A couple of weeks ago, The Old Judge, webmaster of Twists and Turns, asked me in the comments on my blog if he could do an interview with me. I suggested we do it through PMs on The Town of Odyssey, but since he wasn't on The ToO, we conducted it through The Odyssey Scoop's new forum, The Soda Shop. He sent me a list of 19 questions, and I did my best to answer them as thoroughly as I could. He posted them on his blog on Sunday evening, about a week after we did the interview, and already there's been a great response. So I've gotten his permission to also post the interview on my blog. Hope you guys like it!
The Old Judge: Whe did you first start listening to Adventures in Odyssey?
Christian A.: I'm not sure of the exact age, but I was around six or seven when my mom got me my first set. It was the special, limited-edition 10 CD set, which you can see here on The Odyssey Scoop.
The Old Judge: What was the first episode you ever listened to?
Christian A.: Well, since my first set was the one mentioned above, I believe the first episode could have been "Connie Comes to Town". But that may not be totally accurate, because I think I may have known about Odyssey from the radio or tapes from Chick-fil-A before that. So I can't really say for sure.
The Old Judge: What inspired you to start The Voice of Odyssey?
Christian A.: Oh, boy. Well, it was really inspired by Josh from The AIO Fan's Life. He and I met on The Odyssey Scoop comments and had all of our conversations there until he showed me his blog. And eventually, he urged me to ask my parents if I could start my own blog, since I felt that I had so much to say about thte Album 51 episodes that were coming out. So I asked, and my parents totally surprised me by saying yes! And the rest is history!
The Old Judge: Does anybody help you on your blog, or do you do it solo?
Christian A.: Nope, I do it all myself. I do get some of my ideas and points for my reviews for others on occasion, but the vast majority comes from my own feeble brain.
The Old Judge: Do you have any future plans for your blog, and if so, what are they?
Christian A.: Gee, I really don't want to think about the future. I just hope I can keep it going. Life continues to get more and more hectic for me, and it's all I can do to post an update every couple of weeks. I just hope that I can keep reviewing every episode as it comes out. That's really my only goal.
The Old Judge: What is your favorite Adventures in Odyssey episode of all time, and why?
Christian A.: Why does everyone always ask this question?! No, it's alright. It's just hard. The episode that always comes to my mind is when I'm asked this question is The Search for Whit, Parts I, II, and III. I'm not entirely sure, but I've always liked this show, and I never really get tired of it. You're not going to get much more out of me than that.
The Old Judge: What is your favorite Adventures in Odyssey album of all time, and why?
Christian A.: My favorite album... I'm not sure if anyone has ever asked me that one. Good question. Although I don't own it, I really like In Hot Pursuit--Album 41, where Connie and Joanne go on a roadtrip to Washington D.C. where she ends up almost marrying Mitch. It also has some great single episodes like Do or Diet and The Mailman Cometh. Yeah, I think I'd have to say #41.
The Old Judge: What is your favorite Adventures in Odyssey saga of all time, and why?
Christian A.: Well, although Backgaard comes close, I think I have to agree with almost everyone else and say Novacom. It was an amazing accomplishment by the AIO team, and it really hasn't been matched by anyhting else they've ever done. Great plot, great characters, great suspense, great ending. Maybe they can make something like it in the future, but I think Novacom will always hold a special place in every AIO fan's heart.
The Old Judge: Who is your favorite actor to voice Whit?
Christian A.: Oh, boy, this is a tough one. I can definitely say--NOT Andre Stojka! But choosing between Paul Herlinger and Hal Smith is harder. I suspect that if I had been a fan of Odyssey earlier on, I would say Hal Smith, but the time I was born, Paul Herlinger was already in place. So while I really like Hal Smith's Whit, I guess I would have to say Paul Herlinger. He was always great at giving wisdom and advice, and he was amazing in all the action/adventure episodes he acted in.
The Old Judge: What do you think of the current era of Adventures in Odyssey?
Christian A.: Egh. I mean, the Odyssey writers have shelled out some great stories for us. But there hasn't been much heart. There have been good episodes in every album, but there have been few GREAT ones. And another problem I've had is that the episodes are all about morals. Now, that's not necessarily a bad thing, but when it's all morals and laws and legalism, and there's no talk about how we cannot naturally obey and pleae God, and Jesus had to please God for us, you can end up with hypocrites or Pharisees who think that they're pleasing God by keeping the law. AIO needs to be careful that it doesn't seperate the moral message of the Bible from the gospel message of the Bible, which tells us that we can never be good enough for God. Our hearts are corrupt by nature, and we need Jesus to be good enough for us. We need His righteousness, and nothing else will please God. APart from Him, we face eternal damnation. Well, that was a long, complicated answer. Sorry if that was more than you were asking for.
The Old Judge: What are your opinions on Andre Stojka? Has he gotten better in the role, worse, or what?
Christian A.: Boy, Andre Stojka. I suppose he's grown into the role a little with the 5 albums he's worked on. But he hasn't really grown on me. Eever since I became convinced he isn't a Christian, I've not been able to genuinely like him. I mean, if you're playing Mister Whittaker, you should at least share his faith if you're going to add any heart and soul to the role. But from what I can tell, Andre makes no Christian profession, so I can't get over that, and I don't know if I'll ever like his job as Whit.
The Old Judge: What are your thoughts on upcoming Album 56:The Grand Design?
Christian A.: I'm pretty excited for it. Some of the episodes really intrigue me. (See my latest blog post for more on that.) I was pretty pleased with Album 55, so while I'm hoping that Album 56 will continue the gradual improvements, I'm not getting my expectations too high, because I don't want to be disappointed. But so far, everything looks good, and I think we're in for an enjoyable new season of episodes.
The Old Judge: Who is your favorite Adventures in Odyssey character, before and after the hiatus?
Christian A.: Oh, man. Another hard question. This one I really don't know if I can answer. I think I've said before that Jimmy Barclay is one that stands out. Believe it or not, Connie is actually a very relatable character for me. She seems to struggle with a lot of the same things I do, so I am usually helped greatly when she receives advice from Whit. (At least, in the old days, before Andre.) After the hiatus.....I guess Matthew Parker is a pretty good character. Ryan Cummings as well. I guess if I had to pick one, I'd say Ryan.
The Old Judge: Who is your least favorite Adventures in Odyssey character, before and after the hiatus?
Christian A.: Now this could be a bit easier. After the hiatus....(drumroll please)....Penny Wise! She seems to bring out the worst in everybody. She makes Wooton forget his values and fall for someone he knows next to nothing about, and she brought Connie's guard down when it came to meditation and the false teachings of Doctor Trask. I just don't think she's good for Odyssey. I don't know what prompted the writers to make her such a big character. Before the hiatus is a little more difficult. There were always minor characters that rubbed me the wrong way: Erica Clark, Courtney, Kim, Jeff.....But I can't really think of any specific character who I thought was totally unnecessary, as in the case of Penny.
The Old Judge: Are there any Adventures in Odyssey fan podcasts you listen to?
Christian A.: Oh, I LOVED the Unofficial Podcast back in the day when they were up and going. I was so sad to see them go. All other fan podcasts pale in comparison to that one. The Ceiling Fan is a bit too silly for me. The Whit's End Podcast I just really don't listen to, for personal reasons. I like Dave's AIO review podcasts. His thoughts are fun to listen to. And then there's always the Official Podcast, which is mildly entertaining, but I don't even listen to every episode they release. It probably boils down to the fact that I don't have time to listen to podcasts anymore. Unless it looks interesting enough that I put it on my mp3 player, I probably won't listen to it.
The Old Judge: Are there any Adventures in Odyssey fan sites that you frequent?
Christian A.: Well, the ones that I frequent a lot include The Town of Odyssey, The Odyssey Scoop, AIOWiki, and The AIO Fan's Life, (when it's being updated), and The Changing Times. All the rest I visit semi-frequently, but I'm not really attached to any of them.
The Old Judge: What are your opinions on my site, Twists and Turns?
Christian A.: Well, I won't lie and say that I go there very often. But I just gave it a full once-over this morning, and I was genuinely impressed. Your "Imagination Station" page is very thorough, and I like how you include an icon with every site. Your features are interesting and very well-formatted. And your blog posts are very inclusive---meaning you cover absolutely everything. Kind of like how I was when I started my blog..... Anyway, it is a very good website. It stands out, and it's obvious you're a big fan of the show and you care about its future. My advice to you would be just to keep trying to improve your writing skills so that you can write reviews that people will look forward to. That's really the key to maintaining a great website.
The Old Judge: If you could write an Adventures in Odyssey episode, what would it be about?
Christian A.: I wouldn't really know where to start. If you're interested, I wrote this "Episode Idea" for the "Chicken Soup" section of The Odyssey Scoop about a year ago.
"Falling Up"
Matthew Parker starts noticing disappearances all over town. First, it's only streetlights and stop signs here and there. Then, plants and trees start vanishing from right where they were standing. But the trouble comes when one of the kids in his class at school disappears completely. So Matthew convinces Emily to help him interview the kid's parents about the vanishing. But, after a few days, more kids and even adults start disappearing. The Jones & Parker Detective Agency is forced to go on a stakeout. All the facts point to Mister Whittaker as the next victim. They keep watch in the bushes at his house, particularly looking for anything above his house. And just as the clock tower in the middle of town strikes 12 A.M., a UFO appears at the top of Whit's house. Matthew struggles to wake Emily up as a strange white beam shoots out of the middle of the strange floating spacecraft. Whit is pulled up through the air into the ship, and then the whole thing disappears. The next morning, Connie hears from Lawrence Hodges and Jared DeWhite that they plan to come back to town and disprove all this nonsense. Coming soon to a radio near you.
The Old Judge: What are your opnions on Wooton and Penny as a couple?
Christian A.: Oh, don't even get me started. I already stated that I really don't like Penny as a character. So when she's paired with one of Odyssey's most beloved characters, thats'one of the worst mistakes the Odyssey team could have made. She and Wooton just aren't a likable couple. And I'd really like to hear more about her religious beliefs before I could become comfortable with Wooton, a Christian, entering a relationship with her. That's all I'll say for now. I may write a blog post about this in the future.
So...a little on the long side. :) But hopefully you guys enjoyed reading it, and maybe you learned some new things about me. Please comment and tell me what you thought! And be sure to visit The Old Judge's website at www.twistsandturns-aio.weebly.com. Thanks for reading!
--Christian
Showing posts with label penny. Show all posts
Showing posts with label penny. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Friday, July 13, 2012
Nothing New, Nothing Old
Yes, I'm finally going to get around to my last review of the season. Although I was expecting to write it tomorrow, I found out that I won't have the opportunity to sit down and write for a half hour tomorrow morning, so I figured my only time, if I'm going to keep my promise, is this morning. So, here's my review of Something Old, Something New!
Contrary to most people it seems, I actually liked this two-parter. Now, let me qualify that by saying that it did have problems. But I don't think those problems were too big to make it a terrible episode, like others were portraying it. I think I already mentioned here that Mitch's return was a total surprise to me. For once, I had no idea that a surprise was coming. I was expecting a so-so episode about Connie, Penny, and Wooton and "Dreams by Constance."
I hadn't had time to listen to the episode early in the morning like I usually do, so I was tuning in to the radio broadcast with my whole family on the way to soccer. And I was liking what I was hearing. It was an original episode idea, and it was intertwined with a fairly engaging Jones and Parker mystery. It wasn't the best premise in the world, but I was interested enough that I'd look forward to the next week to see how the stories would connect. And Wooton wasn't even all that annoying! Then, as I'm getting out of the van when we get to soccer, I'm about ready to walk away, because the episode's almost over, and I'm already a little late. But as I retrieved my water bottle (which I always forget) from the van, I heard Connie taking calls on Kids' Radio with Wooton. I was intrigued, so I listened. When the second caller started talking, I literally said to my brother, "Heh, that almost sounded like Mitch for a second." Imagine my shock when five seconds later I learned that it was Mitch! I was ecstatic. So much so that I immediately went and told one of my friends with whom I play soccer, but who knows next-to-nothing about Odyssey, all about what had just happened. :P
So maybe now you can see at least a little bit of why, despite how anticlimactic the second part of this episode was, I still really enjoyed it because of my experience with the first part. But then the second part really wasn't all that bad. There were a lot of plot twists. But I didn't think that was necessarily a bad thing. The writers actually had my dad and me totally believing one of the plot twists. I was sure that Maureen was a counterfeit painter, that she was secretly going out with another man ("Cute Guy"), and that Mitch was posing as her fiancee, but was really on an undercover operation to expose her. And my hypotheses seemed to be bolstered by the fact that I thought Mitch's acting sounded quite fake.
