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!
Saturday, December 1, 2012
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!
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Weekly Feature 11/11/12
Well, I realize I haven't had an interview for a while, but that's all about to change, as I have an interview with Josh and Ally from Out of Control In Odyssey right here. Here it is:
1. I think all readers of your blog know how you were first exposed to Odyssey. But when did Ally start listening?
Ally: Hmmm...well, I've gotta say I started listening when my brother first listened! But of course I was very young and actually not really into it. It didn't really draw me in yet. I'd say, when we went to Colorado Springs, that was when I really became more into it, listening and becoming an AIO lover.
2. How did you first get involved in the AIO online community?
Josh: Well, I knew at first that there was the Official Site, but one day I must have stumbled around on Google and found the Odyssey Scoop! I later found AIO Wiki, Christian A.'s The Voice of Odyssey, and several other blogs. This year, it's been really cool to find a cache of brand new, exciting, original sites that rivals the number when I first started looking!
Ally: Once again, it was Josh who persuaded me to help him do an Odyssey blog. I wasn't really in any online communities before then though.
3. What was your inspiration for Odyssey Nerd?
Josh: Honestly, when I first listened to the Ceiling Fan, I had just started to listen to Odyssey, so I didn't get a lot of the jokes and was like, "What is this?" A couple years later, I relistened to it and realized its awesomeness, and so I kept on listening! We tried out for the Fan Hijack to create your own podcast, but we weren't as prepared, so when the next year came with a new contest to "hijack," we wanted to be ready! My idea was to do some kind of song about how I use AIO phrases in real life, similar to how Star Trek fans say, "Beam me up..." and started out with "I'm an Odyssey nerd, Israel's Jason's codeword"...and we went from there!
Ally: Josh came up with a song about an Odyssey Nerd, because Ethan Daniels, the main character for TCF, says that he is. Also because we both know so much about Odyssey!
4. Why did you decide to start a blog?
Josh: I've always had that little idea in the back of my head, but I wasn't really inspired until I met the actors and fans at the live show. I was on an Odyssey high after we left, and the conversation went like this:
Ally, we should totally start an Odyssey blog!
Okay.
I wanted to pick up where At Whit's End left off and try to review every single episode, but add my own experiences and knowledge about storytelling. I also wanted to continue my Odyssey Nerd message about using Odyssey references in daily conversation!
Ally: After the AMAZING, awesome time with the Odyssey actors and fans in Dallas, we were so inspired to do something Odyssey related. Josh had been online looking at other Odyssey blogs and with our previous experiences with blogs, so we decided to go for it!
5. Were you surprised at the extreme success of Out of Control In Odyssey? (Such as your acceptance of two Websters)
Josh: The whole experience of OCO has been amazing. We've been excited and blessed by everyone who has visited and commented on our blog! What we did was to try and fill a niche that wasn't being filled, and we're glad that people have enjoyed that niche, and that we can continue to provide that!
Ally: I was for sure! I thought it wouldn't reach a lot of people with such a small blog, but as time progressed I saw how our blog had impacted on others. But at the same time I wasn't, because I knew God had plans for this blog, and well I knew our blog would do okay haha. For sure I was surprised and honored to be nominated!! I never expected it and it was just, wow, it was just all God, man.
6. What do you plan on doing with Out of Control In Odyssey in the future?
Josh: We don't have any new plans with the blog - that should continue, and we'll update the Odyssey Phone Book. We are coming up with new features for the overall website, though!
Ally: THIS ANSWER HAS BEEN ERASED BY THE EDITOR.
7. Are you planning any other AIO-related or non-related projects in the future?
Josh: We have several big projects that we're hard at work on - one of which we're hoping to get out before the end of the year on the blog (I'm really excited about it!). I'm trying to get a certain AIO actor for my radio show (if you're interested, visit my blog for more information)! Also for radio, I'm working with the Future Leaders Institute to develop a short film and film festival to bring attention to the sanctity of life: rape, abortion, and adoption. I'd love your help, if you're interested!
