politics, election –wise, are its next mayor.
A place of wonder, excitement, and discovery, and of absolutely no talk about any guys
named Obama or Romney.
A place of wonder, excitement, and discovery, and of absolutely no talk about any guys
named Obama or Romney.
We know this to be because Odyssey must remain as timeless as possible. (Insert joke
about Connie’s aging here.)
In this way, Odyssey seems as if everything could have happened recently.
And the characters seem to live in their own world,
free of many of our own changing concerns, occupied instead with timeless ones such
as heartache, death, and being attacked by doves.
about Connie’s aging here.)
In this way, Odyssey seems as if everything could have happened recently.
And the characters seem to live in their own world,
free of many of our own changing concerns, occupied instead with timeless ones such
as heartache, death, and being attacked by doves.
Yet, occasionally, Odyssey has stepped beyond that boundary of political neutrality.
And, sometimes, when it does, storm clouds brew.
And, sometimes, when it does, storm clouds brew.
By Any Other Name
Attacks the sadly growing corruption and misuse of our legal system.
You Go to School Where?
This tale wasn’t meant to send a political message so much, perhaps, as to satisfy listeners
who wondered why there were no homeschoolers on AIO, it sounds like, to hear
Dave Arnold introduce it on the Official Adventures in Odyssey Podcast.
However, many frowned upon it politically. And it did indeed have many political assumptions,
such as that homeschooling is a good option in the first place. With it becoming more and
more popular to assume public school is best, one can’t help being fascinated by this
forgotten AIO homeschooling tale that’s sunk beneath the surface.
who wondered why there were no homeschoolers on AIO, it sounds like, to hear
Dave Arnold introduce it on the Official Adventures in Odyssey Podcast.
However, many frowned upon it politically. And it did indeed have many political assumptions,
such as that homeschooling is a good option in the first place. With it becoming more and
more popular to assume public school is best, one can’t help being fascinated by this
forgotten AIO homeschooling tale that’s sunk beneath the surface.
Another episode about schooling is Subject Yourself.
This delightful little comedy about Laurence Hodges camouflages a very serious sub-plot
with the his mother struggling with the school system. She is tentatively butting heads
with them because the textbooks overlook religion “except in the most negative way.”
with the his mother struggling with the school system. She is tentatively butting heads
with them because the textbooks overlook religion “except in the most negative way.”
The situation the in the subplot with the textbooks only grows worse. Today, not only
are there no positive references of any kind to Christianity in textbooks, but children
are punished if they so much as wear a T-shirt with Christ’s name on it.
http://www.clubhousemagazine.com/truth-pursuer/god-in-school
are there no positive references of any kind to Christianity in textbooks, but children
are punished if they so much as wear a T-shirt with Christ’s name on it.
http://www.clubhousemagazine.com/truth-pursuer/god-in-school
Not only that, even worse problems overrun it. The teachers union donates millions that
could be advancing education and schools to Planned Parenthood. Thus… Taking money
from children and using it to kill children.
could be advancing education and schools to Planned Parenthood. Thus… Taking money
from children and using it to kill children.
The Forgotten Deed
Ah yes, this beautiful work. Many of their absolute best characters come together in this special
episode. Tom, Connie and Eugene, Whit, Jack, Bernard, and the fantastically annoying Cryin
Bryan Dern in a role that’s unforgettably hilarious even for him. There’s also a couple of
enjoyable smaller side characters who appear in enjoyable roles: Mrs. McCallister and Mayor
Faye. It examines the gripping subject of the separation of church and state. And even though
it only lasts a few seconds, it’s sheer Odyssey candy to see Bernard with Dern.
The episode’s plot: Whit’s End may be shut down because it is openly religious, but is built on
Government land. The show provokes such questions as “Just what does separation of church
and state mean?” “If this clause really does carry such weight as politicians pin on it, why can
government continually make laws forcing religion to do things and restricting them from doing
things?” “Why from that phrase do so many draw the idea that our religion shouldn’t influence
our political opinions?”
episode. Tom, Connie and Eugene, Whit, Jack, Bernard, and the fantastically annoying Cryin
Bryan Dern in a role that’s unforgettably hilarious even for him. There’s also a couple of
enjoyable smaller side characters who appear in enjoyable roles: Mrs. McCallister and Mayor
Faye. It examines the gripping subject of the separation of church and state. And even though
it only lasts a few seconds, it’s sheer Odyssey candy to see Bernard with Dern.
