Welcome to the 2001-2002 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 (16/19 positive reviews)

For the most part, fans enjoyed the first part of "Under the Influence," though not as intensely as the Plan B shows. Many thought this slower-paced show was a good break from the action-adventure of the last several episodes. Others don't like Aubrey and didn't really want to hear an episode about her.

Review by Nathan, age 12
Rating:

I believe that this episode should have had more of Whit in it. He only got about 9 lines! Also I am annoyed to see Aubrey back just when I was beginning to hope she had moved away or something. I like this Colburn guy. He doesn't beat around the bush like some other bad guys. I'm glad Whit didn't take the commercial spots because it might cause some people to think "Hey, if Whit is advertising on their channel, it must be good." Still I think this was a rather dull episode.

Review by JJP, age 16
Rating:

One word: YES! Great development of Aubrey. What's up with Novacom's programming? It was nice to see Whit debating the new VP and being somewhat sarcastic at the same time. Now the question remains: Is this episode going to culminate in Aubrey's salvation? Possibly, but I wouldn't bank all my hopes on it just yet. Still we're seeing some great development...and Erica was such a great character foil to add.....

Review by Eiram, age 14
Rating:

A great episode, but I'm scared for Aubrey's sake.

Review by Julie, age 14
Rating:

Pretty good show. Kinda a slow start, compared to where we left off. Connie makes me cry! nxt weeks show will be good!

Review by Michael, age 19
Rating:

I thought it was an excellent episode. I am glad to see more of a spiritual focus coming through in the story line. Aubrey is reminding me much of Eugene's spiritual journey during the darkness before the dawn series. I am also glad to at the least being temporarily returning to a slower pace after plan B. Looking forward to next week's show.

Review by Bradford Goodridge, age 11
Rating:

This episode was neat! My biggest quetion is if we can trust Erika's Dad at Novacom?

Review by AIOfan, age 13
Rating:

From what I can see, Aubrey's getting herself into witchcraft...I can't believe that her Dad was that...thick...I always saw him as smarter than that. Also, I never pictured Aubrey as someone that would hang out with someone with red/white/blue hair...at least I'm assuming that's what color it was since Aubrey said it was patriotic.

Review by Michael P., age 18
Rating:

This was an excellent episode. It kinda reminds me of "Castles & Cauldrons," but not being quite as intense. I really like this episode, I like the improved spirituality of this ep. I don't want Focus on The Family to lose its focus. Good job AIO!!! I can't wait until next week.

Review by Paige, age 12
Rating:

Awesome! Just pure awesome!

Review by Corey Willis, age 15
Rating:

Very good episode! It was a nice break from all the action in Plan B. It also has my favorite character Aubrey!

Review by Jodi, age 25
Rating:

I thought this episode was pretty good. Not awesome, but good. It sounded like a more traditional episode, but at the same time did a good job of keeping the continuity of the Andromeda/Novacom story up, with Connie talking about Mitch, and Aubrey replacing Eugene. No complaints. And I liked the scene with Connie talking about her anger at God and her belief in a bigger plan. This is what I've missed from the previous Novacom shows, even though they have been really exciting.

Review by James M, age 24
Rating:

Good. Cool. Loved it. Aubrey's soul searching. I never expected her to work at Whit's End (listening to next week's makes it sound like short term). Erica is bad news and we will see how she influences her. Hopefully Connie can help. And Whit and Colburn...we will see how Novacom works out. Where is Colborn in this whole mess? I doubt the Chairman, but what influence does he have? We will see on both counts as time goes on anyway. Great ep!

Review by JoyElectric
Rating:

It was certainly slower than the last few episodes, which is fine after such an intense end of Plan B. However, I liked a lot of it. Connie's still working through Mitch's death, and able to relate it to Aubrey. I also like what seems to be Connie taking a leadership role in the show. More than "second banana" to Whit, in a way. Whit's talk with the new Novacom guy (whose name escape me) was good as well, but maybe a little cranky. Again, I'm looking forward to the second part!

Review by Jared Walczak (Town Hall)

I'll surprise you here (since I'm not known as an Aubrey fan). I liked this episode. I think most people did. But that's the problem. Everyone liked it. No one loved it. No one hated it. No one was intrigued. No one was on the edge of their seat. Overall: Good episode, had some good lines. But after Plan B, it's just not that exciting.

Review by Cash Cow (Town Hall)

It was good because...well, because it was a good episode. Enjoyable. Well written. Acted well. Like most other people I couldn't call it GREAT or FANTASTIC or whatever, but I have to remember that I've only heard half of it. It may turn out incredible in the second part. I doubt it, but it could very well happen. I thought it was a good way to try to bring normalacy yet still retain a bit of suspense. I mean I would have prefered a huge suspensful episode like PLAN B, but I understand why they didn't do that.

....I'm not one to complain about a good episode just because it wasn't exactly what I wanted.

...All in all, UTI1 was very enjoyable. Aubrey is being used better. There was a little bit more about Novacom/Andromeda. And I can't wait for part 2 next week.

Review by DrBlackgaard (Town Hall)

I couldn't say I HATED it, but it was one of the worst episodes in a while. Actually, I honestly liked "Happy Smilers" better than this episode. I don't know about you, but I learned a small lesson from "Happy Smilers", and you guys may be different than me on this, but I learned NOTHING from this episode. Also, Aubrey character seemed even worse than ever. She has moved from my third least favorite character to being my second least favorite... Only Wooton is below her.

...It was boring, uninteresting, stared one of my least favorite characters, and didn't teach an applicable lesson.

Review by Bennett Charles (Town Hall)

As much as I hate to say it. I liked it a bit.It gave the saga a time to sink in. I thought Aubrey's character is fitting more into Odyssey, even though I don't like here that much. At least they didn't have her and her diary.

Review by trina (Town Hall)

I didn't even LIKE it! They once again wasted the season premiere. To me, the first episode of the season should raise lots of new questions, answer some old ones, and add some drama and excitment. This episode did almost none of the above. Except for another excellent "Mitch scene" by Katie Leigh, there really wasn't much that made me cry, laugh or jump up and down. I just sat there. I can always tell how good an Odyssey episode is by how many times my mom tells me to calm down. This episode was emotionless; I just stared at the speakers. But unlike "Wishy Woz," "Happy Smilers" and "Popcicle Kid," I had no urge to throw them out the window. I only had an urge to throw them.

Review by Erica Clark (Town Hall)

I was interested in the Nnovacom connection...though it reminded me of the earlier days of the saga when they were arguing over the programming...

Consensus: Thumbs Up (23/26 positive reviews)

Reviews for Part 2 of this Aubrey story are even more positive than Part 1. Most enjoyed seeing how Aubrey's spiritual journey went and others (even some who didn't care for Aubrey) thought this was a good use of her character. A few thought the episode was too fast-paced and others thought Aubrey should have been punished more for what she did. Many fans also noted that they had wanted to hear more about Novacom.

Review by Gandalf, age 13
Rating:

Very good, but the repitition of a character name (Erica) probably wasn't helpful for newer listeners who have heard previous episodes with the other Erica in them. Also, the thing with Erica's dad being vice-president adds mystery, but if that is all that "Under the Influence" is going to have in it about Novacom then it is about as much as a Novacom show as "Fifteen Minutes" is. I really enjoyed it, though.