Ally: If I have time, maybe draw some scenes from AIO episodes, but other than the BLANK, I think...right now: not too much. We don't wanna make too many promises and projects that busy us too much for us not to live our out of odyssey lives. Sadly, I wish we could have some more.
8. Who is your favorite AIO character?
Josh: My favorites are Paul Herlinger's Whit, Connie, and Bernard. I loved his grandfatherly warmth that he brought to the role, and it made Odyssey a very, very special place for me. Connie is a very relatable character, and Bernard is definitely one of the funniest people on the show. I miss you Dave Madden!
Ally: I actually got a lot. And I will be writing a post about that sometime in the near future! but if I had to choose, Bernard Walton. Sarcastic, funny, loves God, likes to be clean, adventurous, who doesn't like him? Plus he's played by Dave Madden, who's extremely talented!
9. What are some of your favorite AIO episodes?
Josh: There are so many! However, I do have some top eps. My favorite comedy is "Broken Window," my favorite action one is "Exit," my favorite biblical one is "The Perfect Church," and my favorite mystery is "The Pact." I love how Odyssey can continue to bring us quality, faith-affirming, GOOD stories year after year, with great writing. True, sometimes there are rough spots, but Odyssey never fails to make me light up.
Ally: Eugene Returns (about prayer), Malachi's Message (angels), Broken Window, Gloobers, I got a lot haha.
10. If you could have any AIO character return, who would it be and why?
Josh: Hmm...great question. When you say "return," I'm gonna assume you mean from before the relaunch, so my answers are Bernard and Jack! Sadly, I hear that Alan Young is in poor health, but if he recovers, I would love to hear him one last time (and record the openers and closers for all of the Passages series just in case) in Odyssey with Joanne. Dave Madden lives in Florida, so it's tough for him to make it to recording sessions, but I hope that he'll be able to! I really love them because they're two pillars of the show; they move the show forward, they're markers of where the show has come from, and they're part of Odyssey! I feel that Odyssey has seemingly lost a lot of that older generational wisdom - Whit may be wise, but he can't do it all by himself.
Ally: BERNARD, definitely. He just made the show funnier, the way he interacts with the kids and adults with a somewhat sarcasm. Or Tom I wish. ); Tom and Bernard were great together, I loved the way they interacted with each other; great times I'd love to have that again!
11. Have you ever personally met any AIO actors/crew?
Josh: I had the opportunity to meet everyone at the live show, which was truly a remarkable experience. It definitely ranks as one of my top memories. They're all so nice and so personable, and it was a honor to meet them.
Ally: Yes! Nathan Hoobler was our tour guide at Focus on the Family in 2007, we met all the actors at Dallas (Katie Leigh was soo sweet, Chris bubbly as ever). Man, I wish I could meet them all again, plus more of the actors!
12. How has AIO impacted your spiritual life?
Josh: Oh my. I'm really similar to Katie Leigh in the fact that God uses these stories to speak to me. Most recently, this year, I'm a junior, and I'm often worried about what God wants to do with my life and what I should major in..."Great Expectations" spoke to me about how God uses our goals and dreams for his purposes, and to leave it up to Him. But many episodes have been listened to just at the right time, and hey, God has a funny sense of humor about doing that.
Ally: Hearing the characters stories, the way they portray it, say it, make it feel, it just brings me all back to God. Their lessons are so great, and what I think helps is that (even though I like happy endings way better), they show how times of sorrows approach and how the characters feel. Sometimes it's like God's way of saying "See Ally, this character didn't trust in me when he/she could've. You CAN trust me" I feel that I wouldn't be the same person if I didn't listen to AIO. AIO showed me God's worked in our lives in so many ways, and the great adventure isn't over yet.
I do hope you enjoyed that! I would like to thank Josh and Ally for agreeing to do this and giving such long, great answers! I wish I could tell you I have an AIC out, but... I don't. However, it should be out next week! There's a big surprise in Installment 12 that you don't want to miss. Whoops... I've said too much already. ;)
Thanks for reading!
