2001-2002 Review Summaries

Welcome to the 2001 Review Section. This is your chance to review the latest episode and interact with fans about the newest developments.

A note of about the ratings... All ratings are out of four unless otherwise noted.

Consensus: Thumbs Up! (23/23 positive reviews)

Fans are giving the season opener a resounding thumbs up. Kudos are given to Jason Whittaker and the fun of finally seeing Jason as a missionary. Many thought the dipiction of a cult in a foreign land rang true and were eager for Part 2.

The only complaints have been that the Jason "commercial" interrupted the show and the use of a word or two of Spanish every now and then.

Review by Jacob Isom
Rating: (out of five)

...Here we meet Jason, a great character on the show, yet we haven't really seen much of the fellow until he stars once again in a two-parter. In a way, well... Jason seemed different. His voice wasn't different, but he was. The general way he acted was definitely to be expected, but it just didn't fit. You would expect him to pull a stunt like this as he does in the show, but not in this case. Maybe I'm just not used to hearing Jason anymore. Afterall, AIO went on a one (almost 2) year hiatus from any interaction on the show between Jason, Jack, and Joanne....

...Now to the behind-the-scenes stuff. In my opinion, I think that the sound and production of part one was very superb, but in some scenes I think that they overdid the happy, jubilant feeling. Good grief, it's heading towards a intense scene and they return from the commercial break with happy music....

...During the commercial break I wasn't as pleased. Yeah, I have always enjoyed "The Odyssey Scrapbook," but not now. We all know how Jason became a missionary, and we all just want to get on with the episode. In my opinion, this segment (which took about three minutes) wasn't worth it. They played such a long clip when they could have written in more lines for the characters. I'd have preferred to hear the episode, not one I have heard before. As Bernard Walton says, "I'd rather have my fingernails removed with a pair of rusty pliers."

The production quality was wonderful in part one of "Shining Armour," and the acting was excellent, although the voice for Luis could have been better.

Read the full review at the Odyssey Scoop

Review by DrBlackgaard
Rating: (out of five)

The long awaited season premiere is finally here, and was it ever worth waiting for!!! Shinning Armor was every bit as exciting as I could have ever imagined! I've been waiting forever to see what Jason actually does on the mission field... At first the idea of Jason being a missionary seemed almost out of character... but in this episode AIO sure proved me wrong!

Read the full review at Blackgaard's Castle

Review by Dave
Rating:

After 6 Months Vacation Jason Comes Back to the Mission Field to find that things have changed for the worst.

It's about time "AIO" Dealt with False Teachings about anti-Gods. I Can't Wait for the next part! I Sure hope that kid is okay. But I'm not sure What the start of a Cilvil War is really in the story-line. I Suppose That's What it's Like it Foreign Countries. Thumbs Up to Marshal Younger.

Review by Drew H, age 19
Rating:

Excellent! This season opener really puts an emphasis on the subject of cults using scripture as a resource to strengthen their distorted believes. Jason having the guts to fight them off not only through the protection of Christ, but also from his experiences in the past shows us all that we can expect some great stories to come with Jason in the heart and heat of it all!

Review by Dave (Town Hall)

Yep, I like it. I am taking Spanish, so this should be fun. Also, I like the stress on the gospel. I hope Jason will rely on God to help him teach the Truth and combat lies. .

Review by James, age 24
Rating:

Awesome! Rash Jason jumping in again—that's what I love about our Jason. Good to see him on missions, getting to heart of matter. Yeah, the commercial was badly placed and too long...oh well. But great premire! It left off in good place. Jason's sarcasm to pleading was great, great acting. I liked the Spanish stuff. Good season premiere. I'm ready for part 2! I thought of Novacom, too, by the way.

Review by Andy G. Harvey, age 14
Rating:

Pretty cool!

Review by C W Frito (Town Hall)
Rating:

Whoa, the AIO Fall Season 2001 is off to a great start. Probably the thing that got most longtime AIO fans the most annoyed was the little "commercial" for Jason. First time fans, though, may have found this helpful.

As you know this episode is called "Shining Armor", a two parter. This episode was originally called "Jason Overseas", which is a bit bland if you ask me.

Most AIO episodes in other countries are about money or artifacts. This one though, seems to be about not twisting the Gospel, or that you should not be your own god.

All in all, this is a great episode, and I can't wait 'till the second part. It was very "cold", er, um, cool. Yes cool. I give this episode 3 1/2 stars.

Review by Jared Walczak, age 15
Rating:

Finally. The long awaited season premiere. The world waited impatiently for this day. Or, at least, a group of half-crazy fans waited impatiently for this day. And it's here!

Shining Armor, Part One, was a great episode. Jason's verbal banter was terrific. This episode was full of laughs, from the cotton candy scene to Jason muttering that he kept his keys in his nightstand. One thing is sure: this episode is very cold, and it makes the In Your Wildest Dreams episodes eat its dirt. (Confused? Didn't you listen yet!? What are you doing reading this? Go listen!)

Thankfully, the type of episodes we heard in album 34 will be the farthest thing from your mind as you listen to this episode. And while it was full of funny lines, they did not at all take away from the seriousness of what the show was about. The scene where Jason confronted the new-age cult leader was a perfectly done scene, in my opinion. Jason starts his confrontation as typical Jason. Jason vs. the world. An "I can take anyone on" sarcastic attitude. But as the scene progressed, his sarcasm faded and we heard his impassioned plea with the people. The stony silence and the cultists cutting words made a fitting end to this suddenly somber scene.

And while the concept of a radio station interfering with another wasn't exactly original (Hint: Novacom; good hint, wasn't it?), I enjoyed the way Jason attempted to deal with it. Once again, typical Jason. The conclusion of this episode was perfect in that it really wasn't a conclusion at all. It stopped right when fans wanted it to keep going; I'm confident that people will not want to miss part two, as it promises to be even better.

The only things that distracted from this episode have already been mentioned. The Jason flashback in the middle was annoying and potentially confusing. Some might think the show is over, and it limited the episode length. If they do this in the future, I hope the flashbacks will be shorter and at the end of the episode.

The other problem is the occasional throwback into Spanish by the characters. As JoyElectric commented, this is probably to keep the listeners reminded of the location. However, it is an unlikely occurrence. A person who has Spanish as a first language would have difficulty with large, uncommon English words, NOT the common ones. They wouldn't say gracias or si very much: thank you and yes are easy to remember. A person would be most likely fall back into Spanish when they are confused about a difficult word.

However, that detracts only a little from the episode. Overall, a terrific start to the new season. I can't wait for part two!

Review by Matt Slaven, age 17
Rating:

Wow, this was very good. Usually the episodes of foreign land deal with artifacts and money. Though this does still deal with money, the show delved into a much bigger problem. It spoke of all 100% of the population who try to be their own God's and serve themselves and very accurately portrayed a pseudo-christian cult in its social aspect. Very intense.