Review by James M, age 24
Rating:

Great. Aubrey coming to Lord was obvious, but oh well. The talks in chapel and kitchen...how Aubrey found Ben and Ben found Aubrey were cool. Aubrey's friends turning on her and Aubrey coming to God...great performances! Very good ep...loved it. (Will Aubrey come back to Whit's End?)

Review by Ian Chai, age 35
Rating:

All the talk about Aubrey aside, I liked the character development of Connie. She's all growed up! Sob! :-) I remember when she was this irresponsible, idealistic, bratty teenager... and now she is a mature young adult, caring and wise.

Review by Jill, age 12
Rating:

This was an okay ep, but I wish that we could have gone along with the Novacom/ Andromeda story arc a little bit more. Also, Aubrey's not my favorite character, but this was a good Aubrey ep.

Review by Julie, age 14
Rating:

Very good show. Had hoped for a little bit more Novacom, but this show was very touching. Seems like AIO is coming back to what their old shows used to be like. Glad to see some Bible in there. Great Job!

Review by ExecutorQ, age 17
Rating:

Review by MissFriendship2
Rating:

Although a lot of people were disappointed not to hear more about Novacom in this episode, I thought it was well-done. We see Connie grieving over Mitch, but able to make decisions and try to help Aubrey at the same time. It was nice to see some parents included in Odyssey again, and praying over their kids. The scene with Aubrey and her dad in the kitchen was very touching (loved the background music!). But I am ready for a light-hearted Odyssey again, so please excuse me while I go did out "The Spy Who Bugged Me" and "Poor Loser," and have a great day!

Review by M. Smith, age 15
Rating:

I agree with all of ya'll that complemented the acting and the character development not just of Aubry but of many of the other people. The one person who I hope they develop further is Erica. She seemed to be a cardboard standup representing the world. Not complaining, just adding something to the ol' wish list.

About Part 2 being rushed...I can't believe they fit it all in! I felt like it needed 5 more minutes but that there was not enough material for Part 3. It's called BUY THE ALBUM and hear the expanded version.

I know it was essentially an A to B ep but it's real life. Sure it was predictable to some of us but that's OK. This is kinda my pet peeve when reading some comments: what is Odyssey about? I read a lot of comments that say "what about Novacom?; how does this relate?; let's get to the good stuff!" But so far, I have not gotten much out of the Saga. Jesus' plan of salvation is what AIO is primarily trying to communicate and this is the first ep in years that really does that. Don't get me wrong—I like the Novacom stuff—but this is the reason AIO exists and it should be our message as Christians as well.

Review by Colin, age 11
Rating:

It was great to hear that Aubrey became a Christian once and for all!

Review by Bradford Goodridge, age 11
Rating:

This episode shows how if we don't listen to our parents, the punishment is HUGE! And its good to know Aubrey is interested in Jesus.

Review by Bennett Charles, age 13
Rating:

Very good episode. Odyssey writers are finally putting a character on Aubrey. Keep it up writers!

Review by Paul Brown

Aubrey has come a long way from "Potlucks and Poetry." She's had good and bad times lately. It's great that she finally got saved. Aubrey fans were wondering after the Happy Smilers episode.

Review by AIOfan, age 13
Rating:

Wow! This is some show! I am SO glad Aubrey became a Christian! And was it my imagination, or was the guy that played Greg the same actor that used to play Dwayne? I can't believe Erica did that to her! And although Erica's dad works for Novacom, I still don't get what this has to do with the Novacom saga.

Review by Alyson, age 12
Rating:

Aubrey has tuned from good girl to bad girl. Connie has flipped ever since Mitch died. And Aubrey was fired. All in all, it was good episode.

Review by Michael P, age 18
Rating:

I enjoyed this episode a lot, but I thought it seemed like from the beginning of the second part they had way too much ground to cover. It was a very full story, and some parts seem to have been pushed off to the wayside. I enjoyed the car scene. Overall, a very decent episode with a valuable lesson.

Review by DrWhit73, age 28
Rating:

Excellent episode. I have been listening to Odyssey ever since the first Family Portraits episode, and this was the best and most well written episode I have heard!

Review by Boni, age 14
Rating:

This episode was pretty good. It didn't really talk about Novacom that much, though.

Review by 11boy
Rating:

Great Episode! Much better then the somewhat bland part 1. A sweet conversion on Aubrey's part and this episode even has a flair of excitement. But I still have the question—how does it relate to the Andromeda saga? Can't wait until The Black Veil airs next week. It sounds like it will be more like Plan B.

Review by JoyElectric
Rating:

Good show, and good second half! I guess I like the idea of Connie being in charge, acting "grown-up" and keeping an eye out for Aubrey. Connie doesn't have a little sister (that we know of) and Aubrey's the oldest, so they both need each other :-) Next week, Jason in heaven on earth. I can't wait :-)

Review by Amy, age 18
Rating:

I thought the show was an awesome ending for a two parter...I did find myself wondering how they were going to wrap up the story in time! I do wish there had been a bit more concerning Novacom, but I'm sure that's coming soon.. or I HOPE it's coming soon!! I want to know how this story ends! :) I also think it's about time that Aubrey got herself straightened out; and they picked a great story in which that happened.

Review by Jared Walczak (Town Hall)

Believe it or not, I kind of liked Aubrey's performance in this episode.

Review by MermaidEvie (Town Hall)

I loved UTI. I thought it was the best God-focused episode they've had in a long time...I am now pro-Aubrey. UTI is the best Aubrey episode of all time.

Review by Corey Willis (Town Hall)

Aubrey got saved! Isn't that awesome?!

Review by trina (Town Hall)

[Aubrey's salvation] was awesome, but it was obvious.

Excerpted Review by Shadowpaw (Soda Fountain)
Rating: (out of five)

Read the entire review at the Soda Fountain

Maybe it's because I've been spoiled with the whole Novacom/Andromeda series, or maybe it's because I never really cared much for Aubrey. Or it could just be that we were forced to go 4 weeks without a new Odyssey and when we returned we were fed very little information about the current story arc. But the bottom line is that I didn't enjoy this episode nearly as much as I would have hoped.

Certainly I shouldn't judge this episode based on the fact that it had very little to do with the story arc because that wouldn't be fair. But at the same time, it truly is going to be a factor in my enjoyment because of the plain and simple fact that it's been scheduled during a very intense period of time in AIO history and it feels like the balls been dropped a little bit. The concept is pretty standard (friend pressures friend into doing something wrong), and there wasn't any great twists or turns in the storyline. Aubrey went from point A to point B, and while she did some pretty bad things, she never really seemed to be punished accordingly.

And what was with the music? Great music, don't get me wrong, but I thought that style was going to be reserved for Novacom episodes. It seemed out of place here: a slice of life episode that would have a huge plot development for one of our least liked characters, dressed up with the same tunes that had only been heard in the 4 episodes preceding it. Maybe I'm just a selfish guy and it's my own fault that I wish the music was kept to the exciting, intense episodes of the Andromeda arc :o). Speaking of reused items... why name another character Erica? Erica Clark was on the show for over a dozen episodes and it seems weird to name another character Erica when it is bound to cause some confusion. I mean, you're never going to hear a new character on Odyssey named "Sam" or "Lucy" or even "Alex". It's just too confusing! :o)

Another problem might be with the inconsistencies with Aubrey's episodes. The style of many of her previous adventures were told from the perspective of her diary. That now seems to be either A) forgotten or B) thought a poor story telling device and dropped. Was I a fan of the diary device? Not particularly, however I feel using the diary in this episode especially would have been a more unique way of touching those who have yet to accept Christ into their lives. There have been shows in the past where characters accept Jesus much like Aubrey has in the traditional "Will you pray with me" sense, but that's always from the external view point. It would be a much different experience if non-Christians were able to able to view a person coming to Christ in the internal perspective, and who better to provide the narrative then Aubrey's diary? Again, just something I guess I felt would have given a more unique spin to this episode.

