...And So It Drags On (in a good kinda way)...

Okay, before I get to the review, Ahhhh! Look what the AIO Wiki posted today!!!



This is so cool! I wasn't expecting this at all! If you look closely at the checker/chess board, you can see that the pieces are Connie, Eugene, the Imagination Station, Whit's End, and Tom on Whit's side. And on Blackgaard's side we have a computer, a building that's probably Blackgaard's Castle, a man who could be Glossman, but he's fatter than I imagined him, and then a woman of whom we can see the top of her head. This is an overall amazing picture, and I couldn't have dreamed of anything better to have as the cover of this amazing set!

Alright, now to the review: Well, we're finally halfway through the season. And we heard the words "the Green Ring Conspiracy" for the first time, and we actually learn how it is that the carnival is most likely the cover for the counterfeiting scheme. Monty's explanation makes a lot of sense, but something tells me it was just given to make us suspect Uncle Archie and his carnival goons. But maybe something else is going on. Maybe Monty's in on it! And Mr. Skint is a good guy!! No, I'm just kidding, but I'm really not sure what to think about what Monty said.

I really like Uncle Archie's voice. But because of his tone, it's really hard to tell whether or not he's a good or bad guy. He seems to like Detective Polehaus, but it's not the same for Polehaus. I can't tell if Archie has a bad past with the detective, so that's why he doesn't like Wally, or if Wally has a bad past with him, and that's why he doesn't like Archie. Or maybe it's both, and they just have an all-around bad family. But we now know that Jay isn't the son of Archie, but he's the child of "Nick and Sylvia," not "Betty and Reggie." (It's a big family.)

This episode felt kind of short, because, like episode four, we didn't really get much new information out of it. A lot of the episode time was spent with the various characters' experiences at the carnival. Wooton and Penny make an odd pair, but their both odd, so I guess it's kind of even. I don't think they really have a future together, but maybe that's just because I think Penny's annoying, and she doesn't really bring out the best in him. I think even Victoria would have been better for him, especially considering the fact that I continue to doubt her "Christianity."

It sounds like a fun carnival though. However I've never actually been to a real carnival before, so it could be missing a lot. But all the rides and attractions mentioned sound fun. But it's freaky that practically all of the men and some of the women look like Mr. Skint, according to Archie. I'm not sure how much fun I could have with a bunch of people that look like that. If you've ever read A Carnival of Secrets in the second Odyssey novel compilation, Danger Signals, you know why I don't trust carvinals with a bunch of thugs for employees. They can't be good news.

Buck and Emily... That's just weird to me. I don't know what it is she sees in him. He is secretive, older than her, and he has an annoying Southern accent that sounds fake. I wish Matthew would act on the crush we all know he has on Emily (or vice versa) and get rid of Buck! Hopefully Emily won't end up helping Buck find the AppleBerry and giving it to him.

I'm glad suspicion was drawn out of Katrina after meeting with Mr. Skint and Buck. I wouldn't know what to think of her if she took that encounter at face value. Mr. Skint seems to want curiosity to be thrown his way. But I guess he has to go to drastic measures if he's going to get that AppleBerry back. I loved it when Monty didn't fall for the old "Watch out behind you!" trick, but then that was the trick! So yet again, there's a cliff-hanger involving Monty.

What will Mr. Skint do with Monty? What will Katrina and Eugene do when they get to the address that Buck gave her? What is Uncle Archie's connection to this conspiracy? Is Monty right about the carnival and auction being a cover for the counterfeit ring? What relationship will develop between Wooton and Penny? Will he and Connie be able to find her in the Hall of Mirrors? Will Matthew take Jay's advice and change Emily's mind about Buck? Will Buck find the AppleBerry before Matthew and Eugene figure out the password? What is Wally Haggler's secret past? What will Jay find out from his stakeout? Where is Agent Tanner hiding? Is Dirk Beggs's part in this mystery over, or will we hear from him again? And when will they ever tell us the answer to the mystery about a duck's quack?!

I guess we'll just have to keep listening. Thanks for reading my review! Please tell me what you think in the comments!

P.S. This picture was also posted on the AIO Wiki today. I think the pink works much better with the picture than the previously-speculated lavender did. Plus, it fits with the "love" theme.

...And So It Endures...

Wow! Episode five was packed full! I think it's my favorite episode so far! We didn't exactly learn all that much new stuff, but it was a great episode! Here's my review of this week's episode combined with last week's.