Review by Harrison, age 14
Rating:

WOW! Odyssey is off to a GREAT start! The story intrigued me from the start. Production and voices were excellent... I was devastated when the stopped the story!! Can't wait to hear part two!

Review by Corey Willis, age 15
Rating:

This episode was very good. Besides being really short.

Review by Kevin Little, age 16
Rating:

Pretty good opener! I wish it would have had a little more action and stuff to get us to want to come back... I guess it was good that they told how Jason became a missionary though.

Review by Dawey, age 12
Rating:

Awesome first part. I'll save further comments for the second part.

Review by Peter, age 11
Rating:

It was good...I wonder what's gonna happen. The voice of the pastor at the church sounds like Glossman.

Review by Byron, age 14
Rating:

What a great way to start off the season, and see Jason in action as a missionary!! We will really get to see what type of missionary Jason is. I like the fact the it takes place in a Latin American Country! Some really great acting by Townsend Coleman, and the spanish-speaking actors. The story is well written, and great example of some of the different types of problems missionaries have to face. It's going to be really exiting to see what happens to Luis, Jason, and the Church.

Review by Errol
Rating:

AIO's 2001-2002 season starting off with a big bang. Jason returns to his mission ground to find out his church has integrated Christianity with a type of new age. Not only that, but he doesn't seem to be a very popular, or wanted guy as far as his former congregation is concerned, thanks to their new "leader." Good cliffhanger at the end. Looking forward to next week. Townsend Coleman as always great in the role of Jason.

Review by Ben, age 13
Rating:

It was pretty good! Keep this up all season and it'll be the best!

Review by Josh
Rating:

Odyssey is back! This was an awesome season premiere! Probably AIO's best season opener ever! But what was with that announcement Chris made about Jason getting a message from Malachi in the middle of the broadcast? It kind of slowed things down. Hopefully, that won't happen again. But overall, a great episode.

Review by Bradford, age 11
Rating:

Even though it's the first we hear with Jason on one of his missionary trips it was the best one.

Review by Joey Carr, age 11
Rating:

It was great! Recommended to Odyssey Fans!

Review by Paul Brown
Rating:

The first new show is finally here! It's good to hear a new Jason episode. I look forward to Part 2. Jason has a new friend named Louis who really looks up to him. This show has a ciffhanger. Tune in to see what happen to louis after his radio broadcast!

Review by JoyElectric
Rating:

Hmm...Interesting!! Beyond the fact that I like Jason (and the actor does a great job with him), this was a good show, and great way to start out a new season!! I know it's been said before, but this doesn't sound like a show going on nearly 15 years! Anyway, I liked the discernment angle on the whole thing, and a cult coming to "undo" everything Jason had worked on before. If anything has to be frustrating in Overseas mission work, that'd be it. (Incidentally, the radio station thing is VERY close to what happened to a station I briefly worked at in Central America!)

My only minor gripe is the constant use of "Spanglish" (adding a word of Spanish in now and then) by the people which seemed to only remind listeners that they were in another country. But overall, a GREAT show to start what is sound like it'll be a great season!!

Consensus: Thumbs Up (11/14 positive reviews)

Reviews of Shining Armor, Part 2, are largely positive, though not quite as overwhelmingly glowing as those of Part 1. On the positive side, many fans liked the explosions and action of Part 2 and thought the lesson was taught well. They also gave points to the prodution side of things.

On the negative side, fans liked the "commercial" even less this week than last week, calling it a waste of episode time. Some fans also thought that the mistake Jason made was too big, though others thought it was perfectly in character for him. Finally, some fans wondered why Manuel came down so hard on Jason after he was only trying to save his son.

Review by JoyElectric
Rating:

***SPOLIER ALERT***

I'm usually not this critical, so forgive me. I ALWAYS feel bad giving mixed reviews when the writer usually does knock-out episodes. Anyway...I was kind of "let down" by the second half to this episode. Hasn't Jason learned anything in 6 years since being thrown in jail and 2 or so years doing missions? For a man who is supposed to be an adult (as opposed to Connie and Eugene's quasi-adult status) I think the missions board would be have to be scratching their heads now and wonder what to do with him instead of sending him off to Costa Rica after his problems. I also think that Miguel was way too upset at him for influencing his child's mind. After all, Jason was, at the moment, trying to get some Spanish programs to teach people the Biblical truth when it happened...and then he went off to the station when he heard Luis on the radio. And then he's blamed for not being at the church when it blew up. Something just doesn't add up to me, I'm sorry. And Chris' interruption seemed a little less needed this time, since none of the comments added to the story like last time.

However, what I DID like was the ending. Even if I didn't care for how it got there Victor's reasoning for the pain his' followers was disturbing, but powerful. It's not far off from what many "Prosperity Gospel" teachers and some TV Evangelists teach. Also, the episode didn't end up with a story where everything wrapped up in a half-hour, and not everyone is happy ever after. I like that :)

Anyway, a review is just one guy's 2 cents. That's all I got and I might be wrong, so feel free to disagree :)

Review by Jacob Isom
Rating: (out of five)

...All I can say is "Ouch!"...When I say "Ouch!" I really do mean ouch! Not only were there a few explosions that take place (good job Odyssey), but one of the main characters (Luis) gets hurt! That doesn't happen too often on Adventures in Odyssey anymore (anytime for that matter!). Although this main character stars only once on AIO, I have to admit he did have a good voice. His accent was a bit too "English" but he was all right. Maybe we should reincarnate the actor who plays Luis and bring him back on the show as an Odyssey kid one day. I dunno. Luis seemed kind of bratty.

...Tsk...Tsk...Tsk...They (sadly) wasted three to four precious minutes on ANOTHER of those stupid "Odyssey Scrapbook" thingies. I was thinking, when is this ever going to end? AIO wasted so much stinking time telling us more information that we already knew! Just like the Odyssey Scrapbook on part one! We already knew that! Yeah, some probably didn't, but why not let them hear that later on their own time? To me, new episodes airing on the radio are a precious 20 minutes that can't be wasted! They already have to stop for commercial break! No one cares for another!

The acting was good...as usually is. What I really liked about this episode is the fact that AIO is bringing up Jason's "I need to save the day without God handling it" attitude. We have seen this appear countless times (well...maybe not that many...Maybe only a few) on Adventures in Odyssey....AIO portrayed this fault in Jason once more. It's nice to have you back, Jason!

...The effects were great (explosive) and the sound quality is getting better. How should I express how I was feeling about the music last year? Um... let's just say that I thought the music was trying to be TOO colossal. The episodes of the past did just fine (if not better) with simple music that you recognize being repeated on the show every now and then. The AIO music of today is well... TOO COLOSSAL. Anyway, you get the idea...

...All in all, parts one and two of "Shining Armor" are very impressive and I really am happy about the way things are getting back to on Adventures in Odyssey during the past two seasons...