There were of course some great moments in this episode. Both Danielle Judovitts (Aubrey) and Jerry Houser (Ben) were particularly good in their roles. The interaction between the two of them was especially touching and believable and while Aubrey is not a favorite character of mine, Judovitts provides her with more then just the basic two dimensions one might expect from a character created right from the beginning with the purpose of bringing her to Christ.

A bad episode? Certainly not... it was just a little disappointing. I may have to go back an re-examine this episode once the complete version is included in the album. It is nice to see Aubrey finally accept Jesus though... because it means her storyline is now all tired up and it will be easier to phase her out of future scripts. :o) (Psst... I'm only kidding, Aubrey may now be ready to come out of her shell and start making some fans!).

Consensus: Thumbs Up (25/30 positive reviews)

Reviews are varied for The Black Veil, with debate raging at the Town Hall over the possible sci-fi elements. Most reviews are positive, however, but the negative ones are quite negative, saying that Odyssey should not be science fiction. The positive ones enjoy the excitement and look forward to the future shows. Debated also was the spiritual element of this show, with most liking the increased episode time devoted to spiritual warfare.

Review by Frank, age 13
Rating:

The actors did a great job, and the plot is very intense, which was the reason I gave it a high rating, BUT, it did not get a 4 because it is a little far-fetched that somehow TV could cause so many people to go mad.

Review by Eiram, age 14
Rating:

It was good but very guzzling. It gave me some new ideas.

Review by E. Stephen Burnett, age 19
Rating:

Have Monica Stone and Benton “The Enforcer” Charles released a horde of invisible Angry Eyebrows all over Odenton and the Alaskan village?

I knew when Paul McCusker came on at the beginning to give the “Radio PG for Intensity” warning that this was going to be good, and it was. (My sister says she was “rubbing her hands together” in anticipation. …)

Jason’s back! And he makes it clear from the beginning that after his pathetic attitude in Guatemala he’s “learned his lesson” about how to fight spiritual battles -- of course I thought he had learned his lesson after the great Blackgaard saga, but what do I know? But this time Jason is perfect in this program -- he prays while he’s taking up the sword, just like he should.

Meanwhile, Mr. Whittaker is fighting his own invisible plague of anger which is starting to manifest itself in Odyssey ... several people are extremely irritable, and they’re getting to the point of irrationality. Mike Mulligan (a.k.a. “McGee and Me!” and “Wally McDoogle” author Bill Myers) is back and, for a while, is in the midst of the struggle with Mr. Whittaker.

Connie seems to be doing all right; and there’s no mention of Mitch. Translation: no “resurrection” yet. Nick is back at Whit’s End as well, once throwing a tantrum at the dishwasher. (Whaa-a-aat …?)

We’re left until next weekend with Jason confronting a panicked Alaskan man who seems to think that all of his televisions are invading the village ... strange, but creepy. (Does anyone know about Don Anderson from the end of Frank Peretti’s The Visitation? He got so up tight about the televisions and washing machines and anything mechanical that he took a metal baseball bat to his entire electronics store. ...)

It seems clear by now that the entire Andromeda / Novacom / Radio Wave Study / Invisible Angry Eyebrows thing is connected! Prominent theme throughout this episode: televisions. Mike said that Nick had a new one. Alex fell asleep while watching one. Mr. Sneed was watching one. Sam Hitchcock was distributing them ... and he just may be right about the television invasion! Think about it! Andromeda / Novacom is using some kind of radio wave signal with their television channels -- it must permeate people’s minds and cause these symptoms. ...

(Related thought: Mr. Whittaker doesn’t have a TV, so he’s “immune”! But as for Jason ...)

So it sounds like the entire thing just might have something to do with Novacom after all, and we’re back into the story arc in full strength. Hang on, fellow Odysseyans, it’s going to be quite a ride! Writers, engineers, composers, initiate launch -- F-WOOOOOSSHHH!

Review by Lauren, age 14
Rating:

I thought this show was pretty good compared to Plan B; it had a lot of suspense and intrigue in it, but they still haven't revealed what happened to Aurther Dent and Jared.

Review by Joel Taylor, age 18
Rating:

The long awaited Novocom continuation is finally here. The plot just gets thicker and thicker. I can't help but think that "Under the Influence" will be connected in a future episode.

Review by Deb McCall, age 32
Rating:

Excellent episode! Can't wait for the 2nd part!

Review by James Moore, age 24
Rating:

Great! Suspenseful! Awesome! Very, very intense! First of all, thanks Paul McCusker for the parental warning; it was very needed or parents would have been very upset. Good job from Alex to Nick and to all the adults cracking up and going berserk, especially at the end with Sam and Jason. Jason finally turning to God first…AMEN! Very good to have Nick…Yay Nick! Very good ep! Love the twists. Will Monica get Jason? Does Jason know what's going on in Odyssey? I can't wait until next week.

Review by DrWhit73, age 29
Rating:

Interesting episode. Nice seeing Jason using his head and handling things much more sensibly and spiritually than usual.

Review by Alligator, age 15
Rating:

Totally weird with the TV bug! I think that it is Andromeda trying to control people's minds! What does Monica Stone mean by "I've made contact with Jason Whittaker"? Why did both Alex and Nick say that they were tired? A rush of adrenaline? Did they both have the bad dreams? Why would Andromeda field test their new satellite in Alaska? It was cool how this ep switched between Odyssey and Alaska. I really wonder about Jason and Whit...in the preview it sounds like they both watched the TV, and had bad experiences! I think that it is good to have a parental warning...although I think that it should have come a LOT sooner! Overall, this was a great ep, and I CANNOT wait for next week! Oh yeah, and it was great to have Marshal Younger back on the writing team!

Review by Bradford, age 11
Rating:

This would have to be the weirdest thing ever in Adventures in Odyssey. From what I heard of part 1, sounds like a T.V. program or virus Monica and Mr.Charles and or the Unwanted came up with!

Review by Michael P, age 18
Rating:

I'm kinda of confused about what to give this episode for a rating. It was different, but I didn't like it. I mean, come on, making people angry because of their TV sets sounds like a psycho scifi episode gone wrong. The people just acted out of character, and they moved too quickly back and forth between Alaska and Odyssey. It was an odd show that we weren't expecting. At times it is even rather disturbing... Maybe Part 2 will be better.

Review by Julie, age 14
Rating:

Very good show. Kept me on the edge of my seat!I Was glad to hear the parental warning at the beginning. I think Novacom must be usuing their brainwave study thingy to make everyone go crazy! Monica Stone intriuges me. Can't wait for next week!

Review by JoyElectric
Rating:

This is certainly the most creepy show I've heard in awhile. But, unlike the episode this reminds me of (Blackgaard's Revenge), there's just enough believability in this one to keep it going. I like that fact that Jason finally seems to have "wised up" after shooting himself in the foot so many times. We also get to hear Mike Mulligan again, which is nice. And, we again get the foreshadowing that this Novacomm/RWS thing is bigger than Odyssey and far more dangerous. As for the "it's too Sci-Fi" thing, I'm not too worried. While I hope it's not going to come down to Novacom controlling people's minds, I've got enough faith in the writers to make it work beyond the typical Saturday-morning fare.

