Episode Review: The Ties That Bind 10/12/14

     (Note: This is my review of an album that has not fully aired yet, so there will obviously be some pretty heavy spoilers.  Don't say you haven't been warned.)

     There are ostensibly four different types of AIO episodes that fans can classify: slice-of-life (the most common), action-adventure/mystery (the most consistently praised), drama (the ones everyone in general loves, but sometimes they cause you to shift uncomfortably, wondering whether to laugh or cry), and the Whit's inventions/Kid's Radio/Bible/Historical/Whatever (the ones that everyone skipped over as a young kid, but love now).  I call the action-adventure/mystery the most consistently praised because it's the truth.  The "dramas" might be the most inspirational or spiritually fulfilling, but, then again, you never really hear about an AIO fan bragging about how they listened to the entire Eugene and Katrina relationship saga in one day like you would with Novacom or Blackgaard.  The truth is, the "action-adventure" tag is one of AIO's most profitable.  And for good reason, too.  All four of the "major" action sagas have been intriguing, suspenseful, deep, though-provoking, well-plotted and well-acted.  Though really, in AIO's case, the term "action-adventure" is a bit misleading, because when you think about it, AIO's "action-adventure" is James Bond's "romantic comedy."  Because of the constraints of a radio drama as well as the creator's beliefs about violence in entertainment, there's always very, very little genuine action in AIO, even in the episodes that are clearly labeled "action-adventure."  Still, AIO's new album "The Ties That Bind" is an all-time low in action quantity, even by AIO standards.  Whereas Blackgaard had burnt-down barns and castles, as well as electrical stunners, beat-up kids and blown-up tunnels, and Novacom had dead fathers, human slavery and world domination, and even the usually tame Eugene and His Father Saga had a broken vase here and there (or, in GRC's case, a broken cell phone), "The Ties That Bind" feels lacking in all these things.  True, Whit passes out, and true, Wooton's house gets burned down, and true, Buck gets beaten up, but two out of three of these things have nothing to do with "the bad guys" as the action in the other four sagas did.  I'd like to emphasize that I don't think this lack of action is a bad thing at all; in fact it's a very good thing.  I appreciate that AIO is making an effort to deviate from the "action-adventure" cliches that they're "supposed to" put in.  And please don't think that my low rating of this album is due to me being some sort of Hollywood lover who wants more fights and explosions.  Perhaps I shouldn't have opened the review up like this at all, but I thought it was an interesting observation that deserved to be made.
     I shall officially start off the review with all the positive things I have to say about the album, for it is by no stretch of the imagination a complete failure. To start off, I absolutely love the fact that AIO is addressing the issue of marriage, and what it means in our modern society. They did it very tactfully (since this is AIO, nothing was explicity stated, though it's obviously meant to be a good springboard for parents to talk to their kids about these issues, which it succeeds beautifully at), but it's still probably the gutsiest thing they've done since "Pamela Has A Problem." It's an issue that needs to be addressed, but a lot of children's programs are too scared to address, so bravo to AIO for stepping up.  In general, I have to say that the whole Mrs. Adelaide/Let's Get Together Festival is the only storyline on the whole album that I enjoyed all the way through.  I have an eensy-teensy problem with the storyline involving her brother, but I'll get to that in the negatives.  The last couple scenes with Randall and Whit were probably the best scenes on the whole album, and the only time I ever really felt any sort of emotion while listening to it.  Having Jules back is a nice surprise as well, as I didn't expect her to be back until - oh, what am I saying, I didn't expect her to be back ever.  She really is one of the greatest post-hiatus characters, because I feel she's the first character AIO has ever made who actually represents what the "stereotypical teenager" at the time would be.  And she had some great character development throughout the whole thing.  I know that if she ever comes back, the writers will probably turn her into some sort of "new Connie," but even if she does become a Christian and the sweet little girl Connie seems to think she is, I for one hope she never completely loses that teenage edge.  It's what makes her character.  I also loved hearing from Harlow Doyle again, even if he wasn't quite in top-form comedy wise.  Still, not quite top-form Harlow is better than the bottom-form Wooton the writers have been feeding us for the past four years (Darnit, I'm already getting into negatives.).  That brings me to Wooton's cousin.  I personally liked him, at least for the first several episodes.  It's odd.  In many ways he's a lot like Wooton, but he's unlike Wooton in just as many.  He's actually a bit more complex than what I first gave him credit for, and even if I don't totally like the way they wrapped up his storyline, I still wouldn't mind hearing from him again.  It's great to see Olivia and Jay around, even if they played pretty small parts.  Olivia is really starting to grow on me, even if she is just another Lucy  Her little speech about marriage was surprisingly mature.  Jay is his usual self, which is of course great, as no one would want him to be anything else.  As for Camilla's new voice, I don't really see what everyone's complaining about.  To be perfectly honest, I like it better than the old one.  It almost gives her a completely different character, a character I prefer.
     Alright, now on to the negatives.  Sorry the positive paragraph was short and mostly involving the characters that I like, but this album wasn't really my favorite.  I'd like to start off the negatives by copying a Soda Shop post from Arkan Dreamwalker (with all due respect).

My MIND is BLOWN!!!
Jules came back! Eugene & Katrina adopting Buck! The Jones & Parker Detective agency with Harlow! Wooton proposing edto Penny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mind=Blown
As you can see, the usually reserved and decorous Arkán is "fanning out". 
D'AAAAAAAH!!!
**Woo*ton-8_*&*#P*@enn#*y*O_0o-O0_o!!!!
*whew* *pant*

     Mr. Dreamwalker's post summarizes how a lot of AIO fans (who have heard the whole thing) feel about the new album.  And I don't disagree with them at all.  It's amazing to see Eugene and Katrina adopt Buck or to see Wooton propose to Penny.  But I guess I just feel like this is all the stuff that the fans wrote to the producers about on the Official Podcast, all the letters that we never expected Paul McCusker would listen to when we wrote them.  It feels like AIO are going out of their way to give the fans "exactly what they want" after they gave them "exactly what they didn't want" in Album 55, what with Mitch getting married and Eugene and Katrina not being able to have children.  So I guess you could call this AIO's "apology" for Album 55.  But the thing is, AIO didn't need to apologize for arguably their greatest album in a long time.  Of course that's just my opinion, but I always thought it was the producers' opinion too, what with all the schtick about "having children would change Eugene's character too much." In fact, as a semi-new SS user called TigerShadow pointed out in the Album 58 discussion topic, the writers mock themselves through Wooton's fan Q & A at Comic Connellsville by having him say that Captain Absolutely having a love interest would "change his character too much."  So perhaps this means that the writers have changed their minds about Wooton and Penny and/or Eugene and Katrina and now want to throw at their fans everything they've asked for.  But maybe the writers were right.  Because while I don't believe that Buck's constant presence would have anything but positive effects on a character like Katrina, I'm wondering what kind of effects being a dad will have on Eugene.  It could be great, sure, but it could also be the straw that broke the camel's back for his beloved intellectualism.  This may seem like an odd opinion, but if you think about it, Eugene has become less and less like his old self wih each new album.  The big words and scientific thinking show up occasionally - but they usually feel forced, as if it's what Eugene is supposed to say, as opposed to the classically genuine intellectual rants of albums gone by.  I personally liked it when Eugene would rant for hours about the life cycle of the gnat.  Like it or not, that's his distinguishing feature as a character.  It's obviously not his only feature, but without it, he becomes almost like a younger version of Whit or Jason.  I feel similarly about Wooton and Penny, though that probably won't be quite so bad.   However, it would be much, much worse for the writers to simply tease the fans by promising a marriage out of nowhere at the end of a saga and then not fulfilling that promise in the the next album.  So *heavy sigh* it seems Wooton and Penny will just have to get married.  Oh, well.  As long as AIO handles it right.  I mean, as cool as the idea of a bunch of mini-Wootons bouncing around Odyssey is, I feel like it would get exhausting after a while.  But really, none of this has happened yet, and I'm basically just complaining about hypothetical situations, so I won't consider this paragraph a "negative" one.  Just some of my thoughts on the potentials for negative character development that this saga brought with it.  Or perhaps think of it as a plea to the producers of AIO: PLEASE DON'T COMPLETELY CHANGE EUGENE'S CHARACTER LIKE YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T!!

     Anyway... *ahem* on to the official negatives, which actually starts with a positive, that positive being that, like most fans, I really liked the first episode.  It set the whole story up rather nicely, and I was curious to see where it would meander off to from there.  It was what prompted me to blow 15 bucks on the digital download, so it was obviously pretty intriguing.  I expected things to unfold at a pretty quick pace from there, but was surprised to find the story moving as slow as an inchworm.  Every single darn scene was just another conversation about something or other, and though most of the conversations were interesting at first, it got extremely tiresome when very little seemed to be actually happening.  In fact, this may sound completely crazy (it probably is), I believe that you might be able to listen to just the first two parts of the saga and the last two parts of the saga in that order without really missing that much of the meat of the story.  I don't recommend doing this, but I don't think anyone would be super confused by the end, assuming that they had someone condense the 10 parts in between into a 30-second synopsis.  I would like to clarify that I am not at all against Odyssey doing long story archs.  I think it's a fantastic idea, one that they should try again soon.  But whereas GRC was constantly moving, that is, it felt like each part was leading up to a big finish, The Ties That Bind kind of plateaus after the first two parts and never really picks up steam again until Mrs. Adelaide's brother dies, the only event that is an exception to my complaints in this paragraph.  And the events that are meant to be dramatic and story saving feel, unlike GRC's earth-shattering events, forced and unnecessary.  These include: Whit passing out, Wooton's house getting burned down and/or broken into.  I'm almost tempted to add "Wooton proposing to Penny," but that is somewhat exciting and doesn't really deserve to be criticized, even if it was a completely random way to end the album.  I was especially disappointed at the ridiculously anti-climatic "who burned down Wooton's house" scene at the end.  Hadley is a pretty good character, to be sure, but it's just insulting to the fans to explain a pretty monumental moment in the saga as a stupid accident by Wooton's cousin.  I don't think AIO has ever done anything like that before, and, though it was certainly a bit of a surprise, it wasn't a nice surprise.  