But then, as you know, the story took an unexpected turn, and not only were Mitch and Maureen truly going to get married, but they were both agents, working together to expose Jacques Henri, and Maureen wasn't doing anything illegal. So, in that sense, it was pretty anticlimactic for me, since I had all those ideas about Maureen being a fake. And I think, as a 7/8-year Odyssey fan, I still subconsciously wanted Connie and Mitch to be together, despite the fact that I knew it wouldn't work and that their previous failed attempt at marrying should have solidified in my mind that it wouldn't happen.
I think most fans, whether they like to admit it or not, were satisfied with the way things turned out with Connie and Mitch. Not only did it make for a more interesting story when they didn't get married, but it also kept Connie on the show. I mean, do we really think that the writers would have given us stories from Budapest about Mitch's adventures and Connie's trials at home? I, for one, am glad the decision was made to let Connie stick around and to let Mitch go. Yes, I, like everyone else who was very involved in the Novacom Saga and Connie and Mitch's dating relationship, really wanted them to get married. But I think I, like most fans, didn't consider all the implications of what would happen if they did. And now that I have thought about it more deeply, I don't want it to happen. Hopefully sometime in the future, we'll get to hear that Connie got an e-mail or something from Mitch saying that he and Maureen got married, so that we won't have any room left for "hoping" that Connie and Mitch have any chance together.
So that was another reason I liked the episode as a whole. Part I got me really excited that Mitch was back in town. And then Part II gave me time to think logically through the situation, resolved the situation by ensuring me that Maureen and Mitch were together for good, and satisfied me by finally concluding the Connie and Mitch saga.
Now, all that said, I don't think this was the absolute best way to resolve everything. There could have been a better story. Maureen could have been a bit more likeable, Steve Burns could have done a better job acting, so as to make me sympathize more with Mitch and make him feel like less of a dry character, but overall, I think it was a decent, if not good, conclusion. Fans should be moderately pleased with it.
As for other things I have to say about the episode, it was a little overly silly in some parts. I think less time could have been spent with Wooton and his unneeded preparations for the "wedding." And in that sense, I thought Wooton was distracting in this episode, but he wasn't as bad as he has been recently. He was more silly than intrusive and annoying, so I was okay with him. Plus, there wasn't much between him and Penny in the episode, so that was a relief.
This episode made me realize how very detached Andre Stojka's Whit feels from Paul Herlinger and Hal Smith's Whit. When Whit told Mitch, "Nice to see you again," I felt like he had no right to be saying that. I didn't like it. Andre as Whit still seems like a new character who was introduced with Album 51, who really doesn't have much of a connection with the Odyssey before that album. For the most part, I like his interactions with the newer characters--even Monty and Jason, to an extent. But something about his interactions with Mitch in this episode made me really miss Paul Herlinger.
I know the computer virus thing was something else that bothered people. But I didn't really care about that dropped plot line. It seemed like it was only needed in order to send the Wooton-and-Connie e-mail out to the whole town, and it served its purpose. Some people apparently thought it should have come into play as part of the FBI investigation in the second part of the episode, but I really didn't feel like it was a part of the plot that needed a resolution. Maybe it was just me, though.
Well, I think that's about all I have to say. I was very pleased with Album 55--with pretty much every episode--and this was a good way to end it. Maybe not the best way, but a good way. I was satisfied; I think most fans were satisfied in some way or another, so everything is okay. And now I really look forward to Album 56! Who knows, maybe this one will be better than 55? It's certainly looking like it has that potential.
Thank you for reading my review! Sorry it took me such a long time to get it out. I hope you enjoyed it!
--Christian
Contrary to most people it seems, I actually liked this two-parter. Now, let me qualify that by saying that it did have problems. But I don't think those problems were too big to make it a terrible episode, like others were portraying it. I think I already mentioned here that Mitch's return was a total surprise to me. For once, I had no idea that a surprise was coming. I was expecting a so-so episode about Connie, Penny, and Wooton and "Dreams by Constance."
I hadn't had time to listen to the episode early in the morning like I usually do, so I was tuning in to the radio broadcast with my whole family on the way to soccer. And I was liking what I was hearing. It was an original episode idea, and it was intertwined with a fairly engaging Jones and Parker mystery. It wasn't the best premise in the world, but I was interested enough that I'd look forward to the next week to see how the stories would connect. And Wooton wasn't even all that annoying! Then, as I'm getting out of the van when we get to soccer, I'm about ready to walk away, because the episode's almost over, and I'm already a little late. But as I retrieved my water bottle (which I always forget) from the van, I heard Connie taking calls on Kids' Radio with Wooton. I was intrigued, so I listened. When the second caller started talking, I literally said to my brother, "Heh, that almost sounded like Mitch for a second." Imagine my shock when five seconds later I learned that it was Mitch! I was ecstatic. So much so that I immediately went and told one of my friends with whom I play soccer, but who knows next-to-nothing about Odyssey, all about what had just happened. :P
So maybe now you can see at least a little bit of why, despite how anticlimactic the second part of this episode was, I still really enjoyed it because of my experience with the first part. But then the second part really wasn't all that bad. There were a lot of plot twists. But I didn't think that was necessarily a bad thing. The writers actually had my dad and me totally believing one of the plot twists. I was sure that Maureen was a counterfeit painter, that she was secretly going out with another man ("Cute Guy"), and that Mitch was posing as her fiancee, but was really on an undercover operation to expose her. And my hypotheses seemed to be bolstered by the fact that I thought Mitch's acting sounded quite fake.
But then, as you know, the story took an unexpected turn, and not only were Mitch and Maureen truly going to get married, but they were both agents, working together to expose Jacques Henri, and Maureen wasn't doing anything illegal. So, in that sense, it was pretty anticlimactic for me, since I had all those ideas about Maureen being a fake. And I think, as a 7/8-year Odyssey fan, I still subconsciously wanted Connie and Mitch to be together, despite the fact that I knew it wouldn't work and that their previous failed attempt at marrying should have solidified in my mind that it wouldn't happen.
I think most fans, whether they like to admit it or not, were satisfied with the way things turned out with Connie and Mitch. Not only did it make for a more interesting story when they didn't get married, but it also kept Connie on the show. I mean, do we really think that the writers would have given us stories from Budapest about Mitch's adventures and Connie's trials at home? I, for one, am glad the decision was made to let Connie stick around and to let Mitch go. Yes, I, like everyone else who was very involved in the Novacom Saga and Connie and Mitch's dating relationship, really wanted them to get married. But I think I, like most fans, didn't consider all the implications of what would happen if they did. And now that I have thought about it more deeply, I don't want it to happen. Hopefully sometime in the future, we'll get to hear that Connie got an e-mail or something from Mitch saying that he and Maureen got married, so that we won't have any room left for "hoping" that Connie and Mitch have any chance together.
So that was another reason I liked the episode as a whole. Part I got me really excited that Mitch was back in town. And then Part II gave me time to think logically through the situation, resolved the situation by ensuring me that Maureen and Mitch were together for good, and satisfied me by finally concluding the Connie and Mitch saga.
Now, all that said, I don't think this was the absolute best way to resolve everything. There could have been a better story. Maureen could have been a bit more likeable, Steve Burns could have done a better job acting, so as to make me sympathize more with Mitch and make him feel like less of a dry character, but overall, I think it was a decent, if not good, conclusion. Fans should be moderately pleased with it.
As for other things I have to say about the episode, it was a little overly silly in some parts. I think less time could have been spent with Wooton and his unneeded preparations for the "wedding." And in that sense, I thought Wooton was distracting in this episode, but he wasn't as bad as he has been recently. He was more silly than intrusive and annoying, so I was okay with him. Plus, there wasn't much between him and Penny in the episode, so that was a relief.
This episode made me realize how very detached Andre Stojka's Whit feels from Paul Herlinger and Hal Smith's Whit. When Whit told Mitch, "Nice to see you again," I felt like he had no right to be saying that. I didn't like it. Andre as Whit still seems like a new character who was introduced with Album 51, who really doesn't have much of a connection with the Odyssey before that album. For the most part, I like his interactions with the newer characters--even Monty and Jason, to an extent. But something about his interactions with Mitch in this episode made me really miss Paul Herlinger.
I know the computer virus thing was something else that bothered people. But I didn't really care about that dropped plot line. It seemed like it was only needed in order to send the Wooton-and-Connie e-mail out to the whole town, and it served its purpose. Some people apparently thought it should have come into play as part of the FBI investigation in the second part of the episode, but I really didn't feel like it was a part of the plot that needed a resolution. Maybe it was just me, though.
Well, I think that's about all I have to say. I was very pleased with Album 55--with pretty much every episode--and this was a good way to end it. Maybe not the best way, but a good way. I was satisfied; I think most fans were satisfied in some way or another, so everything is okay. And now I really look forward to Album 56! Who knows, maybe this one will be better than 55? It's certainly looking like it has that potential.
Thank you for reading my review! Sorry it took me such a long time to get it out. I hope you enjoyed it!
--Christian
Monday, February 27, 2012
Finally! Album 55 Episode Summaries!
I'm a little late on posting these, but better late than never, so here are all of the summaries to the episodes of Album 55:
The Labyrinth
Jason's pursuit of Mr. Grote leads him to London, where he finds a plot even more ominous than the Green Ring Conspiracy. Jason must seek the help of some old friends to unravel Mr. Grote's schemes before it's too late.
To Mend or Repair
To distract her from some devastating personal news, Eugene tries to keep Katrina busy all the time. Meanwhile, Barrett gives Priscilla a special honor -- reading the pledge of allegiance on the morning announcements.
Mistaken for Good
Jay's visit to a nursing home takes an unexpected turn when an old woman mistakes him for her grandson -- and offers him money as a birthday present.
Sgt. York
Eugene Meltsner and Red Hollard tell the story of Sergeant Alvin York, a troublemaker from rural Tennessee who became a World War I hero.
Child's Play
Eugene and Katrina take on a crazy weekend when they agree to babysitting two kids: one with limitless energy and another who must know the answer to every question.
Something Old, Something New
Penny brainstorms ways to promote Connie's wedding planning business and one of her schemes dramatically backfires. Meanwhile, Matthew and Emily investigate a woman who may be trying to scam Jacques Henri.
Sounds like a very interesting season. I purposely did not read any other people's comments on the episodes so mine could be as original as they can be.
I'm looking forward to The Labyrinth most of all this season, because it sounds like it will be the most action-packed and mysterious. I really like hearing from Jason, and it's exciting to know that he's going to be in his "special agent" mode for the first time since...The Top Floor (not including The GRC)? Plus, having heard who the returning characters are, I'm interested to hear how they fit in with the plot.
I'm very interested to find out what the "devastating personal news" in To Mend or Repair is that Eugene tries to hide from Katrina. Could it be that her mother or his father or Everett died? Or maybe something happened to the Ashanti tribe? And then the Barrett/Priscilla storyline sounds ridiculous. 1. Why is it such a huge honor to read the Pledge of Allegiance? and 2. How did Barrett get the authority to give her that "honor"? I can't say I'm much looking forward to that part of the episode.
Mistaken for Good doesn't seem like it has that much of a backbone to the story, especially since there only seems to be one plot, rather than the usual two that weave together. But it is a Jay episode, so it can't be too bad. ;)
Sgt. York is my second-most anticipated episode. I'm slightly familiar with Sgt. York's story, but don't know much about it, so I'm interested to learn more about it through these episodes. I have some friends who don't typically listen to Odyssey who I'm sure would be interested to hear these episodes, so I'm excited to get to share them, as I'm sure they'll be pretty good. The only problem I see the episodes having is that Red Hollard is a narrator. His narration in Forgiving More...or Less is one of the reasons I didn't like the episode much. His voice just isn't nearly as good as someone's like, say, Bernard's, when it comes to storytelling.
Unlike the Jay episode, I think Child's Play definitely has some potential, even though it only has one main plot. It sounds very interesting to me to have the Meltsners in a situation where they have to babysit young kids. Then again, maybe the writers threw this episode in the mix to show us that Eugene and Katrina + kids=disaster, so that we'll never ask for it again. :D
Something Old, Something New sounds at least a little bit intriguing. Penny's in it, so I'm not too excited, but it doesn't look like Wooton will be that involved, so that could make it better. I'm pretty sure I heard that Penny's mix-up has something to do with the town thinking that Connie is getting married, so I think that should be fairly humorous. The Jacques Henri story sounds pretty interesting too, and although I don't like him as much as some others do, it'll be nice to hear from him again. I'm just concerned about Emily and Matthew being back together again. Eek.