Beyond some issues with how Alaska was portrayed (I wore T-Shirts all of the time and where in Southern Alaska are they that has a psych ward?), it was a good show, and I'm waiting for the next part!

Review by AIOfan, age 13
Rating:

WHAT IS GOING ON? They can't turn the TV's off? And next week Jason is going to get it! I knew Andromeda was corrupt, but until now, I never thought they would do this! And whatever happened to Arthur Dent? All in all though, this was a very cool show, and I can't wait until next week! How on earth is this gonna fit in, there's only 8 more shows after next week!

Review by Harrison, age 14
Rating:

This was an INCREDIBLE episode! Kinda freaky, though. Part two sounds even better! I cannot believe what is happening. I guess some new TV show Novacom is producing 'infects' people's minds. This episode seemed somewhat like the book "This Present Darkness" by Frank E. Peretti, which is about spiritual warfare. I can definitely see why there is a warning at the beginning of this episode, after hearing it all the way through. All in all, a great episode!

Review by Alyson, age 12
Rating:

Man that was wild with Nick! And at the end where they are revewing the next episode, Monica is in Alaska near Jason. I hope he is okay. And we heard the voice (of all people) Mr.Charles, otherwise known as Mitch's killer.This episode ROCKS!

Review by 11boy
Rating:

This was the weirdist episode I've ever heard. At first it sounded like something out of I Slap Floor, then it started making a bit more sence. Jason's in trouble, though. He seems to be the next part of Andromeda's plan, whatever it is. Can't wait for next week, which seems to really suit a parental warning.

Review by Corey Willis, age 16
Rating:

This is the worst AIO episode I have heard in my entire life! I think the AIO staff needs to cut back big time on the sci-fi part of it. I was shocked at this episode! I hope they will not produce more episodes like this!

Review by Errol, age 45
Rating:

The Black Veil, Part 1 is exactly that..black. I would put it in the top-10 of some of the "darker" shows in the entire series. From Alaska to Odyssey, people are being affected by something. In Alaska, Jason learns the church is filled with strife to the point of divorce and fist fights. In Odyssey, Whit and Connie watch as Alex and Nick lose it. The Doctors say it is transmitted through animals, but Mr.Hitchcock tells Jason it's something from the boxes he installed. Something in the air?....or airwaves? Being an older AIO listener, this story smacks of all the late Friday and Saturday night science fictions movies I've watched over the last 38 years. I rated it a 3 and a half for intensity. The sequences with people yelling, smashing things, and having to be constrained by other people does warrant a parental warning. My youngest will not hear this for a while because this type subject matter upsets him. Alex:"I had a dream about a monster... and the monster.. was me!" However, Jason is growing, and I loved his line, "I've learned my lesson from the last time. Let's drop to our knees and pray." Good touch. Looking forward to part 2.

Review by Jodi, age 25
Rating:

A very intense show. I've listened to it twice now. And I still have reservations. It's pretty obvious where this is going. Everyone's bizarre behavior is linked to the satellite dishes. Novacom/Andromeda is obviously doing something to control people's behavior. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet though. It was pretty obvious this was where the plotline was heading, but for some reason now that we're here, it bothers me to see Odyssey go this far out. It's not that they haven't done it before (ie Blackgaard's Revenge), and of course they walk the edge of reality all the time with the imagination station and ROC, etc. But...I feel almost like I'm watching something from The X-Files. Don't get me wrong...it's extremely well done, well acted, etc, etc.... but does Oydessey really want to jump headlong into the world of sci-fi this way? Everyone has been saying that Mitch is dead...that it would be too much like a soap opera to bring him back. I won't argue that...but how is this any better? I guess I wrote all this to say...I really don't know what I think. I guess I'll just have to "keep listening" and see how it all winds up.

Review by trina, age 12
Rating:

Not as bad as some of the other ones (Happy Smilers, Popsicle Kid), but not one of the best. I was kind of expecting this to happen, Novacom will take over the world in a few days and then there will be an earth-shattering *kabloom* as Eugene tries to erase the program. Maybe not.

Review by Jared Walczak (Odyssey Radio)

The Black Veil was one of the most exciting, suspenseful and interesting episodes I've heard in a long time, and yet I wonder... was it right for Odyssey? Is it perhaps too sci-fi? Personally, I think so. I would have preferred that this had never happened, but I must admit that it was enjoyable listening. For a full review and comments from others, listen to this Odyssey Radio Special on The Black Veil.

Review by Sparkle (Town Hall)

THIS IS THE FREAKIEST EPISODE EVER!

Review by Vic Schiavone (Town Hall)

I thought The Black Veil, Part 1, was necessary to the Novacom story line. It helps to show in a dramatic way why Andromeda is such a great evil. I thought it was a nice touch that Jason was back on the show. I thought it was ironic that he is the first one to approach the whole storyline from a spiritual warfare standpoint (much like Jack in the Darkness Before Dawn series). I'm just surprised that it's not Whit doing and saying those things.

Review by Margaret (Town Hall)

I think it's awesome that we can see Jason maturing spiritually here. It's great that Jason was cast to play that role here, rather than Whit.

Review by Deborah (Town Hall)

Finally, finally, finally, Jason is maturing...how WONDERFUL to hear him say that the first thing he needs to do is hit his knees! And yet, I like that they've had him struggle in that area in times before, because I know I, too, am like that, in sometimes fighting with an issue several times before I begin to do what God wants me to with it. Also, I don't think the plot line is that far off...but I spoke more on that in another response! :) Anyways, I think bringing some of these elements into the story is beginning to pull together these many loose ends and bring us up to the grand finale...I only hope it's as good as we hope it to be! :)

Review by Jeff Cunningham (Town Hall)

I think you are crazy if you don't like this episode. So far...so good. It's really good, and I think the 'sci-fi' touch is one of the best...it's equal to Darkness Before Dawn. It gave me the creeps...loved it! I already gave it 8.5 stars of of 10.

Review by Chris Wise (Town Hall)

I loved it!

Review by Anna (Town Hall)

I think the AIO writers are doing a GREAT job and I loved the Black Veil Pt. 1!!

Consensus: Thumbs Up (25/28 positive reviews)

Reviews are very positive for The Black Veil, Part 2. Most enjoyed the increased connections and revelations of this show and the emphasis on the spiritual battle part of things. A few were uncertain about the "science fiction" of the show, however. A number were disappointed that Jason seemed to fall for Monica Stone.

Review by Lauren, age 14
Rating:

I enjoyed hearing Jason and Whit together again, like in "The Search For Whit." This episode starts tying things together, but it also raises more questions about Novacom, Andromeda, and the strange black boxes. I wonder what Andromeda's plot is?

Review by Emily B, age 15
Rating:

Finally things are starting to come together. I believe Eugene's research has something to do with whatever is going on with the TVs. One thing I am wondering about is how Jason could have become a good undercover agent in the past when he is always falling for women. I also want to hear from Eugene and Katrina.

Review by Em
Rating:

Cal and Alex have done some pretty cool things. I think it is neat how they are being used in this saga. I sure hope they bring Jared back.