The episode’s plot: Whit’s End may be shut down because it is openly religious, but is built on
Government land. The show provokes such questions as “Just what does separation of church
and state mean?” “If this clause really does carry such weight as politicians pin on it, why can
government continually make laws forcing religion to do things and restricting them from doing
things?” “Why from that phrase do so many draw the idea that our religion shouldn’t influence
our political opinions?”
Historically, Thomas Jefferson began the phrase “separation of church and state”, because he was
concerned with preventing the creation of a governmentally appointed official church. He wanted
all religions to be equally respected by the government and the people.
concerned with preventing the creation of a governmentally appointed official church. He wanted
all religions to be equally respected by the government and the people.
That’s it.
There’s room for doubt that he never woke up one morning and decided to make it so religion and
government could never have anything to do with each other. Especially considering he was
religious.
government could never have anything to do with each other. Especially considering he was
religious.
Yet, today, this idea is so prevalent; many religious accept it without a blink. And, let’s make
no mistake; Christianity is by far getting the worst of this. Obamacare, anyone? How can we
have a free country if we’re going to force Christian doctors to perform abortions?
no mistake; Christianity is by far getting the worst of this. Obamacare, anyone? How can we
have a free country if we’re going to force Christian doctors to perform abortions?
And further… How can we have a free country if children are punished for praying school? How
can we have a free country when peaceful protestors outside of abortion clinics are terribly
physically harmed by police and dragged to jail?
can we have a free country when peaceful protestors outside of abortion clinics are terribly
physically harmed by police and dragged to jail?
Well?
Pamela has a problem
My sister first heard this when she was ten. We were on my bed, and Pamela and Connie
were upset over Pamela’s teen pregnancy. My sister asked a very good question. “What’s
wrong with being pregnant?” I paused, and blandly remarked, “You’re too young to
understand.” Sad. I promised myself so many times I’d never say that to a child. Because,
“You’re too young to understand” is a lie. The main reason we really say that time-honored
phrase is, though the older person always has a myriad of reasons why they think they are
really saying it, that when we speak to children, we are talking on a level higher than our own.
To put words in terms simple enough for a child’s pure, uncomplicated understanding, we
must simplify our thoughts, understand them well enough put them in plain terms.
were upset over Pamela’s teen pregnancy. My sister asked a very good question. “What’s
wrong with being pregnant?” I paused, and blandly remarked, “You’re too young to
understand.” Sad. I promised myself so many times I’d never say that to a child. Because,
“You’re too young to understand” is a lie. The main reason we really say that time-honored
phrase is, though the older person always has a myriad of reasons why they think they are
really saying it, that when we speak to children, we are talking on a level higher than our own.
To put words in terms simple enough for a child’s pure, uncomplicated understanding, we
must simplify our thoughts, understand them well enough put them in plain terms.
To talk to a child, we elevate our speech. We must understand the painting well enough to
communicate its meaning in a few mere brushstrokes.
communicate its meaning in a few mere brushstrokes.
A child understands this. We have lost the wisdom.
And so it was with my sister’s question, brilliant in its seeming naiveté. “What’s wrong with
being pregnant?”
being pregnant?”
I shall try to put the answer in as simple terms as her simple question. To become pregnant
when married is because you fell in love. True love. And stayed there. To become pregnant
when you’re not married is the result of losing love. Of both giving, but neither receiving.
when married is because you fell in love. True love. And stayed there. To become pregnant
when you’re not married is the result of losing love. Of both giving, but neither receiving.
But here’s where so many go wrong. So many believe that a child that comes out of such
a relationship is a mistake. A problem. It’s “…like having an ingrown toenail removed,” a
woman in the clinic tells Pamela. Is it?
a relationship is a mistake. A problem. It’s “…like having an ingrown toenail removed,” a
woman in the clinic tells Pamela. Is it?
How can that be when you’re “removing” a baby? The media and Planned Parenthood argue
it’s not a baby. It’s rather sad our country buys this. It seems we haven’t been paying
attention in biology class.
it’s not a baby. It’s rather sad our country buys this. It seems we haven’t been paying
attention in biology class.
