732: Repent After Me

Happy Monday! Just kidding. Silly, those don't exist. 

If you haven't already, listen along with me and read The Odyssey Times below as you listen to Repent After Me for my quick takes and thoughts (aired originally September 14).

LISTEN HERE

THE ODYSSEY TIMES (Facts, notes, and quotes about Odyssey from this ep):
- Priscilla hit academic probation a couple years ago.
- Katrina's been installing a new physics lab at Odyssey Middle School.
- Hoo hoo hoo! Whit's impressed laugh sounds quite Owl-ish.
- Eavesdropping Emily's at it again!
- The Jones and Jones Detective Agency are on the case!
- Twist: the locker belongs to no one!
- "Or she - villains can be female, you know!" - Emily, making the cause for villain equality
- Mr. Redekop - hmm, that name sounds familiar. (:
- "Repentance is more than feeling badly for what you did and trying to fix it. Those are important things, to be sure, but another key is confession. Admitting what you did to God and the person you harmed and asking for your forgiveness." - Whit
- Oh snap, Emily's not the only detective on the block, and Matthew's not the only Parker who could be in a detective agency.
- Bren McFarland, you're a cheater! 
- There was only one real suspect this whole time.
- "They were a public service for disadvantaged students who needed a helping hand with, you know, the rigors of a tough school schedule." - Jay thinking fast
- "The last step of repentance. What's that? Accept forgiveness." - Olivia and Barrett

Courtesy AIO Wiki

REVIEW:
For me, the most exciting thing about this episode after I had heard it for the first time was that I had figured out who the culprit was long ago. The exciting fact was that I was riveted still the entire time. That's due to another great script by Marshal Younger (another winner after last week's More Than a Feeling) and the always talented Nathan Hoobler. While the opening scene had a lot of exposition at the beginning, we started moving briskly along.

The entire episode was an intriguing case study on repentance and how God uses other emotions, such as guilt, and people, such as Olivia, to guide us back to Him. Or as I like to call it ('cause I'm feeling rhymy tonight), an interesting meditation on motivation. With all due respect, this blew most of the typical "mystery" cases we've heard lately out of the water because the suspense was so character-driven and not so gimmick-based. I loved the mystery-solving teamwork element between Emily and her brother - it made the mystery so much more interesting hearing a dynamic we don't get to hear often enough.

ASIDE: In this new era of Odyssey shows, family time is a very precious thing. The last time the Parkers were all together was...An Agreeable Nanny? Three years ago? The Jones last convened in Emily the Genius - two years ago. The emphasis now seems to be on the "gang" of kids - being Matthew, Olivia, Emily, Barrett, and Jay; with Priscilla and Camilla recurring. END ASIDE.

My favorite part of this episode was the relationship between Barrett and Olivia. This season, we've been able to see them interact in both humorous, partnering, and dramatic situations, and the character development has been huge. Major props to Kelly Stables for one of her best, if not her best, performance as Olivia, handling some really dramatic and sleuthin' scenes really well. Some commenters have wondered if this is the beginning of a triangle with Priscilla - frankly, I don't care. Whatever the writers decide to do with B/O is fine as long as the development continues, because the growth is a huge positive for the show.

My final comment is on the placement of this show in the season (SPOILER ALERT). With the knowledge that Jay had, of course, once again concocted a plot to get Barrett in trouble, I thought that this would've been a great lead-in to The Friend Formula, which showed Jay attempting revenge and intel on Mr. Jones. With the order of the shows, it appeared Jay had learned nothing from Friend Formula, which he may have well have, and grasped no new developments after the friendship with Riley. I would've preferred to have them swapped, but who knows, maybe the writers are building toward some ultimate Jay-Barrett showdown in the near future. 

A script that dabbles in mystery and delights in character development is not only a joy to listen to, but a joy to learn from about repentance, and that's what Marshal Younger and Nathan Hoobler do here. With great performances from Christina Puccelli and Kelly Stables and a good starring turn by Andy Pessoa, solid score and sound design, this is one episode to repeat after me. I give Repent After Me a 96/100, or an

A

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Catch up on Josh's summer by reading his blog from the past several months here

Buy this episode and 11 others on Album 57: A Call to Something More via CBD
Talk about this episode and a bunch of other Odyssey stuff over at Campbell County

AVERY WATCH:
Best Episode
Best Script - Marshal Younger and Nathan Hoobler
Best Sound Design - Rob Jorgensen
Best Actress - Kelly Stables (Olivia)
Best Scene - Barrett and Olivia wrapping up the episode

730: The Friend Formula

Happy SonDay! Hope everyone's enjoying their weekend. Be sure to let me know what you thought about the episode!

