Update: Audio Theatre Central

I don't normally post the latest "news", but for those of you who haven't already, you might want to check out the latest "Audio Theatre Central" podcast. It features a terrific interview with Paul McCusker:

http://atc.radiocss.com/Audio-Theatre-Central/episode3-theshepherdsprayerreviewpaulmccuskerinterview

Happy Monday.

Review: "A Thankstaking Story"

A director named Louis Leterrier directed the 2008 summer blockbuster "The Incredible Hulk". In an interview promoting the film's DVD release, the director said "we'll have 70 minutes" of extra footage. "70 minutes!" the interviewer responds, shocked.  Leterrier went on to explain frankly how some footage was taken out not because the movie was too long but because it wasn't very good. Whether this turned out to be factually true or not, isn't the point; today's Adventures in Odyssey episode, "A Thankstaking Story" boasts being "the longest episode in its series" but one wonders whether, like "The Incredible Hulk", the cut version is the better one.

Not only is "A Thankstaking Story" the series' lengthiest episode, it also took me the longest time to complete. Well, duh, right? Well, actually, the show took me nearly a month to listen to. Why? I must confess that I made three attempts and each time pressed "stop" around a third of the way into the episode. Something bothered me. My mind wandered. At first I loved it, then I hated it, and then loved it again. And then I got annoyed and turned it off. The episode is both infuriating and satisfying, impressive and disappointing, all at the same time. It will please many fans while enrage others, much like other divisive episodes such as "Snow Day", "Do Or Diet", or "Wooton's Broken Pencil Show" have in the past.

Essentially, I found several lines and scenes too random or distracting to be considered funny: "Oh yea, and I freelance as a rock singer in the summer months",  "... I need a new press agent", "light the lamp, not the turkey! Light the lamp, not the turkey!"...etc. I know what they trying to do. I appreciate what they were trying to do. But the jokes didn't work each time. This isn't to say that the jokes aren't funny on their own--they certainly are--but they shouldn't be taking away from the larger story.

I think "A Thankstaking Story" needed trimming here and there, and could have benefited from an additional draft for some necessary polishing. As I mentioned earlier, the radio version is better for several reasons, cutting the unnecessary fat that disrupted the show's flow. My advice would be to listen to the radio version first, if you can, and then go purchase the extended version to hear the bonus scenes. For my own curiosity, I have compiled a list of what was omitted from the radio version: 

1) Originally, Connie's search for her cellphone goes on for much longer; Eugene makes fun of her for using it in the restroom. I found no reason for this scene to be here aside from further emphasizing how whiny and discontent these characters were before becoming thankful in the end.  

2) Jay and his Uncle are very disappointed when they find out Whit doesn't own a TV. We also find out that that Whit's End doesn't have any fresh food around. This bit may have helped to explain how miserable these characters are, but again, it only prevents us from getting to the main story sooner. 

3) Connie and Wooton have one or two additional lines pointing out that the whole "world has frozen over". The cut version, however, shows that we do not need these extra lines to emphasize how bad the weather is. 

4) Wooton's hilarious Elvis song is left out. It is completely unnecessary in advancing the story, not to mention a little difficult to understand, but it is still a great Elvis impersonation. Be sure to hear it.   

5) Near the end of the episode, the villains answer a cell phone. This pokes fun at Eugene's earlier comment about Connie using her cellphone in the washroom. It only made sense to cut this one out since that earlier scene was cut out too. 

6) There's an additional scene where "scrunch and his bunch steal every McGloo lunch". While this scene ties in well with the original Dr. Seuss story, I think that simply "freezing the world over" and banning "prayer" is enough to ruin Thanksgiving.  

7) Katie Poo-Magloo explains the significance of the pilgrims and the five kernels. It's a nice scene, however, there are already better moments before and after that explain the significance of Thanksgiving .  

8) Near the end, the scrunch and his bunch have about ten random lines that are neither  important or kneeslappers.

9) Finally, Chris's wrap-up is slightly different in the original version, and includes a hilarious sound bite: "Nathan Joooooones!" 

There you go. As you can see, most of these scenes were unnecessary.

What about the actors? For the most part, everyone did a great job. In fact, it would be quicker and easier to say who didn't do a great job. Today's winner is Katie Leigh for her performance as Connie Kendall, who seemed to be losing her marbles. Seriously. Her temper tantrum over the lost cellphone ("Hot Chocolate! How can anyone think of hot chocolate at a time like this?") was probably one of the most uncharacteristically ridiculous things that has ever left Connie's mouth. Yes, I expect many fans to disagree and point out other instances where Connie Kendall has overreacted. But this was too much. Why is it that Connie sounds more and more like a young child with every episode that passes? Thankfully, though Katie Leigh may have failed playing Connie, she did an absolutely brilliant job as Katie Poo-Magloo.

