by Nathan Hoobler

Back to Jaw About Odyssey

Okay, I know that this probably won't happen, but I think it would be really great if FOTF put out a "special edition" release of Family Portraits.  We AIO fans would really like to get our hands on a legal copy of this treasured set.

For one reason or another, some AIO episodes have not made it into the AIO albums.   It would be an excellent move for AIO marketing if a "lost episodes" collection would be released.  There are enough episodes to make a whole album even without the Officer Harley episodes.  Here are my suggestions for a lost episodes album:
22: A Simple Addition
27: A Change of Hart
30: Honor Thy Parents
44: It Sure Seems Like It To Me
85: You Go to School Where?
90: But, You Promised
128: One Bad Apple
132: Thanksgiving at Home
134: Pamela Has a Problem
138: The Adventure of the Adventure
161: Isaac the True Friend
167: Dobson Comes to Town

Going along with the trend to make classic albums of groups of AIO episodes, why not make a collection of the best AIO Christmas stories?  (We could even incorporate a couple episodes that aren't in other albums.) Here are my suggestions:
5: Gifts for Madge and Guy
54: Peace on Earth
98: The Visitors
214: The Living Nativity
215: Caroling, Caroling
253: A Time for Christmas
294: Unto Us a Child Is Born
370: Christmas Around the World, Part 1
371: Christmas Around the World, Part 2
385: It's a Pokenberry Christmas, Part 1
386: It's a Pokenberry Christmas, Part 2
434: BTV: Redeeming the Season

This would probably be my biggest dream product on this list.  Imagine it...The Complete Guide on CD-ROM.  It would, of course, include all the episodes up to the current time with even more episode notes and "behind the scenes" peeks.   It could include videos on the making of an AIO episode and video.  We could have interactive activities about putting together a video sequence, clips from the best episodes, interviews with the cast and crew, a searchable index...oh, it would be great.   Hey, we could even have downloadable updates every six months to keep current.   Now that would be one awesome program!

I could listen to AIO just for the music.  In fact, I'd like to listen to just the music sometimes.  Why don't they put together a CD/tape containing about an hour of John Campbell's best music for AIO?  We could include some scenes from the Underground Railroad, that scene with Connie and Scrubb in "Gone", the "I left Katrina in my laptop" from "It Ended with a Handshake", and more.   The CD could begin with all four versions of the opening theme to AIO.  Hey, now that would be a fun one to listen to while working on homework!

While I had some reservations about the first AIO computer game, I really would like to see another one.  I've seen descriptions of the game that say that you can in the Imagination Station.  Now that would be fun.  And this time, with the game, include an updated video with the AIO team.

This has been the dream of many a fan for many a year.  Albums 1 to 15 have always been available only on tape.  And cassette tapes wear out, break, don't sound as good, etc., etc., etc.  Compact discs simply last longer.  Before they start taking these albums off the market, let's hope they release them on CD.

I like to have a few AIO games that actually feature prominent characters and storylines from the audio series.  I've played the Imagination Station board game and it's a step in the right direction, but it still only has very limited material from the audio series.  Let's see more of that in future games.

While this isn't exactly a product, it is a "want" of mine.  I would really like to see an "official" AIO site that has something other than a brief on today's episode and a short message saying that Whit's End isn't really open yet.   Have you seen the official VeggieTales site or even the official Children's Bible Hour website?  I'd like to hear more of the "official story" from AIO on the web.

Again, this isn't really a product, but actually a product modification.  All my AIO albums up to album 29 include colorful tapes with small illustrations from the series.   However, albums 30 to 32 have very bland, boring cassettes that only feature the name of the episode with no little illustration.  I believe in saving money, but this is a kid's radio show for goodness sake!