Review by M. Smith, age 15
Rating:

I have to disagree with just about everyone who commented on this ep. I personally thought Part 1 was really good--I felt like I was drawn into the characters world. In Part 2, I was suddenly removed. Everything seemed so... predictable. I know alot of you will shout "I didn't have a clue!" but even the stuff that I didn't predict (which was still a substantial amount) just made me think "ohh, duh, of course." In fact, the episode seemed flat to me, as if someone stopped the acting and the drama and just narrated some plot points. Everything happened because it just needed to happen and it didn't have to be interesting.

Other problems: How DID Jason get over it within an hour? I would have liked to see some spiritual warfare there. Why didn't Connie push the emergency button immediately? Every time we have one of those tense IS scenes there are the lines "Pull me out, stop it!" "Are you sure, Whit?" "Yes, pull me out!" "You haven't been in there but 15 seconds." "It's enough, stop it now!" "Well, ok, here goes." [Nothing for about 5 seconds then the IS finally starts shutting down] I've heard that set of lines at least 3 times. Why can't they just press the button? What's wrong with these people? Why can't they do what they're told?

I think the way Jason total flipped was stupid. I mean, for him to catch the love-bug that bad, Monica had to be unnaturally pretty. I just think it was silly.

One thing I liked, surprise, was Cal. He was the only interesting character to me. "Do you always have come in through the window, we have a door." I thought he had some good lines and it was a good contenuation of his character.

I like the music abunch. I'm not useually big on electric guitars but I though they were mixed in exceptionally well and add a lot of style to Novacom series. Looks like John Campbell is back with more incredible music!

Review by Chase Hayes, age 10
Rating:

It was one of the best episodes I have ever heard. I liked the part where Cal climbed through Alex's window when Alex's mom told him he was sick.

Review by Jodi, age 25
Rating:

Well, I wasn't too positive about last week's episode, but I have to say this week tied everything together really well. I'm still not sure why I had such a negative reaction to last week...I guess just 'cause it sounded too much like a bad sci-fi plot redone....I had to laugh when Cal brought up the movie, because that's probably along the lines of what I thought Odyssey was doing. But, again, it all came together well, and I'm looking forward to seeing how this all winds up. Keep up the good work.

Review by Chris
Rating:

Why are some of you criticizing Jason for "falling for" Monica Stone's alias? Didn't Walter say that it was THE BOARD who sent Monica. So Monica pretends to be from the board and Jason doesn't even realize it. Anyways, it was a great episode!

Review by boni, age 14
Rating:

I think the show was great. It's kind of science fiction, though. But I like it nonetheless. I think that Jason and Monica are going to hook up, then Monica will have to choose between Andromeda and Jason. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

Review by Aiko, age 20
Rating:

Interesting twists and turns in this episode. How did Jason bounce back so quickly from his exposure to the box? It sounded like he got a large dose of the radio waves, yet he was fine an hour later. I also found it amusing that he fell all over himself when he met his new "intern." I half expected it to be Mitch or Eugene before Walter said "she". I wonder what Agent Bourland will say about all this. And where is the package?

Review by DrWhit73, age 29
Rating:

Really good episode. Finally answered the question of why the Imagination Station plans were stolen. Very interesting. Can't wait to hear the other episodes coming up.

Review by Errol, age 45
Rating:

Part two of "The Black Veil" finally tells us why the blue prints to "The Imagination Station" were stolen at last season's climax. Pure evil for better lack of a phrase. Whit learns that the same parts are being installed in boxes made by "Veil Industries" and placed on television sets, ie, everyone's erratic behavior. It also looks like rough seas for Jason sometime soon, for Monica has caught up with him. Good acting all around,especially for Paul Herlinger. His reaction inside the defective Imagination station is reminiscent of Walker Edmiston as Tom when he experienced the "death program" in "The Mortal Coil." It will be interesting to watch this pot come to a boil. As Whit said, this is a spiritual battle. Let's see.. Mr. Charles..Monica..Novacom..Yep, he's right.

Review by Ruku, age 11

Its awful. Odyssey has outlived itself. They have resorted to having electric guitars to make it sound "cool."

Review by Allissa, age 12
Rating:

I cant belive Jason! He likes Monica Stone! If I was there I would have hit him very hard..the hardest I could hit him. All in all, it was a good episode.

Review by a listener, age 14
Rating:

Good Show! Is Jason's new "intern" Monica Stone??!! I couldn't quite match the vocies. Great Job!

Review by James M, age 24
Rating:

GREAT! WONDERFUL! Loved it! I've heard it three times already. Marvelous scenes, especially Whit in IS and reaction (parellel to Tom in "The Mortal Coil"), the Alex and Cal scenes, and Jason figuring out black box. So mamy things mentioned. Monica and Jason (she must be VERY pretty!) Why do we have to wait 4 weeks? What will happen next? Great stuff...LOVED IT!

Review by Erica Clark, age 17
Rating:

Super sweet!! ;) The plot thickens...bwahahawhaha!!!

Review by AIOfan, age 13
Rating:

That Monica! I can't believe Jason fell for it! I THOUGHT he was getting more mature...I guess not...but I love how this is turning out otherwise!

Review by Paul B
Rating:

Whit finds out what really happens to the plans that were stoldent from him for the Imagination Station.They were used to make cable boxes to brainwash people. Whit puts the new part of the black box in the Imagination Station and becomes a lot of different evil people. The Jason story also takes a different twist...Jason's new intern is a Novacom spy. I think Jason is going to fall for her. Have to wait and see. The company that made the cable box is nowhere to be found. This is novacom at work again you can bet on that. I must say I didn't like part 1 too much, but part 2 is great. Great writting.

Review by Christa Joy, age 15
Rating:

Hmmm, this is getting good. I can't want to see where this is all going!!!

Review by Alyson, age 12
Rating:

Jason is such a geek because he has a crush on Monica Stone, known as Mr.Charles partner! I wonder how Connie will react. This is a must-hear episode. And everyone has gone insane just by waching TV! This ep ROCKS!

Review by Bradford Goodridge, age 11
Rating:

Just the way I thought it would be that Novacom had something to do with this. Except I thought that the reason the Imagination Station (IS) wasn't working in "Breaking Point," was because a part was missing and was used in the black box in today's episode. Well, I was not far off!

Review by Michael P, age 18
Rating:

Part 2, I must admit was better than Part 1. It seemed the pacing worked better with this part of the episode. It kept me on the edge of my seat, and I like how Mr. Whittaker finally understands how serious this really is. It's getting better, but it will still take me a while to get used to AIO being Sci-fi. It's a little too unbelieveable. I liked the increased spirituality of this episode as well... Can't wait until the next part.

Review by Eiram, age 14
Rating:

Great Episode. I'm dying for the next episodes though.

Review by 11boy
Rating:

The action is really heating up here! The Black Veil, Part 2 was exciting and suspensful, even better than Part 1. And it looks like Jason's got a new love intrest. Too bad she's criminal Monica Stone! I can't wait for Twisting Pathway, but I can't believe we have to wait 4 weeks! Anyway, The Black Veil is an excellent episode.

Review by ExecutorQ, age 17
Rating:

Suspenseful, exciting, but "I was pure evil"? That sounded awfully corny...

Review by Drew, age 14
Rating:

Confusing at times but overall a very good episode.

Review by Corey Willis (Town Hall)

Wow! Jason must know more than we think. Maybe he knows where Eugene is. Where are Liz, Sarah, and Mandy? The only kids on this episode were Alex and Cal. The thing with Whit in the Imagination Station reminded me of Mortal Coil. It was very similar. This is like so weird, so different from recent AIO episodes! I like this better than part 1. I give it 9 1/2 out of 10 1/2.