1. I think all readers of your blog know how you were first exposed to Odyssey. But when did Ally start listening?
Ally: Hmmm...well, I've gotta say I started listening when my brother first listened! But of course I was very young and actually not really into it. It didn't really draw me in yet. I'd say, when we went to Colorado Springs, that was when I really became more into it, listening and becoming an AIO lover.
2. How did you first get involved in the AIO online community?
Josh: Well, I knew at first that there was the Official Site, but one day I must have stumbled around on Google and found the Odyssey Scoop! I later found AIO Wiki, Christian A.'s The Voice of Odyssey, and several other blogs. This year, it's been really cool to find a cache of brand new, exciting, original sites that rivals the number when I first started looking!
Ally: Once again, it was Josh who persuaded me to help him do an Odyssey blog. I wasn't really in any online communities before then though.
3. What was your inspiration for Odyssey Nerd?
Josh: Honestly, when I first listened to the Ceiling Fan, I had just started to listen to Odyssey, so I didn't get a lot of the jokes and was like, "What is this?" A couple years later, I relistened to it and realized its awesomeness, and so I kept on listening! We tried out for the Fan Hijack to create your own podcast, but we weren't as prepared, so when the next year came with a new contest to "hijack," we wanted to be ready! My idea was to do some kind of song about how I use AIO phrases in real life, similar to how Star Trek fans say, "Beam me up..." and started out with "I'm an Odyssey nerd, Israel's Jason's codeword"...and we went from there!
Ally: Josh came up with a song about an Odyssey Nerd, because Ethan Daniels, the main character for TCF, says that he is. Also because we both know so much about Odyssey!
4. Why did you decide to start a blog?
Josh: I've always had that little idea in the back of my head, but I wasn't really inspired until I met the actors and fans at the live show. I was on an Odyssey high after we left, and the conversation went like this:
Ally, we should totally start an Odyssey blog!
Okay.
I wanted to pick up where At Whit's End left off and try to review every single episode, but add my own experiences and knowledge about storytelling. I also wanted to continue my Odyssey Nerd message about using Odyssey references in daily conversation!
Ally: After the AMAZING, awesome time with the Odyssey actors and fans in Dallas, we were so inspired to do something Odyssey related. Josh had been online looking at other Odyssey blogs and with our previous experiences with blogs, so we decided to go for it!
5. Were you surprised at the extreme success of Out of Control In Odyssey? (Such as your acceptance of two Websters)
Josh: The whole experience of OCO has been amazing. We've been excited and blessed by everyone who has visited and commented on our blog! What we did was to try and fill a niche that wasn't being filled, and we're glad that people have enjoyed that niche, and that we can continue to provide that!
Ally: I was for sure! I thought it wouldn't reach a lot of people with such a small blog, but as time progressed I saw how our blog had impacted on others. But at the same time I wasn't, because I knew God had plans for this blog, and well I knew our blog would do okay haha. For sure I was surprised and honored to be nominated!! I never expected it and it was just, wow, it was just all God, man.
6. What do you plan on doing with Out of Control In Odyssey in the future?
Josh: We don't have any new plans with the blog - that should continue, and we'll update the Odyssey Phone Book. We are coming up with new features for the overall website, though!
Ally: THIS ANSWER HAS BEEN ERASED BY THE EDITOR.
7. Are you planning any other AIO-related or non-related projects in the future?
Josh: We have several big projects that we're hard at work on - one of which we're hoping to get out before the end of the year on the blog (I'm really excited about it!). I'm trying to get a certain AIO actor for my radio show (if you're interested, visit my blog for more information)! Also for radio, I'm working with the Future Leaders Institute to develop a short film and film festival to bring attention to the sanctity of life: rape, abortion, and adoption. I'd love your help, if you're interested!