We should be America the beautiful. Not America the Land of Dead Babies.
This is part of the reason I’m proud that I’m still partly a kid. We stand up.
We were thrown in jail and attacked during the protests of segregation. We are forced to
completely abandon our Christian identity in school, but we continue to defy this.
We were thrown in jail and attacked during the protests of segregation. We are forced to
completely abandon our Christian identity in school, but we continue to defy this.
And yet…
We are adopted by gays, and live in bizarre, sexually twisted atmospheres. We are watching
our future be sold away to abortion. Sold to shameless spending skyrocketing the deficit,
plunging our country deeper and deeper in debt, that our children, our children’s children,
and our children’s children’s children, um, and so forth, couldn’t hope to pay. Sold to
“separation of church and state”, which is being used to crack down on religion everywhere
it shows its face like religion is the plague.
our future be sold away to abortion. Sold to shameless spending skyrocketing the deficit,
plunging our country deeper and deeper in debt, that our children, our children’s children,
and our children’s children’s children, um, and so forth, couldn’t hope to pay. Sold to
“separation of church and state”, which is being used to crack down on religion everywhere
it shows its face like religion is the plague.
But Odyssey reminds us some still dare to show the truth. Some still dare not to lie.
So here’s what I’d like to say, from a kid, to all adults who believe in the smothering of religion,
in gay marriage, in baby killing: You can’t get rid of us. True adults, who believe what’s correct,
not what’s popular, still have the audacity to speak common sense. Things like Odyssey are
still here to remind us what sanity is. What God is. What’s right.
in gay marriage, in baby killing: You can’t get rid of us. True adults, who believe what’s correct,
not what’s popular, still have the audacity to speak common sense. Things like Odyssey are
still here to remind us what sanity is. What God is. What’s right.
And, just FYI, abortion supporters….
A kid already defeated you two thousand years ago.
Thanks for reading!
Thursday, October 18, 2012
AIO Article: The Music of AIO 10/18/12
Having listened to a lot of music in the past couple weeks, I figured I should do an article on the music of AIO...
In the special episode 500, they (the Odyssey team) did a short documentary on the creation of the Odyssey theme song. Apparently John Campbell, AIO's brilliant composer, stumbled upon those seven signature notes while at the piano one day working hard at composing the Odyssey theme. Since then, those seven notes have been incorporated into every one of Odyssey's theme songs over the years. Let's take a quick look at all five theme songs, shall we?
#1: Classic Theme: This is the theme most Odyssey fans generalize the series with. It's a grand, loud affair, with Whit talking in the background. This is probably not my all-time favorite, but it's still good, if only because it's the first one. It was used from Albums 1 - 12
#2: Golden Theme: This is the theme used from Albums 13 - 31. It includes the seven notes familiarized with Odyssey and a preview of the episode. This is quite possibly my favorite theme, though I enjoy them all. It has a nice intro and closing.
#3: Jansen/Novacom Theme: This is the theme used from Albums 32 - 38? I'm not entirely sure where this theme stopped. This is a nice fast-paced modern theme, but it almost seems too fast-paced, so I'm quite honestly glad Odyssey dropped this and went for something more classic.
#4: Classic-Modern Theme: I call this the Classic-Modern Theme because it combines elements of the more classic Odyssey theme and the modern one. It is genius on John Campbell's part and was used from Albums 39 - 49. (Album 50 had a different theme song to itself, essentially.)
#5: Modern Theme: This is the latest theme now, but in 20 years, they'll probably be calling it the 'Classic theme'. It is a nice homage to the original while still sounding incredibly different. It's short and sweet, and I like it, though not as much as the Golden or Classic-Modern. It was used from 51 - I don't know, we'll find out when AIO switches themes.
Yes, I'm aware that was brief, but I only wanted to give a quick, simple rundown. But naturally, the themes at the beginning have not been the only music Odyssey has ever put out. Let's examine some other musical episodes...
The Great Wishy Woz: This was really the first episode with real songs, original songs I might add. It gave the classic Kids Radio episode a nice feel, as though you were watching a Broadway rendition of The Wizard of Oz. All of the remixes of the original Oz songs were brilliant and catchy. I sometimes find myself singing "Follow the Big Fat Road" instead of "Follow the Yellow Brick Road". And the performances were all outstanding as well. Aria Curzon has a nice voice, though it was obvious she wasn't a professional singer.