Review by Vic Schiavone (Town Hall)

Just listened to The Black Veil, Part II. It is a terrific show that goes a long way in advancing the Novacom saga. Attention to detail and plot consistency, two cornerstones of the entire AIO series, are here at their finest. The only bad thing I can say about it is now we have to wait five weeks for the series to pick up again.

Excerpted Review by Shadowpaw (Soda Fountain)
Rating: (out of five)

Read the entire review at the Soda Fountain

Adventures in Odyssey has officially climbed to a new level of reality. I'll admit, I was extremely worried way back in "Grand Opening II" when I heard that Eugene had been working on a "Conversion of Brain Waves to Radio Waves". I thought to myself "What is going on? Why would Odyssey go and do this? Has Marshal Younger and Paul McCusker been watching too much X-Files?" Well the answer to that last question is a big "yes" but that notion isn't as scary as I first thought... maybe the Odyssey writers will handle the topic appropriately and realistically, and "The Black Veil" is the first step in proving to me that that me very well be the case.

Immediately after I finished "The Black Veil I", I sat back and realized Odyssey wasn't going to be the same again. The enveloped had been pushed and the writers were taking a huge risk by opening up the rarely explored science fiction angle in Odyssey. The Environmental Enhancer, the Imagination Station, the Room of Consequence, and the Transmuter were all fantastical ideas that the general listening audience agreed to suspended their disbelief for, with the understanding that Odyssey was a means of furthering their spirtual journey. There's no reason this cannot happen again.

I loved part one. For so many months I feared that Odyssey was going to go into the unrealistic realm of craziness and that while episodes such as Plan B were great, it was because of the mystery involved therein. Whatever explanations we may be given in the future, those episodes could fall flat on their face if we can't get a realistic grasp on the new reality of Odyssey. But at the same time, the writers aren't sugar-coating the new story line. It's obvious Novacom did some testing on Armitage Shanks and he died of a brain tumor because of it. Arthur Dent nearly died of that same tumor and Mitch was murdered for getting to close to the information. In a real life situation, these are real sequences of events that would occur. And let's not kid ourselves, controlling someone's mind through means of manipulation is a very real threat and if one could truly convert brain waves into radio waves, and vice versa, then there is no reason what occured in this episode and the episodes to come would not happen.

I said I loved part one. I then went and heard part two. While the episode was airing, I felt uncomfortable. Something wasn't right about the episode and part of me was saying "You're supposed to like this episode!" and the other part was saying "But if you don't think you're enjoying it, then you probably aren't!". After the initial airing, I came to some conclusions: The pace, sound design, music, dialogue and general atmosphere of part one all meshed together to form a wonderful episode. Part two suffered in the areas of pace, dialogue, and acting.

While the events in part one occured on opposite sides of the country, you never felt lost nor out of place. You knew exactly where you were at all times and you weren't given much of a chance to take in any dead air moments... everything was presented exactly the way it should have been. Overall, part two was a lot slower. But when it came to Whit using the Imagination Station, the pace seemed to skip a beat and not only was his adventure so short you couldn't feel much sympathy for the guy, but the scene directly after had him already recovered and feeling much better. The pace changed so dramatically that it took me and many other listeners out of it for a moment. I also wish we could have been there with him... imagine the effect of hearing Hitler yelling in german, Stalin screaming in Russian, Herod giving directives to his men and Whit crying out around them. But that would have just been an added bonus :o)

The dialogue overall wasn't horrible. I just felt there were some awkward moments. For example, when Jason tells Whit that there have been strange occurences happening in Alaska and Whit replied "You're kidding!", I felt that was a pretty normal response given the circumstances. But Jason automatically seemed to assume that Whit had a reason for saying it and questioned him. It just seemed weird in my mind.

However, the major draw back in the second part was a result of the acting. A lot of the episode hung on the performance of Cal Jordan, and unfortunately I didn't find myself believing his character. Jason's scene when he was angry I felt was forced, and Whit's lines sometimes felt more like he was performing, rather then feeling. Maybe I'm just nitpicking, but I often found myself thinking more about the acting than the content of the episode. However, on the flip side, I felt part one had very strong performances from Jason, especially with Townsend Coleman talking to himself in several scenes (he also played Sam), as well as all the other characters in the episode.

"The Black Veil I & II" when viewed as one singular episode is a fantastic one. When you break it down, part one was just much more enjoyable for me to sit and listen to. And remember, most of my viewpoints are based on my initial impressions. I've since listened to both episodes several more times, and while I still enjoy part one over part two, I have grown to find part two fairly enjoyable as well. Odyssey may have gotten weird and science fictionalized, but that for me is not a problem. As long as the high production values stay the same, there's no reason we all can't enjoy the episodes for what they are.

Consensus: Thumbs Up (14/16 positive reviews)

Reviews are positive as usual for the latest installment in the continuing Novacom saga. Listeners give "Twisting Pathway" high marks for suspense and good use of the Aubrey character. Some didn't like Erica, while others found her interesting.

Review by Mandy Straussberg (Town Hall)

I found it really boring, compared to the more recently aired eps. It did a lot to further the plot.... but it was pretty boring.

Review by Deborah (Town Hall)

Interesting points! I agree on many of them. I really DID like Twisting Pathway. You can't have "knock your socks off suspense" every week, and this did a good job of being creepy while still being "normal", and yet still, advancing the plot well. There was one point where I was sitting there and I thought about how neat it is to hear things for the first time...the first time I heard "Waylaid in the Windy City" and much of DBD, I felt this way, but it's nice to have that type of thing for the first time again!

Erica IS an intersting character. I think before this episode, she was almost a static bad girl. Now with her involvement with Mr. Charles, her awareness of her Dad's actions and business dealings and her subterfuge with Aubrey, she's developed much more of a life of her own. (And yes, I DO know what people were saying awhile ago when she came on the scene--why name ANOTHER character Erica? And while I wouldn't want another Lucy or another Jimmy or Donna, two Ericas is just like at school with Erica C. and Erica J. or something like that. It's a common enough name for those things to happen.) She IS probably one of the pushiest characters to come along in quite awhile...perhaps THE most direct one ever, because you never got the sense that Butch as Sam's former friend was ever this relentless. Erica reminds me more of the novel version (as opposed to the movie version) of Scarlett O'Hara.

This bouncing back and forth from plot to plot is going to drive me nuts! :) Next week...back to Jason & Monica in Alaska, and HOPEFULLY some more clues about Eugene & Katrina! :)

Review by Cash Cow (Town Hall)

TWISTING PATHWAY was in my opinion great (of course, not PLAN B or THE BLACK VEIL great). Novacom has ahold of the IS which will give them the piece they're missing, so now the full power of the black boxes will be released to the world. Man, the suspense is getting so thick you could slice it with a butter knife! Lots of good scenes.

Erica is an intersting character. I don't think the actress who plays her is the greatest, but she's still an intersting character. Maybe I'm just listening too much into it, but there seems to be more to Erica than I first thought. The scene where Erica comes in to distract Aubrey was very interesting. How much of an act was it? Was she really trying to tell Aubrey that she was sorry for what she was doing? It was also interesting to see Erica, who does whatever she has to do to get what she wants, do something she knows is wrong (I think), but in the end getting the thing farthest from what she wanted (getting her Dad fired and having to move). Like I said great episode.