Ally: If I have time, maybe draw some scenes from AIO episodes, but other than the BLANK, I think...right now: not too much. We don't wanna make too many promises and projects that busy us too much for us not to live our out of odyssey lives. Sadly, I wish we could have some more.
8. Who is your favorite AIO character?
Josh: My favorites are Paul Herlinger's Whit, Connie, and Bernard. I loved his grandfatherly warmth that he brought to the role, and it made Odyssey a very, very special place for me. Connie is a very relatable character, and Bernard is definitely one of the funniest people on the show. I miss you Dave Madden!
Ally: I actually got a lot. And I will be writing a post about that sometime in the near future! but if I had to choose, Bernard Walton. Sarcastic, funny, loves God, likes to be clean, adventurous, who doesn't like him? Plus he's played by Dave Madden, who's extremely talented!
9. What are some of your favorite AIO episodes?
Josh: There are so many! However, I do have some top eps. My favorite comedy is "Broken Window," my favorite action one is "Exit," my favorite biblical one is "The Perfect Church," and my favorite mystery is "The Pact." I love how Odyssey can continue to bring us quality, faith-affirming, GOOD stories year after year, with great writing. True, sometimes there are rough spots, but Odyssey never fails to make me light up.
Ally: Eugene Returns (about prayer), Malachi's Message (angels), Broken Window, Gloobers, I got a lot haha.
10. If you could have any AIO character return, who would it be and why?
Josh: Hmm...great question. When you say "return," I'm gonna assume you mean from before the relaunch, so my answers are Bernard and Jack! Sadly, I hear that Alan Young is in poor health, but if he recovers, I would love to hear him one last time (and record the openers and closers for all of the Passages series just in case) in Odyssey with Joanne. Dave Madden lives in Florida, so it's tough for him to make it to recording sessions, but I hope that he'll be able to! I really love them because they're two pillars of the show; they move the show forward, they're markers of where the show has come from, and they're part of Odyssey! I feel that Odyssey has seemingly lost a lot of that older generational wisdom - Whit may be wise, but he can't do it all by himself.
Ally: BERNARD, definitely. He just made the show funnier, the way he interacts with the kids and adults with a somewhat sarcasm. Or Tom I wish. ); Tom and Bernard were great together, I loved the way they interacted with each other; great times I'd love to have that again!
11. Have you ever personally met any AIO actors/crew?
Josh: I had the opportunity to meet everyone at the live show, which was truly a remarkable experience. It definitely ranks as one of my top memories. They're all so nice and so personable, and it was a honor to meet them.
Ally: Yes! Nathan Hoobler was our tour guide at Focus on the Family in 2007, we met all the actors at Dallas (Katie Leigh was soo sweet, Chris bubbly as ever). Man, I wish I could meet them all again, plus more of the actors!
12. How has AIO impacted your spiritual life?
Josh: Oh my. I'm really similar to Katie Leigh in the fact that God uses these stories to speak to me. Most recently, this year, I'm a junior, and I'm often worried about what God wants to do with my life and what I should major in..."Great Expectations" spoke to me about how God uses our goals and dreams for his purposes, and to leave it up to Him. But many episodes have been listened to just at the right time, and hey, God has a funny sense of humor about doing that.
Ally: Hearing the characters stories, the way they portray it, say it, make it feel, it just brings me all back to God. Their lessons are so great, and what I think helps is that (even though I like happy endings way better), they show how times of sorrows approach and how the characters feel. Sometimes it's like God's way of saying "See Ally, this character didn't trust in me when he/she could've. You CAN trust me" I feel that I wouldn't be the same person if I didn't listen to AIO. AIO showed me God's worked in our lives in so many ways, and the great adventure isn't over yet.
I do hope you enjoyed that! I would like to thank Josh and Ally for agreeing to do this and giving such long, great answers! I wish I could tell you I have an AIC out, but... I don't. However, it should be out next week! There's a big surprise in Installment 12 that you don't want to miss. Whoops... I've said too much already. ;)
Thanks for reading!
Saturday, November 10, 2012
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!