Well that's it for this blog post. Apparently I'll be keeping this blog going, since I've gotten a very positive response to both my poll and blog post about whether or not to close it down. It would seem that no one is tired of my infrequency in posting, so I'll keep the blog going. But I better not hear any whining about how long it takes me to post! :P Not that I've heard any of that in the past. :)
Thanks for reading, everyone! I'd love to hear what you think about the upcoming season, or what you have to say about my comments about the episodes. Your feedback is always very appreciated.
The Labyrinth
Jason's pursuit of Mr. Grote leads him to London, where he finds a plot even more ominous than the Green Ring Conspiracy. Jason must seek the help of some old friends to unravel Mr. Grote's schemes before it's too late.
To Mend or Repair
To distract her from some devastating personal news, Eugene tries to keep Katrina busy all the time. Meanwhile, Barrett gives Priscilla a special honor -- reading the pledge of allegiance on the morning announcements.
Mistaken for Good
Jay's visit to a nursing home takes an unexpected turn when an old woman mistakes him for her grandson -- and offers him money as a birthday present.
Sgt. York
Eugene Meltsner and Red Hollard tell the story of Sergeant Alvin York, a troublemaker from rural Tennessee who became a World War I hero.
Child's Play
Eugene and Katrina take on a crazy weekend when they agree to babysitting two kids: one with limitless energy and another who must know the answer to every question.
Something Old, Something New
Penny brainstorms ways to promote Connie's wedding planning business and one of her schemes dramatically backfires. Meanwhile, Matthew and Emily investigate a woman who may be trying to scam Jacques Henri.
Sounds like a very interesting season. I purposely did not read any other people's comments on the episodes so mine could be as original as they can be.
I'm looking forward to The Labyrinth most of all this season, because it sounds like it will be the most action-packed and mysterious. I really like hearing from Jason, and it's exciting to know that he's going to be in his "special agent" mode for the first time since...The Top Floor (not including The GRC)? Plus, having heard who the returning characters are, I'm interested to hear how they fit in with the plot.
I'm very interested to find out what the "devastating personal news" in To Mend or Repair is that Eugene tries to hide from Katrina. Could it be that her mother or his father or Everett died? Or maybe something happened to the Ashanti tribe? And then the Barrett/Priscilla storyline sounds ridiculous. 1. Why is it such a huge honor to read the Pledge of Allegiance? and 2. How did Barrett get the authority to give her that "honor"? I can't say I'm much looking forward to that part of the episode.
Mistaken for Good doesn't seem like it has that much of a backbone to the story, especially since there only seems to be one plot, rather than the usual two that weave together. But it is a Jay episode, so it can't be too bad. ;)
Sgt. York is my second-most anticipated episode. I'm slightly familiar with Sgt. York's story, but don't know much about it, so I'm interested to learn more about it through these episodes. I have some friends who don't typically listen to Odyssey who I'm sure would be interested to hear these episodes, so I'm excited to get to share them, as I'm sure they'll be pretty good. The only problem I see the episodes having is that Red Hollard is a narrator. His narration in Forgiving More...or Less is one of the reasons I didn't like the episode much. His voice just isn't nearly as good as someone's like, say, Bernard's, when it comes to storytelling.
Unlike the Jay episode, I think Child's Play definitely has some potential, even though it only has one main plot. It sounds very interesting to me to have the Meltsners in a situation where they have to babysit young kids. Then again, maybe the writers threw this episode in the mix to show us that Eugene and Katrina + kids=disaster, so that we'll never ask for it again. :D
Something Old, Something New sounds at least a little bit intriguing. Penny's in it, so I'm not too excited, but it doesn't look like Wooton will be that involved, so that could make it better. I'm pretty sure I heard that Penny's mix-up has something to do with the town thinking that Connie is getting married, so I think that should be fairly humorous. The Jacques Henri story sounds pretty interesting too, and although I don't like him as much as some others do, it'll be nice to hear from him again. I'm just concerned about Emily and Matthew being back together again. Eek.
Well that's it for this blog post. Apparently I'll be keeping this blog going, since I've gotten a very positive response to both my poll and blog post about whether or not to close it down. It would seem that no one is tired of my infrequency in posting, so I'll keep the blog going. But I better not hear any whining about how long it takes me to post! :P Not that I've heard any of that in the past. :)
Thanks for reading, everyone! I'd love to hear what you think about the upcoming season, or what you have to say about my comments about the episodes. Your feedback is always very appreciated.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Happy New Year!
*sighs* Leave it to me to say I'm going to post on New Years' and forget to do it until more than halfway through the month. And the only reason I remembered is because there was some new news to let you guys know about. And now I can't even find the Wooton New Years' picture I was going to post. *curls up in shame*
But anyways, the AIO Wiki posted some new Gary Locke artwork today! We now have a picture of Penny Wise:
But anyways, the AIO Wiki posted some new Gary Locke artwork today! We now have a picture of Penny Wise:
What do you think of it? I think it's pretty accurate. It matches the voice pretty well. I imagined her a little more heavyset, shorter, and without glasses, but hey, Gary Locke and I obviously don't share a mind, so I think it's pretty good. It works.
In other news, the Avery Awards are open, so make sure to go vote in those A.S.A.P. if you haven't yet. I'm not going to take the time to post all of my picks and predictions like I did last year--mainly because I don't have time, but also because Ben Warren at The Changing Times already did that, and I agree with most of what he said.
The AIO Wiki also posted some new info on Album 56 today, including some episode titles, and a little about what will be in the episodes. We'll get to hear a Room of Consequence episode for the first time since Album 41, I believe. It will feature at least an older Barrett and an older Matthew, it seems, so that's definitely something to look forward to.
There's a new episode summary for the episode Mistaken for Good in Album 55. It's about as simple as a summary could get: "Jay Smouse is mistaken for being a good guy." That's all I got for the upcoming season, but I'm sure there'll be more to come soon. We still need the name of the final two-part episode of the much anticipated The Deep End album, so be on the lookout!
Thank you to all of my faithful readers who bear with me...even when I only post once a month. :P Hopefully I can post again soon. And maybe I'll find that picture of Wooton that I said I'd post. Anyway, your comments are greatly appreciated, so say something if you can! Thanks again!
Friday, October 14, 2011
The Nickel Rescued
Please forgive me for not getting a review out sooner. I have to juggle school, preparing for the National Bible Bee, this blog, and a job, and daily responsibilities all at once right now, and sometimes this blog becomes the lowest on that list of priorities. Thanks for your patience.
I'll say right now that most of this review will be either restatements of, or counteractions to the paragraphs of the review that Marvin at The AIO Fan's Life wrote. I won't follow his order exactly, but most of my points will come from points that he makes. I don't have time to re-listen to the episode, but I've heard the majority of it twice, and Marvin pretty much covered it all, so I'll assume that he's fine with my doing this, and proceed this way. (Hopefully this will be the only times this season that I have to do this.) I'm really tired though, so if the review is a bit disorganized, and I ramble more than usual, I apologize.
My initial perception of the episode when I finished listening the first time, like Marvin's, was that it was very simple. I agree with Ben Warren (the Odyssey Scoop's reviewer) that this felt much like episodes after Darkness Before Dawn and The Novacom Saga that were merely transition episodes. Rather than having an original premise, it merely ties up loose ends that were left at the end of The Green Ring Conspiracy. The only problem with that is that not really any of the issues addressed in the episode were problems at the end of the GRC. Sure it was nice to know that Dr. Trask got what was coming to him, but we could have deduced that outcome for ourselves. He was captured and taken into custody, and there was loads of evidence stacked up against him, so who wouldn't have thought that he'd be found guilty on all charges? But I never would have guessed that Penny would be so depressed about it.
Honestly, I was not looking forward to another episode with Penny in it. In my opinion, apart from the part that she played in helping the folks from Whit's End get more information about Dr. Trask, she could have been taken out of the album, and I wouldn't have missed anything. I really disliked her character and the influence she had on Wooton, and she was just a flat character that didn't intrigue me in the least. Now in this episode, she became more round, because the episode revolved around her, but that didn't make me like her much more. I understand how she would have been really bummed to have to testify against a man who was a friend and a father to her, but I thought the extent of it was slightly unrealistic, and then her quick turnaround at the jail was even more so. I don't think this single episode gave the writers enough time to flesh out Penny's problem and then fully resolve it. Yes, there was a semi-satisfying explanation during the picnic scene, but even that was not much. I probably would have liked the episode more if it was maybe a two-parter that gave me more chance to be emotionally connected to what Penny was really feeling.
I was glad to hear from Detective Polehaus again. It seems like he might become the new Officer Burke or O'Ryan who shows up for any Odyssian crime. I liked that he seemed to be one of Whit's End's regular customers. I look forward to hearing more from him. His humor was pretty good, as usual, and his chemistry with the other characters remained great.
Wooton.... I had mixed feelings about him in this episode. On the downside of things, there were, as has been the writers' ongoing habit, many times where a serious subject was being addressed, and he threw in a punchline that was supposed to get me to laugh, but really just made me groan on the inside. I actually did think he and Connie made a good team though. It seems right for him to be sharing his feelings with her, rather than Penny, or even Whit. I dunno, but they just seem to go well together. I liked the little exchange about how he uses humor to cover up true feelings. Maybe that was Mr. McCusker's way of apologizing for all of the times in the GRC that Wooton killed the sobriety of the moment with a joke. If so, then it was an acceptable apology that made me think for a while. But I still wish he and other writers would hold back on the jokes just a bit. Wooton isn't merely loved for his jokes. In fact, I think since Jay has really taken up that position now, Wooton should primarily be loved for his openness and honesty, which we got to see in this episode. He was always great with kids and a good spiritual example to follow, but recently all he's been is the court jester who comes around to lighten the mood, but who ends up being a nuisance most of the time.
I liked how Connie was wanting to be a faithful friend to Penny throughout the episode. As others have mentioned, I think it's great that Connie finally has someone her age with whom she can socialize and connect emotionally. (I personally just wish that someone wasn't Penny.)
I thought the scene with Professor Bruce was a little weird. Why would he be so annoyed at people who put a counterfeiter behind bars? Sure he was a respected professor at the college, but all that time, he was ringleading a nationwide counterfeiting operation aimed at financially tearing down America from the inside! That's about as bad of a non-violent criminal you can get. But the scene with the college student was pretty funny, freeing my mind back up with some great humor. Some have asked why he was so quick to ask Connie out, and I wonder if those people have ever been around secular college kids. It was very realistic. I listen to a radio show where a guy goes and witnesses to kids on a college campus. And most of them are just like this guy was: morally ambiguous and postmodern--no respect for right and wrong, only caring about their personal views and opinions. (Note: I know that I have many readers who attend college so know that I'm not meaning this to be a generalization of all college kids, just the majority of America's young people.
The thing that I liked least about the episode was that it really didn't feel like it belonged in a collection about 1 Corinthians 13. I have to admit that I totally forgot that the episode was supposed to be describing an aspect of love, and I didn't realize that that was supposed to be the moral of the story until I read somebody else's review on the Town of Odyssey. To me, the episode felt like it was just a story meant for entertainment (though it did a poor job had that been the only purpose), like the rest of the GRC. I didn't notice that an aspect of love was being demonstrated at all. Now, of course, I see how that would have worked, with Connie and Wooton, relentlessly pursuing Penny to help her and understand her feelings, but I really didn't get it while I was listening. Maybe I was the only one who felt that way.
So I wasn't especially interested by this episode. It met my expectations as well as a Penny and Wooton episode could, so it wasn't all that great. Maybe my thoughts are just clouded because I'm tired, and I'm being overly negative, but I don't think this would be an episode I'd want to listen to over and over again. Unfortunately if and when I get the album, this show will most likely be on the same CD as Wooton Knows Best, so I'll sorta be forced to hear it multiple times. Oh well. Please let me know what you thought of the episode, and express any of your differing views about the points I made about various characters. I always love to read what you have to say. Hopefully I can get a review of The Amazing Loser out tomorrow. Thanks for reading!
Rating: 5.5/10
I'll say right now that most of this review will be either restatements of, or counteractions to the paragraphs of the review that Marvin at The AIO Fan's Life wrote. I won't follow his order exactly, but most of my points will come from points that he makes. I don't have time to re-listen to the episode, but I've heard the majority of it twice, and Marvin pretty much covered it all, so I'll assume that he's fine with my doing this, and proceed this way. (Hopefully this will be the only times this season that I have to do this.) I'm really tired though, so if the review is a bit disorganized, and I ramble more than usual, I apologize.
My initial perception of the episode when I finished listening the first time, like Marvin's, was that it was very simple. I agree with Ben Warren (the Odyssey Scoop's reviewer) that this felt much like episodes after Darkness Before Dawn and The Novacom Saga that were merely transition episodes. Rather than having an original premise, it merely ties up loose ends that were left at the end of The Green Ring Conspiracy. The only problem with that is that not really any of the issues addressed in the episode were problems at the end of the GRC. Sure it was nice to know that Dr. Trask got what was coming to him, but we could have deduced that outcome for ourselves. He was captured and taken into custody, and there was loads of evidence stacked up against him, so who wouldn't have thought that he'd be found guilty on all charges? But I never would have guessed that Penny would be so depressed about it.