   I'll spend this paragraph going over all the smaller aspects of The Ties That Bind that bugged me.  Sorry I'm such a pessimist, guys. :) AIO have always been masters at coming up with convincing, unique villains for their sagas.  Not so, here, however.  I mean, to be perfectly frank, are we expected to get a sinister vibe from a middle school bully playing comic book nerd?  I guess it would've been fine if they had played it light, but Vance and Jules seem to take themselves so seriously that it's nearly as laughable as the comics they're stealing.  I suppose that from Part 1, I was expecting some big scheme from Vance and Jules, possibly relating to the Let's Get Together Festival.  Instead, it relates entirely to Wooton's storyline, which I never found particularly interesting anyway.  The Soda Shop was abuzz about who the Perilous Pen was, and the majority (rightly, I might add) said it would be Jules.  Someone piped in and said that Jules couldn't be the Perilous Pen, because that would be far too predictable for Odyssey.  I forgot who said this, but I believe the AIO writers would be wise to take their advice.  Predictability in Odyssey occurs occasionally in minor two-part mysteries and such, but I believe we can all agree it has never really turned up in a major saga like this.  And when you consider that the Perilous Pen's identity was really the only mysterious aspect AIO had going, it's a pretty bad move on their part.  Even making someone like Hugo Wells or Dee Grant the PP would've been more satisfying, for the sole reason that those are the people you'd expect to be PP.  it'd certainly be refreshing for a mystery's culprit to be the one we did expect to have done it.  I mean, that'd be unexpected, right? ;)  The AIO team tried their best to raise no suspicion for Jules, and, in doing so, they increased suspicion in huge amounts, essentially ruining the mystery aspect of the 14-parter.  It was great to see Buck back again of course, but I felt he was almost a little too perfect.  He was basically the down-home country nice boy, which is great for him as a person, but makes for an almost obnoxious character.  I would've rather seen a character who did his best to do the right thing and ultimately did, but struggled with some inner demons along the way.  Also, it's quite obvious that... Um, he didn't really do anything.  He was just kind of there just to be there.  For this album at least, his purpose was basically to fulfill fan letters.  Nevertheless, I hope he sticks around and AIO gives him a bigger role In the future,  The pointless storyline with Jay and the movie set was similar, obviously a desperate effort to involve Jay, a very popular character, (and rightly so) in the story.  Now, on to the only problem I have with the Let's Get Together storyline.  It's actually a pretty small one, but I feel it's worth mentioning.  The storyline of Mrs. Adelaide and her brother so closely paralleled that of Duncan Mathis and Monica Stone that it felt less like a nod to the past and more like AIO running out of ideas.  It doesn't take away from the power of the story, but it's worth mentioning.  Finally, I got a constant feeling of disconnect between the stories.  The only two that they actually combined (at least, in the GRC way of intertwining stories) were Jules's storyline and Wooton's.  You could say that Camilla's and Buck's were connected too, but I felt that Camilla was more of an extension to Buck's storyline.

   I suppose what it boils down to is that I don't understand exactly what genre AIO is marketing The Ties That Bind with.  Action-Adventure? No, there's not enough action (or adventure, for that matter) to slap that label on.  Comedy?  Too much drama and (in a seemingly contradictory statement that actually makes at least a little bit of sense) action.  Drama?  Maybe some parts, but the overall feel is somewhat light-hearted, and the fact that there's a couple of mystery elements sets it apart from, say, the drama of Eugene and Katrina's dating years.  Slice of life?  A little too out there (and long) to be considered a reflection of normal life. And it obviously won't fit into historical, inventions, story, or Kid's Radio genres.  Thus, it seems that The Ties That Bind has singlehandedly created a new AIO genre.  We'll call it: The Action-Adventure Comedy Drama Slice of Life AIO Genre.  And while that idea may sound somewhat interesting on paper, it translates to a pretty messy 14-parter.  I'm sorry, Paul McCusker, I respect you enormously as a writer and you are obviously the single biggest influence this show has ever had, but this saga has nothing on GRC.  It's disappointing, and I know you could have fleshed it out a little more.  For that reason and all the others I gave, The Ties That Bind is truly AIO's first saga that was a half-fauilure.

The Ties That Bind Rating: 6/10

     Thanks for reading!

     

Episode Review: No Chemistry Whatsoever 9/1/13

     Installment 12 of AIC is up!  You should read it too, whether or not you follow AIC.  There's a fun surprise at the end.  In the meantime, however, I will be reviewing last week's episode...

     "No Chemistry Whatsoever" is an episode full of contradictions.  The A-side of the episode (Connie's chemistry class, which is extremely alliterative and fun to say), contradictory to almost every other episode with two stories, is worse than the B-side.  Penny has risen to become a major character since GRC, but her pointless role in this episode contradicts that.  The moral of Connie's experience contradicts the moral that's slapped on the episode description.  It's such contradictions like these that make it a confusing episode.  The parts you expected to be satisfying (Penny, the idea of Eugene teaching Connie chemistry) wind up unsatisfying, and the parts you expected to be unsatisfying (Barret and a seemingly cliche storyline surrounding him) wind up satisfying. 
     For the first couple scenes, everything was going as planned: Penny's song was fairly amusing if a bit awkward, Eugene was shaping up to be an interesting chemistry teacher, and Barret's storyline seemed like filler.  Then, around the time of her presentation that turned her hair blonde, I stopped caring about Connie's predicament, because her behavior was, in essence, another contradiction.  She seemed to be failing the class on purpose, but she still complained about it to Whit.  I didn't understand Connie's behavior at all until later in the episode, and even that explanation has its flaws.  That storyline had lost me, so I began to pay more attention to Barret in his dilemma.
     There was also a turning point in that storyline that made me pay attention to it.  It was probably around the time he explained his plan of memorizing ridiculously short verses to Olivia.  We've seen Odyssians try to take the easy way out before, but this was regarding the Bible, making it a bit more serious.  I was actually amused by Barret's plan, and eagerly awaited what would come of it.  Olivia seems to be the new Lucy in that she tries to steer her male friends out of trouble (Remember Isaac and Curt?).  This is a good role for her, and she works well as a "goody two-shoes".  The story continued to captivate me until the very end, and it's one of the few times in recent memory where I've really enjoyed a slice-of-life story starring kids (of course, there's "The Friend Formula", but that's next week).
    Meanwhile, I only half paid attention to Connie's predicament, but I did catch the scene with her and Eugene, where the real reason for Connie's lack of excitement was explained: Eugene, her friend and rival at the same time, was in a position of authority over her.  Connie had to humble herself and admit Eugene was better than her in this subject, something no one really wants to do.  That's the reason I'm confused about the moral: "The value of hard work"?  I can see it with Barret of course, but I personally don't believe Connie's problem was laziness.  The scene with Eugene proved that.  This is yet another contradiction, and it makes me all the more confused.
     Ultimately, I'll split this review in half: Barret's storyline, the B-side, gets an 8/10.  Connie's storyline, the A-side, gets a 5/10.  What's the average of 8 and 5?  Just a little over 6/10.  This episode was quite surprising, and the surprises weren't always good.  It benefited from a great B-side storyline, but the rest of the episode leaved a lot to be desired. 

     No Chemistry Whatsoever Rating: 6/10

     Don't forget to check out the new AIC!
     Thanks for reading!