Review by AIOfan, age 13
Rating:

Totally cool! I couldn't even believe Erica...she reminded me of Rodney and Denver on "The Case Of The Candid Camera" ("I never thought anybody would suspect us twice!"). I also couldn't believe Mr. Charles went back on his word...I guess that he does do the dirty work though...at whatever cost it seems...and I know it sounds funny, but I actually feel sorry for Erica!

Review by JoyElectric
Rating:

Welcome Back Odyssey! The episode ends like many others—someone being told to pack up and get themselves out of town. If the Novacom series is like a puzzle, this is one small piece in the middle (whereas Plan B put the four corners in place - thank you, I just thought that up). It's minor, but it ads in. Most of us by know knew they'd get the IS, but we just didn't know how. It's good to see Aubrey's "new" side, less whiny but still Aubrey...I can see her paired with Connie a bit. Nice way to throw in the Underground Tunnel, too! The only minor gripe is that it seemed to move a little fast, but that's no big deal. This is getting REALLY good :)

Review by a listener

It is official...Mr. Charles is a terrorist. I'm not kidding. All in all, it was good.

Review by Fletcher
Rating:

I love Twisting Pathway! We're finally back to the real suspenseful shows! What will happen to Erica now that she's leaving Odyssey? How will Aubrey react and how does she fit into it all. How is it going with Jason and Monica in Alaska. It seems next week's show will answer that question. What about Connie? Where is she in all this? Ahh! This suspense is killing me! But anyway, Twisting Pathway is a great show!

Review by Benjamin, age 16
Rating:

A good episode with lots of suspense, but I would have liked it more if it had had wider range of characters and circumstances (like The Black Veil). I thought the scene where Erica came into Whit's End and Nick choked on his own breath was really funny!

Review by Bradford Goodridge, age 11
Rating:

This episode was one we all expected. I mean, we knew something was going to happen with the Imagination Station (IS). And I wonder if Nick's going to get fired, and if anything bad is going to happen to Jason, and what about Mr.+ Mrs. Eugene Meltsner?

Review by Carol, age 17
Rating:

WOW! Exciting! I like the change in Aubrey. That Erica is too much. Maybe the same thing happend to Jared's family?

Review by Tianlet, age 16
Rating:

This was a good show, and I like that Erica got what she deserved at the end, but I was never quite sure which side Erica really was on and what side she's on now.

Review by JJP, age 16
Rating:

A good episode overall, but there is one major flaw with this problem that I will bring up at the end of this discussion. A good job was done on developing Nick, Erica, Aubrey, Mr. Charles and Mr. Colburn. The theft of the Imagination Station was a great plot twist. However, the bad part was the obvious fact that Bennett was going to betray the Colburns. That was one negative.

And now the BIG negative / mistake. Nick shows Erica the tunnel in the basement. This tunnel is used by Bennett's henchmen to break into Whit's End and steal the Imagination Station. Now unless I am wrong, that tunnel was supposed to have fully COLLAPSED IN THE FINAL CONFLICT DUE TO THE BOMB, WHICH KILLED DR. BLACKGAARD! Now unless Whit rebuilt it (which is in my opinion unlikely) or the tunnel that leads to the rectory (which is also highly unlikely, as Whit's End was the church, not the rectory), they COULD NOT HAVE USED IT! The tunnel that collapsed in The Final Conflict has to be the one that was used in this episode, as it also leads from the basement to the woods. If this mistake had been fixed, I definitely would have given this episode four / five stars.

Review by DrWhit73, age 29
Rating:

Nice episode. Advanced the plot some. Nice to see Aubrey as a responsible person.

Review by Eiram, age 14
Rating:

It was okay. I found myself not as excited during this ep. But it is very important to the Novacom/Andromada saga.

Review by Paul B
Rating:

Erica tricks Nick into helping her. Erica makes a deal with Mr. Charles that backfires big time when her dad is fired and they have to leave Odyssey. Great writing by John Beebee. Next week, Jason gets the top secret disc from Eugene. Another plot in the story unfolds. Great episode!

Review by J W G, age 12
Rating:

I would give this the highest rating except that it has Erica in it. I think Nick Mulligan had better watch out! I hope Erica gets arrested. I am glad that Aubrey forgave her.

Consensus: Thumbs Up (23/24 positive reviews)

"Sheep's Clothing" is getting some of the most positive reviews since the Plan B shows. All reviewers heap praise on the show, especially the writing and acting. The one problem noted by many reviewers was how Jason was so easily duped by Monica.

Review by AIOfan, age 13
Rating:

JASON! How could you do that? Haven't you learned by now not to just trust anybody that comes up?! But I am SO glad Walter (was that his name?) figured it out. And I am about 99% positive that Monica can't be trusted and I hope Jason won't fall for it again.

Review by Asher Anthes, age 14
Rating:

Good show. I'm glad we found out a little more about this package. But it's disappointing that there are only 6 more shows, I don't see how it can be resolved that quickly.

Review by Alyson, age 12
Rating:

If I was Agent Borland, I would arrest the devil's twin (known as Mr.Charles) in a heartbeat! And it is official, he murdered Mitch; I knew it from the beginning. This EP ROCKS!

Review by Alexis, age 17
Rating:

Is it just me or did Monica/Paula s/ound alot like Jenny from "The Triangle"?

Review by James Brunskill, age 17
Rating:

I thought it was quite a good episode, definately a step up from "Twisting Pathway." I don't know...did Jason actually take the disk? Monica might not have emailed it yet...she might have been faking to make sure she held on to the disk? I'm looking foward to the next episode!

Excerpted Review by Shadowpaw (Soda Fountain)
Rating: (out of five)

Read the entire review at the Soda Fountain

Jason, Jason, Jason. Why do you always have to be so stupid? You put it upon yourself to beat up an angel, you nearly get a child killed while doing missions work, you get suckered into watching your television and falling prey to the black box, and now you fall for an intern who wants to rob you blind! Most characters are created with at least one fatal flaw, but I'm sorry Jason... you were blessed with several.

Thankfully Walter was there to keep your head on straight. Walter's a great character that I hope will make an appearance at some point on down the road (Novacom related or not). I liked him when I first heard him in "The Black Veil", and I continue to like him now. The voice isn't zany or crazy, and it's distinctive enough to tell him apart from other characters. Hopefully the Odyssey team can find some way to utilize him in future episodes.

Moving on, this was Glenn Montjoy's first episode as production engineer. While the episode wasn't particularly sound effect intensive it was a great first job. I didn't even think about the sound for the most part during the production, which is always a good thing... the moment your mind begins to drift and you think about something other than that which you're supposed to be focused on, is the moment everything falls apart. So I for one look forward to hearing what other work Montjoy will do for Odyssey in the future.

Unto the actual story. Finally we begin to get answers to our questions. Eugene sent the package to Jason, Monica tapped his phone lines, Novacom stole the Imagination Station to master Whit's technology, and the disk's contents are now in the hands of the enemy. I sincerely enjoyed this episode and am glad things are finally coming together after a year and a half of questions. The episode was paced quickly, aside from a few slow, sappy moments between Monica and Jason. But even those scenes worked perfectly since Walter was around to throw in an occasional word or two to shake things up.

