726: Push the Red Button

Happy Sonday!

The goal failed. Couldn't do a review during the week. I'm hoping to make my way through Your Servant is Listening and No Chemistry Whatsoever this week. Happy Labor Day! No new Candid KOnversations updates, so we'll be on our way.

Hi, Will Ryan!

THE ODYSSEY TIMES (Facts, notes, and quotes about Odyssey from this ep):
- A master program that controls anything at Whit's End - that could possibly destroy civilization as we know it? Oh yeah, nothing could go wrong.
- Matthew Parker assisting a master program that controls everything at Whit's End? It's officially official - nothing, nothing, could go wrong.
- Penny is on a no-carb diet in this world.
- We have a different voice for Michaelangelo here than in the live show.
- Is it just me, or does Townsend Coleman's voice for Lord Gargantuan Foulspleen remind the listener a little bit of Dr. Doofenschmirtz from Phineas and Ferb?
- Silly Lord Gangantuan Foulspleen. If you listened to Odyssey, you'd know that the Imagination Station is not a time machine.
- Eugene and Whit, do you really NOT REMEMBER that the Imagination Station is not a time machine? Matthew, sorry, buddy, you still gotta head to French.
- Nice reference to the Slavs in ancient Russia!
- I wonder what people's rationale for thinking this episode was in total reality was.
- When I saw the extended version of the live show, I thought Odyssey was about to head into a post-apocalyptic Album 57. 
- Penny paints a beautiful masterpiece in minutes. Look out, Picasso.
- "Maximum defilation" - new LGF term
- A big kick to the machine. Ladies and gentlemen, Matthew Parker, technical genius.
- Nuclear bomb go boom.
- "What's weird is to use such an obvious cliche to end a story." - Penny
- Philippians 4:8-9

REVIEW:
I think opinions can soften over time. That was certainly the case for this episode. When I first heard it, I had a severe dislike to this episode (not the live show version) for its cheesiness, unrealisticness, and sheer what-the-heck-is-happening-ness. But after a relisten, a couple elements have grown on me. 

After getting upset over the use of the "just kidding, guys, it was all a dream," on earlier listens, I caught Penny's self-aware tongue-in-cheek comment to the audience (see the Odyssey Times for this ep). I just wish the rest of this episode had that making-fun-of-itself tone as it did during the live show. The live show wasn't a masterclass in writing, but the extended run time allowed us to see just how impressive the acting, impressions, and sound design could be. Running jokes, like Wooton/Penny interaction and "fourth wall" Jason cracks, made the experience a memorable, hilarious one. The fact that Push the Red Button radio edition takes itself a little more seriously is not necessarily a good thing.

Another difference between the live show and radio edit is that Michaelangelo is not as intriguing as Chuck Bolte. Sure, he's a better-trained Italian accent, but...yawn. He was a completely forgettable character here, while he was completely unforgettable in Texas because everyone's always wanted to hear an Italian George Barclay. Stunt casting worked there - and the regular casting here felt dry. 

I now can understand why Red Button got that Sound Design Avery - all very impressive work by Rob Jorgensen. The music is ridiculously overdramatic fun by John Campbell. I think the main reason why I disliked this episode is because of the writing. As Ben Warren discussed in his review, other examples of exaggeration in Odyssey had proper framing to explain the out-there-ness of it all. My hyperactive imagination, upon seeing the live show for the first time, worried that a nuclear bomb had actually detonated the entire town of Odyssey and the surrounding Campbell County and we'd spend Album 57 living Winter's Bone - Our Daily Bread style, with the Barclays scrounging for squirrel meat in parks to escape from the mass hysteria from the first nuclear explosion in the United States.

I guess I'm simply tired of ridiculousness. It's fun every once in a while, but to trot it out a lot more recently in this new era takes away the positive elements it can bring. Mindless chaos can be fun, but can't entertainment with truth, goodness, and beauty be fun and good for you? The extremity of the ep led to a story that didn't get too invested in its themes. What really is truth, goodness, and beauty? For that, I'd have to turn to other AIO eps.

Push the Red Button is a hyperactive bombastic ear fest with great sound design and score. The actors all seem like they're having a lot of fun. However, it's the writing that drags everything down. The tone's off, the characters are all over the place, the moral is difficult to discern at face value, and the plot is sadly too out there to come back to orbit. I give this episode a 70/100, or a

C-

That brings us to the end of Album 56! Nine months after it aired. And on to A Call to Something More...