Honestly, I was not looking forward to another episode with Penny in it. In my opinion, apart from the part that she played in helping the folks from Whit's End get more information about Dr. Trask, she could have been taken out of the album, and I wouldn't have missed anything. I really disliked her character and the influence she had on Wooton, and she was just a flat character that didn't intrigue me in the least. Now in this episode, she became more round, because the episode revolved around her, but that didn't make me like her much more. I understand how she would have been really bummed to have to testify against a man who was a friend and a father to her, but I thought the extent of it was slightly unrealistic, and then her quick turnaround at the jail was even more so. I don't think this single episode gave the writers enough time to flesh out Penny's problem and then fully resolve it. Yes, there was a semi-satisfying explanation during the picnic scene, but even that was not much. I probably would have liked the episode more if it was maybe a two-parter that gave me more chance to be emotionally connected to what Penny was really feeling.
I was glad to hear from Detective Polehaus again. It seems like he might become the new Officer Burke or O'Ryan who shows up for any Odyssian crime. I liked that he seemed to be one of Whit's End's regular customers. I look forward to hearing more from him. His humor was pretty good, as usual, and his chemistry with the other characters remained great.
Wooton.... I had mixed feelings about him in this episode. On the downside of things, there were, as has been the writers' ongoing habit, many times where a serious subject was being addressed, and he threw in a punchline that was supposed to get me to laugh, but really just made me groan on the inside. I actually did think he and Connie made a good team though. It seems right for him to be sharing his feelings with her, rather than Penny, or even Whit. I dunno, but they just seem to go well together. I liked the little exchange about how he uses humor to cover up true feelings. Maybe that was Mr. McCusker's way of apologizing for all of the times in the GRC that Wooton killed the sobriety of the moment with a joke. If so, then it was an acceptable apology that made me think for a while. But I still wish he and other writers would hold back on the jokes just a bit. Wooton isn't merely loved for his jokes. In fact, I think since Jay has really taken up that position now, Wooton should primarily be loved for his openness and honesty, which we got to see in this episode. He was always great with kids and a good spiritual example to follow, but recently all he's been is the court jester who comes around to lighten the mood, but who ends up being a nuisance most of the time.
I liked how Connie was wanting to be a faithful friend to Penny throughout the episode. As others have mentioned, I think it's great that Connie finally has someone her age with whom she can socialize and connect emotionally. (I personally just wish that someone wasn't Penny.)
I thought the scene with Professor Bruce was a little weird. Why would he be so annoyed at people who put a counterfeiter behind bars? Sure he was a respected professor at the college, but all that time, he was ringleading a nationwide counterfeiting operation aimed at financially tearing down America from the inside! That's about as bad of a non-violent criminal you can get. But the scene with the college student was pretty funny, freeing my mind back up with some great humor. Some have asked why he was so quick to ask Connie out, and I wonder if those people have ever been around secular college kids. It was very realistic. I listen to a radio show where a guy goes and witnesses to kids on a college campus. And most of them are just like this guy was: morally ambiguous and postmodern--no respect for right and wrong, only caring about their personal views and opinions. (Note: I know that I have many readers who attend college so know that I'm not meaning this to be a generalization of all college kids, just the majority of America's young people.
The thing that I liked least about the episode was that it really didn't feel like it belonged in a collection about 1 Corinthians 13. I have to admit that I totally forgot that the episode was supposed to be describing an aspect of love, and I didn't realize that that was supposed to be the moral of the story until I read somebody else's review on the Town of Odyssey. To me, the episode felt like it was just a story meant for entertainment (though it did a poor job had that been the only purpose), like the rest of the GRC. I didn't notice that an aspect of love was being demonstrated at all. Now, of course, I see how that would have worked, with Connie and Wooton, relentlessly pursuing Penny to help her and understand her feelings, but I really didn't get it while I was listening. Maybe I was the only one who felt that way.
So I wasn't especially interested by this episode. It met my expectations as well as a Penny and Wooton episode could, so it wasn't all that great. Maybe my thoughts are just clouded because I'm tired, and I'm being overly negative, but I don't think this would be an episode I'd want to listen to over and over again. Unfortunately if and when I get the album, this show will most likely be on the same CD as Wooton Knows Best, so I'll sorta be forced to hear it multiple times. Oh well. Please let me know what you thought of the episode, and express any of your differing views about the points I made about various characters. I always love to read what you have to say. Hopefully I can get a review of The Amazing Loser out tomorrow. Thanks for reading!
Rating: 5.5/10
Friday, August 5, 2011
Album 54 Episode Summaries!
Well, for the first time in a long while, another blog beat me to the latest news. *gasp* But I guess being the second one with the news out is just as good. :D The episode summaries for Album 54: Clanging Cymbals and the Meaning of God's Love have been released (in case you couldn't read the title of the post)! Thanks to AIO Wiki, we can now know which episodes to look forward to, and which ones during which to conveniently be busy as they air. Just kidding. But a couple of these do concern me a bit. Here they are:
Wooton Knows Best:
Olivia and Matthew Parker compete for a chance to be Wooton Bassett's camp assistant.
(We haven't had a camp episode, I don't think, since Champ of the Camp; and, at least for me, that is one of my favorite camp episodes. I don't know what to think this one could be like with Wooton in it. Hopefully it will turn out well, and who knows, maybe it will actually be a genuinely funny Wooton episode. It's written by Marshal Younger, who hasn't written many Wooton episodes at all, but he wrote a few over the last couple seasons, so that might not be a good sign.)
A Penny Saved:
Penny Wise deals with the aftermath of her role in the Green Ring Conspiracy and plans for the future.
(This should be an interesting episode, I think. Now, it does have Penny in it, but it doesn't seem to indicate that Wooton joins her, so it might be okay. Penny isn't really bad by herself, it's just when Wooton enters the picture...*shudders* My guess is that Penny will be looking for a job in art--and she'll probably get it--based on a later episode summary. And apparently this episode won't be about her salvation. :( I don't know how intriguing the episode will be, but it's written by Paul McCusker, so it can't be too bad.)
The Amazing Loser:
When Whit's End sponsors a band camp, Matthew, Jay, and Barrett compete in a musical scavenger hunt.
(Another camp episode? It must be summer. ;) I don't know what to expect with a musical episode like this. It's Dave Arnold's only episode of the season, but that really doesn't mean anything, because he only wrote one episode before the relaunch, and since the relaunch, he's written a wide variety of episodes [The Jubilee Singers, Grandma's Christmas Visit, The Malted Milkball Falcon, etc.]. We haven't really heard one centered on music, however, since Odyssey Sings!, though we heard just a little bit in Stage Fright. Odyssey Sings! is an okay episode, but because my younger siblings love to listen to it, I've gotten pretty sick of it. But it looks like this one will have a little mystery to it, and it's a mystery without Emily, so I might like it.)
Anger Mismanagement:
Frustration abounds as David suggests Grandma Lucia try a test run of her salon business in his living room, and Olivia discovers Valarie stealing the media spotlight for a big parade.
(So, Grandma Lucia is back. She's been in one good and one bad episode, but both times, she's been in a single-storyline episode. This one seems to be two half-episodes put together for the purpose of a singular moral lesson [a la Hear Me, Hear Me or Blood, Sweat, and Fears]. The second story described looks like it will probably be a little annoying, mostly because Olivia is in it. But it will be interesting to hear from Valarie again. This is one of Kathy Buchanan's many episodes this season, and she wrote Opposite Day in Album 52, so I'm not optimistic.)
Forgiving More...Or Less:
After hearing a story from Red Hollard, Camilla Parker decides to make a forgiveness list.
(Seems like quite a simple episode, but it's from Paul McCusker, so something tells me it won't be. We haven't had an episode solely focused on Camilla before [For the Birds was close, but this looks closer], so it might or might not be a nice change. Red hasn't made many appearances either. In fact, I think he totally disappeared over the last two seasons, but many people didn't seem to like him much, so maybe that was for the best. Hopefully this episode can redeem him.)
You're Two Kind:
Ryan decides to partner with Brad for a school project, but has second thoughts when he overhears Brad making fun of him. Meanwhile, Connie gives Eugene a series of bejeweled gifts and he struggles to tell her the truth--he hates them.
(Here's another two-story, one-story episode with two parts that have nothing to do with each other. They both seem quite original, in that Odyssey hasn't really covered the topics before, but specifically the second story sounds really weird. Does anyone know what "bejeweled" means?)
A Penny Earned:
Penny Wise searches for her future in a job and as Connie Kendall's roommate.
(This is the first Penny episode to be written by someone other than Paul McCusker: Kathy Buchanan, so maybe this could be a turn for the better. Mrs. Buchanan wrote all the Connie/Mitch stuff, so hopefully this could make Penny a more likable character--even if Wooton's involved.)
Never for Nothing:
Grandma Lucia recounts to Olivia her story of a childhood friend, an event that taught her that love is "never for nothing."
(I can't figure out what in the world "love is 'never for nothing'" is supposed to mean, so maybe I need a lesson from Grandma Lucia too. But I doubt it. Hopefully this episode can paint her as more of a Whit-like character than she currently is. I suspect it will have some Spanish culture involved, which can be pleasant or annoying, depending on how much it is used. I think it will be Kathy Buchanan's first Spanish-related episode, however, so she could do something good with it.)
Emily, the Genius:
Emily is overwhelmed when a school test shows that she is a genius.
(This is another very simple-seeming episode. But it sounds kinda weird. I thought Emily already knows that she's a genius, based on the episode I so hate from Album 51. Why does she need to be reminded of it? Hopefully this episode will deal more with the issue of pride than that previously mentioned episode did. It's written by Bob Hoose, who brought us The Inspiration Station and An Agreeable Nanny, so there's no telling what will happen.)
How to Sink a Sub:
When Katrina becomes their substitute teacher, Jay and Valerie rouse the class to revolt, even persuading Olivia to help with a plan to get Katrina fired.
(This episode is just weird all around. Katrina a substitute teacher? Jay and Valerie working together? The class is persuaded to revolt against Katrina? Olivia joins the bullies in getting Katrina fired? And all this ties in with sinking a submarine? Very weird. I wish they hadn't put Jay and Valerie together. I had high hopes that Jay could turn around and become more of a nice guy with a suggestive attitude, but Valerie is the opposite, so it doesn't look good for him.)
Unbecoming Jay:
Jay schemes a way to ditch his cousin Cindy by leaving her with Barrett, but Priscilla grows jealous of the new friendship.
(This just has not-appropriate-for-younger-listeners written all over it. And yet it's written by Bob Hoose, whom I wouldn't expect that from at all. I don't see how this storyline has anything to do with Jay trying to unbecome himself, but I guess we'll see.)
Childish Things:
Before a gallery exhibit of her work, Penny tries a variety of methods to decide whom she can trust in life.
(This one seems like it could be kind of boring, but, again, it's from Paul McCusker, so it should be okay. I don't see what Penny's search for trust has to do with a gallery exhibition, though.)
So what do you think? Do any of these look very good or very disappointing or in-between to you? Do you agree or disagree with my assessments? As usual, I'd love to hear from you in the comments--no matter how long a comment you leave. Thanks for reading!
Wooton Knows Best:
Olivia and Matthew Parker compete for a chance to be Wooton Bassett's camp assistant.
(We haven't had a camp episode, I don't think, since Champ of the Camp; and, at least for me, that is one of my favorite camp episodes. I don't know what to think this one could be like with Wooton in it. Hopefully it will turn out well, and who knows, maybe it will actually be a genuinely funny Wooton episode. It's written by Marshal Younger, who hasn't written many Wooton episodes at all, but he wrote a few over the last couple seasons, so that might not be a good sign.)
A Penny Saved:
Penny Wise deals with the aftermath of her role in the Green Ring Conspiracy and plans for the future.
(This should be an interesting episode, I think. Now, it does have Penny in it, but it doesn't seem to indicate that Wooton joins her, so it might be okay. Penny isn't really bad by herself, it's just when Wooton enters the picture...*shudders* My guess is that Penny will be looking for a job in art--and she'll probably get it--based on a later episode summary. And apparently this episode won't be about her salvation. :( I don't know how intriguing the episode will be, but it's written by Paul McCusker, so it can't be too bad.)
The Amazing Loser:
When Whit's End sponsors a band camp, Matthew, Jay, and Barrett compete in a musical scavenger hunt.