Read the full review at the Odyssey Scoop

Review by Jared
Rating:

Review by Danica, age 12
Rating:

I liked it but i didn't like it when everyone got mad at Jason.

Review by Kerry, age 28
Rating:

Excellent finisher! Nicely done. Great end seeing how the crooked "teacher" of the cult ended up breaking up his group by his own lack of concern.

Review by DrBlackgaard, age 15
Rating:

Great episode, WONDERFUL plot line, good lesson... All in all great episode. Jason is definetly back to his old self, I like the way he's growing spirtitually, instead of seeming to be non-changing.

Review by James M, age 24
Rating:

Great! Just when we thought Jason had learned from Darkness Before Dawn, he does the same things again. It was great to see him learn how cocky he was and that revenge is not the best thing and to be willing to step aside when he felt he was hurting. I wanted to see Victor get beat but he seemed to get away with money and being bad. That's how life is. That's what happens sometimes. Jason is great. And the ep was great. Are they gonna have flashback commercials every ep? Please no! Is this like split eps? O boy, I hope not!

Review by Errol
Rating:

"Shining Armor" is a challange to all believers. We must be aware of the influence we have on others. In every circumstance, do we show Christ, no matter how hard things are in the heat of the moment? In Jason's case, his eye for an eye stance almost costs the life of little Luis. Jason is chastised by Manuel for his "Let's get them" attitude. He tells Jason that he has changed. "We loved you because you told us about JESUS!" Jason is told he had better leave. In the finale, Jason reads a letter from Manuel. While more adversity and destruction has come to the village, Victor has lost his "flock," skipped town with the loot, and restoration is coming to the village. As Paul wrote: "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal." We must remember, the battle is the Lord's, not ours. Trust him. The episode has a segment with Chris containing snippits of older shows dealing with being a missionary, and walking the walk, ala Connie and Cheryl in "Go Ye Therefore." This type of segment has angered some longtime AIO fans. But it can be used to introduce newer fans to older characters, and be a teaching tool. Just as long as it doesn't run too long, it won't annoy me in the least. Great season opener!!

Review by Josh
Rating:

Very good. But it had the same problem as the last one. The "commercial". I hope these commercials don't become a show regular. The latest one was much longer... and much more boring.

Review by Bradford, age 11
Rating:

I liked how in this episode it was like danger was around enery corner.

Review by Ben, age 3
Rating:

I thought it was an extremely good episode. It had an important lesson to tell and it was good the writers didn`t put lots of action because it would've taken the heart of the matter. I give it two thumb up!

Review by Joshua E. Rogers, age 20
Rating:

I enjoyed both part 1 and part 2. I think that the flashbacks are good for new listeners who might want some understanding about the history of the episode. I agree that they slowed them down, but we need to remember that not everyone knows AIO as well as we do. I believe that thats what the producers were aiming at.

Also, with the "Spanglish"...I think that it's a common radio, even TV techinque. It needs to be done. We couldn't have the charicters speaking all spanish.... is a small reminder that these people are not native english speakers.

As to the plot itself... Jason adventures are my favorite, I think probably becase I relate alot to him. I can tend to be a bit adventurous, and irrational sometimes... woohoo.

I'm waiting for the Novacom stories...we need to continue with the arch. WHO IS MR. X???!!

Review by TB, age 13
Rating:

It rocks!

Review by Dave
Rating:

When I heard this episode, I was not happy. I thought that it would be just as good as part one—wrong! When hearing it, it made me think that I didn't really like the first part.

This season doesn't look too promising. A bad start and a Bible one on the way. Though I can't wait for "Relatively Annoying."

Consensus: Moderate Thumbs Up (9/14 positive reviews)

Relatively Annoying has gotten a hesitant thumbs up from some fans, but a quick thumbs down from others. While some are saying that it's "better than Shining Armor," others think it's good, but doesn't quite measure up. Fans liked that there was no commercial, but didn't like that there were clips in the intro song that were not actually in the show. Some fans thought that the grandparents were too annoying.

Review by DrBlackgaard
Rating: (out of five)

I just heard Relatively Annoying for the 4th time since Friday (Yes, I cheated, and heard it online early... sorry!) Every time I hear it it seems a little better... I m not sure whether that's because it really is a good episode or whether it's because the more I hear it the more insane I get, so I get used to it! Either way, I think it's a pretty good episode, much better than I expected it to be. It's the kind of episode I like... Mixes allot of humor, with just the right amount of sadness. I hope Marshal Younger wrote more of the episodes this season! I also liked the way the music went along with the episode giving the whole episode an old time sound... Keep it up AIO!

Read the full review at Blackgaard's Castle

Review by TB, age 14
Rating:

It's relatively boring!

Review by MermaidEve, age 13
Rating:

Well, the title sums it up pretty well. There's some annoying dialoge and Alex's grandparents are really boring. Not to mention Alex kind of gets on my nerves. All it all, it's not a bad episode, but there have been much better.

Review by James M, age 24
Rating:

Mixed. I am gonna give postive review. Not too great. Humorous at times. Pretty good job.

Review by JoyElectric
Rating:

Any show that mentions Alaska that much MUST be good!! :) Even if this was a little unorthodox in its way of telling a story, I liked it. They seem to be a composite of all of the weird traits of my relatives! :-)

Review by Gandalf, age 17
Rating:

Wonderful! This is the best "Comic" episode in a loooong time!!! I loved it. The humor was great, sound effects were good.

The only thing I don't understand is why AIO keeps putting lines in the intro that aren't in the episdode! I assume that this line will be put back for the album version but still.... They did this with BTV: Obedience as well.
Anyway, other than that this was the best episode of the season so far! (That's not too hard I guess...)

Review by Julie, age 14
Rating:

Cool! Really Funny!

Review by Michael P., age 18
Rating:

This episode was great.... superb even.... I think this season is going to be one of the greatest that AIO has had in a long time.... I mean.... look, we've had a great Jason show and a kid's show and next a Bible show which I know will be great! Yea for AIO....

Review by Bradford, age 11
Rating:

This is so far the funniest episode of the season. It's humor and drama all in one. Everybody has to hear this episode!

Review by AIOFan, age 14
Rating:

This show reminded me too much of 3-2-1 Penguines at first. After that, it was sort of unremarkable. There were some funny lines, but not particularly memorable. Obviously the real estate agent is working for Novacom.

Review by Errol
Rating:

"Slice Of life" entry where Alex Jefferson finds himself spending the week with his "bad" set of grandparents. Life with these two is like a bad "B" movie. They can pick up only one television channel, every meal is smothered with ketchup, Alex's only video game is confiscated, and Grandpa's answer to fixing anything, including bodily injury...is duct tape. Life couldn't be more eccentric. However, after the death of a close friend, Alex discovers that his Grandfather has a very sentimental side, including plans for a second honeymoon in Alaska. Lesson learned? People aren't always as they appear. Also, respect your elders. No, this ep certainly isn't " Shining Armor;" it's not supposed to be. Other than the "thread"storylines, many episodes can be an entity within themselves.