Episode Review: Your Servant Is Listening Pt. 2 8/17/13

     Pt. 1 and Pt. 2 of Your Servant Is Listening feel disjointed in a way.  There are many differences in the story: Hanna is in Pt. 1, Eli is in Pt. 2.  Samuel is a baby in Pt. 1, but a boy in Pt. 2.  And Lucia and Eva figure more prominently into Pt. 1, whereas Camilla is central in Pt. 2.  Disjointed two-parters are generally a bad thing, but in this case, I suppose it was nessecary and of course the stories were entwined together by several threads.
     The episode begins with a "Previously In Adventures in Odyssey" segment, which is often used as a filler when a Pt. 2 or Pt. 3 is too short, but this time it would seem its function is to compensate for a lack of commercial breaks in the radio version of this episode.  The first scene of Pt. 2 naturally begins where Pt. 2 left off: Eva and Lucia are about to get their throats slit because they won't give a temple priest their lamb sacrifice.  Blah, blah, blah.  As I said before, I didn't like the ending to Pt. 1, and I still don't really.  But the episode quickly moves on from there, and goes through all the events of the story according to Scripture.
     I believe the voice of Samuel is the same actor as the blind kid from "The Imagination Station, Revisited", though I can't be sure.  He always reminded me of Sam Johnson, but it can't be the same actor...  I will confess to a certain feeling of déjà vu with the Camilla-Samuel scenes.  It just seemed like AIO had done those kinds of exchanges before in previous IS episodes.  I did find the bit about Samuel telling Camilla to leave the tabernacle as Camilla constantly came back against her will slightly amusing, and that may be the first time any reviewer has ever used the word "amusing" to describe an "Imagination Station" episode.
     I would also like to commend whoever voiced God.  That was probably my favorite God/Jesus vocal in all of AIO.  It sent chills up and down my spine, and John Campbell's music was fantastic.  It was just in general a beautiful scene, probably my favorite of both episodes, and I hope it gets nominated for an Avery.  The final stretch of the episode is often depressing.  The Philistines attack, Eli's two sons die, the Ark of the Covenant is in enemy hands, and Eli drops dead from utter despair.  I think the writers handles these scenes quite well.
     I promised I would talk about the spiritual side of the episode last week, so... I'll keep that promise.  I think the two best spiritually inspiring scenes in the whole episode were Hanna's conversation with Camilla in Pt. 1 and God's conversation with Samuel in Pt. 2.  Unfortunately, Camilla's monologue about her new perspective on Christianity at the end didn't really move me, but I think it was overall a good spiritually-driven episode.
     So, was Pt. 2 as good as Pt. 1?  Yes.  Maybe even a bit better.  But Pt. 1 was not exactly the greatest IS adventure of all time, so that's not saying a ton.  There was nothing inherently wrong about this two-parter: it's a good, solid season premiere.  It just didn't seem quite as inspired as it could have.  It was stiff, but you could argue it was supposed to be.  I will point out a lot of good things in the episode, though: it was accurate and lined up with the Biblical version without being boring for those who know the story, it had a colorful collection of characters, and it had hints of humor and fun, two things these kinds of episodes aren't generally associated with.  Is it a masterpiece?  No.  But it doesn't need to be.

     Your Servant Is Listening Pt. 2 Rating: 8/10

     Thanks for reading!

Episode Review: Your Servant Is Listening Pt. 1 8/10/13

     The interesting thing about the Imagination Station is that it has always, is always, and will always be the main invention at Whit's End.  The Room of Consequence, the Transmuter, the Inspiration Station, none of them had a chance at replacing the IS as Whit's crowning technological achievement.  The constant upgrades of the machine don't really mean anything, it's always the same station as it always was for the listener.  Dozens of characters have entered it, from Digger Digwillow to Dr. Blackgaard.  That's why an IS episode has become a bit of a cliche in the AIO world, and that's why I'm always skeptical of a new one.  The new episode always has to measure up to that first one where Digger met Jesus.  If it doesn't, and it's just a good episode, I feel a bit disappointed.  That's what happened with "The American Revelation" and "Bernard & Jeremiah", and I didn't want it to happen again with the season premiere of Album 57, an album I have high expectations for.
     That's why the first couple scenes made me doubt the episode's strengths, and dwell on it's weaknesses.  There where just too many things that seemed wrong.  Camilla has a new voice?  Since when is Lucia comic relief?  Do we have to have an episode where the only normal characters are the three worst parts of the Parker family?  But all these concerns were resolved in the final stretch of the episode.  It turns out, Camilla's new voice might be okay.  Lucia's constant jokes aren't that funny, but I guess I can deal with it.  David's actually the worst part of the Parker family; I kind of like these three.  This doesn't make the episode perfect, or the pesky annoyances at the beginning less annoying, but it improves my opinion of the episode.
     I think this is also the 1st time AIO has explored the story of Samuel in depth.  It's a good story, but I'm not sure it's the perfect one for Camilla's problem, considering her lack of faith problem could be resolved early on, when God answers Hanna's prayer.  But, I will give points for having a kid actually discuss their faith (or, in this case, lack of it) with adults.  That hasn't happened in a while, and I was hoping it would.  The kids of Odyssey are often portrayed as normal Christian preteens, not questioning Christianity but not always talking about it (Seth Young is the obvious exception).  So to have one of the kids have a crisis of faith is, well, refreshing.
     Like many Nathan Hoobler episodes, the pace of "Your Servant Is Listening" rather fast.  There are no excess scenes, and everything moves along like it should.  This doesn't always work for certain episodes, but it certainly works here.  I like that the IS can just skip entire years.  It's obviously convenient, and works well for Hoobler's writing style.  The IS is so adaptable writers can tailor it for them.
     The acting was kind of hit or miss.  Eva stood out to me for the first time ever, and she seems she could be a great adult character if she's used enough.  Hanna was very believable and overall good.  Michaela Dean sounded a bit young for Camilla, and I wasn't extremely impressed with her performance overall.  Lucia is a character who's drifting farther and farther from my favorites list.  I haven't genuinely liked her in an episode since her first one, "Grandma's Visit".  I almost feel she's just cluttering up the IS, and I don't like the idea of more than two people entering the Imagination Station in the first place.  The sound design was spot-on as usual in historical episodes, and the music, while not anything incredibly special, fit the mood just fine.
     As far as the spiritual side of the episode, I think I'll have to wait for Pt. 2 to give my final verdict. I enjoyed Hanna's conversation with Camilla, but I'm not sure whether I'll be moved spiritually in Pt. 2 or not.  The story of Samuel has plenty of potential for these things, and I'm eager to see Camilla's dramatic epiphany.  I will say I didn't particularly like the last scene.  Obviously, Phineas is not going to kill Lucia and Eva, and it seemed like a half-hearted attempt to have a dramatic ending.  But overall, it's a good Pt. 1.

     Your Servant Is Listening Pt. 1 Rating: 7/10

     Thanks for reading!

And Update (And an AIC) 5/18/13

     Gosh, haven't heard from me in a while, have you?  I figured I'd squeeze in a couple more posts before I go on my epic, 5-week trip throughout June.  But anyway, I will be writing a new AIC and posting it today.  I'm not sure if anyone cares about it anymore, but I'd like to finish the series before... before it's too late.  Also, if I can find a better computer, better recording software, better microphones, and a better idea, I might think about releasing Episode 3 of JAAIOP (that basically means the podcast is done for).  In all honesty, since I'm writing an AIC, I really do not want to write a review.  It would probably be sloppy.  But I will try to write one more review before I leave.  Until then, I'm Alex Jefferson, and this is... an update.  Don't forget to check out the new AIC.
     Thanks for reading!

Weekly Review: The Lost Riddle 12/8/12

     I realize I should be reviewing The Holy Hoopster, but because I have downloaded The Holy Hoopster but haven't downloaded The Lost Riddle, I will have to review The Lost Riddle before the 16 Days of Christmas starts.  By the way, I would like to thank Wooton Basset for designing the new Christmas logo!  But now, here's my review...