If you haven't already, listen along with me and read The Odyssey Times below as you listen to The Friend Formula for my quick takes and thoughts.

LISTEN HERE

Dulcimer image courtesy of MetaTalk

THE ODYSSEY TIMES (Facts, notes, and quotes about Odyssey from this ep):
- Mr. Whittaker returns to the opening theme.
- Cherry italian sodas? Are those new to the Whit's End menu?
- Barrett and Olivia are starting a band! Olivia plays guitar, Barrett plays trombone, and Priscilla sings? Is La Perros Frescos 2.0 available for a band name?
- I must admit I'm also wondering why Riley is carrying around a dulcimer around with him. Does he expect to play it somewhere? Is he looking for a band to join? Perhaps stumble across a music rehearsal somewhere or someplace?
- "So, Riley, old boy, what's your story? You look like a cheerleader for a funeral." - Jay
- Kemosabe! Perhaps this was written back when there were people excited for The Lone Ranger remake.
- Jay's super excited for Clambake (the soundtrack album from Elvis's last film for United Artists Pictures in 1967).
- The four "i-ngs": Spying, crying, plying, and lying. Jay's definitely one for wordplay.
- "So, how'd it go, kid? I left right around the time when you two were taking my name in vain." - Jay
- "Talk to her? But she's a girl!" Aw, Riley. You can do it! If Jimmy can confront Jessie, Miss Romantic, about her love for him, you can utter four phrases over and over when talking to Olivia. (The Trouble with Girls, The Lost Episodes).
- "Never trust your feelings, kid." - Jay, and a possible reference to next week's More Than a Feeling?
- Riley's turning the tables and recognizing Jay's "I-ngs!" Good for him.
- The Biblical response to the "I-ngs" - listening, sharing, caring, and trusting.

REVIEW:
I'm not sure how to feel about this episode. There's a lot of good things happening here, but the not-so-great ones are frustrating, after the positive direction from the past two episodes. It's definitely overall a good episode, but some uneven things kept it from being something better. 

I loved the concept of the show. The "I-ngs" idea is something that many of us have unknowingly implanted in ourselves in a belief that we'll come across as a "cooler person" when we portray ourselves to be that way (I actually wrote a post about that this summer, which you can read here), and the moral of true friendship is something relatable for all ages. 

Gage Davenport, who plays Riley, did, for the most part, a very by-the-numbers performance. I didn't think it was incredible, but he did an admirable job. I'm not quite sure if Riley caught my attention enough to warrant him coming back, in my mind, but I will be curious if they do. I felt that Cindy, introduced in Unbecoming Jay, was a more interesting foil for Jay, who, while had a similar personality to Riley, also had a bit of a conniving side similar to her cousin, which made for an incredible and fun to listen to dynamic. However, Whit Hertford continues to bring an incredible false gravitas and great levity to playing Jay. I would love to hear Jay in some kind of dramedy-type episode, because I feel that Hertford could definitely pull off multiple dimensions and really explore some new characterizations for Jay. Not that the scheming Jay isn't tiresome, it's just that it'd be great to explore new territory with the character since he's played by a great actor. 

I also had a concern about the placement of this show in the season, but that's to be discussed later. The score was done by someone other than John Campbell, named Detrich Terry, and it sounds like that old-fashioned sound that unfortunately usually happens whenever Campbell doesn't do the score (a la Tim Hosman). The sound design wasn't a major factor in this episode. I liked how Whit and Riley could turn around the "I-ngs" into something more positive, but the band subplot never got out of its sour note funk for me. Olivia bounced back from her over-the-top-ish good personality last week, but I don't quite understand what the point of it was, unless it factors into a later episode. It seemed a little drawn-out, although the Riley-Olivia prying conversation was hilarious. Some of the dialogue was so-so, but overall, the script zipped along, thanks to Bob Hoose. 

I've noticed that Odyssey is beginning to move back to a more all-ages format, which is good news for older fans like me. As the show went into a new era three years ago, it seemed to have lost its footing when attempting to cater more to a selected age bracket of 8-12. It worked so hard at that that the writing took a hit. Since Album 55, the stories have been on a general upswing, which is definitely a good thing. 