I love how Connie continues to have no idea what's going on. How surprised she must have been when Whit and a detective came in to her and Penny and interrogated Penny like she was a criminal. And then she asks Whit in the style that Tom continued to do in the Novacom saga when she's going to find out what's going on! I'm interested to see what part she'll play in the drama as it continues to unfold. Maybe she'll get kidnapped and Mitch will come to rescue her again! Maybe he's the Stilletto!

Andre Stojka is growing on me more and more as these episodes continue. He does a pretty good job in mystery mode, although I do have to admit, I still think Hal Smith and Paul Herlinger did better. He still seems like a Winnie-the-Pooh to me, and doesn't really get all that involved in the mystery. But the chemistry between him and Monty is pretty good. Their voices fit together, and it sounded good when Monty was giving Whit the scoop about everything that had happened up to this point. Monty doesn't sound exactly like I would have hoped, but he's okay. The guy who plays him played the bully in Another Man's Shoes years ago, so I have that guy's personality stuck in my head when I hear his voice, which isn't such a good thing. It gives more of a possibility for him to actually be a rogue agent. But I think that's been cleared up now, and now I suspect Agent Tanner.

I kind of suspected her from the beginning, since she suggested that Monty was a bad guy. Plus, her voice just screams that she's up to no good. Just as Detective Polehaus pointed out, she had no agents with her, and she traveled from Springfield in impossible time. I think her head really was turned when a lot of money was offered to her. She was the one who called Dirk Beggs and convinced him to change flight plans and go to Atlanta. I think that when Matthew and Eugene finally figure out the password to Dirk's phone, they're going to find Agent Tanner's phone number in there.

I liked the presence of kids in this episode. I think that's what's kept the last couple of episodes from being more exciting these last few weeks. I'm liking Jay more and more, since he continues to try to help catch the bad guys, and he trusts his uncle despite what the detective has said. I'm interested to see what he and Wally find out about Mr. Skint and Buck in the next episode that we might not already know. By the way, speaking of those two, this is what I think Buck and Mr. Skint look like as a result of their descriptions:



That picture of the man on the left (the villain from The Spiderwick Chronicles movie) was the first thing that came to my mind when I heard the description of Mr. Skint in episode four. And then hearing the description twice more at other times, combined with his southern accent, I think that face fits him almost perfectly. The one on the right is a picture of the boy who plays Buck. I think how he looks in the official podcast better fits Buck's voice, but this was the only picture I could find. Although his southern accent continues to sound fake to me, this is how I think he should look.

I think Audrey Wasalewski did a great job as Katrina in part four, and I look forward to hearing her response to Buck's suggestion that she meet Mr. Skint at the carnival. I hope she gets to play a major part in the rest of the season, because I want to hear her with Eugene more. They're husband and wife, and yet we hadn't heard mention of her in four seasons! So I want to hear more of them together. Maybe they can work together to catch the counterfeiters.

Moving on, I don't know what to think about Penny Wise and Dr. Trask. I was thinking that the fact that they were involved with the painting of the carnival poster would link them to the bad guys, but so far, it doesn't seem to. But the counterfeiters would need an artist to design the fake bills. Who else could it be but the suspicious "Christian" local artist teacher at the college? But as Chris always says, I guess I'll just have to keep listening to see what happens with them. :)

A bunch of questions were answered in these last couple episodes, but now a bunch more have been brought up: Are we going to hear anything more from Dirk Beggs? Will he try to do something to Monty to keep himself clear? What will Matthew and Eugene find on the cell phone if they figure out the password? Will Katrina's suspicion about Buck lead her on a search to the address Buck gave her? Will she be convinced about Mr. Skint if and when she meets him at the carnival? What significance do Uncle Archie and the carnival have in all this? What is the connection between Archie and Wally, and when will it come into play? Are Penny Wise and/or Benjamin Trask real Christians? Do they have any connection to the counterfeiting? What will Detective Polehaus think about the printing press at Haggler's Junkyard? Will Monty stay put at Whit's house? Or will he seek out Agent Tanner? Is she really on the bad side or are we just being made to think that? Is there maybe something that Detective Polehaus is hiding?

Boy, I don't know if I'm going to be able to wait seven more episodes until all these are answered! And then I hear that there are more questions after that anyway! Aaah! I can't wait for next week!

Thanks for reading my review! Please comment with any thoughts!

P.S. @ odysseyzone: If you haven't been there, there's an Odyssey website called The Odyssey Scoop, and each year the last two years, the webmaster there has had a contest called "Scoop Yourself" where fans send in pictures of their Odyssey collections. I got my title picture from that website, so no, unfortunately, it isn't my own handiwork. :) If you want to see some other ones, click here or here.