(Another camp episode? It must be summer. ;) I don't know what to expect with a musical episode like this. It's Dave Arnold's only episode of the season, but that really doesn't mean anything, because he only wrote one episode before the relaunch, and since the relaunch, he's written a wide variety of episodes [The Jubilee Singers, Grandma's Christmas Visit, The Malted Milkball Falcon, etc.]. We haven't really heard one centered on music, however, since Odyssey Sings!, though we heard just a little bit in Stage Fright. Odyssey Sings! is an okay episode, but because my younger siblings love to listen to it, I've gotten pretty sick of it. But it looks like this one will have a little mystery to it, and it's a mystery without Emily, so I might like it.)
Anger Mismanagement:
Frustration abounds as David suggests Grandma Lucia try a test run of her salon business in his living room, and Olivia discovers Valarie stealing the media spotlight for a big parade.
(So, Grandma Lucia is back. She's been in one good and one bad episode, but both times, she's been in a single-storyline episode. This one seems to be two half-episodes put together for the purpose of a singular moral lesson [a la Hear Me, Hear Me or Blood, Sweat, and Fears]. The second story described looks like it will probably be a little annoying, mostly because Olivia is in it. But it will be interesting to hear from Valarie again. This is one of Kathy Buchanan's many episodes this season, and she wrote Opposite Day in Album 52, so I'm not optimistic.)
Forgiving More...Or Less:
After hearing a story from Red Hollard, Camilla Parker decides to make a forgiveness list.
(Seems like quite a simple episode, but it's from Paul McCusker, so something tells me it won't be. We haven't had an episode solely focused on Camilla before [For the Birds was close, but this looks closer], so it might or might not be a nice change. Red hasn't made many appearances either. In fact, I think he totally disappeared over the last two seasons, but many people didn't seem to like him much, so maybe that was for the best. Hopefully this episode can redeem him.)
You're Two Kind:
Ryan decides to partner with Brad for a school project, but has second thoughts when he overhears Brad making fun of him. Meanwhile, Connie gives Eugene a series of bejeweled gifts and he struggles to tell her the truth--he hates them.
(Here's another two-story, one-story episode with two parts that have nothing to do with each other. They both seem quite original, in that Odyssey hasn't really covered the topics before, but specifically the second story sounds really weird. Does anyone know what "bejeweled" means?)
A Penny Earned:
Penny Wise searches for her future in a job and as Connie Kendall's roommate.
(This is the first Penny episode to be written by someone other than Paul McCusker: Kathy Buchanan, so maybe this could be a turn for the better. Mrs. Buchanan wrote all the Connie/Mitch stuff, so hopefully this could make Penny a more likable character--even if Wooton's involved.)
Never for Nothing:
Grandma Lucia recounts to Olivia her story of a childhood friend, an event that taught her that love is "never for nothing."
(I can't figure out what in the world "love is 'never for nothing'" is supposed to mean, so maybe I need a lesson from Grandma Lucia too. But I doubt it. Hopefully this episode can paint her as more of a Whit-like character than she currently is. I suspect it will have some Spanish culture involved, which can be pleasant or annoying, depending on how much it is used. I think it will be Kathy Buchanan's first Spanish-related episode, however, so she could do something good with it.)
Emily, the Genius:
Emily is overwhelmed when a school test shows that she is a genius.
(This is another very simple-seeming episode. But it sounds kinda weird. I thought Emily already knows that she's a genius, based on the episode I so hate from Album 51. Why does she need to be reminded of it? Hopefully this episode will deal more with the issue of pride than that previously mentioned episode did. It's written by Bob Hoose, who brought us The Inspiration Station and An Agreeable Nanny, so there's no telling what will happen.)
How to Sink a Sub:
When Katrina becomes their substitute teacher, Jay and Valerie rouse the class to revolt, even persuading Olivia to help with a plan to get Katrina fired.
(This episode is just weird all around. Katrina a substitute teacher? Jay and Valerie working together? The class is persuaded to revolt against Katrina? Olivia joins the bullies in getting Katrina fired? And all this ties in with sinking a submarine? Very weird. I wish they hadn't put Jay and Valerie together. I had high hopes that Jay could turn around and become more of a nice guy with a suggestive attitude, but Valerie is the opposite, so it doesn't look good for him.)
Unbecoming Jay:
Jay schemes a way to ditch his cousin Cindy by leaving her with Barrett, but Priscilla grows jealous of the new friendship.
(This just has not-appropriate-for-younger-listeners written all over it. And yet it's written by Bob Hoose, whom I wouldn't expect that from at all. I don't see how this storyline has anything to do with Jay trying to unbecome himself, but I guess we'll see.)
Childish Things:
Before a gallery exhibit of her work, Penny tries a variety of methods to decide whom she can trust in life.
(This one seems like it could be kind of boring, but, again, it's from Paul McCusker, so it should be okay. I don't see what Penny's search for trust has to do with a gallery exhibition, though.)
So what do you think? Do any of these look very good or very disappointing or in-between to you? Do you agree or disagree with my assessments? As usual, I'd love to hear from you in the comments--no matter how long a comment you leave. Thanks for reading!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
The Third Semi-Annual Avery Awards!
The next Official Podcast is out, and we finally hear the winners of this season's Avery Awards. This episode was created by The Ceiling Fan Podcast, and has many allusions and references to the podcast for fans of the show, so the sound design is more creative and interesting than usual, and there are a variety of situations. The podcast was pretty corny, but still fairly enjoyable. I must quickly be getting too old to be all that amused by these things. ;)
Well, as has been with the previous two Avery Awards Ceremonies, I was a little (okay, maybe a lot) dissatisfied. What I voted for, for the most part, wasn't the majority's opinion, and thus didn't win, but I can deal with it. This time, though, especially in the actor/actress nominations, it seemed like it was more based on the popularity of the character than the talent of the actor/actress.
For those of you who don't have time to listen to the podcast, here are my votes, the actual winners, and my opinions about the selections:
Best Actor:
My Vote: David Selby as Jebidiah Skint
Actual Winner: Robby Bruce as Buck Oliver
I could have predicted this, but it still annoys me. I seem to be one of the only people who really didn't like Robby Bruce's acting. Throughout almost the whole album he sounded like he was faking his accent, and it just distracted me from liking his character--whereas Mr. Selby played his part wonderfully. His accent was perfect, and he was a perfect cast for the part. I enjoyed hearing from him throughout the whole album, but it was always with hesitation because I knew we'd be hearing from Buck. I think this category was based more on the huge popularity of Buck among younger listeners (as we'll see later), than it was about Robby's performance as an actor.
Best Actress:
My Vote: Kimmy Robertson as Penny Wise
Actual Winner: Kimmy Robertson as Penny Wise
I was glad to hear that my choice won in this category, but I suspect that it was for different reasons than most others chose Ms. Robertson. I chose her because I thought she did a wonderful job with her acting. She pulled off sounding like a young college student even though she is over fifty, I believe. In fact, if I remember correctly, she's older than Katie Leigh! So this category was a very easy choice for me. However, my guess is that the reason Ms. Robertson received the award is because Penny was the most popular female character of the season, which I simply disagree with. She seemed to bring out the worst in nearly everyone she came in contact with, so I almost wish she hadn't won the award.
Best New Character:
My Vote: Detective Don Polehaus
Actual Winner: Buck Oliver
I wish I could see how close the votes were, because although Buck seemed to be pretty popular among younger listeners, I wouldn't have thought he'd win this one. I picked Detective Polehaus because, honestly, he was the only new character I liked. If you don't count Monty or Jason, which you shouldn't because they weren't included in the nominees, he was the funniest and most interesting character introduced. I'm fairly certain that if Phil Procter was included in the Best Actor category, I wouldn't have thought twice about my choice, because he did such a good job; I almost never heard any hint of Leonard Meltsner's voice, which surprised me. Even though, at times, the detective seemed a little naive and unprofessional, it never got too bad (unless you're Marvin), so I hold him as my favorite new character.
However...Buck...urgh. He seemed to bring out the worst in everybody too. He made Emily fall for him and that brought a very annoying aspect to this season. As I've said before, I don't understand why we have to have a "love story" everywhere these days. You can't get away from it anymore, and it never ceases to annoy me. Young kids (yes, I'm calling 8-12 young) don't need that kind of stuff put in their heads. It only leads to flirting, bad relationships and heartbreak. And their even younger siblings certainly don't need to hear all that. It just drives me crazy--all in Christian love of course. ;) But then there was all that junk that Katrina was telling him too. I know that that message is very prevalent in the church today: "You have a good heart, but you have problems that Jesus can fix. Just accept Him into your heart and everything will be okay." Now that causes righteous indignation; I can justly be driven crazy by that. But knowing what I now know about Paul McCusker, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. I don't want to point a finger at him personally, but it is because there's now a different religious perspective on the Odyssey team that their messages must be more wishy-washy. What Katrina says to Buck throughout the season would neither be offensive to Catholics nor the popular evangelical movement, but AIO doesn't seem to realize that it is because of that very fact that people like me are offended. The gospel is offensive. Jesus "came not to bring peace, but a sword." His message of sin, righteousness and judgement should offend people, and it is not our job to water it down. Alright, I'll stop now.
Best "Whitta-Cliffhanger":
My Vote: Monty Is One of the Plane Crash Victims!
Actual Winner: The Infamous Stiletto Is Really Jason Whittaker!
This one was a tough choice, because both Jason's and Monty's returns were very exciting to hear about. But because the news of Jason's return had already leaked to me before I heard the "Whitta-Cliffhanger" at the end of the episode, I chose the other one. However, now that I think about it, I sort of already knew about Monty's return as well, because Amazon released 10- to 15-second clips of each episode before the season aired on the radio, and I remember Monty was discreetly mentioned in one of them, so I knew about both epic returns before either happened. Hopefully that won't happen the next time AIO puts out a season-long mystery with some surprising returning characters. :D
Best Quote:
My Vote:
Buck: You have a thing about big trucks?
Jay: Oh yeah. Ever since I was a kid, you know, (makes truck noises)
Buck: If you want to make friends, don't ever do noises like that again, OK?
Jay: Yeah.
Actual Winner:
Buck: You have a thing about big trucks?
Jay: Oh yeah. Ever since I was a kid, you know, (makes truck noises)
Buck: If you want to make friends, don't ever do noises like that again, OK?
Jay: Yeah.
That exchange was hilarious! 'Nuf said.
Best Writer:
My Vote: I honestly don't remember because it was so ridiculous. (But it may have been "Paul E. McCusker.")
Actual Winner: Paul McCusker.
I already expressed my main negative thoughts about Mr. McCusker's writing, so now I'll shoot for the positive thoughts. This was actually a good mystery, in my opinion. For the most part, it kept all of us guessing until the true villain was revealed. It didn't seem like an unrealistic take-over-the-country operation; I thought it was pretty clever. Some were afraid that the writers would try to create a world domination plot that would seem way too fanciful, having been only developed over twelve episodes. But I thought that it was very convincing that Mr. Grote chose to try to break down America by distributing millions, if not billions of counterfeit dollars. Mr. McCusker could easily be a big mastermind behind a counterfeiting scheme, because it's really a good idea. (The evil in my nature thinks it would be something fun to try. ;D)
So anyway, great job Odyssey! Even though there are many things I personally would have done and not done with this album, it was satisfactory, and I have enjoyed listening to the saga a few times now that I own the album. Please share your thoughts with me about what you thought of this season's Avery Awards in the comments!
Well, as has been with the previous two Avery Awards Ceremonies, I was a little (okay, maybe a lot) dissatisfied. What I voted for, for the most part, wasn't the majority's opinion, and thus didn't win, but I can deal with it. This time, though, especially in the actor/actress nominations, it seemed like it was more based on the popularity of the character than the talent of the actor/actress.
For those of you who don't have time to listen to the podcast, here are my votes, the actual winners, and my opinions about the selections:
Best Actor:
My Vote: David Selby as Jebidiah Skint
Actual Winner: Robby Bruce as Buck Oliver
I could have predicted this, but it still annoys me. I seem to be one of the only people who really didn't like Robby Bruce's acting. Throughout almost the whole album he sounded like he was faking his accent, and it just distracted me from liking his character--whereas Mr. Selby played his part wonderfully. His accent was perfect, and he was a perfect cast for the part. I enjoyed hearing from him throughout the whole album, but it was always with hesitation because I knew we'd be hearing from Buck. I think this category was based more on the huge popularity of Buck among younger listeners (as we'll see later), than it was about Robby's performance as an actor.