Odyssey Sings!: This is the golden standard for all Odyssey episodes having to do with music. It's nearly perfect in every way, from the songs themselves to the performances, to Cryin' Bryan Dern's hilarious interruptions. I particularly loved Bart and Harlow's songs. And Eugene's performance at the end was a nice introduction to the Eugene Sings! CD. (Which I still haven't heard...) I only wish I could've heard Connie's song! The "I tripped" line was intriguing...
A Thankstaking Story: This is another nice little musical episode. Though the songs are not as grand as in The Great Wishy Woz, they are still fun and catchy. I think the song Good News was the best, with some sweet performances by Katie Leigh (who knew she could sing?) and Will Ryan. And Whit Hertford was surprisingly good as well.
Of course, there's always M'kalister Park, (which I'm listening to as I write this) but that's another article. Anyway, the music in Odyssey is amazing. Enough said.
Hope you enjoyed the article, and thanks for reading!
In the special episode 500, they (the Odyssey team) did a short documentary on the creation of the Odyssey theme song. Apparently John Campbell, AIO's brilliant composer, stumbled upon those seven signature notes while at the piano one day working hard at composing the Odyssey theme. Since then, those seven notes have been incorporated into every one of Odyssey's theme songs over the years. Let's take a quick look at all five theme songs, shall we?
#1: Classic Theme: This is the theme most Odyssey fans generalize the series with. It's a grand, loud affair, with Whit talking in the background. This is probably not my all-time favorite, but it's still good, if only because it's the first one. It was used from Albums 1 - 12
#2: Golden Theme: This is the theme used from Albums 13 - 31. It includes the seven notes familiarized with Odyssey and a preview of the episode. This is quite possibly my favorite theme, though I enjoy them all. It has a nice intro and closing.
#3: Jansen/Novacom Theme: This is the theme used from Albums 32 - 38? I'm not entirely sure where this theme stopped. This is a nice fast-paced modern theme, but it almost seems too fast-paced, so I'm quite honestly glad Odyssey dropped this and went for something more classic.
#4: Classic-Modern Theme: I call this the Classic-Modern Theme because it combines elements of the more classic Odyssey theme and the modern one. It is genius on John Campbell's part and was used from Albums 39 - 49. (Album 50 had a different theme song to itself, essentially.)
#5: Modern Theme: This is the latest theme now, but in 20 years, they'll probably be calling it the 'Classic theme'. It is a nice homage to the original while still sounding incredibly different. It's short and sweet, and I like it, though not as much as the Golden or Classic-Modern. It was used from 51 - I don't know, we'll find out when AIO switches themes.
Yes, I'm aware that was brief, but I only wanted to give a quick, simple rundown. But naturally, the themes at the beginning have not been the only music Odyssey has ever put out. Let's examine some other musical episodes...
The Great Wishy Woz: This was really the first episode with real songs, original songs I might add. It gave the classic Kids Radio episode a nice feel, as though you were watching a Broadway rendition of The Wizard of Oz. All of the remixes of the original Oz songs were brilliant and catchy. I sometimes find myself singing "Follow the Big Fat Road" instead of "Follow the Yellow Brick Road". And the performances were all outstanding as well. Aria Curzon has a nice voice, though it was obvious she wasn't a professional singer.
Odyssey Sings!: This is the golden standard for all Odyssey episodes having to do with music. It's nearly perfect in every way, from the songs themselves to the performances, to Cryin' Bryan Dern's hilarious interruptions. I particularly loved Bart and Harlow's songs. And Eugene's performance at the end was a nice introduction to the Eugene Sings! CD. (Which I still haven't heard...) I only wish I could've heard Connie's song! The "I tripped" line was intriguing...
A Thankstaking Story: This is another nice little musical episode. Though the songs are not as grand as in The Great Wishy Woz, they are still fun and catchy. I think the song Good News was the best, with some sweet performances by Katie Leigh (who knew she could sing?) and Will Ryan. And Whit Hertford was surprisingly good as well.
Of course, there's always M'kalister Park, (which I'm listening to as I write this) but that's another article. Anyway, the music in Odyssey is amazing. Enough said.
Hope you enjoyed the article, and thanks for reading!
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