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Catch up on Josh's summer by reading his blog from the past several months here
Read about our Live Show experience here

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

724-725: Home Again, Part 1 And 2

Well, it's been quiteeeee a while, you guys. It's been a long, busy summer - and I'm just realizing that our last review was on April 6. That's about four and a half months since the last review! Ohmeohmyoh. 

Anyways, it's back to work at home and school and in Odyssey. Album 57 has begun! I already have thoughts on Your Servant is Listening, and I would have thoughts on No Chemistry Whatsoever if there was any episode up online whatsoever. (UPDATE: It's on AIO Wiki!) But that's cool. The goal (and we have a lot of failed goals) is to do Push the Red Button this week and Listening this weekend. Hopefully, we'll catch up from there. But then...there's also Candid KOnversations. The season premiere for Candid KOnversations is...Saturday, November 2! I know it's a while, but we want all y'all to focus with us on Album 57 while the season progresses! And it looks like we'll have a lot of interesting Call to Something More stuff to talk about. Check out the Candid KOnversations page for more information.

With our busy schedules (practicing and learning instruments, homework, new clubs, old clubs, new projects, old projects), I think I've managed to figure out some kind of schedule that puts up posts here at least semi-regularly. The goal (anotherrrrr one) is to post at least once a week. Since I have super easy classes this semester, hopefully, we can make that happen! And now, to our review.

THE ODYSSEY TIMES (Facts, notes, and quotes about Odyssey from these eps):

- Don't go, Jack and Joanne! Eugene, quick, sabotage your inventory system so THEY'LL NEVER LEAVE!

- Thank you, Joanne, for your book endowments to the Whit's End Library!

- I'm still not fully comfortable with Whit's new chuckle.

- Why is Whit so surprised that Jason drove all the way back from Washington? Joanne and Connie have done it before (Album 41: In Hot Pursuit).

- Oh, Connie. Connie, Connie, Connie.

- "Prayer means you're dealing with something hard!" Connie, I bet you prayed for that new red Prelude - and I wouldn't call that something hard.

- Nice reference to Something Old, Something New for continuity.

- Why did Connie miss Jason so much? Wink, wink.

- Nice reference to The Green Ring Conspiracy for continuity.

- Wooton outsmarted Whit? Never thought I'd ever write that last sentence.

- They're building another cabin on Trickle Lake.

- "The spiritual disciplines are called disciplines for a reason - they require work. Times of solitude aren't always restful." - Whit

- Jason...really likes coffee.

- Jansen's Jewelers - is that a reference to former EP Al Janssen?

- "It'll make you thirstier so you can appreciate the water more." - the walk from picnic to #3

- "Yes, it's that hint of naïveté in the voice. He's not bad." - Rudolph on Eugene

- Connie sounds abnormally happy to see Jason.

- When was the last time we heard Jason talk to Wooton? 

- "You know where I live?" "Wooton delivers the mail!" "Ohhh...kay..." - Jason and Penny

- Kron's Jewelers is down the street.

- Do the criminals really have to reveal their plans right in front of Eugene?

- Katrina sends really long texts.

- The Judo flip, the Vulcan neck pinch...we've got some intense martial arts action happening in Odyssey.

- "What I want is time to be with God along with time to be with family and friends." - Jason

REVIEW:

The fact that it won three Avery Awards shows the love for Home Again from the fans. It definitely brings back a sense of nostalgia, with previous mainstays like Jason, Jack, and Joanne back on the radio once again. But is that all the episode was? Did it only win for the nostalgia? 

Two elements stood out to me that prevented it from getting my vote for Best Episode. The score for this episode felt very disjointed in certain places, as if they'd just picked up a couple of old John Campbell selections to fit. They didn't all fit well. The end cue was a typical Campbell chord-tingling, heart-racing, emotion-gathering closer, but the rest of the score didn't add much to the story. Eugene's jewel thief storyline also felt disjointed in a similar vein. As Campbell's score felt out of place, the cartoonishness of the whole Rudolph thing felt very disjointed from the dramedy-ish main plot. The "let's capture the criminals" scene near the end with Jason and Whit confronting the thieves was laughable and very unreal. That kind of cheesy capture has worked in previous episodes, but they worked because the entire tone of the episode was in that light-hearted realm. This episode did not need that tone at all, and it added a little bit of a bitter aftertaste (afterhear?) for me after listening.