     AIO seems to be obsessed with the theme of forgiveness in mysteries.  Of course, with 700+ episodes in the AIO canon, there are bound to be some recurring themes, and I don't have a problem with that at all, but what I do have a problem with is five episodes all in the same genre with the same theme.  The theme of forgiveness has repeated itself throughout AIO mysteries, starting with the classic What Happened To the Silver Streak?  This episode was looking to be a boring, predictable "don't jump to conclusions" detective show, but then everything changed with a twist ending I don't think anyone saw coming.  This episode had the theme of forgiveness, but it's not the only mystery to have this theme.  The Painting, Buried Sin, Call Me If You Care, and now, The Lost Riddle all explore forgiveness.  And the funny thing is, with the exception of What Happened To the Silver Streak?, all of these episodes are dealing with the same type of forgiveness, and the latter four are all dealing with forgiveness in pretty much the same way.  Allow me to elaborate just a bit before launching into my review of The Lost Riddle...
     The Painting, Buried Sin, Call Me If You Care, and The Lost Riddle all start pretty normally.  In the first, Jack and Joanne receive several paintings from Whit.  In Buried Sin, Eugene, Jared and Dwayne are digging around in the backyard of Whit's End.  In the third, Connie is whining about her Dad and her new phone.  And in The Lost Riddle, Emily and Matthew are waltzing around the schoolyard, checking their lockers.  The episodes progress, and a character finds something.  (Examples: a painting, possibly an original: a time capsule with a gun: a strange phone message: a piece of paper that turns out to be a riddle)  Next, the characters take the clue to someone and investigate.  They find out about a person who might need to forgive someone.  In a climatic finish, they find that person and that person and another person have a heartfelt forgiving scene.
     This pattern repeats itself for literally all four episodes, and it's getting to be annoying.  AIO switches the pattern up just a bit with The Painting and Call Me If You Care by adding some new twists, but the overall story structure is the same.  And the fact that all four episodes are mysteries is even more repetitive.  Didn't it ever cross the writers' minds when writing The Lost Riddle that the storyline was just a bit reminiscent of Buried Sin or The Painting, or Call Me If You Care?  I think The Painting was by far the best episode of Album 29, because back then, it was original.  And Buried Sin and Call Me If You Care stood out as good episodes as well, though by the time Call Me If You Care came around, the storyline was getting a little familiar.  But this is just ridiculous.  You may notice that for this album, I've been complaining about reminiscence to past episodes quite a bit.  Well, I simply believe AIO is repeating their roots a lot.  And this is not exactly a good thing.  AIO should progress without copying what they did 10 years ago.  But this isn't really a review anymore, it's just a big long article about The Lost Riddle being redundant.  And all that said, there are still many pros to The Lost Riddle, and overall it's quite better than Happy Hunting.  So I shall finally get to the review part.
     Emily is getting more tolerable with each episode she's featured in.  Great Expectations was overall a good episode, and this one truly is as well.  Emily's voice is no longer irking me, and I really have no character issues with her anymore.  I still don't find her as interesting as Barret or Jay, but she's not as bad as I was making her out to be.  And with this episode, she's back to her ol' detective self again.  I like this, actually, and I look forward to more episodes with Emily in her 'detective' role.  But this episode is a bit more serious; Emily is not just solving relatively trivial school cases anymore, she's unearthing a case from decades past.  I like this as well...
     I also believe the addition of Dale Jacobs was wise.  Phil Lollar has such a great voice, and was such an asset to AIO in the past, his characters only bring back the old Odyssey.  And learning more about Dale's past only lengthens his AIOwiki page and makes him more of an endearing character than ever.  And I think that this episode and The Labyrinth are showing Dale's mysterious side very nicely.  I just hope he won't run off and join the FBI or become the next Jason Whittaker...
     The plot of this episode progresses almost like a children's mystery series book, with clues, riddles, new character introductions, and a finale where a character tells us a story at the end.  I think the AIO team used some very nice plot devices, like the classic watermark and lemon juice clues.  I just wish the plot hadn't been so similar to the episodes mentioned above...
     And the final confession scene is typical of AIO, with the dramatic music in the background where the guy tells his tale and asks for Dale's forgiveness.  I thought it was handled well, and they got the perfect actor to play Kenny Rutherford.
     As usual, the sound effects, production quality, and music were all top-notch, as well as the acting and character development.  So, overall, The Lost Riddle would have been a great episode.  But... it's not.  I can't award it a 8/10 or even a 7/10 rating because of the huge issue with the plot that I explained in detail above.  So, with a heavy heart, I must award this mystery drama a relatively low score.  Album 56's 4 weakest episodes are Happy Hunting, The Lost Riddle, Groundhog Jay, and Push the Red Button, and the bummer is that these 4 pretty much come in succession, so the latter half of 56 is overall pretty weak.

     The Lost Riddle Rating: 6/10

     Thanks for reading, and prepare yourself for the festivities starting tomorrow!
    

Weekly Review: Happy Hunting 12/1/12

     I'm very sorry I didn't get to the past 4 reviews. I have no excuses, I just didn't do it. However, I will be continuing to review Album 56. Here is my review of Happy Hunting...

     The combo of Wooton, Connie, Penny, Jacques Henri, and Whit is being used more and more frequently. From the relatively mediocre "A Penny Earned" and the classic "Childish Things", to the hectic rom-com "Something Old, Something New" and this new installment, the writers seem to think that these five characters mix well together. And they're 4/5 right. Kimmy Robertson and Katie Leigh have great chemistry and their characters now have an interesting friendship.  Dan Hagen does an excellent job with Jacques Henri; he is perfect with Penny and has some great, humorous moments.  And Whit is also great with Penny, pointing out the faults in her ideas while encouraging her in her journey through life.  But the one character that I am starting to passionately despise is... Wooton.  But I'll get to that later.
      The episode begins with quite a funny scene taking place in the art gallery.  As I said before, Penny and Jacques are pretty much polar opposites: Penny is the dreamy, immature artist who seems to take life and its various trials more seriously than her artistic work.  Jacques is the sincere, French art dealer who always means business and seems to take his artistic endeavors more seriously than life and its various trials.  So, when these two characters clash, it produces fascinatingly funny results.  This is probably my favorite scene of the episode.  It's certainly better than the scenes with that scoundrel Wooton.  (Pardon my insulting, I am just becoming quite irked with post-hiatus Wooton in general.)
     The story continues, and Penny is on another one of her now famous "quests".  The same story format that was used in "Childish Things" is used here.  I will explain the format below:

     1. Penny starts to become bothered by something (i.e. body language, happiness) and so she researches it.

     2.  Penny trusts the research she has acquired and begins to do the things the research suggests, with disastrous results.

     3. Penny gets in a fight with one of her friends (In Childish Things: Wooton/Jacques Henri.  In Happy Hunting: Connie) over the thing that's bugging her and the research she did it on it, and she becomes discouraged.

     4. Penny goes to Whit and Connie, who set her straight.  She learns her lesson, and the episode ends.

     I think this storyline works very well, but since we've already heard it in "Childish Things", I don't see any point in repeating it with this episode.  I didn't see much in "Happy Hunting" that "Childish Things" didn't have.  I would like to make it clear that this is a complaint, and it affects the episode's rating.  (I only say this because you might be surprised by the rather low rating I give this episode.) 
     So I basically gave the whole storyline away up there.  However, there are a few surprises along the way.  As a homage to "Happy Smilers", one of the most strangely hysterical and touching episodes ever, Penny attends a happiness support group.  This scene prompted a few chuckles from me, but ultimately wasn't anything hugely special and didn't achieve the big laughs "Happy Smilers" did.  From me, at least.  I realize some listeners were annoyed by "Happy Smilers", but I myself found it hilarious.
     And now, for my big, long rant about Wooton...

My Issues With Wooton: A Mini-Article Extension of My Review of Happy Hunting

     I would like to say that this is not a reaction to this episode in particular, but simply a reaction to post-hiatus Wooton.  This episode was just kind of the "straw that broke the camel's back".  And it cemented in my mind what I had been thinking for a while now: obnoxious Wooton needs to say bye-bye.  I had always found Wooton to be a funny, likeable character.  In episodes like "For Trying Out Loud" and "Tuesdays With Wooton", I would laugh my head off and think, "I wish I could be as funny as Wooton..."  With post-hiatus Wooton, however, I roll my eyes and think, "I'm already funnier than that guy." 
     Now, I don't for a second believe this is Jess Harnell's fault.  I saw that guy being interviewed at the live show, and he was as funny, if not funnier than pre-hiatus Wooton.  I believe Jess is trying his best to make the character of Wooton funny and likeable.  But you can't change obnoxious lines into funny ones.  So basically what I'm saying is that, in truth, this is not Jess Harnell's fault.  This is the writers' fault. 
      Wooton has changed from a hilarious mailman who is passionate about God to an obnoxious guy who tries to be funny but just doesn't have anything funny to say and who hardly ever mentions God or Christianity; and when God and Christianity is mentioned, he attempts to say something funny to break up the spiritual conversation.  But maybe I'm being too cynical...  However, Wooton's behavior lately is inexcusable.  If you're yelling, "What the heck is this guy talking about?  Wooton's still got the laugh factor!" then I'll give you some lines...

Barrett Jones: I lost a friend.
Wooton Bassett: Uh, did you check your locker?

 Wooton Bassett: You know, I've always found that running along the top of a train gives me inspiration.

 Ted Humpfries: About the verdict?
Wooton Bassett: Oh yeah, the verdict. That was a good call, and the jury foreman had good diction when he read it out. Very Shakespearean.

 Wooton Bassett: The point is Olivia, that sometimes we have to try to be understanding even if we don't understand what we're supposed to be understanding about. Understand?

 John Whittaker: So what do you think upset Penny?
Wooton Bassett: Well it had to be the lack of soda's at the vending machine in the court house.

 Connie Kendall: So what are you gonna do with all these confused feelings while Penny figures things out?
Wooton Bassett: I'm gonna wait and silence my body language.
Connie Kendall: How are you gonna do that?
Wooton Bassett: Oh I'm thinking about wearing a space suit whenever I'm around her.

 Wooton Bassett: Mrs. Mitch is a mis-match!?!?!

  Matthew Parker: Hey, maybe Wooton knows.
Wooton Bassett: Wow! Well, I never did before, but there's a first time for everything. What is it?

 John Whittaker: Paris, France?
Wooton Bassett: Actually, it was Paris, Arkansas.

     If it looks like I copied most of the post-hiatus Wooton quotes from AIOwiki, that's what I did.  But I think these quotes prove my point to some extent.  If you laughed at any of these, you can disagree with me, but I don't think you can disagree with me about Wooton's spiritual attitude.  I don't see any huge problem with not talking about God in regular discussion, but saying something funny and trying to change the subject when spiritual things are brought up is, in my opinion, a problem.  Wooton did this in "The Green Ring Conspiracy" and a couple other episodes, if I remember...
     So, forgive me for going on a mini-article rant.  I just wanted to explain why Wooton annoyed me in this episode and all other post-hiatus one.  I'm hoping he changes and the writers recognize his obnoxiousness, but I don't have my fingers crossed.  I shall now get back to the review...