Interview with Monty

I listened to the fourth episode in The Green Ring Conspiracy this morning, and I've decided to merge my reviews of this episode and Part V. For one thing, I don't really have time to write a full review today. And for another thing, I don't have enough to say about the episode. So I'm going to try to review both Parts IV and V on Saturday.

In other news, the Official Podcast has come out with a new episode featuring an interview with Chad Reisser, the voice behind Monty Whittaker and 25 other characters in Odyssey's history since before it was even called Adventures in Odyssey, beginning with Mark Forbes in Dental Dilemma.

This was a very interesting podcast, and it was encouraging to learn things about Mr. Reisser like the fact that he is a Christian and leads worship with his wife at his church in California. Plus, there was a sneak-peek at this weekend's episode at the end of the podcast. It gives a hint at what I assume is Dr. Benjamin Trask's involvement in the counterfeit scheme. So if you have the time, go check it out!

I Finally Got It!!

Well, I didn't get it, but my little brother did, and he's sharing, so it counts. :D



Sorry I haven't written in a while. My family's been out of town for Spring Break, but I had written that April Fools Day post before we left, so I just saved it as a draft and then posted it from where we were. I'm going to try to get a review of The Green Ring Conspiracy Part IV out tomorrow, but I haven't even listened to it yet, and I've got a lot of things to do having been out of the house for a week.

I listened to the first CD in bed last night, and I've gained a new appreciation for The Mystery of the Clock Tower. I guess it wasn't that bad of an episode. I had only heard it once, so I was really surprised when what I thought wasn't that great of an episode won the Avery Award for Best Episode. But I think it deserved it for the most part. The music, for one, was phenominal, and it made it sound like an action/adventure/thriller movie. The mystery part was pretty well thought out, and aside from the mature story behind it that might give some kids bad ideas, it was an entertaining episode. The writers did a good job. And the actors did great jobs too. Will Ryan deserved Best Actor for his job as Eugene in that episode, and that Best Scene was actually the best scene of the season, in my opinion. If Heather Simpson, who played Alicia was up for Best Actress in that episode, I would have chosen her hands down. She did an amazing job and portrayed her character with all of her complicated emotions exquisitely. So after hearing it for a second time, I think The Myster of the Clock Tower Parts I and II really did earn its title as Best Episode of Album 52.

Again, I'll try to get a review out tomorrow, but I won't give any promises. I still haven't started school, so I know I won't have time today, but maybe tomorrow will be better.

P.S. There's proof for those of you who thought I was black. *cough-cough* Tim and Luke *cough-cough*

AHH! Big Updates!

I got an e-mail from Brock for the first time in a long time! He sent the descriptions for the episodes that we presently have the titles for. I couldn't believe it! This is so similar to what happened last year with Album 52! Here are the descriptions:

Unbecoming Jay: Jay Smouse is devastated with the news about his uncle's past involvement in illegal activities, and he's afraid that with the way his life is going, he might end up in prison too. So he asks the Square One Club to help him with his problems and try to make him a better person. But Whit tells Jay that there's only One Who can make him a better person. Only He can truly help Jay and stop the family line of bad behavior.

The Amazing Loser: Barrett Jones is frustrated. No matter how hard he tries, he is losing at everything--he can't get the notes right on his trombone, he's always the last one picked for football because of his lack of ability, and he keeps messing people's days up. Therefore, he's even losing Priscilla, who's turning her attention to the changed Jay. He goes to Mr. Whittaker for help, and ends up getting sent on a trip in the Transmuter.

Wooton Knows Best: In yet another episode containing the name of this fan favorite, Wooton is being pummeled with kids who want his advice. It all started when Whit wasn't available and Wooton was at the counter, but now the kids love his advice, and start coming to him all the time instead of Whit! However, the real adventure starts when Whit asks Wooton for advice about one of his new inventions....

Anger Mismanagement: Principal Vogler is noticing the overabundance of bad behavior at Odyssey Middle School. He recruits Matthew and Emily to try to find out the cause behind everyone's irritation and frustration. But what they find surprises all three of them, and soon they are affected. Only one person can come to the rescue...Eugene!

In other news, the release of the Blackgaard Chronicles has been moved up to July, and the cover is to be released very shortly. Also, there's rumor of a new two-part Blackgaard episode being added to the tenth CD because of a two-episode shortage. I'll be watching this one very closely.

Finally, you can head over to the Official Podcast to see a video of some of the recording of Album 54! AHHH! See the actors for kids like Barrett, Jay, and Priscilla as they act! AHHH! This is so cool! Make sure you check it out! Oh, but read my comments first!

Thanks for reading! Make sure you keep coming back for any new exciting news! Please comment!