Courtesy AIO Wiki

But let's look at the positives. I loved hearing new dynamics that have never been heard on the show before. I AIO wikied it and found that this was the first time that Wooton and Jason have ever been heard together! I also liked the comedic interactions between Joanne and Eugene. Normally, Eugene went to go talk to the Allens for perspective from both Allens. I thought the chemistry between Will Ryan and Janet Waldo was fantastic - it felt raw and real and hilarious. Townsend's monologue as Jason toward the end of the first part was also incredible. It gave us an inner look at Jason's thought process, especially the settling down after a lifetime of spy work part. Coleman managed to inflict the emotions of trying to find peace while managing to add comedy with the whole coffee thing. The sound design was also spot-on. It was pretty subtle, but that's often what makes the design great. 

I was also proud to continue to see Connie, Penny, and Jason grow as characters. If you've read some of my previous posts, you'd know I was upset that they seemed to grow stagnant from Albums 51 - 54. Connie's been learning about letting go of regrets and making assumptions since Something Old, and it's really interesting to learn and grow along with her. Penny has been making some steady progress, and although her journey can be a little annoying at times (repeating the same process as Childish Things with Happy Hunting), her growth is growing on me, so to speak. Jason's vulnerabilities are beginning to be more fully explored again, which is a great move for the show, from the end of The Labyrinth to now. That's why it was so saddening to see him once again resort to the action hero archetype at the end. Thankfully, his new job heading J&J Antiques should bring in plenty of new story for him. Oh, and the thing with Connie and Jason? That deserves its own article.

Home Again is not my most favorite episode of Album 56. The writing wasn't completely airtight and was too disjointed in trying to craft its theme into all of its plot threads & stuffing in old John Campbell cues to hobble together a score. But for all of its disjointedness, it makes up for it in characterizations, acting performances, sound design, and new dynamics. The very presence of Jack (so good to hear you, Alan Young!) boosts this up a couple more points. I give this episode a 92/100, or a

A-

Post your comments below or email us at jandakocompany@yahoo.com!

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 56: The Grand Design via CBD
Talk about this episode and a bunch of other Odyssey stuff over at Campbell County

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

722: The Lost Riddle

Well, hi there, everyone. I've been visiting some colleges during my break this week and it's starting to make me realize just how little time I have left until it's time to move on to a new stage in my life.

Well, Grover Cleveland, that was a rather dim way to kick off this review.

College hunting was also fun to check out different campuses and ask questions and do awkward things (like normal), but I had to do a lot of investigating this week. You might say in fact, as much investigating as EMILY AND MATTHEW DO IN TODAY'S REVIEW.

Oh, come on. Was that a great tie-in from real life to review or what? Just wait till the next review: Groundhog Jay. Haha, alright, let's get serious (not) and head into a Jones/Parker/Jacobs mystery.