In addition to Katie Leigh, Andre Stojka, Jess Harnell, and Will Ryan all wonderfully flaunt their voice talents in today's episode; however, the real stars were Nathan Jones and John Campbell who kept listeners involved when the script and nutty dialogue could not. Campbell, who supposedly teamed up with Will Ryan, provided four wonderful tunes ("Good News", "We are the Bad-guys", "Maglooville was a tiny Village" and "Everyday is Thanksgiving Day".) I also particularly enjoyed the sound effects Nathan Jones used including the  "pop" sounds given to citizens of Maglooville.

And yet, amidst the cringe inducing chaos, there is something very brilliant, daring, and wonderfully original about today's show. Sure, it loses you. But then, right when you're lost, it brings you back with humorous lines and moments that are downright perfect. A lot of hard work went into this. Dave Arnold is a great writer, and there is a lot of detail in today's show, including references only 10% of the audience probably understood. I dare say that this is the best Christmas show we've heard in a long while, even though, ironically, this isn't one. But there were moments throughout that brought me back to the heartwarming Christmas shows like "Silent Night"; so much so that Harlow's "Merry Christmas!" seemed appropriate. If you listen to this episode while getting ready for school or cleaning your room, you won't get the full effect. Instead, when the snow begins to fall on a cold winter night, make some hot chocolate, dim the lights, lie down either on your bed or by a toasty fireplace, and lose yourself in the soft strumming of the ukulele, the wonderful Thanksgiving Day ditties, Whit's spellbinding delivery, Harlow's surprising last minute entry, and Katy Poo-Magloo played by Katie Leigh. These last 5 minutes, especially, feel warm and wonderful.

One must have a "willing suspension of disbelief", which challenges typical Odyssey reality, in order to fully enjoy "A Thankstaking Story". These types of shows include the weaker and sillier "Sunset Bowlawater" and "Called on in Class", as well as the classic "Someone to Watch Over Me"-- my personal favorite. So how did this one do? If you disliked this episode because you thought it was too silly or fantastical for your liking, then I'm afraid you don't know Odyssey very well. Whit has been  combining imagination and silliness ever since everyone huddled together in Whit's End to hear "Gifts for Madge and Guy". This one never feels over-the-top because they keep everything in story-form. The only quibble I have is that this episode aired too soon after "Wooton's Broken Pencil Show", which also features a chaotic script.

"A Thankstaking Story" verges on greatness but is brought down by the occasional incomprehensible digressions in its narrative. It is a beautiful, sometimes headache-inducing, mess. It is like watching a great TV movie with distracting and poorly timed commercials. Don't get me wrong, "A Thankstaking Story" certainly deserves its four stars, but depending on the version, time of the year, the mood you're in, or your age, it may deserve something completely different. Yes, this episode sadly exposes the fallibility of my rating system. Today it gets four. Tomorrow it may only get one, and the following day perhaps five. I suppose it all depends on how thankful the listener feels. And there are definitely terrific moments in this one to be thankful for.

RATING: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Review: "Square One"

"Square One" reminds me somewhat of "Opposite Day"; both are down-to-earth, friendship focused, kid-centric episodes that keep things relatively light and probably won't turn out to be season favorites. Both are fine episodes on their own; however, "Square One" avoids the mistakes "Opposite Day" made and is ultimately the stronger of the two.

Yes, the "Jones and Parker Detective Agency" is back. This time, their presence is forgiven since the episode focuses on the club's disunity rather than unity; for those who dislike their presence on the show, this is good news. Obviously, we see that the lives of the mystery-solving duo isn't all fun and games largely because of Emily over-possessiveness. Emily wants the team to focus on the group's new logo and has a problem with Matthew tinkering with a pen and accuses him of being weird. Really, Emily? Really? You're the only child who has their own detective agency, and you're calling Matthew weird for wanting to know how a pen works? Really? You spend afternoons spying on others with binoculars; you blackmail others and photograph them from trees; you even suggest that these group of boys are involved in a conspiracy, but Matthew can't look at your little pen? Really?