Review by Josh
Rating:

This is my favorite episode this season (so far at least). No annoying commercial. No complaints at all. Great job AIO!

Review by Paul Brown
Rating:

The new Alex show is funny. What more can you ask for than one horseshoe for a horseshoe game and ketchup made by Grandma's own feet?

Review by Jacob Isom
Rating: (out of five)

Um... well...I'd have to give this episode a good rating. I liked everything about it except for how Alex Jefferson is narrating again! Didn't Adventures in Odyssey learn anything from last season's episode, "Snow Day?" In case you don't already know, Alex Jefferson narrated in that episode, but as it turns out, fans didn't approve him. It made the show seem so unrealistic. Oh yeah, it was. At least in "Relatively Annoying" Alex didn't narrate quite as much and at least he's recording his memoirs instead of talking to no one in particular. That helped to improve the "realisticness" of the episode.

What gets me the most about this episode is how Grandpa found a toenail in his ketchup. How gross can you get? Stomping on tomatoes sounds pretty way-out, but finding a toenail? That would truly gross me out and I would never want to eat anything at my grandparents' house again! I really anjoyed how the grandparents had an arguing problem. It made the show downright hilarious and I appreciated every moment of the show. The mentions of death were great. It just shows that old people do think about those things (seeing as how they have many years below them).

About the sound effects and stuff... they were great. The music was perfect. It wasn't too colossal or anything...just right. The hill-billy approach was a perfect touch!

All in all, Relatively Annoying may possibly be one of my favorite episodes of the past two new seasons of AIO. If only Grandpa would have found a pair of toe socks in his ketchup! Now he wouldn't even know what toe socks are!

Read the full review at the Odyssey Scoop

Consensus: Moderate Thumbs Up (10/14 positive reviews)

Response to the latest O. T. Action News is mixed, though largely positive. Some enjoyed the show, but others didn't think it was very good. Praised were the fact that Whit and Connie are back, the less-known Bible story, and the handling of Sisera's death. Criticized were the sound effects during the climactic battle. (Some fans don't especially like the O. T. Action News format, either.)

Review by James Moore, age 24
Rating:

Pretty good. At times good. Alex was a little annoying. The funniest thing was trying to pronounce words. Good effort. I read Judges beforehand and so I give a positive rating.

Review by Alyssa, age 13
Rating:

Pretty good.

Review by Jared Walczak, age 15
Rating:

Good Housekeeping Throughout History? What's Mandy doing so far back in history? Come to think of it, why are they all so far back in history? Oh, that's right. It's an O.T. Action News.

While I would have preferred a lesser-known story (although from scanning other reviews, some had not known this story), it's nice to hear a story not in every "My Little Pop-Up Pictures Bible" or whatever they call them. Actually, come to think of it, pictures of this story's conclusion probably wouldn't been appropriate for that age group. Anyways.

Brink Chetley's lines weren't quite as interesting as they have been in previous episodes, but Alex, Nathaniel and Mandy did admirably. Some of the time.

Alex's humorous lines centered around qualifications (palms, but not the palms on her hands; court, but not like a basketball court..) and definitions (some say it looks like a giant cone with the top cut off), Connie Kendall's humor was a feminist rant, and Nathaniel's humor revolved around his frequent stumbling over the word Harosheth ha Gojim (Pronounced Hare-Oh-Sheth Ha Goy-Yim; Harosheth of the Gentiles. Harosheth means "Smithy of the Nation" - translated slightly differently in the episode; city located near the plain of Acre. As if you really cared. Long parenthetical statement. Getting longer.) and his generally frightened attitude. No surprising humor. A bit funny, but expected.

Production quality was a bit lower than expected. As mentioned before, the sound of rain wasn't that great. (Of course, there may not have even been a storm; but, as Whit said, that is a common guess.) The sounds were in some places overwhelming, causing one to have trouble hearing the words. Also, the scream emitted by Sisera was somewhat unrealistic.

The best scene was likely Sisera in Jael's tent. Overall, decently well told, good music, but sound effects seemed overdone. Quotes were too easily expected.

We didn't hear the details of Sisera's death, but I wouldn't expect to on a kid's program. Overall, good, but not great. A decent O.T. Action News, but not the best.

Review by Deborah Griffieth, age 25
Rating:

A nice return to O.T. Action News. Also a creative, tasteful and even slightly humerous look at Sisera's demise.

Review by Bradford, age 11
Rating:

This was a neat story I never heard that story in the Bible before. And waas the best O.T. Action News!!!

Review by KevinJ, age 16
Rating:

This is the kind of story that I like—a good Bible story and a little adventure. It was certainly as good as any other episode this season—without the disappointment of a 15 minute show trying to be made into a half-hour with background info about Jason. The season premire should have been one episode; two was one too many for just 40 minutes of show time. This one wasn't that bad. Good job!

Review by DrBlackgaard
Rating: (out of five)

For an O.T. Action News show, this show was good. I don't really like O.T. Action News shows as much as real life shows, since they're so hard to follow. But for being an O.T. Action show this show was good. I wish they had brought Eugene into the show as the "Expert" that gets questioned by the anchor, but I think Whit was the next best person for the job. The story was fairly easy to fallow, and the acting was ok... I'm looking forward to next week's show more.

Read the full review at Blackgaard's Castle

Review by BBBCo
Rating:

A very well done AIO broadcast of O.T. Action News. The story of Deborah was an excellent pick. The starting of the program with the "Good Homemakers" program was very funny, especially when she was talking about the tent pegs, because we all knew what was going to happen. I was a little disappointed to not hear Eugene as the resident expert. But Eugene has disappeared (along with his actor, apparently), so that is understandable. This episode had a very good story line. It was very humerous to hear Nathaniel try and pronounce the Canaanites "headquarters." It was a very good idea to refer the listeners to Judges to read with their parents about how Jael killed the general. Thanks for a great show!

Review by Harrison, age 14
Rating:

This was a boring episode. The previous episodes this season were MUCH more enjoyable. The other O.T. Action News I liked a lot more.

Review by Paul Brown
Rating:

O.T. Action News is back. Nathaneal, Mandy, and Alex, the news reporters, cover the battle of Kishon. Mandy does a story on good housekeeping through history. Well, she tries to. The key to good tent keeping is the tent pegs. Will there be more O.T. Action News shows this fall? We can only hope.

Review by Mike P, age 18
Rating:

This episode was not that great. When it tried to be funny, it failed, and I found Brink Chetley to be a little annoying this time around. Alex Jefferson was a little annoying, too.

I'm glad, though, that they used a unknown Bible story this time. I had never heard about it. The production values in this ep weren't as good as we'd heard before either...the rain was only a little static added in.

Not a great ep, but it was ok.

Review by Errol
Rating:

Another O.T. Action News ep re-telling the account of the 4th chapter of Judges. The account centers around Deborah, Balak, General Sisera, and Jael, who brings a whole new meaning to the old Folk Song "If I Had A Hammer," but back to business.