THE ODYSSEY TIMES (Facts, notes, and quotes about Odyssey from this ep):
-I sympathize with group partners not doing their fair share.
-Emily grunts quite loudly when banging herself against her locker.
-As Ben Warren noticed, in all the years since the riddle has been in the locker, NO ONE HAS NOTICED IT? Hey eyedoctors, there's a great opening for you at Odyssey Optometry.
-"I have never been, am always to be; no one ever has, nor ever will be a witness to me. You cannot touch me or taste me, I neither grow nor decay; but if I did not exist, you would all pass today." - #riddlemethis
-Matthew and his wry comments on Emily's case-naming skills. Love 'em.
-Whit taught 25 years ago. My deduction is that if 25 years ago in the real world was 1987, and Whit was at Whit's End then, Odyssey time either runs slower, or this mystery happened over five years ago. I won't know until I review the other seven hundredish episodes I have left. That shouldn't take too long.
-Mrs. Mays w/ motorcycle is played by Mary Pat Gleason. I searched her up, and she's been in dozens, if not hundreds, of TV shows and movies, including Guiding Light, 1600 Penn, and The Island.
-I appreciate the sound design in the filing room, as I do with the rest of the show.
-"Dale Jacobs of the Odyssey Times? Dale Jacobs of the need for pimple cream." - Emily and Mrs. Mays
-THE SOUND OF DALE JACOB'S VOICE ON ODYSSEY ONCE AGAIN; IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE...oh wait, he was in The Labyrinth. Never mind, nothing to see here, carry on.
-Secret Codes 101: Put water on laminated cards and messages can appear as the ink outside of the card rubs off. When you put all the letters all together, it'll create groups of words. Then you put them all together into a simple message. Lemon juice can be used for invisible ink and can be viewed when you put heat on it.
-The Science of Secret Codes 101: The acid of the juice weakens the paper fibers.
-Whit tells Emily and Matthew "happy hunting" - inspiration for the name of the episode two eps prior?
-Kenny Rutherford writes the Big Jack Brannagan mystery series.
-From AIO Wiki: It is revealed that Whit was a teacher while Dale Jacobs was still in middle school over 25 years ago. As Whit stated that he that he was teaching part time this means that Whit was either in his 50s or 60s at the time putting Whit in his 70s or 80s now and putting Dale in his 40s or 50s now which would make sense taking into account Robyn and Melanie are living on their own.
-In addition to all of that, if Dale was in middle school 25 years ago, yet Robyn and Melanie were already preteens 25 years ago, the timeline gets screwed. The time paradox continues...
-"And I'm a big fan of your books, Mr. Rutherford! And I'm...her friend." - Emily and Matthew
-"With my guilt, I read into everything you did and didn't do." - Kenny Rutherford

REVIEW:
I've developed a special relationship with the Jones and Parker Detective Agency mysteries over the years. I enjoy reading them in Ally's Clubhouse, but the first time I was introduced to them was through Game for a Mystery. My, oh, my, have times have changed. While definitely disenchanted with the Agency at first, they've steadily improved from Stage Fright to The Case of the Missing Appleberry (name coined by me) to Something Old, Something New. This mystery continues off where Something established, which was to make us care about the case. Quite honestly, Barrett's voice was so irritating and annoying back in Album 51 that I didn't really care that he'd lost his video game. Emily hadn't been established long enough to make me want to care about her solving the ghost problem (that, and the fact that it was once again all a ploy by a reality TV show). But as the characters of Emily and Matthew have developed, I've started to care, and the writers have latched on to that whole "caring" notion by connecting Penny and Connie in their last case.

The Lost Riddle brings back Dale Jacobs to our ears to help Emily and Matthew solve this case, so we already have someone we know and love to care about, and since Emily has been made much more sympathetic and vulnerable with her character arc, we care about the crime-solvers as well. Since this case was about a riddle, there were elements of this case that the listener could try and solve for themselves, something that fans complained about back when Game for a Mystery first came out.

I must admit that I was one of the fans who complained that Odyssey had once again ripped off a past show, in this case, Buried Sin. But after relistening to the show for the review, I had to slightly retract that thought. The idea, skeleton, and structure for the show were similar, but it was the tone that was different; I guess you could say that this was slightly more comedic. Nonetheless, I'm still disappointed that Odyssey has to resort to recycling old ideas after steadily coming up with new material for 20 years, but hey, that's another article for another day.

The music and sound effects sounded even better when I listened via headphones. The scenes really came alive, especially in the aforementioned filing room scene with Mrs. Mays. The tie-in with Jay fit, and not only was a case solved, but a lesson was learned by the case solvers.

The Lost Riddle takes an old Odyssey idea and adds some new elements that work, with excellent production design, although it lacked some originality. Nonetheless (and partly in thanks to the very presence of Dale Jacobs), I give it a 89/100, or a

B+

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

720: Happy Hunting

Happy Monday! The pilot for Candid KOnversations is nearing completion, I'm done with calculus FOREVER (well, in high school anyways), and my jazz band did really well at a festival yesterday, so things are going well. However, things are slowing down at Campbell County Message Boards - please click on the link below and help us revitalize the site so I can have more people to talk to there! Plus, today, we get to celebrate the man who said that "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." Thank you, Dr. King, for reminding us that we are all God's children who had His Son die for everyone, no matter what race, nationality, or sins we've ever committed or been part of so that we could be saved. And now, to our review!