Memorable characters make Adventures in Odyssey the success that it is. Lately I've been wondering why we've had to endure so many dry new characters lacking interesting or attractive personalities. This was the root problem with this reboot. Some simple slice-of-life stories were instantly deemed failures the moment they announced which characters were starring in them. A glimmer of hope is now creeping around the corner; Odyssey is slowly solidifying a core group of children who, dare I say it, have the potential of becoming as memorable as those in the show's golden age. Is Ryan the new Jack Davis and Nelson the new Oscar? In today's episode, the chemistry between its characters seemed different. These characters no longer seemed one-dimensional, but were fleshed out, and surprisingly worked well together. I thought Ryan, Pete and Nelson made up a neat threesome, with compelling and contrasting personalities (though I still find Pete somewhat aggravating). For once in a long time, the episode ended and I immediately looked forward to when these same group of kids will appear on the series again.

Admittedly, even Emily Jones, who I still somewhat detest, works quite well here. For once, the story acknowledges her character faults as the pompous, egotistical, big-headed individual that she is. The fact that Emily was blackmailing people and incessantly putting down Matthew made me dislike her character all the more, but strangely, her attitude worked well with the story being told. The reality is that Emily Jones isn't the likable child protagonist that the producers initially made her out to be--unlike Ryan, who proved his likability in "the Owlnapping". Marshall seems to have understood this. The listener both easily and rightfully sympathizes with Matthew, feeling frustrated as he does when Emily Jones interferes with his private business. In the end, she is humbled--and I don't really mind hearing more from this humbled Emily. It was even refreshing to hear from a wiser and more sincere Matthew Parker than the brooding or passive character he played in "The Inspiration Station" and "Stage Fright", respectively. Essentially, both lead characters did a fine job here.

I appreciate how the episode didn't feel the need to waste time having a separate subplot. The show told a simple story about Matthew's relationship to a group of guys, and Marshall did a good job at developing the story thoughtfully and at a comfortable pace; scenes never felt rushed or feel the urge to end with stale punchlines. While the dialogue ranged from occasionally lame (Emily's "Yea. In Another Universe *giggle*") to funny (Pete's "Pasty Resistance"), Matthew's scene with Whit, confrontation with Emily, and apology to Ryan, were three consecutive well-crafted scenes.

I realize that I've been ignoring Whit in recent reviews. This isn't on purpose. It goes without saying that Andre Stojka has been doing an excellent job this season. But has Whit's role in show not become a little too gimmicky lately? Whit has only been showing up in the final half of the episode behind the counter, almost as a Deus ex machina, immediately setting all things right in the land of Odyssey. I know this is who his character is, and this is how us fans like him best, but it is also starting to feel a little too formulaic; "Square one" will mark the third time in a row his character is used in this manner. Thankfully, next week's "A Thankstaking Story" shakes his role up a bit.

This episode gets three stars for not only being a satisfactory episode, but for being a somewhat satisfying one as well. "Square One" is nice, simple, and well thought-out. In addition to this, it has those extra elements which distinguishes it from other kid-centric, slice of life episodes: good chemistry and sincere performances.

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Review: "The Owlnapping"

Adventures in Odyssey repeatedly succeeds in creating excellent sports-related episodes. Not only do these types of shows show the ins and outs of winning, losing, and teamwork but also that what happens on the court/field is equally important as what happens off it. As one sports journalist brilliantly put it, "Sports is Human Life in Microcosm". Last season's "Target of the Week" was a surprise hit and, here, underappreciated and underrated writer Marshall Younger hits another home run; writing a smoothly plotted and enthralling episode that joins the ranks of "The Winning Edge", "The Fundamentals" and "And the Glory". I'll waste no more time and just say it: "The Owlnapping" is a great kid-centric episode.

This episode reminds me of a popular television show I enjoyed watching as a child called "Disney's Recess". Ever heard of it? Each episode took everyday school-related situations but soaked them in melodrama and churned out exaggerated stories. The group of kids involved never acknowledged that the situations are ridiculous and, from the point of view of its audience, took these everyday events much too seriously; a simple class presentation turned into something out of a horror episode, an attempt to get one's class-picture taken turned into something out of an Indiana Jones adventure, and the horror of being sent to detention seemed on par with capital punishment. But although it felt exaggerated, it also felt very real. I remember childhood being an exxagerated experience--just listen to "Back to School"--everything seems grander, or more significant, but in a different way. That's the power of the child's imagination.

The opening scene of "The Owlnapping", likewise, is appropriately exaggerated; it grabs the listener's attention and never lets go. It is set in an ominous concealed location, with eerie music playing, a payoff, and cryptic dialogue, all suggesting something hugely dark and sinister is about to occur. But all for what? The theft of an Owl? As a whole, the episode certainly borderlines on ridiculous once you stop to consider how seriously it takes itself. But it works. And this is the kind of preposterousness I like the best. It's silly up to the point of being unlikely, but it is also never unrealistic. We wish for these events to happen so much that we are very willing to accept that they are happening. It dropped me inside an adventure that would have easily appealed to me when I was younger, and thankfully appeals to me today.