The Friend Formula has a formula that translates to success, although some elements needed a bit more mixing. The story was interesting and the moral was important, but some scripting, acting, and score issues hampered the final product. However, Jay continues to shine and the Barrett/Olivia duo go two for two after last week's Chemistry. Riley has potential, but it's still too soon to tell. I give this episode a 86/100, or a 

B

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Catch up on Josh's summer by reading his blog from the past several months here

Buy this episode and 11 others on Album 57: A Call to Something More via CBD
Talk about this episode and a bunch of other Odyssey stuff over at Campbell County

AVERY WATCH:
Best Line of Dialogue - "So, Riley, old boy, what's your story? You look like a cheerleader for a funeral." - Jay

723: Groundhog Jay

Hi guys! Thanks for sending us your feedback on the pilot of Candid KOnversations; we'll be using it all season long! We're getting ready to record Ep 2 this week. In the meantime, thanks to the Peacheys for their promotion on their blog (see Our Friends in Odyssey). We really appreciate it! And now, on to the review...

THE ODYSSEY TIMES (Facts, notes, and quotes about Odyssey from this ep):
-Wait a minute, so now ANYONE can program something into the Room of Consequence? Matthew's was at least a little more understandable since he's somewhat of a tinkering genius and all, but Barrett? The guy who had trouble making a birthday card? Next thing you know, Tom Riley will show up and invent the Innovation Station - with his eyes closed. It all makes Whit's inventions seem less special!
-Jay's new idea: the Room of Coincidence?
-Jay, dates inside of inventions don't work out so well. Do you not remember The Triangled Web?
-NOOOO...how many ice cream floats were harmed in the making of this adventure?
-"Hey, watch it, there's an arm in that sleeve!" - Jay
-Jay's new idea: the Room of Challenges?
-"What would Barrett say?" "I don't know, durrrrr." - Priscilla and Jay
-"Barrett's not my boyfriend. He's just a good friend." FOR NOW.
-Nice reference back to Stage Fright ("Rue the day")
-"You steal my heart, I have underestimated you." Could this be the beginning of a possible Jay-Priscilla future?
-"Every action has an opposite fraction." - Jay
"I didn't realize I had such rugged good looks. Squint of my eyes, lean man-like jaw, mhmm." - Jay
-Jay's new idea: the Room of Concentration?
-Why do the people in Odyssey have to trick each other all the time to teach each other lessons?
-Proverbs 20:11: "Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is right and pure."

REVIEW:
After last reviewing The Lost Riddle, which took the structure of Buried Sin, Groundhog Jay follows the structure of The Eternal Birthday. The great thing about this particular structure is that you can do multiple stories that repeat over and over again, so Jay feels very fresh. It also doesn't hurt that the cast has such great chemistry with each other. This is the first pairing with Jay and Priscilla, and in my humble opinion, they're a more entertaining mystery-solving team than Emily and Matthew! Jay's morally ambiguous personality combined with Priscilla's sweet sensibilities is an intriguing combination, proved by their first episode co-starring together. 

Bob Hoose and Dave Arnold work together to create fantastic snap-crackle-pop dialogue for Jay all the way through. Hertford was given line after line to work with, and he delivered once again. This episode combined both Jay's more devilish tendencies (as in Unbecoming Jay) and dramatic tendencies (Mistaken for Good).  It was interesting to see him learn a lesson, but learn it in a very funny episode that still felt very Jay. I'm curious to see what further character development happens to Mr. Smouse in Album 57.

The revelation that the adventure was once again a sneaky trick by the good folks at Whit's End to teach someone a lesson baffled me at first, but then I realized that it was the only way that would get Jay to get in the Room of Consequence. I do think that the writers need to stop using that device so often - it's almost becoming a cliche, and it didn't work very well in You're Two Kind.  However, it worked out fine here, although Barrett being a puppetmaster (Italian) doesn't fit with Jay's description of him ("a leprechaun - without the beard!") 

In the episode, Jay asks "What is the brilliant but slow building big idea?" The theme of taking responsibility for one's actions is explored quite well - and interestingly through the fantastic pairing of Jay and Priscilla. With great dialogue and humor, I give this episode a 91/100, or a

A-

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Buy this episode and 11 others on Album 56: The Grand Design via CBD
Talk about this episode and a bunch of other Odyssey stuff over at Campbell County

721: The Holy Hoopster

THE ODYSSEY TIMES (Facts, notes, & quotes about Odyssey from this ep):
-NEW: the Odyssey Owl Radio Network
-Coach Chang Fang is back!
-Camilla takes a new career as a watergirl, while Nelson spends time as a benchwarmer.
-Ally's favorite character sorta Ryan Cummings is there! :D
-New team name: Trenton Knickerbockers
-"Prayer isn't about working or not working. Or winning and losing. Prayer is about a relationship with Jesus. That's what's important." - Ryan
-"Has it occurred to you that the reason he's nice is because of all that prayer stuff?" - Nelson

REVIEW:
Surprisingly, I didn't find that much to say about this episode. I did really enjoy the real-life parallels (Jeremy Lin and Tim Tebow) to the Odyssey world - but if you wanted to hear more about that, you could just check out Ben Warren's review over at The Changing Times. 