THE ODYSSEY TIMES (Facts, notes, and quotes about Odyssey from this ep):
-So apparently, these paintings by Diego are doing really well by the "sophisticated." Humpty Dumpty, palm trees with bloodshot eyes...is pop art making a comeback in Odyssey? I thought they were stuck in the past? ;)
-Don't worry Penny, I left the tag on a new pair of jeans until someone pointed it out to me. Fortunately for me, they weren't as expensive as your new boots!
-Why is Whit getting confused more often? It makes him seem older...
-"Laugh for seven minutes a day? I get black spots when I laugh for seven minutes. Those are endorphins, which make you happy! Actually, I think it's a lack of oxygen." - Wooton, Penny, and Whit
-Save the rib newts!
-How do you figuratively break your ribs?
-Penny's "ow, ow, ow" reminds me of Katrina in For Whom the Wedding Bells Toll (Album 29: Signed, Sealed, and Committed).
-JOSH'S AWKWARD REACTION OF THE REVIEW: Penny's adorable when she has allergic reactions and just as funny as Lindsey (Best of Enemies, Album 48: Moment of Truth).
-Wouldn't it have been hilarious if that happiness support group was Happy Smilers? (Happy Smilers, Album 37: Countermoves)
-"I never knew alliteration could be so irritating. Memorizing makes the mind more manageable! And alliteration annoys!" - Penny and Connie
-"The quest for happiness in and of itself can be a mistake. It can make us focus on ourselves, our feelings, to the exclusion of others. Sometimes God calls us to sacrifice ourselves in ways that won't necessarily make us happy." -Whit
-"It's an emotion. And no one can maintain an emotion for very long. At best, you can only create short bursts of happiness for yourself...the only kind of happiness...with Him involves peace, joy, and commitment that only He can give us. Those things can't really exist without Him." -Whit


REVIEW:
Hearing this for the first time was very enjoyable. After the second time, I got deja vu - but not because I had heard it before. It was then that I realized that we HAD heard this before - two albums prior in Childish Things (Album 54: Clanging Cymbals). Penny feels like she's missing something in life, so she finds some kind of "advice" to help her find that one thing and tries to implement that advice in her life, and comedic hijinks ensue. This episode, while having a great wrapup by Whit and Chris at the end, accomplishes its lesson by having Penny repeat the same mistake and show us that Penny actually didn't learn anything from last time. But while I would've had Camilla star, what's done is done, and that's what we look at here.

I didn't mean to start the review off negatively, but let's go into the positives and observations now. Connie contrasts Penny by being the "negative Nelly" to positive Penny. It provides a funny and interesting dynamic between the two friends that's something we haven't heard before. Kimmy Robertson plays Penny adorably - yeah, that's the only word I can use to describe it, when she talks about the people who are trying to "squash your spirit," her tone alone is hilariously cute. Penny's still naive and a young Christian who acts a lot younger than her age, but she continues to be funny.

Is anyone else besides me upset over Jacques Henri's fake French accent? What nationality is he actually? Wooton is once again used for comic relief, but at least this time, he's given a barrage of comic material that sustains his character for the entire episode. Whit has been used well this whole season, and that streak continues here. His advice feels more organic and less mechanical, more Biblically-oriented instead of worldly-grounded. John Campbell's score is typical Odyssey awesomeness, but I was disappointed with the sound design for the bird sounds - it seemed very obvious that the voice and sound tracks were recorded separately.

Overall, Happy Hunting is an amusing episode that has a good lesson, great music, and wonderful performances by the main characters, but my smile was dragged down by weaker supporting performances, sound design issues, and a lack of character growth. I give it a 82/100, or a 

B-

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

719: The Bible Network

Well, hi there. As always in the Josh world, things are always crazy, and that was certainly true again this past week. I'm struggling to schedule recording sessions, let alone find time to produce the sound design and music cues. So, sadly, I will have to once again push back the debut of Candid KOnversations with  Josh and Ally. The script's going through polishing as we record, but I'm really liking where it's going. One thing that will make this podcast unique is the storyline that will pretty much be a separate segment from the interviews that make up the KOnversations part of the show. It's a story arc that will probably take the whole season to complete, but hopes to bring up thought-provoking questions about...oh, I probably shouldn't give that away. But I'm excited, and I really hope you enjoy the podcast (which, by the way, will be audio unless we see a great opportunity to use video)! So look for it now later in the month. However, I'm pretty much positive that the pilot WILL come out later in January, so don't worry! I don't want to promise in case something horribly catastrophic goes wrong, but I am convinced. And now to our review...