Most of the performances in this kid-centric episode are excellent. I'm pretty sure every boy easily envisioned themselves in Ryan's shoes, frantically running across town while listening to the mysterious voice on the other end of the line. I've always enjoyed Adam Wylie's voice, and his performance here is pitch-perfect despite the fact he is played by an an adult. Should I care this time? Nope. Adam Wylie seems to be that anomaly. The actor could have fooled me completely if I hadn't made the connection that he also sounded at the brink of hitting puberty back in "The Last Chance Detectives", six years ago. Luckily, I've seen him guest star in different television shows here and there and there is very little sign that he alters his voice to sound younger. Actors and actresses who need to force themselves to sound like prepubescent characters shouldn't be on the show. Thankfully it seems Adam Wylie barely needs to try. 

Despite the fact I enjoy Adam Wylie, I'm curious why there was a need to replace Ken Blaylock from "Target of the Week" as the town's athlete. Will Ken simply remain a one hit wonder like Pete Flanagan in "And the Glory"? Adventures in Odyssey has an unusual history of quickly getting rid of characters who are gifted at sports, meanwhile, computer geeks have been flourishing. Must be something in the water. Or perhaps Whit's End should begin to invest in more treadmills. In any case, Alex Polinsky, as Ken, gave a surprisingly well-received performance in "Target of the Week", and I had hoped to see him again in this episode. I realize softball and basketball are two completely different sports, but usually most kids good in one sport turn out to be fairly decent at every other. I look forward to an episode where Ryan and Ken have to face off against one another as the school champion in some other sport; tennis, croquet, or maybe curling. Or maybe not. 

I continue to argue that Coach Chang Fang is one of the best characters introduced post-hiatus. I don't really buy into the talk that he is too "new-agey"; I simply see him as someone who hasn't completely mastered the English language and therefore butchers every metaphor that exits his mouth. The last scene of the episode confirms what many of us have suspected; Chang Fang is at least partially inspired by Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid--who also could be a little too philosophical. I'm not too sure how long the Odyssey team will be able to keep Mr. Fang interesting beyond giving him the occasional goofy proverb to say. Will he strictly be used as the coach for every sports episode? Or will his character branch out and take on a larger role in the show? Time will tell. I'm certainly curious to see what the Odyssey team decides to do with him...

As for the other supporting characters...I wondered why Vance sounded better today and now I know why. Jason Earles was replaced with actor Jason Marsden. I don't know whether the change is permanent. But I like this new voice better. He sounds a little more intimidating than the last one did. As for Pete, I think he was the primary reason why I didn't fully love this episode. His voice sounds too strained, and, well, slightly annoying. But I think there were too many good things going on in today's show to really be bothered by his presence.

Like "Target of the Week", "The Owlnapping" is thematically not just about one thing, but several; woven together quite well. The episode is not only about the dangers of  being bound to a good-luck charm but also about the journey of a team captain attempting to encourage his players to make their own luck--until he too becomes bound to a "power", ironically enough. But as we soon learn through Ryan's efforts, neither the Owl or Vance are omnipotent, but a Greater Power exists. Also, listeners can take away valuable lessons about the importance of leadership, courage, and loyalty too. All in all, I liked how the message never felt overbearing or loosely tact on, like "Opposite Day" or "Stage Fright", respectively. Here is an example of a show where the story and the message complement each other well. 

In conclusion, "The Owlnapping" is a kid-centric episode that returns the word "adventure" back into Adventures in Odyssey. Don't take the episode too seriously, even though it may want you to. Instead, jump in and enjoy the ride. If you do, you'll see that this is not only a season highlight, but time will prove it is also one of the series finest too.

★ ★ ★ ★ ½  (Four and half/ 5 stars) 

Review: "Opposite Day"

I have decided that writing lengthy reviews about episodes I didn't find particularly exciting isn't worth the time. And "Opposite Day" is exactly that: unexciting. But then again, why shouldn't it be? I realize that I'm way beyond the target audience of this episode. And as much as Focus on the Family would like to focus on the entire family with each episode, this one was obviously packaged for the young, female, public-grade-school-attending listener, and you know what, I'm OK with that.