Also to note... anyone notice a goof in the episode? Agent Bourland walks out of Mr. Charles' office and refers to the fact that Mr. Colburn is going on a "two week vacation". But at no point did Charles say anything about the length of time in which the vacation would last, and unless Bourland is working with the enemy (even then, two weeks seems short considering Colburn was ordered to stay away from Odyssey), then the writers made a slight error. As far as I can tell, Agent Bourland sounded like a helpful ally to Whit in this episode and I think the two, along with Jason, could make a lethal combination against the Andromeda corporation.

Jumping around a bit, the music was once again very good. The cues in the most recent Novacom episodes have all had a similar rock type feeling to them, and I feel it's a welcome addition. Christian concerns over this type of music should be put aside. It's just like words... it's not the music that is harmful, but the way in which is it used that should be analyzed. And in this case, the music is used appropriately and efficiently. No complaints from my end :o)

Overall, the puzzle is slowly being completed. We've got six episodes left until we reach the end... I'm gonna miss it!

Review by J W G, age 12
Rating:

The show overall was good, but the music was terrible!!

The show revealed a lot, though. Interesting about Mr. Charles's "goons". They do the dirty work for Novacom, obviously. Probably the same people who ransacked Eugene's apartment and grabbed Mitch.

Review by Carol, age 17
Rating:

WOW! Exciting! This is a CLIFF-HANGER!

Review by Eiram, age 14
Rating:

Very Good. I liked the ep a lot, but I don't like having to wait until next week to hear what will happen next.

Review by Deborah, age 11
Rating:

It was very good...it really made me want to keep listening to the series. Also it really shows the Christian walk.

Review by Julie, age 14
Rating:

Really good show. I think Monica/Paula may be a good person, she has just been brainwashed. I mean, Mr. Charles wants all the stuff to work out because he is evil, but Monica/Paula Really believes that it will help people. I think She and Jason Should get hitched.

Review by Kelsey Boss, age 12
Rating:

I do not think that Monica was very good at lying. All in all it was a very good episode. I can't wait to hear the next one.

Review by Emily Baird, age 15
Rating:

Some pieces are starting to fit together but not very many. I wonder if Monica was still faking with Jason at the airport or if she really meant what she said. I kind of like Monica even though she is on the wrong side. Jason is finally getting his eyes opened, but I doubt he has learned very much from the experience. I wonder if the tunnel in Whit's End plays a further part in the Novacom saga.

Review by Tianlet, age 16
Rating:

FINALLY! An edgeofyourseat, bitingyourtongue, revealing episode! Jason STILL hasn't learned to steer clear of women, especially women in the spy business.

The music during the pause while Jason tracks down Monica was crummy. It sounded like some ancient spy movie! The sappy music while Jason talked to Monica made me sick.

Walter, now there's someone of the type I've been waiting for. He saw through "Paula" and would have been able to hinder if not stop her if Jason had listened to him. His checking up on her resume and bio coupled with his purposeful trickery to get her to trip herself got me cheering!

All in all, it was an excellent episode and gave us a little more insigt into what's going on.

I have been enjoying the sound bits at the end. This weeks was VERY ominous and I don't know if I can wait till next week!

Review by Paul Brown
Rating:

A new Jason episode...I'm so happy. Jason learns the truth about his intern spy a little too late.The same for Jason's friend Walter, who got tied up by Monica. I hope Jason with his spy background knew the ring was a transmitter and put a fake disk in the package...with a virus in it, I hope.

Review by Bradford Goodridge, age 11
Rating:

This episode was one that made me hope nobody would die, and thank goodness no one did. But I still don't trust Monica- 60% don't trust 40% trust.

Review by Bradford Goodridge, age 11
Rating:

Once again we join Jason in Alaska. I like the way this episode gives a great way of how evil comes seeming good and takes you to a point where everything that it did seems good. Then, bit by bit, evil starts to make everything evil, seem good. It makes it seem to be like if you do good, no one will like you. I find it hard to think that Jason would fall for Monica's act and not think that she was up to something. The Mr. Ready-to-think-anything-about-any-one now falls for something so easy. And when someone told Jason what he thought that she was up to something, Jason was to much in love with her to think anything about her that was bad. Adventures In Odyssey has done some other shows with people coming and making people trust them, just to get what they want. This episode shows a good point that I think was well put in with this story.

Review by Fletcher
Rating:

Sheep's Clothing is the best! The bad guys now have their final piece for success—Eugene's reasearch. Now Novacom will be able to succeed and Whit can't do anything. Only God can help Odyssey now. And it looks like we will get some of that in "Box of Miracles". For next week's show it looks like Aurther Dent is out of the hospitial, and Kevin Colburn is helping Whit figure out this strange "Novabox." But what does Andromeda want with this reasearch. What do they want that Monica said is good? I can't wait for next week!

Review by Boni, age 14
Rating:

Oooohh....it's very good. I personally think that Monica is actually telling the truth to Jason, but then it could all be a lie to get him to like her more. I believe that Novacom people are terrorists. Yup.

Review by DrWhit73, age 29
Rating:

This episode was very nicely done. Did a good job of advancing the plot ever so slightly. Can't wait for "Box of Miracles!"

Review by JoyElectric
Rating:

Pretty Good! This one ends with a bit more of a cliffhanger than usual, which from the sounds of it is going to be a good one as well! We learn a bit more about Monica, and how she has more motives than just being Mr. Charles' hench-person. Charles gets more evil, and we learn more about Eugene. The only minor gripes are that Jason seems to be far more dense than before. I'm suprised his defenses are down so easily. As well, and It's because I lived in Alaska and am biased, but I don't know how anyone would get a direct flight to Chicago from a remote village with only 3 gates. Oh, the teaser for the next episode has Arthur Dent saying "The End is near, The Time has Come." Sounds good!

Review by Kit (Town Hall)

Ok, Sheep's Clothing was one of the best yet. Very well acted by all parts, music seemed good (I never notice music on my first listen unless it's bad) and the plot just got more suspenseful! Fortunately they started answering some questions rather than just continually asking more.

Review by Deborah (Town Hall)

I agree that it was excellently done. I thought the "detective work" of Walter was superbly acted and very true to life. My dad, a police officer, has done similar things on more than one occasion. I thought, perhaps, his work was the best of the show. Wonderful writing and terrific acting.

Another great scene was Jason & Monica "washing dishes" and Walter clearing the table. It would've been wonderfully humorous, and touching had I not been in such suspense! One question for Jason would be, WHY, after all you've been through, and after the conversations you have had with your dad, were you NOT more guarded? Ggggrrr! And where was the breakdown in communication between Jason & Whit? The whole "ring thing"...Jason--you're losing your touch! The FIRST thing you asked Tasha in "A Name, Not a Number" was "Is it secure?" and she said, "I checked it out, no bugs." (I know, he's not "on assignment" so he's not thinking that way, but gghhhrr!) :)

The whole Agent Bourland connection still doesn't have me MUCH at ease, but perhaps I'm not QUITE so suspicious of him after this week. I thought it was an interesting connection to Mitch's death they dropped in...

Anyways...just some of my thoughts. An EXCELLENTLY done episode in an excellently suspenseful series. Is it just me, or does Darkness Before Dawn seem almost "innocent" by comparison?? Or perhaps it's just that I have to WAIT in between episodes, instead of hearing the whole DBD conclusion all in one night as I did that one...

Okay...I'm done rambling! :)

Review by DrBlackgaard (Town Hall)

Before this whole thing started, the writters said something like "These episodes will make Dr. Blackgaard look like a sunday school teacher!" -- And they've done it!