Best Actress:
My Vote: Kimmy Robertson as Penny Wise
Actual Winner: Kimmy Robertson as Penny Wise
I was glad to hear that my choice won in this category, but I suspect that it was for different reasons than most others chose Ms. Robertson. I chose her because I thought she did a wonderful job with her acting. She pulled off sounding like a young college student even though she is over fifty, I believe. In fact, if I remember correctly, she's older than Katie Leigh! So this category was a very easy choice for me. However, my guess is that the reason Ms. Robertson received the award is because Penny was the most popular female character of the season, which I simply disagree with. She seemed to bring out the worst in nearly everyone she came in contact with, so I almost wish she hadn't won the award.
Best New Character:
My Vote: Detective Don Polehaus
Actual Winner: Buck Oliver
I wish I could see how close the votes were, because although Buck seemed to be pretty popular among younger listeners, I wouldn't have thought he'd win this one. I picked Detective Polehaus because, honestly, he was the only new character I liked. If you don't count Monty or Jason, which you shouldn't because they weren't included in the nominees, he was the funniest and most interesting character introduced. I'm fairly certain that if Phil Procter was included in the Best Actor category, I wouldn't have thought twice about my choice, because he did such a good job; I almost never heard any hint of Leonard Meltsner's voice, which surprised me. Even though, at times, the detective seemed a little naive and unprofessional, it never got too bad (unless you're Marvin), so I hold him as my favorite new character.
However...Buck...urgh. He seemed to bring out the worst in everybody too. He made Emily fall for him and that brought a very annoying aspect to this season. As I've said before, I don't understand why we have to have a "love story" everywhere these days. You can't get away from it anymore, and it never ceases to annoy me. Young kids (yes, I'm calling 8-12 young) don't need that kind of stuff put in their heads. It only leads to flirting, bad relationships and heartbreak. And their even younger siblings certainly don't need to hear all that. It just drives me crazy--all in Christian love of course. ;) But then there was all that junk that Katrina was telling him too. I know that that message is very prevalent in the church today: "You have a good heart, but you have problems that Jesus can fix. Just accept Him into your heart and everything will be okay." Now that causes righteous indignation; I can justly be driven crazy by that. But knowing what I now know about Paul McCusker, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. I don't want to point a finger at him personally, but it is because there's now a different religious perspective on the Odyssey team that their messages must be more wishy-washy. What Katrina says to Buck throughout the season would neither be offensive to Catholics nor the popular evangelical movement, but AIO doesn't seem to realize that it is because of that very fact that people like me are offended. The gospel is offensive. Jesus "came not to bring peace, but a sword." His message of sin, righteousness and judgement should offend people, and it is not our job to water it down. Alright, I'll stop now.
Best "Whitta-Cliffhanger":
My Vote: Monty Is One of the Plane Crash Victims!
Actual Winner: The Infamous Stiletto Is Really Jason Whittaker!
This one was a tough choice, because both Jason's and Monty's returns were very exciting to hear about. But because the news of Jason's return had already leaked to me before I heard the "Whitta-Cliffhanger" at the end of the episode, I chose the other one. However, now that I think about it, I sort of already knew about Monty's return as well, because Amazon released 10- to 15-second clips of each episode before the season aired on the radio, and I remember Monty was discreetly mentioned in one of them, so I knew about both epic returns before either happened. Hopefully that won't happen the next time AIO puts out a season-long mystery with some surprising returning characters. :D
Best Quote:
My Vote:
Buck: You have a thing about big trucks?
Jay: Oh yeah. Ever since I was a kid, you know, (makes truck noises)
Buck: If you want to make friends, don't ever do noises like that again, OK?
Jay: Yeah.
Actual Winner:
Buck: You have a thing about big trucks?
Jay: Oh yeah. Ever since I was a kid, you know, (makes truck noises)
Buck: If you want to make friends, don't ever do noises like that again, OK?
Jay: Yeah.
That exchange was hilarious! 'Nuf said.
Best Writer:
My Vote: I honestly don't remember because it was so ridiculous. (But it may have been "Paul E. McCusker.")
Actual Winner: Paul McCusker.
I already expressed my main negative thoughts about Mr. McCusker's writing, so now I'll shoot for the positive thoughts. This was actually a good mystery, in my opinion. For the most part, it kept all of us guessing until the true villain was revealed. It didn't seem like an unrealistic take-over-the-country operation; I thought it was pretty clever. Some were afraid that the writers would try to create a world domination plot that would seem way too fanciful, having been only developed over twelve episodes. But I thought that it was very convincing that Mr. Grote chose to try to break down America by distributing millions, if not billions of counterfeit dollars. Mr. McCusker could easily be a big mastermind behind a counterfeiting scheme, because it's really a good idea. (The evil in my nature thinks it would be something fun to try. ;D)
So anyway, great job Odyssey! Even though there are many things I personally would have done and not done with this album, it was satisfactory, and I have enjoyed listening to the saga a few times now that I own the album. Please share your thoughts with me about what you thought of this season's Avery Awards in the comments!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
...And So It's on the Edge of Its Conclusion...
Boy. This episode was probably one of the best yet. We didn't learn a whole lot, but there was enough new information and action to hold my attention the entire time. When it finished, I couldn't believe it was already done! It's going to be so hard to wait all this week until I can hear Part XII next Saturday. It's so difficult to be patient when I have the means to hear the end of the saga in my possession right in my bedroom where I could pull it off the shelf at any time! But I promised that I would listen to the episodes as they aired and not take advantage of the fact that FOTF has done things differently this time around, so I'm going to do my best to keep that promise. But it's so hard!
I probably could review this episode in a short form, but I got up extra early this morning to get it done today, and I've had a couple of people tell me they really enjoy reading my reviews, so I'm going to do my best to do another long one. Here goes.
This episode begins with Penny and Connie on their planned hike together. But Connie isn't enjoying it very much she was expecting more of a leisurely stroll than a rock-climbing expedition. But Penny encourages her to keep on because it will be worth it when they reach the top and see the view. Connie asks her how she found the area, because she didn't know there was such a place in Odyssey. Penny says that she and some of the class have come up a few times with Dr. Trask to "meditate on the beauty of God." Connie remarks that Dr. Trask must really know his way around the area. That will become important later in the episode. Penny ironically remarks that she's not a big fan of trip like this though. She'd rather go skeet-shooting. I had to look that up. It's a recreational game involving the shooting of clay disks that have been flung into the air. Here's the link to Wikipedia's explanation. I've done something similar called pigeon shooting before. It's pretty fun; I don't know whether I'd rather do it over rock climbing though. Both are moderately fun activities to me. I'm not that outdoorsy of a person.
Anyway, the next scene finds us at Uncle Archie's Carnival where the auction is just starting. A funny-sounding man who's obviously played by Jess Harnell named Hubbard Gutman is the auctioneer. We hear him throughout the rest of the show whenever there's a Whit-Detective Polehaus scene because they keep watch at the auction for the entire episode. By the way, I wanted to mention that I think I trust Polehaus now. I'm done thinking that he's secretly working for the other side. Especially after the events in the last episode and this episode, I don't think there's any way that he's involved with the counterfeiters. In this scene, Polehaus tells Whit that he's been trying to find the Stiletto in the crowd. Whit quickly changes the subject, and asks the detective if he's had anyone see what went on at Trickle Lake Concrete the day before. But Polehaus says it's not his top priority. That pretty much tells us that something big must have happened there, because obviously Whit is smarter than Polehaus, and the pickup truck wouldn't have stopped there for no reason. Plus, Sullivan (Archie Haggler's Goon #1) non-subtly told us last time that the engraving plates were dropped off there.
Well, after that exchange, Whit gets a call from Monty who informs him that Derk Begs (I found out I've been spelling it wrong this whole time.) is finally out of his coma. It feels like it's been forever since that first episode when he was taken to the hospital, but I think it's actually only been two or three days! Monty wants in on the action, so he tells Whit that he's going to go try to get some information out of Derk. Whit tells him to ask about the numbers on the paper in the backpack that matched the ones sent in a text message. Then he started to tell him something about the Stiletto--I would guess he might have mentioned Jason--but the nurse started to come into the room, and all Monty got before hanging up was that the Stiletto is in town. He's able to use that information to threaten Derk later.
Then we hear the little ditty informing us that a Skint-scene is up next. He's preparing to leave to go check on things at the auction and then head over to the compound. He tells Buck his plans, warns him to keep a low profile, and leaves. No sooner has he exited than Ms. Katri...er...Katrina appears. She explains how she found him, but he's still surprised--especially when she explains that she's come to rescue him. He strongly hesitates, and she tries to persuade him by telling him that given a chance to get away from Mr. Skint's influence, he'll see what a "good heart" he has. Now, not to pick on her theology, but what's that verse in Jeremiah 17:9? "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" Umm...that's pretty straightforward and clear. It's things like this, along with episodes like Opposite Day and When You're Right, You're Right that convince me that Odyssey is slowly moving toward the liberal side of the scale.
Anyway, when Buck argues that life isn't about good hearts or bad hearts, but rather about survival, Katrina responds that life is about the choices you make--you can choose evil or you can choose good. I guess you could say that, but in my Calvinistic point of view, life is about the choices God has made. That gets into the issue of free will vs. God's predestination, and I don't want to get into that, so I won't elaborate. She then implores him to choose God. Again, I'm pretty biased, but doesn't Jesus say, "You did not choose me, but I chose you"? Buck says he doesn't know anything about God, so Katrina tells him to come with her so she can explain it to him. They start to argue because Buck says he can't go, but then Skint appears and says that no, Buck can't go. (I'm sorta glad he popped in, because otherwise, there might have been a scene where Katrina explained "salvation" to Buck, and then I suspect I would have had a lot to complain about. But, unfortunately, Chris had a lot to say at the end of the episode, so I guess I'll have to say something when I get to that.) Mr. Skint had come back for his car keys, and he commands Buck to tie and gag her.
Back at the hospital, Monty goes to visit Derk Begs. After he walks in, Derk expresses his frustration over the fact that Monty double-crossed him. If this was a movie, the exchange probably wouldn't have been G-rated, but I'm glad it stayed that way. :) After they discuss German jazz bands, Monty cuts right to the chase and asks Derk about the numbers. Derk says they should be self-explanatory if the phone's working, so he suspects that Monty is bluffing. He starts to make a deal, but the nurse (who doesn't even care if he's the king of Siam) comes in and orders Monty to return to his room. Monty leaves Derk with the wonderful thought of what the Stiletto might do to him now that he's in town.
Now we go to one of the most pivotal scenes in the episode. Matthew and Emily decide they've collected enough information from the library, and Emily calls Eugene on the walkie-talkie thingamabob. She tells him that she's searched through any instances in Odyssey's past that involved counterfeit money, and then she cross-referenced those dates with national archives. She discovered that pretty much any time the subject popped up, Uncle Archie's Carnival was nearby. (What a surprise!) Matthew discovered a picture taken 20 years before featuring Archie Haggler and Benjamin Trask together, celebrating the beginning of The Consolidated Arts Company. Then comes the surprise (unless you were already expecting it like I was). Matthew went way back in the history of Dr. Trask, and found an article about him from 30 years before when he first came to Odyssey. The kids send the information to Eugene, and when he sees what the professor's occupation was before coming to town, he exclaims, "Unbelievable! Excellent work! I have to contact Mr. Whittaker right away!!"
Thankfully, we aren't kept in suspense for very long, because right in the next scene, we come across Whit telling Eugene to slow down because he can't understand what Eugene's saying. He slows down and tells Whit that the e-mail the kids sent him told him that Benjamin Trask was formerly a template engraver for the U.S. Mint! He was one of their top designers! The only reason he stopped was that he had to retire because the fumes were having a negative effect on his system. Hey, I wonder if that's why his mind has conjured up so much fluffy junk about meditation and God. ;) Eugene lastly counsels Whit to call and warn Connie to tell her that Penny could be involved in the conspiracy along with Dr. Trask.
Back at Trickle Lake, Connie and Penny are climbing down from the "small pile of rocks" remarking about how beautiful the view was. Just as they're starting to discuss the beginning of their business partnership in copying paintings, Connie's cellphone rings. (Even though she's changed the ringtone since A Thankstaking Story, it still might be too rocky for conservative listeners.) We hear Whit tell her to make sure she doesn't react, but that he has important news for her. She walks away from Penny who figures she must have left the cash register open again. We then hear a "WHAT?!" in the background, and Penny remarks, "Oooh. There must have been a lot of money in that drawer. :D
Over at the auction, Whit fills Detective Polehaus in off-air about Dr. Trask. He says he'll send one of his men up to his place. I don't know about you, but he seems awfully calm about the situation. You'd think having figured out the identity of a thirty-year counterfeiter would get him excited. Nope. He's more concerned about what he sees at the carnival. He tells Whit that he's noticed that everyone at the auction is winning equally; no one person is getting the top bid on any of the equipment. It's rigged. Whit deduces that that must be how the counterfeiters conveniently get the money distributed all over the country. But Polehaus assures Whit that the trucks holding the equipment and money won't get past their roadblock. He then makes a comment about the smell of victory. He's really getting out of character here. Usually he's totally suspicious and pessimistic that anything could go right for him, and now that he's at the pivotal point of the whole conspiracy, he sits back and talks about how superior and victorious he feels. Give me a break.