This story basically tells us that God will use those who simply put their faith and trust in him, the great and small. God used women greatly in this chapter—the Prophet Deborah, and Jael, who would conquer General Sisera. They handled Sisera's death the right way. In the final narration Mandy says that parents should be with younger children to discuss the method in which Sisera was killed.

Whit and Connie are back for the first time this season to do commentary. Good to have Connie back in her old vain yelling at the male news reporters because of comments they made concerning a women's place in war. The ep also stars Mandy and Alex. Season still coming across as a winner.

Review by MermaidEve, age 13
Rating:

It was great! I loved it! Paul McCusker does it again!

Review by Jacob Isom
Rating: (out of five)

O.T. Action News has always been a favorite of mine. I never have much minded the beginning when Whit would air a cheesy radio program called "Adventures in the Bible," but the episodes which star Brink Chetley have always been good. Maybe if they would start off each episode with something more interesting, "Good Housekeeping Throughout History" with Mandy Straussberg, for instance. Wait... they did that!

I believe the "Good Housekeeping" segment was a perfect fill-in for OT Action News: Battle at the Kishon. I highly enjoyed the way that Mandy Straussberg tied in somehow. I was totally unexpecting King Sisera to stumble in on Mandy's show. Speaking of Mandy. Yes, it was very nice to hear from one of my favorite new characters once again. I was beginning to think that Mandy was a goner...

This episode was stunningly longer than other new episodes (24 minutes, approximately). Everything was pretty well organized and I liked every minute of it. Except...

When Connie is ranting on her feminist argument, um... she really didn't sound like herself. Katie Leigh, the actor, has gone through a tiny little change in her voice, and it was very noticeable there. Sorry Connie, but you really didn't sound like yourself. Also I thought you were overacting. In my opinion, I don't think Connie would do something like that on OT Action News. Just look at all the OT shows before. You were wise. Connie... you seemed a bit edgy in this OT Action News. No offense.

All in all, great episode. Great sound effects too. I don't think they were overdone at all.

Read the full review at the Odyssey Scoop

Consensus: Enthusiastic Thumbs Up (26/27 positive reviews)

"Strange Boy in a Strange Land" is getting the best reviews of the season and its the first show in some time to get a universal thumbs up from fans with few quibbles. (So far only one somewhat negative review has come in.) Fans loved that Jared was back and were already making connections between Andromeda and Novacom and proposing theories. Some thought the show was sad, too. One so far has been that Sarah was grouchy in the show. Some enjoyed the "commercial" at the end, while others thought it was unnecessary.

Review by DrBlackgaard
Rating: (out of five)

This episode is great! I was so surprised and excited that Jared is coming back...of course, we don't know exactly how long he will stay, or how soon we will hear from him again, but at least he's back. I also wish that I knew how far away Sarah's uncle's house was from Odyssey - then we would know how far away Jared was living, and from that we could make a better speculation on when, and if Jared is going to return to Odyssey for good... Anyway, I really enjoyed this episode, though I think Jared should have acted a LITTLE more mature... He should have grown up at least a little while he was gone, and with his voice change... Well... It just seems like he should act a little older too...but not too old. Mandy and Sarah where a little annoying in this episode... But they're always that way, and it kept it true to life (Girls are annoying in real life also.) So overall... Great episode, And I'm glad Jared is back! :)

Read the full review at Blackgaard's Castle

Review by EuGenius III, age 16
Rating:

I thought it was a very excellent episode. If anyone was as astounded and excited about it as I was, email me! I'd love to discuss it.

Review by AIOGeek, age 13
Rating:

It was very good, one of the reasons I say this is because they brought back an old character...they don't normally do that. Keep up the good work!!!!

Review by Trina, age 12
Rating:

A wonderful episode! I think it's the first one that's on my favorites list that dosn't include Eugene and Katrina!

Review by Andy G Harvey

I liked it!

Review by ExecutorQ, age 16
Rating:

Pretty well done episode..it leaves me wondering if Jared is actually telling the truth this time... keep it up!

Review by Julie, age 14
Rating:

Awsome Ep!! Keep up the GOOD WORK!!

Review by Kristin, age 12
Rating:

I thought this episode was really good! I did get sorta confused during part of it. And I did find Jared's voice interesting.

Review by Alyson, age 12
Rating:

I thought it was great because you don't know why Jared moved? And if it is true or false.

Review by EuGenius III, age 16
Rating:

AIO is definitely reaching out to a more broad audience this season, by adding more intruige and suspense to the plot lines. In "A Strange Boy in A Strange Land," there were many surprises that made it an exciting episode, despite the drab atmosphere of the entire setting.

The main surprise is the reapperance of Jared DeWight. He still proves to be as "insane" as ever, but something rings true about his story this time, and it even catches Mr. Whittaker's attention in the end. The facts that rang true are the whole source of suspense in this episode. As a stand alone episode, it would have been cheesy because there really was not enough substance to the plot, but it appears that it can only get better from here as things progess.

A few observations for your observation

I have read the other reviews so far and I really don't have anything to say that hasn't been said already. On one hand, I feel sorry for Jared 1) because of what has happened to him (being "holed up" and unable to be around kids his age) and 2) because Sarah and Mandy don't believe him (at first) when he is telling them the truth. On the other hand, he brought their disbelief upon himself via his extensive paranoia and past speeches about his "theories." I really liked the episode and I hope to hear more from Jared. Keep up the good work and God bless!

Review by Errol
Rating:

While Mandy and Sara are out camping, who do you think they pull from a tree? Yep, the one, the only..Jared DeWhite. Heeeeee's Baaack, and just as cloak and dagger as ever.

Oh, the plot is getting thick as fog. How ironic and fitting for our beloved Jared. The boy who lived in a world of spies around every corner, hidden microphones and conspiracies is perhaps in the middle of Odyssey's biggest mystery...perhaps..Novacom? Stay tuned. The story was ended two minutes ahead of time so Chris could do a mini-bio on Jared DeWhite. I wasn't sure where this story was going in the first minutes, but I like where it left me hanging..right on the edge!!

Review by Micah, age 20
Rating:

As a whole it was a pretty good show, and it's nice to see a show that's part of a bigger and mysterious storyline. It wasn't very well set up, however. Jared just appearing out of nowhere and then running away... just didn't really make any sense. I know that this is just Jared, but really, it was a serious situation that he was treating with so much paranoia that it almost detracted from the overall plot. The conversations held between the two girls and Jared was rather unnatural, too. This episode was a below average Odyssey adventure, in my opinion. But, even below average Odysseys are still fun to listen to.