MEMORABLE LINES OF DIALOGUE:
"What's your name? Rick. Rick; beautiful name. Thanks. And I have one too! You will address me as Sir! Or Mr. Combs! Or Sergeant Combs! Or Drill Sergeant Combs! Or Brother Combs! Or Brother Drill Sergeant Combs!" - Drill Sergeant Combs, Rick

"But my Bible's all wet, sir. Then dry it all off with the lip rag of your cowardice." - Ron, Drill Sergeant Combs

"I forgot that you have a Master's degree in counseling and went to seminary for four years. And I completely blanked that you've been in the ministry for twenty-two years and have trained people in discipleship for the past six. Well, actually, I didn't do any of that. You didn't? Uh, no, that's you. THAT'S RIGHT, IT'S ME! NOW DO WHAT I SAY!" - Drill Sergeant Combs, Stanley
 
REVIEW:

Marshal Younger takes a third crack at writing an episode involving three parodies of pop culture to bring attention to Biblical teachings, this time looking at Scripture and four ways to apply it to our lives (from 2 Timothy 3:16). The three segments on this show are "Who's the Real Sheep," "BSI: Bible Study Investigation," and "Bible Boot Camp." Unlike the first two episodes he wrote with the same format, the very funny Hidden in My Heart and The Devil Made Me Do It, the parodies are not as focused on a particular genre or "show," which leaves less room for humor, and if the hope was to again make fans have their stomachs hurt from laughing too hard, it doesn't fulfill that hope in that regard, but does succeed in teaching the Bible in a fun way.

"Who's the Real Sheep" does a good job with explaining different points of view other than a Christian worldview and explaining how the Bible is useful for teaching truth.  The skit, while not overtly humorous, has some light touches in there, and I enjoyed hearing Lori (the contestant) apply her Bible help to the question being asked. If anything, it mostly suffers with some overacting by some of the panelists.

"BSI: Danny's Apartment" holds the job of transitioning from the first skit to the final large skit. "Lassie the Wonder Dog" performed this job beautifully, as the Lassie snippets made a coherent story as told through "commercials." "BSI" could have been better told if more time was given to the skit, but the snippets for BSI seemed way too short. I hate to compare, but when these types of episodes use the exact same format, it's worth looking at the ones that did to see how effective they used the format. If there's anything humor-related that works, CSI fans might find a chuckle from the name of the detective, Danny Caluso, who I believe is spoofed from the lead of CSI: Miami, David Caruso. However, after further listens, I enjoyed the parody on the "investigation" but didn't understand the need for the "going to prison" motif. "Star Trip" succeeded because it spoofed Star Trek perfectly while teaching a valuable lesson and creating humor from the cliches. "BSI," while lightweight entertaining, fails to teach the lesson memorably, although attempts to (along with the humor). 

"Bible Boot Camp" is the best skit of the three, although I'm not sure what Younger was not parodying (the tough sergeant reminded me of one of the trainers from The Biggest Loser). The acting is spot on and the characters are funny and easy to identify with. All of the memorable quotes from this episode for me came from this segment. I loved the Bible verse jabs when the contestants got heated, and appreciated how the application (All Scripture is profitable for correction and training in righteousness) felt very organic into the story, which I felt "BSI" didn't have time to do.

I thought Ron's answer to Sergeant Combs about why he didn't read his Bible was interesting: "There's a lot of words in that big Bible; it's overwhelming to carry that Bible, let alone read it." That's how a lot of people see God's Word; they feel like God should compress His message into something easier for them to digest, perhaps through a paragraph or two for easier reading. Although this episode didn't illustrate this, it takes a love for God and trust and willingness in Him to start a hunger and thirst for the Word. This episode took a verse and tried to make it easier to digest, which is not a bad thing, but couldn't capitalize on the success of the same episode format that was used in the past. 