Now we get back to Connie and Penny's hike which, according to Penny, has turned into a "marathon" because Connie is so bent on getting back into town to talk to Whit. And Penny wants to know what in the world Mr. Whittaker could have said to her to get her heading back so quickly. But before Connie can say anything, lo and behold...Wooton pops out from the bushes! Oh joy! Rapture! (More like "Oh, migraine headache!" which I happen to have right now.) While Penny is amazed at the coincidence that Wooton was hiding in the woods just as they were going past, Connie scolds him for scaring them. He reminds her that he was planning a picnic at Montague Point. (I think that name is an allusion to the last name of the character Romeo in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. I just read that for Literature this year, and it's usually a word used when referring to a forbidden relationship. [Romeo and Juliet had a forbidden love.] I think it might be a reference to the fact that Wooton and Penny are forbidden by the Bible to have an intimate relationship because Penny isn't a Christian. That's probably a longshot though. But maybe that's why they never make it to Montague Point. Does any of that make sense?) Connie tells Wooton that she forgot about the surprise, but that they need to get back to town.
Penny practically begs Connie to tell her why they're suddenly in such a hurry, so she gives in because she trusts Penny (oh, and we'll assume Wooton too). When Connie finally spills the beans that Penny's mentor might be the crime boss of the whole counterfeiting ring, Penny is shocked and immediately changes her mind and, to the dismay of Wooton, sides with Connie about going back to town. Penny leads them on a shortcut that will take them "to the truth."
*insert Skint music*
But, *gasp*, it's not a Mr. Skint scene! Marvin was wrong! Well, while he did say that it was always there when a Skint scene was coming, he didn't say that whenever it came, a Skint scene was coming. But this is a Buck scene, so it's pretty close. Buck has just finished tying and gagging Katrina, but she has something to say to him. After she promises not to scream, he takes the gag off. She tells him that he still has a choice as to whether or not he's going to follow Skint. She promises to pray for him every day, and then she gives him a talk about Mr. Skint. She tells him that though he may be loyal and that may seem like love, if he really loved Buck, he'd do the right thing. But that strikes a nerve, and Buck tells her that's enough talking for now. I have to commend Buck for his loyalty; even though Skint is doing the wrong thing for him, Buck, I think does love him, and he doesn't want to think of leaving him. But I think he'll eventually come to his senses, and that's when he'll leave Mr. Skint. The question is, what will he do then? He has nothing. That's why I think that it's perfectly plausible that the Meltsners will adopt him. It is a weird idea, and it'd take a lot of getting used to, but what other option is there? I mean, he could just go along with the counterfeiters, but that would contradict everything to which the Katrina-Buck saga seems to be leading. I don't know.
After a commercial break (I'm not sure if it was the first or second one), we get back to Whit and Polehaus where the auction is over and the trucks are leaving. Detective Polehaus is disappointed that he hasn't gotten to see the Stiletto, and Whit nearly ruins things when he says that he's been looking for him all day and he's concerned. But after a double-take by Polehaus, Whit quickly corrects himself, and the detective tells him he might be spending too much time in the sun. Whit changes the subject, drawing the attention to Uncle Archie, who's looking very pleased with himself. Polehaus remarks that he's confused about how they got the money into the trucks. We know from a few episodes ago that the plan was changed because of the Stiletto's suspected treachery, so that's not how the exchange is going to happen. Polehaus then speculates that maybe the trucks are headed to a rendezvous point, but then he chuckles because he "knows" that the roadblocks will get them.
Back in the woods with the three wheels (of which Connie was originally the third, but now, since the tides have changed, of which it seems Wooton has claimed the title), Penny claims they're almost to the place where the truth will be revealed. Judging by the barbed-wire fence, Penny says that they should be right about to Dr. Trask's property. Connie is shocked and frustrated that Penny brought them to his house, but Penny says that they need to get to the bottom of the issue, and this is best way to do it. However, a guard, who has a voice strikingly similar to Mr. Dosh from the Old Ross Compound, comes to them before they enter the property and informs them that this isn't Dr. Trask's house, but rather, they should go down a road over to the other side of the property where they will find him. Unfortunately, Mr. Skint picks that time to walk up, confirming to us that this is the Old Ross Compound and that is Mr. Dosh. He asks Mr. Dosh what the trouble is, and at that moment, Penny decides that she recognizes Skint--even though he's shaved his entire head and face. (She'd know his dreamy blue eyes anywhere!) Mr. Skint acknowledges her then, but at that time, Connie realizes the danger and starts leading the group away. Therefore Skint commands Dosh to get out his weapon and take them to the bunker and lock them up. He, not unlike Wooton, doesn't trust awfully strange coincidences. ;) By the way, I absolutely loved Phil Lollar's (Dosh) "You'll see" at the end of the scene.
Over at another yelling-detective scene, Polehaus is radioing Martin for a progress report on the blockage of the trucks. He redeems himself from any doubt I had that his heart is in this chase, because as soon as Martin describes the situation of eight trucks going in separate directions, Polehaus yells nearly at the top of his lungs to pull them over. However, the truck-drivers have lost their minds and are speeding on. But have they lost their minds, or are they quickly headed to the rendezvous at the Old Ross Compound. I'm going for the latter.
At the compound, Wooton, Penny, and Connie are locked in the bunker (reminding me of The Other Side of the Glass) which, relievingly, has both a light, and more than enough space for the picnic blanket. Wooton starts getting out the food, while Connie desperately tries to figure out how to escape. Okay, maybe not desperately, but she's pretty stressed. Wooton says that even though there's only one way out, there'll be another chance to leave because the bad guys will have to come back for all the boxes of money. And of course, the boxes have to be full of money, because who would go to all that trouble to package Cabbage Patch Dolls? Connie rips open a box and finds that it is full of money, and she concludes that adding that with all the other boxes in the bunker, there must be millions of bills! Penny remarks, "How could this happen?" But of course she doesn't mean, how could she be duped into helping Trask with this scheme--she means, how could she lose her taste for raspberry soda! *sighs* Seriously. To quote Marvin, "DIE...PENNY! DIE!"
So they're stuck. But maybe not! Wooton exclaims, "This is a job for Captain Absolutely!" But Connie quickly shoots back, "No it's not." Man! I totally believed him. I thought maybe the counterfeiters were going to come in and maybe he'd do some kung fu and make it out and tell the police and apprehend them all. But, then again, that'd be totally unrealistic and...unrealistic, so I'm glad it didn't happen that way. Instead, Skint barges in with some goons and they begin taking out the boxes. Dr. Trask then comes in and, after Wooton and he have a nice little exchange about the wonderful Montague Point, Penny starts into him. First she asks how he could do all this with all of his classes and talks about the beauty of God; they were just lies! But he says that everything he taught he believes is true. (That's awfully comforting.) So she digs further, making her first very good point of the season, saying that he didn't live it; none of that talk is any good if he doesn't live it. Dr. Trask commends her for making that point, and says he'll consider it...while he's living off of his millions of dollars. Finally we see the bad side of the professor. That seemed so out of character, but I guess the real time he was out of character were any of the times he was acting innocent. Then Penny takes the opportunity to make a very thoughtful observation: "You are not a very good person at all!" "Oh, good, bad," says Dr. Trask, "they're all a state of mind." Yeah, sure. Depravity of man--right there. Even the worst of criminals can't admit that they're bad. Anyway, the episode ends with Dr. Trask letting them know that they aren't getting away; they're getting moved with the money--and they're not using the roads! *Dun-dun-dun*
Okay, that's it! Well, not exactly. Chris said some interesting things during the ending segment about how we receive "salvation." (I put it in quotations because I don't believe doing what she said gets us true salvation.) I won't bore you with all that I think about what she said, because I'd probably spark a theological debate, which I don't want to do, so I'll just say I don't agree with her, and that's that. (Though you're perfectly welcome to ask me about it; I just don't feel like writing anything else now.)
Thank you for reading the review! I know it must take a long time, so I appreciate those of you who do. Please comment!
I probably could review this episode in a short form, but I got up extra early this morning to get it done today, and I've had a couple of people tell me they really enjoy reading my reviews, so I'm going to do my best to do another long one. Here goes.
This episode begins with Penny and Connie on their planned hike together. But Connie isn't enjoying it very much she was expecting more of a leisurely stroll than a rock-climbing expedition. But Penny encourages her to keep on because it will be worth it when they reach the top and see the view. Connie asks her how she found the area, because she didn't know there was such a place in Odyssey. Penny says that she and some of the class have come up a few times with Dr. Trask to "meditate on the beauty of God." Connie remarks that Dr. Trask must really know his way around the area. That will become important later in the episode. Penny ironically remarks that she's not a big fan of trip like this though. She'd rather go skeet-shooting. I had to look that up. It's a recreational game involving the shooting of clay disks that have been flung into the air. Here's the link to Wikipedia's explanation. I've done something similar called pigeon shooting before. It's pretty fun; I don't know whether I'd rather do it over rock climbing though. Both are moderately fun activities to me. I'm not that outdoorsy of a person.
Anyway, the next scene finds us at Uncle Archie's Carnival where the auction is just starting. A funny-sounding man who's obviously played by Jess Harnell named Hubbard Gutman is the auctioneer. We hear him throughout the rest of the show whenever there's a Whit-Detective Polehaus scene because they keep watch at the auction for the entire episode. By the way, I wanted to mention that I think I trust Polehaus now. I'm done thinking that he's secretly working for the other side. Especially after the events in the last episode and this episode, I don't think there's any way that he's involved with the counterfeiters. In this scene, Polehaus tells Whit that he's been trying to find the Stiletto in the crowd. Whit quickly changes the subject, and asks the detective if he's had anyone see what went on at Trickle Lake Concrete the day before. But Polehaus says it's not his top priority. That pretty much tells us that something big must have happened there, because obviously Whit is smarter than Polehaus, and the pickup truck wouldn't have stopped there for no reason. Plus, Sullivan (Archie Haggler's Goon #1) non-subtly told us last time that the engraving plates were dropped off there.
Well, after that exchange, Whit gets a call from Monty who informs him that Derk Begs (I found out I've been spelling it wrong this whole time.) is finally out of his coma. It feels like it's been forever since that first episode when he was taken to the hospital, but I think it's actually only been two or three days! Monty wants in on the action, so he tells Whit that he's going to go try to get some information out of Derk. Whit tells him to ask about the numbers on the paper in the backpack that matched the ones sent in a text message. Then he started to tell him something about the Stiletto--I would guess he might have mentioned Jason--but the nurse started to come into the room, and all Monty got before hanging up was that the Stiletto is in town. He's able to use that information to threaten Derk later.
Then we hear the little ditty informing us that a Skint-scene is up next. He's preparing to leave to go check on things at the auction and then head over to the compound. He tells Buck his plans, warns him to keep a low profile, and leaves. No sooner has he exited than Ms. Katri...er...Katrina appears. She explains how she found him, but he's still surprised--especially when she explains that she's come to rescue him. He strongly hesitates, and she tries to persuade him by telling him that given a chance to get away from Mr. Skint's influence, he'll see what a "good heart" he has. Now, not to pick on her theology, but what's that verse in Jeremiah 17:9? "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" Umm...that's pretty straightforward and clear. It's things like this, along with episodes like Opposite Day and When You're Right, You're Right that convince me that Odyssey is slowly moving toward the liberal side of the scale.
Anyway, when Buck argues that life isn't about good hearts or bad hearts, but rather about survival, Katrina responds that life is about the choices you make--you can choose evil or you can choose good. I guess you could say that, but in my Calvinistic point of view, life is about the choices God has made. That gets into the issue of free will vs. God's predestination, and I don't want to get into that, so I won't elaborate. She then implores him to choose God. Again, I'm pretty biased, but doesn't Jesus say, "You did not choose me, but I chose you"? Buck says he doesn't know anything about God, so Katrina tells him to come with her so she can explain it to him. They start to argue because Buck says he can't go, but then Skint appears and says that no, Buck can't go. (I'm sorta glad he popped in, because otherwise, there might have been a scene where Katrina explained "salvation" to Buck, and then I suspect I would have had a lot to complain about. But, unfortunately, Chris had a lot to say at the end of the episode, so I guess I'll have to say something when I get to that.) Mr. Skint had come back for his car keys, and he commands Buck to tie and gag her.