You have a good ear if you didn't once get confused between the female voices in today's show. While Amber, Olivia and Priscilla don't sound identical, it sometimes took me that extra half-second to realize who was saying what. I've been lending out old Adventures in Odyssey cassettes to a friend making her way through the series for the first time. And when she listened to "A Worker Approved", she mentioned how unique and easily distinguishable Robyn Jacob's voice was. That got me to wish how their were more voices like hers nowadays. I don't want unrealistic voices. Rather, I want voices where I can easily imagine the character behind them. Since day one, the choice of actresses now featured in "Opposite Day" have seemed uninspired. While I'm sure we will grow accustomed to hearing them over a period of time, I still wish their voices didn't give my concentration skills such a workout.

On a more positive note, I wasn't sure whether it was the performances or the writing that made me so easily sympathize with both Olivia and Amber--despite finding them completely ridiculous, irrational and somewhat annoying. But I found myself having an easy time empathizing with them and understanding where each was coming from. Not to be overly pessimistic, but Olivia's attitude is one a lot of Christians have; we falsely assume we need to act nicely to everyone we encounter despite how we really feel about them inside. But the Bible calls us to genuinely "love your neighbor as yourself" and as Whit says "friends are friends because they accept each other for who they are". Olivia's experience reminded me of someone I used to know a few years ago. This guy had a "best friend" who wasn't really his best friend at all; he made sure he let everyone know they were only friends because no one else wanted to be. Whatever good feelings he received from performing this "good" deed were destroyed by also having an unwilling heart. Like Olivia, he never really enjoyed hanging around his "friend" at all, despite pretending to. Many of us feel a nice sense of Christian accomplishment when reaching out a hand to someone who needs our friendship, but I think the best thing we can do is to not only be there for them for just one day, but everyday. Without a willing heart, we are merely living an "Opposite Day" too.

At first, I detested Amber for how absolutely clueless she was; any normal person would have gotten the hint that Olivia wasn't remotely interested in hanging out with her. Halfway through the episode, I even mumbled to myself cruelly, "Well, now we know why Danielle moved away...". But Corrie Shenigo, who plays Amber,  does a surprisingly good job at creating sympathy for her character despite how aggravating she could be. I can understand how feeling lonely may create a type of desperation; we begin to ignore common sense and accept any kind of companionship, even false relationships. Looking at it that way, I thought the way Amber was behaving was quite believable.

Speaking of which, is loneliness the reason why you're casually "creeping" on Facebook right now? Is this the same reason why you're currently on the TOO message boards instead of calling that friend you haven't spoken to in two years? Not only did the "Opposite Day"'s subplot involving Barrett compliment the overarching storyline well, but it was also the most interesting part of the show. I'm not sure how many children are into Facebook right now, but there is no doubt that this new way of interacting with others is greatly influencing our society. Those of us attending university know the full benefits of using social networks; we end up learning more about someone by browsing their Facebook page than we would by going out and shaking their hand. Just as it was shown that Barrett's involvement with Club Kid-Chat was destroying his own relationships, websites such as Facebook are impairing our ability to overcome natural social phobias at a young age. Yes, many listeners may think Barrett's obsession went a little overboard; but I honestly think he was just vocalizing how a lot of us think nowadays. Like Barrett, how many of us had suddenly thought of a clever saying in the middle of the day, and immediately turned to Facebook to communicate it to others? How many of us have wondered why our number of "friends" went down by one or two? I certainly have. Barrett's storyline is an important one for the 500 million active users on Facebook right now, and I appreciate Adventures of Odyssey for choosing to tackle this issue.

There are a few nitpicky issues with "Opposite Day" that the listener shouldn't dwell on too much. If they did, it would only destroy their ability to fully enjoy this episode. For instance, you shouldn't spend time considering how unfunny and unnecessary Wooton Bassett was in today's show. You also shouldn't spend time considering what kind of gifted-school these kids are attending where its students enjoy searching for geological artifacts and discussing DSP algorithms in their spare time. And try not to think about how strange it is that Wooton has a Club Kid-Chat account too. And, of course, the biggest question of all: Is Susan VanHorn related to Charles VanHorn? Who knows...But, like I said, don't let these small issues bother you too much. 

Not every episode needs to be overly complex and radically genius with Avery-award worthy performances. "Opposite Day" reminds us that it never hurts to keep an episode light and simple as long as it has something relevant to say...and this one certainly did. I realize the acting and dialogue in today's show immediately calls for a younger audience, but this episode manages also to strike a chord in older listeners by successfully tackling an issue spanning all ages: friendship. And if you've spent more time on the Adventures in Odyssey message boards today then around real, breathing human beings, then this one's for you.

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