Fall 2000 Poll

The polls have closed for the Fall 2000 Season Awards, sponsored by AIOHQ, The Soda Fountain, and the Ultimate AIO Website. Head over to those two sites to read their write-ups on the results or read on for mine.

The poll for the fall season of 2000 turned up far different results than last spring's poll. The most noticeable difference was how there were no runaway winners among the episodes, whereas in the spring "I Slap Floor" won practically every category. The poll had 56 responses and the average age of those polled was 15, with the oldest being 26 and the youngest being seven. One of the most interesting elements of the poll was the tie for the most prestigious category of "Best Episode." The poll results and analysis follow. Thank you to everyone who voted!

Click here for comments people sent about the fall season.

Click here for detailed episode information and character listings for the fall 2000 season.

The Results

Performance

17	John the Baptist (Pete Renaday) in "The Big Deal"	(30.4%)
13	Mandy Staussberg (Aria Curzon) in "The Worst Day Ever"	(23.2%)
11	Josh (Christopher Fornof) in "Best Laid Plans"	(19.6%)
9	Manny Kin (Walker Edmiston) in "The Great Wishy Woz"	(16.1%)
6	Nathaniel Graham (Blake Ewing) in "Life Trials of the Rich and Famous"	(10.7%)

While it takes writers to come up with dialog, it takes good actors to bring it to life. All of the performers nominated turned in excellent performances and I think I have to agree with the results that John the Baptist was among the best acting jobs of the season. Manny Kin was also notable, in my opinion, as being the best "character performance" in The Great Wishy Woz.

Production

22	The Great Wishy Woz	(39.3%)
11	Red Herring	(19.6%)
7	The Big Deal	(12.5%)
5	Slumber Party	(8.9%)
5	Missionary: Impossible	(8.9%)
3	Best Laid Plans	(5.3%)
2	Opportunity Knocks	(3.6%)
1	Life Trials of the Rich and Famous	(1.8%)

This was the category won by the largest margin and with good reason. "The Great Wishy Woz" was an ambitious project from the start: a two-part fantasy musical with many varied locations. The sheer scale of the episode makes it the most likely candidate for best production. If we had a "best music" category for the season, I'm sure Wishy Woz would have won that one hands down as well. One of the other interesting facts about the results of this category is that Rob Jorgensen was the production engineer on the top four episodes.

Moment

18	When the boys hack into Campbell College's computer system in "Red Herring"	(32.1%)
14	When Mr. Iam tells Dotty who he is in "The Great Wishy Woz"	(25%)
10	2-Large's poem in "Best Laid Plans"	(17.9%)
9	When Connie and Jason discuss their nights in "Best Laid Plans"	(16.1%)
5	When Tom and Whit talk about the tower in the final scene of "Opportunity Knocks"	(8.9%)

Often episodes are remembered by just one moment. When Isaac and Hank Murray are pointing guns at each other in "Treasure Hunt." When all is still after Timmy fell into the water in "Greater Love…" Big moments define episodes and this fall had its share of big moments. While I would probably opt for the second place finisher (the Mr. Iam/Dotty scene) as my favorite moment, the winner deserves credit as well for a gripping, suspenseful scene which could lead the way to bigger things down the road.

Character

21	Arthur Dent in "Opportunity Knocks"	(37.5 %)
13	Josh in "Best Laid Plans"	(23.2%)
10	Cal Jordan in "Red Herring"	(17.9%)
6	Mark Maddox in "Red Herring"	(10.7%)
6	Amy in "Best Laid Plans"	(10.7%)

While there weren't a whole lot of new characters this season, there were a few interesting new ones. Fans voted Arthur Dent as the most interesting new character and I must agree. What is Dent's agenda and why did he seem so mysterious to Whit? Christopher Snell gave the character just the right amount of mystery and only future episodes will tell what Arthur Dent is really all about.

Episode

17	The Great Wishy Woz	(30.4%)
17	Red Herring	(30.4%)
5	Missionary: Impossible	(8.9%)
5	Best Laid Plans	(8.9%)
4	The Big Deal	(7.1%)
3	The Worst Day Ever	(5.3%)
3	Opportunity Knocks	(5.3%)
1	Life Trials of the Rich and Famous	(1.8%)
1	Slumber Party	(1.8%)

The Odyssey Awards equivalent of a Best Picture Oscar ended in a tie between The Great Wishy Woz and Red Herring, two of the best reviewed episodes of the season. While there's no denying that The Great Wishy Woz was probably the most "unique" and different episode, Red Herring provided us with a lot of questions and new kid character. If I had to personally pick between the two, I would probably choose The Great Wishy Woz, though they are both episodes that I could listen to over and over again.

Comments

We asked fans a few questions about what they thought. Here are some of the responses.

	There should be more episodes like these.
	A continuation of the Novacom storyline, but with some loose ends left hanging for the future! A humorous episode or two a la "Hidden in My Heart". EUGENE AND KATRINA GET MARRIED!!!
	Keep bringing back favorites: Katrina, Eugene, Jack, Joanne. Also, a few stories of Jason out in missions.
	I think they should continue the Novacom storyline and make it great. Paul McCusker should have Eugene and Katrina either marry or at least have an ep that continues their relationship. I would also like to see some of the new characters from the Fall season appear in the Spring season.
	They should continue Red Herring and Connie should get a boyfriend.
	The old characters come back...and for them to stop making "kidsy" eps
	Continue developing the storyline with Arem and Novacom. Let us know what's going on with Eugene and Katrina. Bring in Bernard and Jack, and get Connie more involved in a storyline-maybe even her own instead of being on the sidelines.
	I think that Eugene and Katrina should get married after that AREM mess, and when they are walking down the aisle have the power go out just to annoy the audience one last time! People would love that!
	Regis Blackgaard needs to come back. Sara should be on more. Scarlett Pomers rocks! She's da bomb!
	I think Eugene and Katrina should get married!!!!!!!!
	Continue with Novacom in a "Blackgaard-like" way, write SOMETHING about Eugene and Katrina, and continue with stories about the everyday kid.
	Lots, continue old story lines. They should also more spoofs like "the Devil made me do it" and "hidden in my heart". Also they should do a spoof on the Narnia series and the Tolkien Books (the Hobbit and the lord of the rings)

	MARRY OFF EUGENE & KATRINA (and keep up the great great work!)
	Keep up the good work! Storylines are definitely a Good Thing. Do not be afraid to take Odyssey in a more adult, Christian "soap opera" direction.
	KEEP IT UP!!!! This was one of the best seasons in a long time!! You guys are great!
	Good Job! I have been listening for 8 years!
	Don't try to go silly like "The Great Wishy Woz"
	Go back to splits. Bring back Blackgaard. More Of Sara.
	Keep Up The Good Work.
	Don't lose your Biblical focus in the episodes.
	You should release the episodes that aren't available to us die hard fans such as the lost Harley Files and others. Also, they should release soundtracks and scripts for varicose episodes such as "The Great Wishy Woz" and "Patrick: A Heart Afire".