     The episode ends with a moral that is simply this: seeking happiness is a noble endeavor, but it can also become self-indulgent and selfish.  Truthfully, this sounds like a Brady Bunch moral, not an AIO moral.  I don't feel like AIO elaborated on this enough.  Self-indulgence and selfishness are only part of the problem for seeking your own happiness.  Whit touched briefly on the spiritual side of this, saying that a relationship with God can help our happiness, but he didn't explain why or how this is.  He also didn't take the opportunity to offer Penny Christ.  However, as PF already talked about that in his review on his CC blog, (a very excellent post, by the way) I will not elaborate too much on that. 
     Ultimately, this is the worst episode of 56 so far, mostly because of three things: the repeated storyline that was used in "Childish Things", the obnoxiousness of Wooton, and the underdeveloped moral.  Also, the scenes seemed much shorter than normal, as if the writers were rushing the plot by throwing a new scene at us every minute and a half.  I have a couple positives with this episode: the first scene was good, Connie and Penny have good chemistry, there were a couple funny lines that didn't involve Wooton, but that's about it.  Overall, this episode is quite disappointing, and I can give it no more than a rather pathetic 4 stars.

     Happy Hunting Rating: 4/10

     Thanks for reading this rather dismal review!

Weekly Review: The Bible Network 11/10/12

     I realize I'm a week behind; I suppose I'll just finish up the season reviews a week after "Push the Red Button" airs. However, here's my review of The Bible Network...

     "You are listening to The Bible Network. We're all Bible, all the time." That was the first line from this episode, and it pretty much sums up the whole thing. Who else got tired of that announcer guy by the end? He reminded me of those annoying advertisers on TV. Maybe it was the voice...
     Anyway, this whole episode was basically a "Hidden In My Heart" spoof. I honestly don't have a huge problem with this, as the episodes were different enough to stand out, and I quite honestly thought "The Bible Network" was just a tad bit funnier than "Hidden In My Heart". In fact, I would go as far as to say that "The Bible Network" is the funniest AIO episode since "The Triangled Web". I laughed out loud at every one of these sketches, and I thought all but the 2nd taught a very valuable lesson. I'll elaborate on that later.
     The episode begins with Connie once again over the airwaves. It's interesting how Connie started announcing Kid's Radio with "The Twilight Zone" only because Whit was gone. But gradually, she became the signature announcer, and Whit was almost dropped entirely from Kid's Radio. I prefer this, as Connie has a nice radio voice.
     Maybe it was because I just listened to "The Devil Made Me Do It" a couple nights ago, but the first sketch of this episode seemed quite reminiscent of the Guilttrip Jeopardy! sketch in that episode, if only because they're both game shows. As I said before, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, only a neutral note. I found the various panelists simply delightful, and I laughed at almost all of their answers. Panelist #4's answer was stellar, and one of the funniest and cleverest lines in the episode. And, naturally, we had the upholder of Biblical truths, who taught a helpful, albeit obvious, lesson. I actually took away more from this episode than I normally do, as it inspired me to read my Bible more.
     The 2nd sketch was also entertaining, but I found it to be the worst of the three. I found it the least interesting with its repetitiveness, and the overall theme was a bit unclear. I didn't really get any valuable lesson from it, only a few random Bible verses. I understand what the writers were trying to communicate through the sketch, but I don't think it ended up the way the wanted it to be. It ultimately just sounded like a silly crime show with a little message thrown in, and it didn't have the power of the "Hidden In My Heart" sketches. But that's just my opinion.
     The 3rd sketch was superior in nearly every way to the first two. I think it could quite possibly contain some of the funniest moments in AIO history, and it really took a little time to explain the moral in the midst of the humor. There was always something fresh and funny with each scene, and the final scene tied everything up nicely, though it was a bit predictable. This conversation is great:

          DRILL SERGENT: Rick!

          RICK: Hi.

          DRILL SERGENT: How much have you - Hi what?

          RICK: Hi... sir.

          DRILL SERGENT: How much of your Bible have you read?

         RICK: Well, you know, I was just changing my clothes, and -

          DRILL SERGENT: Is the name of this program the "Change Your Clothes Boot Camp"?

          RICK: No... sir.

     So, what are my final thoughts on Kid's Radio's latest installment? It's a winner. The final sketch makes up for the 2nd, in my opinion... And overall, the episode is just a perfect homage to old Kid's Radio.

     The Bible Network Rating: 8/10

     Thanks for reading!

Weekly Review: For Three Dollars More 10/27/12

     I will be writing Installment 10 today, as well as (finally) releasing the links page. But for now, here's my review of For Three Dollars More...

     Dave of Dave's AIO Blog once said, "I think by the end of this album (Album 56) I'll be quite machined-out. The IS and ROC are best used occasionally, and having around five episodes (three with the IS and two with the ROC) featuring these inventions will probably be too much, especially since recently taking trips in Whit's inventions has become a somewhat rare occurrence in comparison with when these inventions were newer."
      I'm not sure if I completely agree with this statement, or that I completely disagree with it. I just thought I'd start with it. I will say that having the first four episodes in an album be machine-related was not the smartest idea, but AIO still made these episodes interesting enough for me to not be too "machined out" by this fourth episode. I also think this episode exceeded "Great Expectations" (I'm sure Ben Warren would disagree. ;)) and came close to the greatness of "The Perfect Church".
     The episode begins with Matthew and Connie. Matthew has become the standard AIO kid, as Jimmy, Sam Johnson, and Mandy Strausberg were before him. He's appeared in 38 episodes, and while his siblings seem to be fading away, he and Jay are only getting more popular. And I like him. He has a sense of humor not seen in previous Odyssey kids, and his personality is likeable and energetic. He rivals Jay for best kid character, and his sense of humor shined in this episode.
     Barret walks in (with a seaseme seed stuck in his teeth) and explains his moral dilemma. I didn't realize that the Get in the Show! scene would actually be taking place in an episode, and I couldn't help but think of the kids when Barret was talking. And I have to say, some of the kids did it better than him! (And some, not so much...) I couldn't exactly sympathize with Barret's situation, but I was interested.
     Matthew's adventure was overall rather predictable. I knew almost exactly what would happen a couple minutes before it happened. But I suppose the point of his adventure wasn't to be shocking and unpredictable, the point was - wait, what was the point? After all, there was really no need to have two adventures that basically communicated the same thing. Connie's adventure was funnier and more interesting, so I felt they could have removed Matthew's and the episode would have had the same effect. And so, having three adventures came off as a filler, as if AIO didn't know what to do in the first half of the episode, so they concocted two unrealistic yet funny stories. But, considering neither of these adventures taught anything worthwhile, I thought one of them could have been omitted. But, oh well. They were still funny.
     Connie gives Barret the trip of his life! This line = priceless epicness-

     Robber: If only someone had given three more dollars! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!

     I was literally laughing about that for five minutes afterwards! And I love that Brandon Gilberstadt is back! I was just listening to a Jared episode (It's All About Me) last night, and I missed him. And though Matthew doesn't have Jared's humor, it was still great to hear Brandon's voice. He did a great job! And though it seemed to take Barret's older brother Jeremey a scene or two to get into the part, (His first scene seemed boring mostly because of his "Where am I? I'm old!" talking to himself bit.) I thought his performance in Whit's adventure was stellar.
     It's interesting that, during Barret's third and final adventure, AIO would take ROC and turn it into more of a movie. I liked the new format, and, though I don't think it should be used too often, it worked well for this episode. I think Whit's version of the adventure made a valid point about tithing, one that should be taken to heart. I'm noticing AIO is experimenting with new morals and themes, instead of going back to lying and salvation, themes that they've done many times before. I admire this and hope it continues for future albums.
     So overall, this was quite a great episode, with a few flaws. I enjoyed almost all of it, and look forward to more episodes like it. We'll just have to see if the remainder of the album lives up to the first four episodes...

     For Three Dollars More Rating: 7.7/10

     Hope you enjoyed that. Thanks for reading!

Weekly Review: Great Expectations 10/20/12

     Alright. Today I shall be reviewing the episode Great Expectations. I'll be releasing Installment 10 and working on JAAIOP tomorrow, so expect more from this site in the near future. I will also try to get my links page going today. But for now, here's my review...