"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!
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!
Saturday, October 27, 2012
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!
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!
Monday, October 22, 2012
AIO News 10/22/12
Well, I officially have over 100 comments on this blog. I thank all of you for responding to my ramblings. Speaking of ramblings, I'm hoping to write some reviews using that site I told you about. I'll keep you posted on that. Anyway, here's the news...
Hello, I'm Alex Jefferson, reporting live from the Official Site, where there is a new Official Podcast involving last week's episode, Great Expectations. Also, the three finalists for the Get In the Show! contest have been chosen. I won't give them away, but I'll say I was a bit surprised. The reviews of episodes are also flooding in, with three AIO blogs (JAAIOB, The Voice of Odyssey, The Changing Times) reviewing episodes week by week. Other than that, most unofficial blogs are not churning out the number of posts they usually make. This is surprising since the new season just started. Let's hope we get news from TNT, UAIOB, and BBP soon. Well, that's about it. Until next time, I'm Alex Jefferson, and this is... AIO News!
(P.S. I'm going to start work on a grand article, longer and better than anything I've ever done soon.)
Thanks for reading!
Hello, I'm Alex Jefferson, reporting live from the Official Site, where there is a new Official Podcast involving last week's episode, Great Expectations. Also, the three finalists for the Get In the Show! contest have been chosen. I won't give them away, but I'll say I was a bit surprised. The reviews of episodes are also flooding in, with three AIO blogs (JAAIOB, The Voice of Odyssey, The Changing Times) reviewing episodes week by week. Other than that, most unofficial blogs are not churning out the number of posts they usually make. This is surprising since the new season just started. Let's hope we get news from TNT, UAIOB, and BBP soon. Well, that's about it. Until next time, I'm Alex Jefferson, and this is... AIO News!
(P.S. I'm going to start work on a grand article, longer and better than anything I've ever done soon.)
Thanks for reading!
Saturday, October 20, 2012
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!
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!
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!
Monday, October 15, 2012
AIO News 10/15/12
Here I am again! And here is the news report...
Hello, I'm Alex Jefferson, coming at you live from... various - websites. *cough* Anyway, there have been a couple new sites popping up lately. That's why I'm organizing a links page! The first one is The Odyssey Gallery, a brilliant site dedicated to AIO and art. The second one is actually a site that I just created about five minutes ago. It has nothing to do with AIO, but I thought you might like it. Here's the link to it: Ranting and Raving Reviews.
Well, that's about it. Until next time, I'm Alex Jefferson, and this is... AIO News!
Thanks for reading!
Hello, I'm Alex Jefferson, coming at you live from... various - websites. *cough* Anyway, there have been a couple new sites popping up lately. That's why I'm organizing a links page! The first one is The Odyssey Gallery, a brilliant site dedicated to AIO and art. The second one is actually a site that I just created about five minutes ago. It has nothing to do with AIO, but I thought you might like it. Here's the link to it: Ranting and Raving Reviews.
Well, that's about it. Until next time, I'm Alex Jefferson, and this is... AIO News!
Thanks for reading!
Sunday, October 14, 2012
JAAIOP and AIC
I'm sorry, but I don't have a feature. But that's the only bad news I have...
I just wanted to make a random post stating that JAAIOP Ep. 1 is finally out, as well as Installment 9. And, well... I'm back. For good. I want to post five times a week at least. So expect more than ever during the next few weeks. I thank all my readers for sticking with me, and I hope you all enjoy the new features.
Also, my Chain Links page is coming soon!
Thanks for reading!
I just wanted to make a random post stating that JAAIOP Ep. 1 is finally out, as well as Installment 9. And, well... I'm back. For good. I want to post five times a week at least. So expect more than ever during the next few weeks. I thank all my readers for sticking with me, and I hope you all enjoy the new features.
Also, my Chain Links page is coming soon!
Thanks for reading!
Saturday, October 13, 2012
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!
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!
Saturday, October 6, 2012
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!
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!
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