The introduction of the Odyssey Owl Radio Network was interesting, but was it really necessary? Why didn't they just broadcast it via Kids' Radio like they usually do - are Odyssey residents really gonna turn on the radio to get the latest updates on middle school basketball as much as the NFL or NCAA? Regardless, Jay was a definite highlight of this episode with his color commentary work and great lines.

Don't get me wrong; I loved this episode. I'm mostly nitpicking to give feedback on what could have been better. The middle got a little slow for me as Ryan went into a slump. Another interesting angle that the plot could've taken could have been to have Ryan have some big "mess-up" or "scandal" that made everyone question "just how holy the Holy Hoopster" is. But those are moot points; the chemistry with all of the characters felt great, and the music/sound design was as on-point as ever. The Lightning Livingston made the Odyssey Nerd in me feel very satisfied, and the acting continues to be terrific. 

Overall, The Holy Hoopster is another engaging sports plot by Marshal Younger with a lesson that applies to our times and appeals to both kids and adults, with terrific chemistry between all of the actors. Although the pacing is slow at times, I give it a 90/100, or a

A-

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Buy this episode and 11 others on Album 56: The Grand Design via CBD
Talk about this episode and a bunch of other Odyssey stuff over at Campbell County

The Grand Design Avery Awards: Predictions & Snubs

Hey, hey, hey, happy Oscar season, y'all! And in the heat of the award season, the night before the Golden Globes, lies my predictions and sad reflections on the snubs for the 6th Biannual Avery Awards, recorded live from Colorado Springs, CO! Unfortunately, this is finals week, however, our new release date for the pilot is Tuesday, January 22. Stay tuned! Oh, and our Happy Hunting review will follow later in the week. As many, many prognosticators try to figure out the Oscar race, I take on the work carried out so wonderfully by Ben Warren four albums ago for Album 52. I was inspired by all the Oscar guessing game sites but looked back at Ben's to see what I could learn from him as well. By the way, if you haven't checked out his always professional, always entertaining, always thought-provoking blog, The Changing Times, check it out as soon as you're done with this post. And now...zee categories...

Best Actress
Chris Anthony as Lady Deluxe Haversham in "Push the Red Button"
Georgia Dolenz as Rhoda in "The Perfect Church"
Katie Leigh as Connie in "Home Again"
Christina Pucelli as Emily Jones in "Great Expectations"
Kimmy Robertson as Penny Wise in "Happy Hunting"

Should/Will Win: When looking at the nominees in this category, I connected Katie Leigh and Christina Pucelli's performances very closely. They both portrayed female characters unsure about their future; Emily about their future career and Connie about Jason's future and her future connections with Whit and Eugene. Emily continues to deepen and develop as a character, but I feel like the emotional weight continues to fall behind Katie Leigh, who has had 25 years to develop Connie. Similarly to the Oscars, it's often difficult to compare dramatic and comedic performances (unlike the Golden Globes), but we are forced to through Chris (who has a delightfully over the top performance) and Kimmy (Penny's mishaps). While I really enjoyed Perfect Church, I thought Georgia Dolenz's performance as Rhoda was good, but not great unlike some of the other nominees. Lady DH was a little too over-the-top for me and Penny is still lacking mature emotional growth, so my Should Win/Will Win falls to Katie Leigh for Connie! Again.

Snubbed: Carolyn Hennesy stole every scene she was in in "Perfect Church" taking on the role of Saphira after  similar biblical roles and Mama Shepard in her past AIO career. Disappointed, but definitely not surprised.

Best Sound Design
All episodes nominated

Should/Will Win: Josh is undergoing relistens to Album 56, so hold your horses. However, he really enjoyed sound design for "Perfect Church," done by GAP Digital. 

Snubbed: Uh, that invisible episode on Disc 5 definitely should've gotten nominated. 