While humorous in certain parts and interesting in others, it lacks the comic energy and organic applications found in other episodes with the same format. I give this episode an 87/100, or a 

B+

AVERY WATCH:
Best Line of Dialogue - "What's your name? Rick. Rick; beautiful name. Thanks. And I have one too! You will address me as Sir! Or Mr. Combs! Or Sergeant Combs! Or Drill Sergeant Combs! Or Brother Combs! Or Brother Drill Sergeant Combs!" - Drill Sergeant Combs, Rick
Best Actor - Dan Hagen 

717: Great Expectations, 718: For Three Dollars More, Interview w/ Austin & Tasha!

My oh my oh my oh my, what a long title.

Many thanks to Jacob Isom, who gave us a shoutout on our #19 reason why we're thankful for Odyssey, the Odyssey Scoop!

Today, we're proud to share with you...Austin and Tasha's AIO Blogcast, Ep. 41 for a double brother/sister duo podcast!

You'll find an interview with me and Ally, our reviews of Great Expectations and For Three Dollars More, and finally, the reveal of our secret project! Check it all out here!

Come back throughout the week to see this post updated with:
the podcast player here for easier access
a transcription of our reviews
information on our secret project
information on my upcoming interview with Zach Callison

Mark the date on your calendar! Wednesday, December 5 at 10 AM will be my interview with Zach Callison on KEcG Radio! Check our Friends of Odyssey section for the link.

Off to do some more fun stuff, like calculus and etc. 

We forgot to mention one thing on our last post. We're thankful for all of you readers. You inspire us to keep on writing!

Hasta la vista till later this week!

715-716: The Perfect Church, Part 1 and 2

Happy October everyone! Apologies for the slower posting rate, but hey, it's October, and like a typical high school junior, I'm pulling 5 hour or less sleep hours on weeknights, so it's intense. I'm excited for this new season of Odyssey and am looking forward to reviewing it! Hopefully,  I'll be able to start reviewing Whit's Flop in the near future...anyways, today's review has a different format. Since Matthew's adventure is not in Odyssey (well, it is, but you know...), The Odyssey Times is replaced today by the Avery Watch, where I discuss performances that I feel deserve nominations!

NOTABLE LINES OF DIALOGUE:
"God is doing what he always does. He's working through fallen men and women to accomplish his purposes. It's been that way from the beginning." - Stephen

REVIEW:

At the beginning of the relaunch, I expected Odyssey to be amazing as usual and have the same standard of quality and entertainment that it usually has. So when Album 51 came out, I was left feeling disappointed. And so I set my sights on Album 52: there's a mystery with a clock tower, plus there's a Christmas show...what could go wrong? And although there were improvements, I was still left feeling disappointed. Next, I looked to Album 53: there's another conspiracy in Odyssey; this could be the new Novacom! Once again, disappointed. I learned to lower my expectations and acknowledge that Odyssey was going into a newer, younger direction, one that I might not necessarily like, but needed to accept. And yet, Album 54 built on Album 53 with more compelling stories, and Album 55 built from Album 54 with even better performances and stories and lessons. So how did I feel when I heard the first two-parter of 56?

Wow. Just, wow. Where to begin? I enjoyed seeing the new Imagination Station in action again (and we heard it today in Great Expectations, the ep that follows this one) and understood why it was created. The new "door" idea creates potential for many new story ideas for future episodes, and the story device works very well for today's ep. Matthew is a great choice to be in this adventure; he, Barrett, and Olivia are the most thoughtful kids in Odyssey in different ways. 

Now, I love hearing Bible stories come to life on Odyssey, from The Imagination Station (Album 5: Daring Deeds, Sinister Schemes) to O.T. Action News. But normally, I already know how the story's gonna end, and it's just nice to hear the Odyssey team tell it. 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 (the writers of the episode) are going to tell it. 

The performances that made up the story were top-notch. Andre Stojka does his best performance as Whit to date (and continues to be more Whit every album) and Eugene's computerized bits of information were helpful and helped drive the episode forward for more fresh listeners. It was great hearing Carolyn Hennesy again (voice of Ellen Shepard), and she makes a terrific Saphira in her scene (and we already know she's great at doing those kind of voices as she did in The Big Deal [Album 35: The Big Picture]). Georgia Dolenz has a stronger appearance here than in The Labyrinth, and plays wide-eyed and thoughtful well.  The episode is packed with a who's who of AIO character actors, from Keith Ferguson, Matt Hurwitz, Fred Tatasciore (who after a 16 episode run of playing villainous characters has made a 3 ep run of heroes following A Penny Saved), J.B. Blanc, and Saige Spinney. All we needed was Corey Burton (who by the way, needs to return to Odyssey, but that's another article)! 