Review by ..., age 14
Rating:

WOW!! Totally awesome episode!!!! It was GREAT to hear from Jared again. It's so neat to think that Jared's crazy ideas MIGHT have been based on reality! This Andromeda thing absolutely HAS to be connected to Novacom... now we've got one more thing to add to the sinister plot! There are only two bad things I have to say about this episode: First, since Jared's voice changed, he doesn't sound so funny. I also didn't really like the 'commercial' at the end. Are the odyssey writers running out of things to say and have to fill up time? I would rather have had more dialouge with Mandy and Sarah. Anyways, just a thought. But overall, GREAT job!!!!!!!!!!

Review by Corey (Soda Fountain)
Rating:

Strange Boy was (for lack of more creative adjective) GREAT!!!

There was so many great things about it. First (and most great) is Jared. Can you hear that?? Thats the sound of millions of AIO fans worldwide rejoicing about the return of Jared(DeWhite, not Walczak). Another thing thats neat about Jared's return is that his voice has changed and they still brought him back. With the exception of Jack Davis, that has never happend. Yeah Jimmy Barcley stayed around, but they eventually made him leave.

Anyway back to STRANGE BOY, then of course Andromeda. Which we all know is connected to Novacom. Even if you say you wonder about it, admit it. What was the first thing that ran through your head when Jared told about Andromeda?? Novacom.

Also this episode was a bit sadder than most(a lot sadder compared to some). Jared being locked in a house that he has to cut a hole in the fence to go play. Losing all his friends. This strange man who keeps constant eye on him. AIO doesn't do stuff like this very often. Actually, they've never done anything like this before. Very dramatic if I may say so.

And then the ending. One thing the Novacom saga is going to be known for is its ominous endings that just nag at you with curiousity but aren't wrapped up til much later. I love and hate these endings. I love the suspense. I hate the torture of wondering.

All in all, a great episode that brought back a favorite old character in a interesting way and also gave more clues to the NovaSaga.

Review by KevinJ, age 16
Rating:

YES!!! GREAT EPISODE!! Finally we find out where Jared went—in probably the best possible way!! His dad was working for Amdromeda. Of course this has something to do with Novacom!! So cool!! I'm pretty sure they used the same actor even though his voice has changed which is awesome. I REALLY hope Jared will be able to help them defeat Novacom. Yeah, Sarah was an annoying brat, but that's just her character and at least her voice isn't as annoying as Heather's!! Sarah's pretty cool... I hope Whit finds something on Andromeda. GREAT EPISODE!!

Review by Bradford, age 11
Rating:

This was the best episode with Jared in it, I also hope we don't have to wait to long to hear him again.

Review by Josh, age 14
Rating:

Yes! Jared is back! And he's even got Novacom on his back! I must say, I did like the commercial this time around because my favorite character was in the spotlight. It was mean, though, how they made it sound like nobody had a nice thing to say about him after they had already said all the rotten things. What about the time in "Something Cliqued Between Us" when he finally admitted he was wrong? But anyway, this is the best episode of this season so far!

Review by Nathan, age 12
Rating:

I just listened to this show and I thought it was very strange. There was an interesting link to the episode "Chains" (the camera in the book). I also noticed that Andromeda is a star and a nova is a term for an exploding star. I believe that Andromeda and Novacom are connected. Maybe Novacom used to be Andromeda but changed the name when they found Jared's dad snooping around. It was also nice to hear from Jared again. I can't wait to hear more about this.

Review by MermaidEve, age 14
Rating:

THE BEST SHOW IN AN ENTIRE YEAR!!!! It was fabulous! They brought back Jared DeWhite! It was confusing, but absolutely thrilling to have Jared back!

Review by Tenjiee
Rating:

It's good, but really sad!

Review by Paul Brown
Rating:

We now know why jared moved away from Odyssey...Witness Protection Program. He also said something about a camera inside a book. That's just like what happen to Whit. This brings up a good point. Could jared be AREM? Somthing to think about. This new company Andromeda sounds like it could be another part of novacom story. Part 2 should be great. I hope Jared stays after this show...in Odyssey, that is.

Review by Meleah Rubino, age 14
Rating:

I thought that this episode was incredible! I can't believe Jared is back! I give this episode 4 stars!

Review by JoyElectric
Rating:

There was a Weird Al song that went "Everything You Know is Wrong." Well, I think that's a fair summary! In a few minutes of the show, Jared is back on AIO! He's still paranoid as can be, but this time it seems much more serious....and then there's something about Andromeda, which sounds a lot like another certain major corporation. Again, the show raises more questions than it answers, and we end with Whit on the phone with an unnamed person. The plot's already as thick as a good smootie as it is!!

Anyway, the show went off really well. My only (minor) gripe is that Sarah seemed REALLY grouchy the whole time. But, of course, it was REALLY neat to see Jared back, even if it was only for a cameo!

Review by Corey Willis (Soda Fountain)

This a awsome episode! What did you guys think of it?

Review by Phillip Glossman (Soda Fountain)

Great episode!

Review by James M
Rating:

WOW! Great ep! Awesome! Wonderful! Great to hear Jared again. His past has come back as Sarah won't belive his stories (funny stuff at end, at least they left "commercial" til after). We know Jared is telling truth. Did Andromeda plant the camera in Whit's office? Mr. X? Who is Whit talking to at end (police?)? Great ep! I'm looking at future titles (especially Plan B). This makes me excited. LOVED THIS EP!

PS fav line: Mr. Hoober is cute, but has a wierd haircut. What's that about Nathan? Hee hee!

Review by J
Rating:

Great Episode. Been waiting to hear something connected with the camera in the book thing and that whole story line.

Consensus: Modest Thumbs Up (10/15 positive reviews)

"Happy Smilers" gets the award for the most diverse reviews of the season. With some fans giving it a resounding thumbs up, some giving it a cautious approval, and others throughly trashing it. Those that liked it praised the development of the Aubrey character and the new character of Guy. Those who didn't like it thought it wasn't up to the usual AIO quality level and didn't like Aubrey's whining. The reviews in some cases were affected by fan's disappointment of the show following the highly-praised "Strange Boy in a Strange Land."

Review by James, age 24
Rating:

Great. Aubrey was ok. I thought it was cool. Sure, Happy Smilers were annoying. I knew Guy was gonna have heart attack. I loved how he questioned his faith. This is a stepping stone to Aubrey becoming Christian. And, hey, no Bethany. And I enjoyed it.

Review by DrBlackgaard
Rating: (out of five)

On the one hand this show was good, and on the other hand it was bad.... First it was good because it tought a simple lesson that hasn't been brought up very much on Odyssey before... But then it was bad because... well... Aubrey was the main character, and I don't really like her (No offence to Corey Willis, and all you other Aubrey fans) I hope there are no other Aubrey episodes in the near future (BTW, if you wonder who voted for "Aubrey episodes make me scream with anguish" when Jared reads off the contest results on OdysseyRadio then... Well... It was me.) Anyway the bright side of the episode is that it DID teach a good lesson, and parts of it was rather funny. Though the part about the guy jumping out of a giant cake, and then having a heart-attack was kinda lame... Overall it was a good episode, and it looks like Aubrey will become a Christian soon, which might make her a better character. But now I have to dread hearing "The Popsicle Kid"... Which doesn't sound too promising because it looks like the main character will be none other than Wooton Basset!