Best Actor
Zach Callison as Matthew Parker in "The Perfect Church"
Jim Custer as Young Whit in "Great Expectations"
Townsend Coleman as Lord Gargantuan Foulspleen in "Push the Red Button"
Dan Hagen as Drill Sergeant Combs in "The Bible Network"
Whit Hertford as Jay Smouse in "Groundhog Jay"

Should/Will Win: The nicest surprise in this category is that Dan Hagen was recognized for all of his great work in "The Bible Network." He played multiple roles, but the drill sergeant was the funniest and had tons of memorable lines. Looking back, there were a lot of great male performances this year. Jay continues to be a fantastic antihero that reflects many moral struggles people go through. Matthew articulated our thoughts and feelings in The IS. And Jim Custer plasters in a very warm quality to his portrayal of Whit, and his ability to sound older as Whit did was incredible. Jim Custer has my vote for "Should Win," (Dan Hagen, don't worry, you're right behind) but I'm predicting that Whit Hertford will take home his second Avery in two years, due in large part to Jay's popularity, and I'm fine with that as well.

Snubbed: JIM CUMMINGS. Come on, his Stephen was one of the best Biblical reenactments I have ever seen. The retelling and the acting were top-notch, and I'm incredibly disappointed he did not get a nod. Can he get a honorary Avery for being Jim Cummings? Heck, why we're at it, let's give Phil Lollar a honorary Avery for "Best Being Back on Odyssey Moment." I would've also liked to see Townsend nominated for "Home Again," but a nod is a nod is a nod. Or something like that.

Best Script
All episodes nominated

Should/Will Win: If you've been reading this blog, you already know that my Should Win is..."The Perfect Church." As I said in my review, "'The Perfect Church' pulls something off masterfully; it manages to take Scripture (Acts 1:8-8:3) and create a narrative that tells the story and yet makes you wonder how McCusker/Younger are going to tell it." Sadly, I don't believe that enough voters will take notice and the award will probably fall to "Home Again" because Jason and Joanne showed up or "Groundhog Jay" because Jay was in it and had funny things to say. However, I must admit that if "Perfect Church" wasn't in the album, my vote would've gone to "Jay."

Best Scene
Barrett finally realizes the consequences of not tithing in "For Three Dollars More"
Bible Boot Camp in "The Bible Network"
Dale Jacobs learns the whole story from Kenny Rutherford in "The Lost Riddle"
Connie, Wooton, and Penny reunite with Jason in "Home Again"
Lord Gargantuan Foulspleen destroys the Sistine Chapel in "Push the Red Button" 

Should/Will Win: Of these particular scenes nominated, the only scene that stuck out to me was Bible Boot Camp. It was the funniest, but also had the best lesson. Jacobs/Rutherford sounded familiar (Buried Sin, Album 32: Hidden Treasures), the reunion scene wasn't as impactful since we'd already heard a lot of Jason and it didn't happen till the middle of Part 2, and I sadly don't remember the Barrett/LGF scenes. I'm thinking voters will feel the same way as me, but don't count out the Jason Reunion scene; pure Jason nostalgia could carry that scene to a victory. 

Snubbed: I'm getting tired of repeating my praise for "The Perfect Church," so here's an excerpt from my review: "The most powerful scene was when Jim Cummings as Stehen testified to the high court with his defense. The fact that it was taken literally from the Bible, along with Cumming's commanding performance, made me begin to tear up. Now, I don't cry very often at media, unless some element of the form moves me (See: Clara). His acting is powerful, intense, and speaks to us today."

Best Overall Episode
All episodes nominated

Should/Will Win: And once again, another excerpt: "['The Perfect Church'] speaks to us today. The church today is not perfect as well. The episode shows us how God uses all of us with our flaws for his purpose. We have our flaws, and we have our disagreements, and yet, God still calls us to fellowship, worship, and preach together. This can be hard, as I know well, but it's an important lesson for us to learn today. The whole episode feels very human, as often we think of the people of the Bible as superheroes, but God uses all kinds of people for His plan, from prostitutes to corrupt tax collectors to murderers (Saul!). The theme is beautiful, with wonderful harmonies, and a score that captures the episode completely. Paul McCusker and Marshal Younger have crafted an episode that deserves to be up there with the best of the best in Odyssey. The story is engaging, well-told, fresh, moving, and relevant; with powerful performances, dialogue, and sound." My Will Win falls to "Home Again," though "Groundhog Jay" could always be the dark horse in this race.

Let me know what you guys thought of this season's performances! More Candid KOnversations, Album 56 reviews, and Album 57 discussion to follow in the weeks and months ahead. 

LINKS:
Read all of our Album 56 reviews
Buy Album 56 on CBD
Vote for The Grand Design Avery Awards at the Whit's End Blog