John Campbell's score for this episode was amazing. It felt true to the time period, yet slightly melancholic, which captured the essence of the episode completely. Sound design was terrific at recreating the world of Acts and making the "door" switches seamless and sleek. The dialogue was fantastic and moved the story along, while McCusker/Younger kept the story engaging the whole way through.

However, the most powerful scene was when Jim Cummings as Stephen 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. In fact, the whole episode 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!). 

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. The theme is beautiful, with wonderful harmonies, and a score that captures the episode completely. I give this episode a 97/100, or an

A

AVERY WATCH:
Best Episode - Paul McCusker (Producer: Dave Arnold, Co-Writer: Marshal Younger))
Best Sound Design - GAP Digital (Todd Busteed)
Best Line of Dialogue - "To suffer for Jesus is a honor. But what if something worse happens? That would be glory." - Stephen and Matthew
Best Scene - Stephen testifying in court
Best Script - Paul McCusker, Marshal Younger
Best Actor - Jim Cummings
Best Minor Character (Guest Actress) - Carolyn Hennesy (Saphira)
Best Score - John Campbell

Introducing The Odyssey Phone Book

Well, today at Out of Control in Odyssey, we are proud to present...the Odyssey Phone Book!

This new feature on our blog, available by clicking on that tab at the top of the page (See that connection of words that reads, "Odyssey Phone Book?" Good job. Now click on it.) The Odyssey Phone Book was created as part of our ongoing mission to bring the town of Odyssey to life and become a part of Odyssey and apply it to our lives!

What is the Odyssey Phone Book? It's a tool to expanse the great picture you have of Odyssey in your mind; a connection to the people and places that live there. We have the Yellow Pages of Odyssey! As we go episode by episode, we'll be constantly revising and updating this page, and you're welcome to contribute by emailing us at jandakocompany@yahoo.com! 

But wait, there's more. No, that's not all. Besides all the reviews and SMSSs and Odyssey in the Real World posts, we got a big project coming up! It's super exciting, and we hope you guys will really like it! All I can say for now is that it's another way of immersing you into the Odyssey experience. Get excited!

Luckily, since the week's almost over (tons and tons of homework), I'll be able to do some posting this weekend! We'll have another review and SMSS up soon. Also, be sure to check out Just Another AIO Blog this weekend for the AIO Websters ceremony...it's supposed to be really cool! 

Finally, if you've been liking what you see, I wanted to recommend a similar blog in terms of writing style. Victoria Donahue started an AIO blog back in March (before us!) and everyone just found out about it and it's awesome. She's another teenager giving thoughts and reviews about Odyssey...and it's a little scary how much we've been thinking alike as I read through her posts. Anyways, check it out at http://aiothoughts.blogspot.com/ , but be very careful to avoid the Album 56 reviews if you don't want to be spoiled. Use the blog archive. 

Oh my, The Grand Design is just around the corner! We'll be reviewing new episodes in Album 56 as they come up besides our normal starting from the beginning reviews. Alright, you guys have been updated. I'm busy working on our Get in the Show church video and secret video...another surprise! Man oh man, I'm turning into a little Mr. Whittaker in terms of keeping secrets. Don't worry; he always reveals them in the end. 


Last thing: we've been added to Twists and Turns's Cast and Crew: Take 2 page! Check it out if you want to see...how we look like and if you want to see my not really smile while squinting from the bright sun since I conveniently forgot my sunglasses. It also gives some nice info about us, and while you're there, check out The Old Judge's amazing site, which covers all of the Odyssey fan sites and has some neat features. It's all at Twists and Turns!

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend, unless if course, you somehow don't have one, in which case I wish you a very happy Monday working. Please comment, and adios for now! 

 Oh, super cool. It's our two month anniversary and we have a big number in pageviews! It's been a joy watching this blog grow and have everyone be talking about Odyssey, the best radio show on the planet. Hopefully we'll be able to keep it up. So long for now! Actually.