Read the full review at Blackgaard's Castle

Review by JoyElectric
Rating:

I must agree with John. I've meet people with plastic smiles on their faces all of the time. Unfortunately, a few of them cracked at some point, and turned out to be emotional wrecks. The point that Christianity (and true joy) isn't a smile is a good one, and this show did that in a good way. The "Happy" song -- which sounded a little like it was from Ren and Stimpy -- was as annoying as it was supposed to be, which made it all the better. The show was a good combination of silliness and seriousness, which worked. I really liked Guy and Aubrey's talk about always being happy or upset.

My only one question is why did Tom allow this group at the Timothy Center? I think he'd have second thoughts about having them back!

Review by John Morgan, age 35
Rating:

First, I liked the episode. I have read the other reviews and the same sentiment came up several times, “very unrealistic”. Well I can tell you, and maybe it’s because of my age, but I know of real groups of people that think like the “happy smilers”. There are even those in the church that believe that if you act happy, you are happy. Those who believe this way do not understand Paul means in Philippians 4:11-12.

Secondly, one reviewer wrote “They all acted like she (Aubrey) was the one who brought him (Guy) to Christ, when it was all Tom's doing.” Well first the Bible teaches that it is all the Holy Spirit's doing. Secondly the Bible does teach in John 4:37 “And herein is that saying true, one sows, and another reaps.” I believe Aubrey’s testimony about her parent’s happiness (joy) was what prompted Guy Shaeffer to think about his life and his own happiness. Aubrey sowed the seed and Tom reaped the harvest.

I think AIO did an excellent job of translating biblical principals into a very practical story. Oh, and a fun one, too.

Review by Mike, age 19
Rating:

I must say I was very impressed with the Happy Smilers. At the beginning, I wasn't very impressed. But when the character of Guy was introduced and we see the storyline between Guy and Aubrey, I began to get interested. It was very enjoyable to see the continuing storyline of Aubrey's spiritual journey. As an older listener, I can see where this episode might be seen as boring to younger listeners, but I was pleased with the storyline and the deeper message on joy and salvation.

Review by M Smith, age 15
Rating:

This is the first episode in a long time that had a large amount of meaningful dialog. For those of you who want to get on with the "action", the "action", Novacom, Andromada, and everything else has realitivly little importance next to the message in this episode.

The reason I give 3 stars is becuase I thought that the script need one more revision. There were some parts that shined...and then there were some parts that would have been really good if a little more work had been put into it.

I thought the "Happy Smilers" parts were over done. But in reallity, there are such "positive thinking groups" that use the same type of slogans and conventions.

One more thing... why does the music sound so canned and uninspired? John Cambell used to do such an awesome job, why the change?

Anyway, keep pushing the envolope Odyssey team (with out getting unrealisticaly wacky, anyway).

Review by Julie, age 14
Rating:

Kinda Boring. Positively annoying at times.

Review by Nick Grant, age 21
Rating:

Excellent, excellent episode. This show marks, in my mind, the final transition from the "slump" that AIO had been in for awhile. Although I am not a huge Aubrey fan, I really liked how her character was used in this episode. Likewise, I was ambivalent about the first half of the episode, parts of it were really grating. However the brilliant character design of Guy was so well done. He truly sounded like someone who thought he had it all together, thought he had figured it all out, and had everything he needed to be happy. Suddenly, he realized that despite his material success he truly wasn't happy and was missing something.

What I really liked about this episode is how the twist at the end really gave two important messages. Rather than just harp on the message that had already been delivered in "Count it All Joy" about the difference between happiness and joy, this episode also shows how we can unintentionally live lives of witness to others.
"Happy Smilers" was an episode in which it could be entertaining, yet truly deep at the same time. Truly one of the best written AIO episodes in the past five years. Finally maybe Aubrey has something she can be "joyful" about. We never know the impact we can be having on the lives of others.

Review by Sniper, age 13

It stunk. I think that was the worst I have ever listened to. Bring on the action. Who is this guy who Jared was talking about and what are they trying to do at Whit's End?

Review by MermaidEve, age 13
Rating:

Ugh, let's face it, this was terrible. A complete and total disappointment, espically after "Strange Boy in a Strange Land." Aubrey was as clueless and boring and lost as ever, her "I'm so depressed, my life's not worth living becuase I don't get to do everyting I want" routine is getting really old. Besides the fact she asked questions any normal person would, she had nothing to do with Guy becoming a Christian. They all acted like she was the one who brought him to Christ, when it was all Tom's doing. Not to mention that whole "happy song" was such a take-off of the Dummi Bears "sing a happy happy happy song" from "Rugrats." I was completely let down. Can we please get back to Andromeda?!

Review by Errol
Rating:

In "Happy Smilers," Aubrey and her dad attend a meeting of S.M.I.L.E. club. A club sooo positive and sooooo happy that they are sickening. Later Aubrey winds up saving the life of Guy Shaffer, S.M.I.L.E. club's founder when he has a mild heart attack. They strike up a friendship.

What I liked about this ep, was the fact that the writers point out that there's a big difference between happiness and joy. While we may not be happy with our circumstance, we have that joy through our relationship with Jesus. Good to hear from Tom Riley. The writers seem to be leading Aubrey, just like Connie, step by step to her destiny.

Review by Josh
Rating:

Well, this episode started out very dumb. I mean, "Happy Smilers"? What kind of morons would even want to be a part of a group like that?

Anyway, I'm the only one in my family that listens to AIO and they have come to think that it's a mature show from what I've told them about Novacom. But my brother was listening with me to this episode. I almost felt embarrassed to let my brother hear an episode that started out so dumb (He only stayed for the beginning. The rest was fine, but I'll get to that in a minute). Anyway, my brother finally said, "This episode is really dumb." All I could think to say was, "It really is".

On the better side, the last 10 minutes of the show were very good. But still, the whole idea for this show is very unrealistic. I'm glad were getting to know Aubrey better, but show's like that should be dramatic, not dumb and pointlessly-funny.

Review by Bradford Goodridge, age 11
Rating:

This was a sad and kinda funny episode, I really liked the "Happy Smiler" song. Goof Alert: In this episode Aubrey says she wanted to be a lifeguard but there was no pool at the Timothy Center. But in Episode "Opportunity Knocks" Tom says there is swimming at the Timoth Center. (Editor's Note: Good point, though I suppose it could have been swimming in a pond or river.)

Review by Chris Martin, age 15
Rating:

Good!

Review by EuGenius III, age 16
Rating:

This episode definitely had a certain fun entertainment value to it. However, the plot lacked the 'realism' that has made Odyssey so popular and exciting in the latest seasons. Listeners may find it to be quite an "off-the-wall" episode.