Back at the hospital, Monty goes to visit Derk Begs. After he walks in, Derk expresses his frustration over the fact that Monty double-crossed him. If this was a movie, the exchange probably wouldn't have been G-rated, but I'm glad it stayed that way. :) After they discuss German jazz bands, Monty cuts right to the chase and asks Derk about the numbers. Derk says they should be self-explanatory if the phone's working, so he suspects that Monty is bluffing. He starts to make a deal, but the nurse (who doesn't even care if he's the king of Siam) comes in and orders Monty to return to his room. Monty leaves Derk with the wonderful thought of what the Stiletto might do to him now that he's in town.
Now we go to one of the most pivotal scenes in the episode. Matthew and Emily decide they've collected enough information from the library, and Emily calls Eugene on the walkie-talkie thingamabob. She tells him that she's searched through any instances in Odyssey's past that involved counterfeit money, and then she cross-referenced those dates with national archives. She discovered that pretty much any time the subject popped up, Uncle Archie's Carnival was nearby. (What a surprise!) Matthew discovered a picture taken 20 years before featuring Archie Haggler and Benjamin Trask together, celebrating the beginning of The Consolidated Arts Company. Then comes the surprise (unless you were already expecting it like I was). Matthew went way back in the history of Dr. Trask, and found an article about him from 30 years before when he first came to Odyssey. The kids send the information to Eugene, and when he sees what the professor's occupation was before coming to town, he exclaims, "Unbelievable! Excellent work! I have to contact Mr. Whittaker right away!!"
Thankfully, we aren't kept in suspense for very long, because right in the next scene, we come across Whit telling Eugene to slow down because he can't understand what Eugene's saying. He slows down and tells Whit that the e-mail the kids sent him told him that Benjamin Trask was formerly a template engraver for the U.S. Mint! He was one of their top designers! The only reason he stopped was that he had to retire because the fumes were having a negative effect on his system. Hey, I wonder if that's why his mind has conjured up so much fluffy junk about meditation and God. ;) Eugene lastly counsels Whit to call and warn Connie to tell her that Penny could be involved in the conspiracy along with Dr. Trask.
Back at Trickle Lake, Connie and Penny are climbing down from the "small pile of rocks" remarking about how beautiful the view was. Just as they're starting to discuss the beginning of their business partnership in copying paintings, Connie's cellphone rings. (Even though she's changed the ringtone since A Thankstaking Story, it still might be too rocky for conservative listeners.) We hear Whit tell her to make sure she doesn't react, but that he has important news for her. She walks away from Penny who figures she must have left the cash register open again. We then hear a "WHAT?!" in the background, and Penny remarks, "Oooh. There must have been a lot of money in that drawer. :D
Over at the auction, Whit fills Detective Polehaus in off-air about Dr. Trask. He says he'll send one of his men up to his place. I don't know about you, but he seems awfully calm about the situation. You'd think having figured out the identity of a thirty-year counterfeiter would get him excited. Nope. He's more concerned about what he sees at the carnival. He tells Whit that he's noticed that everyone at the auction is winning equally; no one person is getting the top bid on any of the equipment. It's rigged. Whit deduces that that must be how the counterfeiters conveniently get the money distributed all over the country. But Polehaus assures Whit that the trucks holding the equipment and money won't get past their roadblock. He then makes a comment about the smell of victory. He's really getting out of character here. Usually he's totally suspicious and pessimistic that anything could go right for him, and now that he's at the pivotal point of the whole conspiracy, he sits back and talks about how superior and victorious he feels. Give me a break.
Now we get back to Connie and Penny's hike which, according to Penny, has turned into a "marathon" because Connie is so bent on getting back into town to talk to Whit. And Penny wants to know what in the world Mr. Whittaker could have said to her to get her heading back so quickly. But before Connie can say anything, lo and behold...Wooton pops out from the bushes! Oh joy! Rapture! (More like "Oh, migraine headache!" which I happen to have right now.) While Penny is amazed at the coincidence that Wooton was hiding in the woods just as they were going past, Connie scolds him for scaring them. He reminds her that he was planning a picnic at Montague Point. (I think that name is an allusion to the last name of the character Romeo in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. I just read that for Literature this year, and it's usually a word used when referring to a forbidden relationship. [Romeo and Juliet had a forbidden love.] I think it might be a reference to the fact that Wooton and Penny are forbidden by the Bible to have an intimate relationship because Penny isn't a Christian. That's probably a longshot though. But maybe that's why they never make it to Montague Point. Does any of that make sense?) Connie tells Wooton that she forgot about the surprise, but that they need to get back to town.
Penny practically begs Connie to tell her why they're suddenly in such a hurry, so she gives in because she trusts Penny (oh, and we'll assume Wooton too). When Connie finally spills the beans that Penny's mentor might be the crime boss of the whole counterfeiting ring, Penny is shocked and immediately changes her mind and, to the dismay of Wooton, sides with Connie about going back to town. Penny leads them on a shortcut that will take them "to the truth."
*insert Skint music*
But, *gasp*, it's not a Mr. Skint scene! Marvin was wrong! Well, while he did say that it was always there when a Skint scene was coming, he didn't say that whenever it came, a Skint scene was coming. But this is a Buck scene, so it's pretty close. Buck has just finished tying and gagging Katrina, but she has something to say to him. After she promises not to scream, he takes the gag off. She tells him that he still has a choice as to whether or not he's going to follow Skint. She promises to pray for him every day, and then she gives him a talk about Mr. Skint. She tells him that though he may be loyal and that may seem like love, if he really loved Buck, he'd do the right thing. But that strikes a nerve, and Buck tells her that's enough talking for now. I have to commend Buck for his loyalty; even though Skint is doing the wrong thing for him, Buck, I think does love him, and he doesn't want to think of leaving him. But I think he'll eventually come to his senses, and that's when he'll leave Mr. Skint. The question is, what will he do then? He has nothing. That's why I think that it's perfectly plausible that the Meltsners will adopt him. It is a weird idea, and it'd take a lot of getting used to, but what other option is there? I mean, he could just go along with the counterfeiters, but that would contradict everything to which the Katrina-Buck saga seems to be leading. I don't know.
After a commercial break (I'm not sure if it was the first or second one), we get back to Whit and Polehaus where the auction is over and the trucks are leaving. Detective Polehaus is disappointed that he hasn't gotten to see the Stiletto, and Whit nearly ruins things when he says that he's been looking for him all day and he's concerned. But after a double-take by Polehaus, Whit quickly corrects himself, and the detective tells him he might be spending too much time in the sun. Whit changes the subject, drawing the attention to Uncle Archie, who's looking very pleased with himself. Polehaus remarks that he's confused about how they got the money into the trucks. We know from a few episodes ago that the plan was changed because of the Stiletto's suspected treachery, so that's not how the exchange is going to happen. Polehaus then speculates that maybe the trucks are headed to a rendezvous point, but then he chuckles because he "knows" that the roadblocks will get them.
Back in the woods with the three wheels (of which Connie was originally the third, but now, since the tides have changed, of which it seems Wooton has claimed the title), Penny claims they're almost to the place where the truth will be revealed. Judging by the barbed-wire fence, Penny says that they should be right about to Dr. Trask's property. Connie is shocked and frustrated that Penny brought them to his house, but Penny says that they need to get to the bottom of the issue, and this is best way to do it. However, a guard, who has a voice strikingly similar to Mr. Dosh from the Old Ross Compound, comes to them before they enter the property and informs them that this isn't Dr. Trask's house, but rather, they should go down a road over to the other side of the property where they will find him. Unfortunately, Mr. Skint picks that time to walk up, confirming to us that this is the Old Ross Compound and that is Mr. Dosh. He asks Mr. Dosh what the trouble is, and at that moment, Penny decides that she recognizes Skint--even though he's shaved his entire head and face. (She'd know his dreamy blue eyes anywhere!) Mr. Skint acknowledges her then, but at that time, Connie realizes the danger and starts leading the group away. Therefore Skint commands Dosh to get out his weapon and take them to the bunker and lock them up. He, not unlike Wooton, doesn't trust awfully strange coincidences. ;) By the way, I absolutely loved Phil Lollar's (Dosh) "You'll see" at the end of the scene.
Over at another yelling-detective scene, Polehaus is radioing Martin for a progress report on the blockage of the trucks. He redeems himself from any doubt I had that his heart is in this chase, because as soon as Martin describes the situation of eight trucks going in separate directions, Polehaus yells nearly at the top of his lungs to pull them over. However, the truck-drivers have lost their minds and are speeding on. But have they lost their minds, or are they quickly headed to the rendezvous at the Old Ross Compound. I'm going for the latter.
At the compound, Wooton, Penny, and Connie are locked in the bunker (reminding me of The Other Side of the Glass) which, relievingly, has both a light, and more than enough space for the picnic blanket. Wooton starts getting out the food, while Connie desperately tries to figure out how to escape. Okay, maybe not desperately, but she's pretty stressed. Wooton says that even though there's only one way out, there'll be another chance to leave because the bad guys will have to come back for all the boxes of money. And of course, the boxes have to be full of money, because who would go to all that trouble to package Cabbage Patch Dolls? Connie rips open a box and finds that it is full of money, and she concludes that adding that with all the other boxes in the bunker, there must be millions of bills! Penny remarks, "How could this happen?" But of course she doesn't mean, how could she be duped into helping Trask with this scheme--she means, how could she lose her taste for raspberry soda! *sighs* Seriously. To quote Marvin, "DIE...PENNY! DIE!"
So they're stuck. But maybe not! Wooton exclaims, "This is a job for Captain Absolutely!" But Connie quickly shoots back, "No it's not." Man! I totally believed him. I thought maybe the counterfeiters were going to come in and maybe he'd do some kung fu and make it out and tell the police and apprehend them all. But, then again, that'd be totally unrealistic and...unrealistic, so I'm glad it didn't happen that way. Instead, Skint barges in with some goons and they begin taking out the boxes. Dr. Trask then comes in and, after Wooton and he have a nice little exchange about the wonderful Montague Point, Penny starts into him. First she asks how he could do all this with all of his classes and talks about the beauty of God; they were just lies! But he says that everything he taught he believes is true. (That's awfully comforting.) So she digs further, making her first very good point of the season, saying that he didn't live it; none of that talk is any good if he doesn't live it. Dr. Trask commends her for making that point, and says he'll consider it...while he's living off of his millions of dollars. Finally we see the bad side of the professor. That seemed so out of character, but I guess the real time he was out of character were any of the times he was acting innocent. Then Penny takes the opportunity to make a very thoughtful observation: "You are not a very good person at all!" "Oh, good, bad," says Dr. Trask, "they're all a state of mind." Yeah, sure. Depravity of man--right there. Even the worst of criminals can't admit that they're bad. Anyway, the episode ends with Dr. Trask letting them know that they aren't getting away; they're getting moved with the money--and they're not using the roads! *Dun-dun-dun*
Okay, that's it! Well, not exactly. Chris said some interesting things during the ending segment about how we receive "salvation." (I put it in quotations because I don't believe doing what she said gets us true salvation.) I won't bore you with all that I think about what she said, because I'd probably spark a theological debate, which I don't want to do, so I'll just say I don't agree with her, and that's that. (Though you're perfectly welcome to ask me about it; I just don't feel like writing anything else now.)
Thank you for reading the review! I know it must take a long time, so I appreciate those of you who do. Please comment!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
A Penny Saved
I've picked up around different Odyssey sites that a new title has been released for Album 54: Clanging Cymbals and the Meaning of God's Love. The episode, which I think is going to be three parts, is called A Penny Saved.
It will deal with the Wooton-Penny-Connie storyline started in Album 53. People speculate that it will probably feature the clearing-up of Penny's bad New-Age Pan-En-Theistic theology. Who knows? Maybe she'll become a Christian. But I really don't think, even if she does, that I want her to remain a regular on the show. That is, unless she becomes way less annoying. She and Wooton, however similar they may be, don't fit together, and she's doing bad things to Wooton's character rather than improving him like a spouse is supposed to.
Anyway. That's all I have for now. I still haven't gotten to that review yet. I'm sorry. I'll do my best to get it out tomorrow. But I'm nearing the end of the schoolyear, and I have a lot of work to do.
It will deal with the Wooton-Penny-Connie storyline started in Album 53. People speculate that it will probably feature the clearing-up of Penny's bad New-Age Pan-En-Theistic theology. Who knows? Maybe she'll become a Christian. But I really don't think, even if she does, that I want her to remain a regular on the show. That is, unless she becomes way less annoying. She and Wooton, however similar they may be, don't fit together, and she's doing bad things to Wooton's character rather than improving him like a spouse is supposed to.
Anyway. That's all I have for now. I still haven't gotten to that review yet. I'm sorry. I'll do my best to get it out tomorrow. But I'm nearing the end of the schoolyear, and I have a lot of work to do.
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