     Young Whit episodes are always fascinating. Giving a peek into a character's past is something these writers, particularly Nathan Hoobler, do best. And I can let go of my bias for Emily quite quickly to sit down and listen to a truly good episode exploring the past of Whit further.
     The episode begins with Whit and Connie at Whit's End, discussing Whit's list of things that he wanted to do as an adult that he compiled as a child. This was a good opening scene; I really have no thoughts on it. The episode progresses to Emily Jones and her relate-able predicament.
     My first thoughts are: Joanne is back! Simon is back! Jim Custer is back! Following the trend there seems to be in this album, this episode seemed reminiscent of other episodes. And that's a good thing.
     Emily's voice seems different to me. Almost... (dare I say it) less annoying. It seems higher-pitched. There was some discussion on SS (The Soda Shop) on whether or not this episode would show us Emily's true character. However, it did almost the opposite: it made us more confused about her. She is now unsure of what she wants to do. This is unsettling, and it makes me wonder where Emily's character will end up 3 or 4 years from now. Will she go back to solving mysteries and following her father's footsteps, or will she follow a different path? Or will she be dropped altogether by then? We don't know. Emily is quite possibly the most  confusing character AIO has currently. I only hope she will become less confusing as time goes on.
     But I'm ranting. The episode goes along nicely, with appearances by Joanne and Simon. I almost laughed at the scene in J & J Antiques. It was almost pointless to the story. I think AIO just wanted us to hear Joanne's voice, or to clarify she and Jack were leaving. But that's fine with me. I wanted to hear Joanne's voice, even if she had no incredibly significant role in either the episodes she was in.
     Then, Emily gets into the IS to experience, though she doesn't know it when she steps in, Whit's past. I must say, I'm loving the new IS! The sound effect they use to transport the character from place to place is mindblowingly epic! And the doors are a very cool new feature, (pardon my use of the elementary word 'cool') as they allow characters to go places they could have never gone before, making the IS seems more like a time machine than ever.
     I don't have very many thoughts on the young Whit scenes, except: they were pretty good. A couple tiny flaws, though... I'm wondering why the writers are showing us this. It seems as if we really didn't learn anything about Whit that we didn't already know, aside from that he wanted to write for National Geographic and went to a University in California. But these are minor details. I didn't get to see any experiences that Whit had; the whole episode was talking about what he did with his life, while not really showing what he did with his life, only mentioning various things. If that makes any sense.
     But though that may seem like a big problem, it's really very minor. I loved Jim Custer's performance. When he was coming out of the Junior High School, he had a hint to his voice that made him really sound like a 50-year old. He sounded old yet young. And that was brilliant on Mr. Custer's part.
     And at the end of the episode, we have yet another great moral that AIO hasn't exactly covered yet. I actually never really thought about this either. I suppose we all think as children that we will do exactly what we are dreaming of when we are an adult. But the truth is, in most cases, none of us end up doing what we thought we wanted to do. It's interesting to think about, and it's important. So I give an extra star for the great moral.
     In conclusion, (it seems as if that's always the way I wrap up my reviews) this is a good episode, though not flawless. It gives a peek into Whit's past, which is always great, but I don't think it is even close to The Triangle in greatness. But that doesn't mean it isn't good...

     Great Expectations Rating: 7/10

     I hope you enjoyed that. Thanks for reading!

AIO Review: The Perfect Church, Pt. 2 10/13/12

     I'm back! I do hope this blog doesn't turn into something like The Changing Times or The Voice of Odyssey, that pretty much specifies in reviews, but, for now, reviewing Album 56 will be just about all you'll hear from me. But here's my review of The Perfect Church, Pt. 2 anyway...

     After the cliffhanger ending of pt. 1, I was eager to hear this episode. Whoever came up with two-part radio and television episodes was an absolute genius. Not only are these super-sized episodes great for suspense, they can open up a story and take it to new heights. The Perfect Church, Pt. 2 is a perfect example of this. This next installment expanded on the original and illustrated some of the best stories in the New Testament, even if, as Ben Warren said in his excellent review, they were not witnessed by Matthew, but were told secondhandedly.
     However, I feel as if the first five minutes were the worst minutes in the episode. They seemed rushed, as if there were so many stories to tell in the Book of Acts, that the writers decided to jam about three into five minutes of audio. This was probably a bad idea. I'm not saying they should have gone larger and made it a three-parter, but they could have shortened Stephen's speech and expanded on these stories. I didn't particularly love the prison scene for this reason. (Though the voice of the angel sounded pretty cool)
     But the episode picked up after that. I enjoyed the deep discussions that the characters had. The argument between Stephen and Seth was done quite well, and some of the conversations that Matthew had with Rhoda were very interesting, and really illustrated the moral more than any scene in the first episode.
     Speaking of the moral, I was a bit puzzled about what exactly the moral would be in pt. 1. I knew Matthew would see that the church wasn't perfect, but I wasn't sure what Whit would tell him at the end. And I have to say, this is one of those life lessons you don't really think about. But it's true that I do sometimes picture the saints and patriarchs of the Bible as nearly perfect. So I'm glad this episode is out there, as it points out a moral that's not quite as obvious as lying or stealing.
     Anyway, I thought it was interesting that AIO would decide to stone Stephen... again. I honestly think that this episode bared a striking resemblance to St. Paul: The Man From Tarsaus, but I suppose AIO has illustrated many Bible stories twice, so I can forgive that. Besides, the trial was illustrated better here, I thought. Stephen's speech was fascinating and brilliant, but, as I said, it could have been shortened.
     I really, really enjoyed Georgina Dolenz's performance in this episode. I am hoping she can appear in future episodes, and have a feeling she could become a fixture on AIO. I would even say her performance as Rhoda is better than her performance as Sue. She has the perfect voice for the part, and her emotion was well conveyed in every scene she was in. I could genuinely feel scared for Stephen, though I knew of his fate, because of her tone in the scene before the trial.
     But, I said in the first episode that I noticed Matthew didn't play a big role in the episode and that I hoped he would at least do something in pt. 2. Well, I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up. Matthew's role was to spectate and learn a lesson, and I suppose that's enough, though I do wish he could have gotten involved as Sam and Rodney did in St. Paul and Eugene and Connie did in Back to Bethlehem.
     Whit's talk at the end was perfect as usual, and it wrapped the episode up nicely, before hearing the closing music, and those classic 6 notes. Those 6, beautiful notes! Ah... Never mind.
     In conclusion, these are strong, inspirational, classic Biblical AIO episodes. And though I honestly preferred Pt. 1 to pt. 2, both were well-done, though they had a couple minor flaws. But I believe we as critics can forgive minor flaws and just sit back and enjoy an episode.

     The Perfect Church (Pt. 2) Rating: 7/10

     Thanks for reading!
    

Weekly Review: The Perfect Church Pt. 1 10/6/12

     I never thought I'd take a two week break. Let's just say an alien attacked me and I broke free this morning. Anyway, here is my review of The Perfect Church Pt. 1...

     The Imagination Station has been a staple of the Adventures in Odyssey canon ever since it was first introduced way back in the good ol' days, when AIO was new and the Barcalys were still around. It was used many times after that, taking Odyssey kids (and adults, in Back to Bethlehem and Moses, the Passover) back in time to witness the action-packed stories of the Bible, as well as history.
     However, though the IS was always used infrequently, after The Imagination Station, Revisited, it was never given a second look, except in the rather dreadful Fast As I Can. Until now...

     The Perfect Church is, in many ways, unlike any recent AIO episode. I notice, after listening to 8 of the 12 episodes in Album 56, that Odyssey is really going back to their roots with this album more than any album since... oh, I don't know when, with nostalgic episodes for the fans who have been listening for 10 years or more. The Perfect Church is one of these nostalgic episodes.
     The nostalgia (I love that word!) started in the very first scene. I don't know if anyone agrees with me, but seems as if Whit hasn't been at the counter listening to one child's problems in a long while. But someone might find another recent occurrence.
     I also noted that Matthew's voice had changed a bit, or was at least starting to change. I don't know how this will affect the character, but I hope he can stick around. I sure like that kid.
     I noticed that Eugene replaced Mabel! I wonder what made the Odyssey team decide to do that. Perhaps so he could be the one to state the word definitions, very fitting for his character. I almost missed Mabel, but who knows? She could be back next time.
     At this point, Matthew is meeting Seth and Rhoda. I was expecting a Georgina Dolenz role in this album, as Paul McCusker mentioned that she would have one in a podcast, and I think she did a fine job. Her voice was well-suited to the part, though it could get a bit annoying at times.
     I originally thought Ananias would have a larger role in this episode, but it turned out he was just in two scenes. Perhaps in part 2 he'll be more prominent...
     Anyway, Matthew is navigating the area and finding that this church isn't so perfect. I loved Eugene's dictionary, but I do hope it will be used sparingly. It could become overwhelming in a future adventure if Eugene comes on to give us a definition every couple of minutes. Thankfully, however, Paul McCusker didn't go overboard with this plot device.
     I loved the scene where Steven talks about Pentacost, though I had already heard it from the podcast preview. It was brilliantly done, and the music was terrific during that part. Bravo to John Campbell for this episode! He went above and beyond and composed some truly great music that fit the mood of the story.
     Later in the episode, (bear with me while I skip ahead a bit) Seth has an interesting breakdown of sorts after the blind man is healed. I think it was well-done, and truly showed the magnitude of spreading the gospel. I honestly thought that after that, Seth would stop following Jesus, so what he did next surprised me.
     I actually feel like Matthew had almost no role in this episode. He was a mere spectator, watching everyone else while not really doing anything himself. This irked me, as I believe he could have had a big role in the adventure, as Sam and Rodney did in the Saint Paul episode. But, considering that's essentially my only complaint for this episode, it's pretty minor. And perhaps Matthew will have a larger role in the story in pt. 2.
     I was simply captivated by this church, all the twists and turns of this church. Seth selling his house and giving the money to the poor was unpredictable. And the appearance of Saul was quite exciting at the end. I'm not sure whether they'll show his conversion experience again in Pt. 2, but, considering they already showed it in the Saint Paul episodes, I hope not.
    In conclusion, this episode was a terrific season opener, with great music, great acting, and an interesting moral. I'm eagerly awaiting pt. 2 and have high expectations. I just hope Paul and Marshall don't let me down.

     The Perfect Church Rating: 8/10

     Well, that's it. Until next time, Thanks for reading!
    

Weekly Review: The Amazing Loser 9/1/12

     Well, it's the beginning of a new month, and my blog is still alive! Sorry I didn't post yesterday. I wanted to, but I couldn't. Anyway, a new U.S.S. Response will be out today, and I'm writing my AIC and hopefully the Webster ceremony will be a huge success tomorrow. But for now, sit back and enjoy a nice, longer than normal review from me!