Something to Consider: When listening to "Happy Smilers," how many times does the name GUY SMILEY come to mind? Remember the comical muppet talk show host on Sesame Street? Mr. Guy and the Happy Smilers... hey, Mr. John Beebee probably had it in mind!

Consensus: Undecided (6/12 positive reviews)

Reaction is fairly mixed for The Popsicle Kid. Some enjoyed Wooton more this time than "Welcoming Wooton" and some still thought he was annoying. Others thought Bart (and maybe even Rodney) was a bit out of character. Most liked the new kids, though they thought that there shouldn't be so many introduced at once. Still others were just hoping to get back to the Novacom story.

Review by Corey Willis (Soda Fountain)
Rating: (out of five)

This was a horrible episode!

Review by John Morgan, age 35
Rating:

Okay, I will go out on a limb and say it...I love what Wooton brings to the show. This episode was light and funny—just a nice Christmas pick-me-up. Wooton seems to be a simple-minded character but I think he will turn out to be much deeper. I believe he will come in handy, due to his past (just speculation), in some of the more adventure packed episodes. One review questioned what Rodney is doing mixing with younger kids. Often bully types will have younger "friends," (and I use the term loosely) because they see them as easier to intimidate.

Review by Julie, age 14
Rating:

Ok Episode. I want to hear some more stuff about Novacom!!!!!!!!

Review by JoyElectric
Rating:

To paraphrase: "If they don't know a cool episode when they see one, that's their problem." What I like about AIO is that it is flexable to be funny, serious, both, neither, dramatic, a farce, and more from show to show. This certain episode, as some have called a sitcom, was pretty good. We learn more about Wooton and why he is a little different. We see Bart and Rodney being Bart and Rodney (nothing too earth-shattering here). And, we see a few new kids, which is probably needed since some of the other kids are starting to have their voices change. I liked the openness that the kids have in Wooton—it almost harkens to the very early days of Whit when he was the only one with sage advice. Overall, it's another good show to add to the Christmas Collection!

Review by Nick Grant, age 21
Rating:

A disappointment following "Happy Smilers." This episode just felt a little bit out of place. Whit was noticeably absent and Tom just didn't fit in very well in his place.

The story was okay, but a little trite. We have heard the old "Let's accept people despite their differences" line before and this episode felt somewhat stale. It is a storyline that has been done more effectively in previous episodes.

I agree that they are throwing too many new characters at us at once. These "new kids" seemed one-dimensional in this episode; let's hope that their characters get fleshed out more...if they stick around. Nice to see Bart and Rodney back to their old tricks. Rodney did seem a little out of place in this episode, maybe they should add a new "bad kid" to develop along with Colby, Austin, etc.

Mixed feelings about Wooton, but he played better here than in the past. His character seems slightly overdone. There are many serious and deep people in odyssey...Wooton sticks out at this point. His humor and different (but certainly Christian) outlook on life have some degree of potential.

"Popsicle Kid" was not a bad effort, but just falls short of the high standard that AIO has set for itself.

Review by Mike, age 21
Rating:

Okay, my opinion is that they need to dump Wooton as fast as they can. He clutteres up the shows and is extremely annoying. I thought they had a good idea with this story but overall the dialog was weak, the characters were strange to us (It seems all three of the new characters were just like "Oh hi! I'm a new character") and Wooton is sure wearing out his welcome. Overall, I think it's been the worst episode since "In Your Wildest Dreams."

Review by Bradford Goodridge, age 11
Rating:

This was an okay episode, but I think it would have been better if Whit was in it.

Review by AIOfanatic
Rating:

This show was ok, but I think it introduced too many new kids at once. Wooton's humor was well thought out and written, though! I can't wait until they finally reveal his past.

Review by Errol, age 44
Rating:

This ep centers on the people in Odyssey who would be considered..different. There's Colby who makes everything out of popsicle sticks, Austin who's afraid of what people may think because he bakes cookies, and Wooten...well..that goes without saying! The lesson learned from this ep is that God has blessed us with many different talents. He has used people in the past that might be considered "different" do to great things. We must stay true to God and ourselves, no matter what the "in" crowd might think. As Wooten says..."We are all originals." Bart and Rodney Rathbone were perfect in their bumbling villainy, and yes...fall flat on their faces. The story had some good lines. I don't think I want to try Wooten's Peppermint Lemonade, though. I enjoyed it.

Review by Paul Brown
Rating:

For a Wooton episode, this show was funny. Mabye there's hope for Wooton episodes afterall. Rodney and Bart are up to their old tricks in this episode. The cow and flamingo joke at the end was funny. Tune into listen..don't forget your popsicle stick!

Review by EuGenius III, age 16
Rating:

AIO has definitely changed. I think this episode really answered the unspoken question that loomed in my mind, which was... "What is this subliminal difference that seems to be imbalanced?"

The answer is: Odyssey has turned into a SITCOM! (situation comedy) Think about it! In a SITCOM, sometimes something intriguing will happen to the plot line, just to keep people tuning in later, but other than that, there's a lot of ridiculous humor that viewers become addicted to.

That's not necessarily a bad thing, but... I particularly enjoy the more intriguing aspects of the Odyssey sitcom plots. (Dr.Blackgaard, the National Security Agency, Novacom, AREM, Jason's adventures on the mission field, and now Andromeda)

I AM addicted to this sitcom style too, so dont feel alone. :-P

The fact of the matter is, Odyssey will always be the greatest and it will always have the mind of loyal listeners captive by the professional way they can so effectively feul the imagination. Ya Gotta love it.

Also: The new guy, Wooton, well.. I dont mind him at all. He's part of he whole sitcom feeling, and simply the way he talks keeps me smiling. :)

Even though I'm into the thrillers, "The Popsicle Kid" was a lot of fun. Thanks, Mr. Jorgensen.

Review by MermaidEvie, age 13
Rating:

Well, I have mixed feelings about this episode. I really like what Austin said about "If they don't know a cool car when they see one, that's their problem." But, Wooten kind of gets on my nerves. And what was with Bart? He's stubborn I'll admit, but he's never been that silly about proving such a dumb point! That just went a little too far. I liked how the whole idea of being different and proud of it was promoted though, since I'm very different and proud of it, but I don't know...Some things just seemed put of perspective, espically since Rodney is supposed to be in his twenties. It says so on the Focus on the Family website, and he's just as immature as ever! Besides, why would Austin be pressured to impress a twenty year old? And why was a twenty year old included in a "secret friend" gift exchange? I don't know, hopefully next week's episode will be better.

Review by Dave, age 15
Rating:

This is a great episode. In my humble opinion, the shows that show the NORMAL events are good. (Of course, epic shows are great, too.) We get a glimpse of Rodney again, as well as my favorite funny guy, Wooton Bassett, and a couple of new kids, Austin, Colby and...um...a girl I don't remember the name of. But the show was overall really good.

Continue to Winter 2002