     This will be a little introductory paragraph before I start the review. When this episode first aired a year ago, I listened to it once and then never again. I don't know why I did that, as I thoroughly enjoyed this episode.I didn't really remember all that much of it, so I was really excited to listen to it today. I noticed things that I hadn't noticed the first time, as I was listening from a critique standpoint. But, as always, I also just wanted to sit back and enjoy the episode instead of taking notes on everything they did wrong. And I did. I'm also going for longer reviews, so expect more like this in the future. Anyway, here is my actual review:

     Isn't competition hilarious? That may seem like an odd statement, but competition really can be pretty amusing. (Example: It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. That is a hilarious movie and you may know it from It Happened At Four Corners) This episode is really no exception. I don't believe I was rolling on the floor, but several of Jay's lines made me chuckle, and I actually am not amused very easily. (Except by my brother)
     The episode kicks off with a hint of competition. Honestly, I was just a bit disappointed when I heard Jay was pairing up with Matthew and Barret was pairing up with Priscilla. I thought it might be nice for Barret and Jay to attempt to overcome their differences and work together. It might have yielded hilarious results. But, since the theme of the episode is Competition, I guess it makes more sense to split the ultimate rivals up into two teams.
     I would like to take just a moment to talk about Barret and Priscilla. With Barret and Priscilla's relationship (crush) coming up in quite a few episodes lately, I'm enjoying it more and more. I used to be repulsed in When You're Right, You're Right and Stage Fright, but now I'm seeing the great story opportunities AIO could open p with this sometimes funny, sometimes obnoxious crush. I have more thoughts on that on a topic on SS.
     In this episode, I was quite amused by Priscilla's constant observations of Barret's facial expressions. But I was also confuse. I thought that Barret liked Priscilla more than Priscilla liked Barret, from the episode When You're Right, You're Right. This episode, in a way, proved my thoughts wrong. I suppose Barret was too focused on the competition to flirt with Priscilla like he does in many of their other episodes, and I don't necessarily want him to flirt with her, as flirting scenes can be very awkward for the listener, I was just surprised that Priscilla was the one flirting this time.
     I also noticed something else, something pretty minor, but still interesting. Jay apparently only wanted to beat Barret and go to Water World, but I noticed that he didn't know at first that he would be going to Water World. Did that sentence just make sense? Perhaps I should phrase it differently. When Jay arrived at Whit's End or wherever they were in the opening scene, he asked what they would win and was surprised to see Barret. If Jay had wanted to compete simply for the sake of musical knowledge, he would have read the book. But he didn't know that Barret was coming, that the prize was a pass to Water World, or even that they would be competing. So I wonder.... why did he sign up for the scavenger hunt? Oh, I can just dismiss it, I suppose. This whole paragraph is probably pretty stupid. It's just something I noticed.
     Barret and Matthew sure do know a lot about music, don't they? The first time I listened to this episode, I was just shocked by all the musical trivia. It was amazing and odd that Barret and Matthew knew so much, but I suppose they read the book of Obscure Music Trivia. This whole episode was a treat for music lovers, and as usual, Dave Arnold did his research.
     The clues progress, and the race becomes more interesting. When Jay suggested to take all the clues from the statue, I thought he would. It would be good for the plot to narrow the competitors down to just Jay, Barret, Matthew, and Priscilla, since they were the only ones shown competing, but I guess it also would have made Jay seem unlikable, and some of the funny lines from him would have lost their humor.
     I think the montage that showed the four children guessing the various clues was brilliant. It was a stroke of genius from Chris Diehl and Dave Arnold, as it featured so many, many sounds, all brilliantly engineered by Christopher Diehl. Diehl has truly rose from being a new sound designer in 2007 and 2008 to being an asset to the Odyssey crew, perhaps being the best sound designer that Odyssey has ever had.
     Finally, in the epically climatic finale to the episode, (pardon my sarcasm, but I'm in a sarcastic mood) Barret sweetly gives money to a deceivingly poor little girl. This was the lesson of the episode, and a highlight, at least for me. And when I found out she wasn't poor, it didn't matter to me. It was the thought that counted.
     But wait! A gumball costs a penny? What time period are these characters living in? Gumballs cost 25 cents! Oh, well. Anyway, Jay gets a victory gumball and loses the competition, and everything is alright in the end. I didn't feel that Barret and Priscilla had to win to make the episode satisfying, but I still liked that they did, unlike when Mellisa Syphers came in Wooton Knows Best.
    The episode wraps up on a nice note. From Jay's amusing rendition of 'Hail to the Chief' to the many fascinating, funny, informative, and even touching scenes in this episode, it was truly a 54 highlight, for its sound design, its meticulous attention to detail, its fun characters, and its element of competition! 4 stars all the way!

     The Amazing Loser Rating: 8/10

     Thanks for reading, and don't forget about the last U.S.S. Response!
    

Weekly Review: Wooton Knows Best 8/18/12

     No U.S.S. Response today. Sorry. But I still have a review of Wooton Knows Best...
    
     Happy endings are normally good, but in this particular episode, the happy ending annoyed me. The episode starts off with a boring and rather predictable premise, but Marshal Younger does his best. I was thrilled to hear of the return of Camp-What-A-Nut, but honestly, the first scene seemed disjointed and unnecessary. I didn't think it was even all that funny. Wooton is becoming an annoying filler character, and I'm one of the fans who agrees with Austin Peachy's article The Three Stages of Wooton. (Which is a very good article, by the way. Go read it if you haven't already!)
     Bringing in a new voice for a kid is something AIO has done many times before, with Heather and even Rodney for one episode. (Like Father, Like Son) Of course, I prefer Kelly Stables to Hope Levy, and this episode made me like the character of Olivia all the more.
     The episode progresses nicely. I actually thoroughly enjoyed Wooton's 'thumb' monologue, even if his appearance in the opening scene annoyed me. It was the first time I'd laughed at a new AIO episode in a long, long time.
     David Parker's conversation with Olivia was also one of the best scenes on this album. It was great to hear a little more about the people he knew as a kid. And I also liked that, for once, Olivia didn't get her way. I was glad that she didn't get to go to camp, because I knew she would learn more if she didn't, and it would make for a better episode. But as I said before, the ending annoyed me.
    When the ending finally came around, I rolled my eyes. The whole 'Melissa Syphers' thing was just plain stupid. Olivia screaming, Melissa calling her by name, everything about it was annoying, unnecessary, and stupid. I would have been much more satisfied if she hadn't met Melissa. And the actress they got to play the singer was just - ugh.
     Overall, this episode was okay, I suppose, but the last scene and the first scene kind of made it a bit of a downer. If both scenes had been removed, I think I would have rated it a lot more.

    Wooton Knows Best Rating 5/10

    I know, I know, this is a reeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyy short review. But, like I said, my reviews of 56 will be a whole lot longer.
     Thanks for reading!

Weekly Review: Call Me If You Care 8/11/12

     Sorry there was no post yesterday, but I have a great excuse: no news. Finally, I released the long-awaited return of The U.S.S. Response! Another U.S.S. Response will be put out Monday as well. And now, for my rather short review of Call Me If You Care...

     Nathan Hoobler is great, isn't he? He can take an mildly interesting idea and make it brilliant through good writing and intriguing situations. This is not the most memorable Nathan Hoobler episode, and it's not a standout in Album 43, (probably due to the fact that Sunday Morning Scramble, Stars In Our Eyes, and The Coolest Dog are a whole lot funnier than this one) but I still enjoy it immensly.
    The episode begins with a few lines that make you think this is another one of those "Connie's dad" episodes. I really like Emotional Baggage, Father's Day, and Where Is Thy Sting?, but I was sort of hoping this wouldn't turn into a "Connie''s dad" episode, probably because we haven't had one in so long it would be a little weird.
     I also commend Nathan Hoobler on the "cell phone" mystery idea. AIO has done plenty of mysteries, but most of them don't involve modern technology. But, then again, cell phones aren't exactly 'modern technology'.
     But as the episode progresses, we are introduced to two new, one-time characters: Cindy and William Bancroft. I like these two characters, they're unfortunately a rather realistic depiction of some father-daughter relationships. But I'll get into them later.
     I was surprised by two things at the beginning of this episode: the appearence of Jack and the 'Plan B' feel of this episode. It's not just that there's Plan B music after every scene, but Jack was in Plan B, and in this, and some of the lines just seemed reminiscent of Plan B. As some of you know, the Plan B series are one of my all-time favorite episode, so I actually get excited when they use Plan B music and themes. But that was just something I noticed.
     To be honest, Jack's appearance seemed forced, considering he had about five lines. I don't really understand the point of having him drop in, except to find the note. But, oh well.
     When Connie and Whit finally arrived at the Military hospital and met William, I thought William actually sounded a lot like Lester from No Way Out. But, after looking it up on AIOwiki, I figured out that it wasn't the same actor. The scene with Cindy and William seemed a little corny and sentimental, but AIO pulled it off as best as they could. The note, on the other hand, was a very good device to tell the story, and even I was touched by the end.
     And then, at the very end of the episode, Connie's dad is mentioned again. That was a good way to tie up the beginning and end, and I felt satisfied when the episode concluded.
     Overall, great job Nathan Hoobler! This one wasn't perfect, but I give points for good writing and originality!

     Call Me If You Care Rating: 8/10

     Sorry the review is short, but I'm kind of anxiously waiting to review Album 56, so I'm writing short reviews. But only a couple more weeks till The Perfect Church airs! I'm so excited to listen to it and review it! But until then, I'm gone! There's going to be a really great interview tommrow for a feature, and not just from me! The Old Judge is interviewing Christian A.!
     Thanks for reading!

Weekly Review: Think On These Things 8/4/12

     Okay, I'm not quite sure what I'll be doing for tommorow's feature. I was expecting and interview, but I still don't have the answers, so I might have to do something else. Also, after Installment 6, AIC will be taking a week-long mid story break, so no AIC next Sunday. For today's post, I will be reviewing Think On These Things...
    
     Has anyone noticed that a lot of Odyssey episodes have misleading openers? Something Blue did, as well as episodes like The Last Great Adventure of the Summer. In the case of Something Blue, the opener made the episode seem more action-packed than it really was. In the case of TLGAOTS, (The Last Great Adventure of the Summer. Yes, that's kind of a long, obnoxious acronym, but they shouldn't have made the title so long!) the opener made it seem like a typical summer episode, possibly similar to Our Best Vacation Ever, but it turned into an epic spy story.
     In the case of today's episode, the opener made it seem like a fast-paced IS episode, when what we really got was a rather simple episode about purity. This isn't to say that I didn't like this episode, I'm just not a really big fan of misleading openers, as I said in my review of Something Blue.
     The episode progresses nice and quickly, and we are reintroduced to the character of Dr. Hawthorne, who we haven't heard in 6 years, though his actor has made other appearances. I was once again a bit unnerved by Dr. Hawthorne's apparent unfairness. I understand he wants to discipline his students, and that's sometimes a good thing, but he goes a little overboard in this episode and in future episodes. Even so, it wasn't right for Trent to do what he did at the end of this episode.
     The mayonaise scene was, in my opinion, pretty funny, particularly this line:

     Marvin: Why do these people need so much mayonaise?

     I might be the only person in the world who laughs at that, however. Marvin cheating seems a little out of character, but it still provides a good life lesson. Trent, on the other hand, has some things to learn about respect. (I probably do too, though.) I'm afraid I still laughed when Trent was ordering Dr. Hawthorne around. I know it wasn't supposed to be funny, but I just found it comical when he created that impossible train story problem.
     And, in the climax of the episode, Marvin cheats, Dr. Hawthorne is himself, and Trent is toast. Overall, this episode taught a good lesson, and I like that it involved so much math. But it still seemed a little short, and Dr. Hawthorne was a little strict, but of course that was the point. Sorry I have to wrap up this short review, but I really didn't have that much to say about this episode.

     Think On These Things Rating: 6/10

     Thanks for reading, and check back tomorrow for my feature and the last AIC before the mid-story break!

Weekly Review: Split Ends 7/28/12

     Before I start the review, I would like to thank The Old Judge for putting me on his Cast and Crew: Take 2 page. It was amazing to be put among names such as Jacob Isom, Bren McFarlond, and Austin Peachy, all assets to the AIO fan community. That page states my real first name and my last initial, so go check it out now! Has anyone noticed that the AIO fan community is becoming less and less private? People are revealing their full names and pictures of themselves and where they live and so on and so forth. But I'm getting off topic. Anyway, if you haven't already, once you're done reading this post, go to TNT and check out their interview, their Courtroom, (which, unfortunately, I haven't read yet.) and their new page. But I'm getting really off-topic, so, sit back and read my review of: Split Ends.

     Liz: What do you think of this sweater?

     Jared: Eh, it makes you look fat.

     These two lines are quite possibly the best openers to an AIO episode of all time. The way Brandon Gilberstadt says that 'fat' line is absolutely hilarious! And Liz's response! Oh, it's just perfect!
     Yes, I liked this episode. Some say it's too silly, some say Ollie and Genevieve are annoying, and some say the moral isn't up to scratch. Jacob Isom (or maybe Ben Warren, I don't know) wrote a review of Split Ends and said that AIO was contradicting themselves, for in A Model Child they clearly stated that modeling was wrong, but in Split Ends they don't seem to address that issue. Frankly, I don't really mind this. The moral wasn't vanity, it was holding grudges. AIO didn't necessarily need to address the topic again since it had already done it in A Model Child. And this episode isn't really saying that modeling is good, in fact, they portrayed Ollie and Genevieve, the two people from the modeling agency, as annoying scam artists. But enough about Jacob's (or Ben's, I don't know) review.
     I like the pairing of Mandy and Connie, don't you? Connie may not exactly be at her wisest in this episode, (That's also in Jacob's review. Boy, I never shoud've read that! I'm stealing all his ideas!) I still like Connie and Mandy together. Their chemistry is enjoyable.
     Ollie and Genevieve... These two characters actually don't get on my nerves. In fact, the only AIO character who I can think of who gets on my nerves is... EMILY! (What do you have to say to that, Pound Foolish?) They are used for comedy and are supposed to be annoying, so I just sit back and laugh. It's similar to Ricky in Do Or Diet. Many fans think he's annoying, but I love him and think he's hilarious.
     Next up in the episode, Mandy is brought to the modeling agency place, where Ollie offers her fat-free mints and calls her a peach. I'm starting to love this guy!, I think.
     Mandy and Liz's fight has escalated since Seeing Red. I love this mini-storyline, and I've had the pleasure of being able to review two of the episodes in it. (I only wish I could have reviewed Stubborn Streaks.) It may not be Blackguaard or Novacom, but this still brings out a side in Mandy, Liz, and even Jared and Connie that we've never seen before. The beauty of this mini-story is that it's something that actually happens to us, something that we can actually relate to. With all due respect to Novacom, we can't relate to an evil company taking over the world by controlling everyone's minds.
     The episode goes on, with many twists and turns. It's all very entertaining, and I liked the reconciliation scenes at the end. I only wish I could have heard the modeling conspiracy that Jared talked about, however. All we heard was Liz requesting Mandy! And I absolutely LOVE that commercial at the end!
     But while there are many good things about this episode, it's not perfect. The moral was something we've heard before, Connie's appearance seemed just a bit forced, (Because if she wasn't in the episode, there would be no major adult characters.) and it didn't quite feel like Odyssey. But overall, it was a good way to wrap up Mandy and Liz's fight. It was funny, it was set-up well, and it was just a good episode. It's not perfect, but it's good.

     Split Ends Rating: 7/10

     Thanks for reading, and once again, don't forget to vote in the Websters!

Weekly Review: Called On In Class 7/21/12

Today I will be reviewing the episode Called On In Class...

I dislike Cartoon Network. That may seem like an odd statement considering I'm reviewing an Adventures in Odyssey episode, but for this particular episode it's NOT a weird statement. Cartoon Network's ridiculous situations, bad portrayal of adults, and unrealistic and stupid story-lines sicken me. Odyssey was never like that. Odyssey has always been realistic and uplifting.
The first scene in Called On In Class is certainly intriguing. It was set up quite well, with Trent narrating and showing all the students carols problems. I'm one of the few AIO fans who likes character narration. I think it's a good plot device, and it gives us a fantastic peek into the characters thoughts and world. Sure it can be a little too much, but I still enjoy it.
Now, if you skipped the first paragraph and just read the second, you would think I thought this episode was great! On the contrary, I didn't like this episode. It's worse than Seeing Red. The first scene is probably the best. Until Trent said, "I - Trent DeWhite, will be, called on - in class." I thought this could be a good classic schoolyard episode, something we haven't had in a while. But the episode went downhill from there. Way downhill.
So Brenda, the bothersome (Notice I didn't say 'annoying'!) girl of this episode, is bragging about how good she is at public speaking. Oh, joy. I didn't particularly enjoy Brenda Frazier in For Trying Out Loud, so I wasn't too excited to see her again. She also had a bit of a personality transplant, considering she was an obnoxious bully in For Trying Out Loud and now she's just an obnoxious person.
I got very, very tired of Trent's silly, unrealistic, and stupid imaginings very, very quickly. Frankly, I didn't care whether he got out of his predicament at all, I just wanted the episode to be over. Sorry Odyssey! But go read Jacob Isom's review of Called On In Class and you'll see I'm not the only negative person in this world. (Just kidding, Jacob! Sort of.)
I also disliked the ridiculousness of Trent's imaginings.

Governor: That was positively stinky! I'm calling the national guard!

Trent: Oh, no! The attack dogs are coming!

See what I mean? AIO was never like Cartoon Network, until now. I was very disappointed in Bob Hoose for that.
But though there were many things that I disliked about this episode, there were a couple things that I sort of liked, though they didn't make up for the rest of the episode. The first scene for one. The second thing that I sort of liked was the story of Abel McKalister. It may have been predictable, but I still sort of enjoyed it. It was great to see a little more of Odyssey's history.
When the episode finally ended, I was left with mixed feelings. I was annoyed, frustrated, and even a bit sad that Odyssey would produce this.
Needless to say, I highly disliked this episode. I don't want to say I hated it, because, like I said, there were a couple of good things about it, but I highly disliked it. It's not the kind of stuff you would think AIO would create.

Called On In Class Rating: 3 Stars

Thanks for reading this rather negative review!