Review
by Robert, age 11
Rating:
This episode started
pretty cool, with at least part of the Barclays here. As the episode went
on, I was shocked. I mean Felicia? I could not believe he was working for
a tabloid. I hope part 2 is better.
Review
by Nigel
Rating:
It was great to
hear Jimmy again after so long, but he doesn't sound as if he's old enough
for college. I hope we'll get to hear from Donna soon!
Review
by Rae, age 16
Rating:
I thought this
episode was very well done. It was great hearing from George and Jimmy again,
and as usual, their acting was very professional and realistic. But I also
think that the scene with Felicia was too long and that Connie's "stakeouts
are boring" song was a bit silly. I think that this is the first Odyssey
where they bring back an old character and bring us up to date on his life.This
show has been great and I think that Odyssey should have more episodes that
bring back old characters. Anyway, I'm looking forward to next week!
Review
by Caroline, age 14
Rating:
For a season opener,
this one was a nightmare. What happened to the sarcastic, but responsible
Jimmy from years past? I really miss him. I want the real Jimmy who,
like anyone, can fall for wordly temtation, but has that firm foundation that
keeps him on the right track. "Compromises to survive?" Is that
really Jimmy Barclay talking? I was very disappointed with this episode.
It's not the "wonder, excitement, and discovery" I've come to expect
from AIO. Odyseey get out of "living in the gray" and get back to
your two storylines, and a lesson eps that kept me a fan my whole life. I'm
disappointed.
Review
by Priceless, age 11
Rating:
I liked this episode
a lot. The only problem that I can see is that Jimmy lied to his family and
friends. Other then that, it was a fine show!
Review
by Dave
Rating:
An intresting
episode...but I don't like how Jimmy is now. He's been raised better than
that. But an interesting episode, nonetheless. But I'm not looking as forward
as I should be till next week.
Review
by Heidi Marie, age 15
Rating:
Review
by Lenard, age 13
Rating:
I thought this ep was pretty good.
I really liked how you brought the Barclays back. I would like to see more
eps with them. I liked how this ep wasn't as predictable as all the others
like this.
It's great to have Jimmy back.
Even though he works for a bad newspaper and his life choices have been bad.
Hopefully, things will get better in part 2. Did Connie say she could live
in Washington, DC? Start a new life? Connie does a stakeout on Jimmy and find
out what he's really up to. Great season opener.
Review
by JoyElectric
Rating:
After seven years, Jimmy (or rather,
"Jim" to anyone who isn't Connie or George) is finally back on the
show. But, Jimmy's changed a little. Not only does Jimmy have a goatee, he
also has a ditzy girlfriend, and shady job, and a habit of lying to his friends
and family in order not to embarrass himself.
The first thing I noticed is that
Jimmy sounds much older, even older than when we heard them in the Pokenberry
Christmas show. It's been awhile! In fact, one of the more interesting things
about this show is something that I've always wondered about: What happens
to those kids who we lose touch with? I was always guessing not all of them
turned out to be perfect kids. To have Jimmy hit "rock bottom" the
first time we re-meet him is kind of an interesting twist.
One of the only annoying things
about this show was the endless scene with Jimmy's girlfriend. It seemed to
drag, mostly to prove the point that she's quite the ditz and nowhere near
the image of Jimmy's first real crush, Connie. On the other hand, once again,
Connie shines. She takes a big-sister approach with Jimmy that may be a little
heavy-handed, but seems to be what he needs. David Griffin does good as an
older, somewhat flippant, Jimmy.
We'll see where this goes. On the
whole, it's a good reunion episode. I would have liked to have heard how life
was in Pokenberry Falls, though.
Review
by Bradford G, age 13
Rating:
Wow. Who knew that Odyssey's favorite
family could bare another problem, named Jimmy. Sure seems like Jimmy has
slacked off for so long that he's in hot water. I can't believe that he spies
on people just so he can report the wrong thing. I sure hope Connie and George
can set him straight. Plus I had a feeling that the old friend would either
be Jimmy or Eugene. Oh well... But remember keep listening!!
Review
by Kanimoto, age 14
Rating:
I thought this episode was cool
and all (Jimmy was my favorite character of the old episodes), but I kinda
wish that AIO would start making more episodes that are as good as the Novacom
saga was.
Review
by Allison, age 13
Rating:
I liked the episode. I think it
is very sad how Jimmy has decided to live his life. I am glad that we got
to catch up with him again...haven't heard from him in a while! I never expected
he would live his life like that. I always thought since he was raised in
a Christian family so well, that he would never get into trouble! I always
thought he made very good decisions. I did like the episode, and I can't wait
to hear Living in the Gray part 2!
Review
by Rose, age 17
Rating:
If the second part of this episode
is anything like the first then "Living in the Gray" will be one
of the best shows y'all have done. I can't believe Jimmy is working for a
tabloid! Boy, he's sure gone off the deep end since leaving Odyssey. He's
going to need a major talk with George. Also, Connie's part in this episode
was very well done! She is acting much more mature lately. Oh, and I loved
her stakeout song! Ahh, can't wait to see what happens next!
Review
by Ming, age 13
Rating:
Cool! I loved hearing from Jimmy.
But cant picture him with a goatee.
Review
by James M (Town Hall)
Rating:
(out of
five)
Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy, what has
happened to you? The good Christian kid filled with imagination that wasn't
perfect but was always funny and a cool kid. Now he is lying and hanging out
with a ditz and not going to
to church. I know all will work out next week. The Christian thing sounds
like Promise Keepers. I enjoyed Connie's detective work. (I wonder if shes
still at Bourlands.) Good to hear Donna's in college in California. I wonder
how Stewart and Mary are. Poor George doesn't know what his son's truly up
to. Good ep. Not perfect, but enjoyable. Can't wait to next week.
Review
by Mellow Boy (Town Hall)
Rating:
(out of
five)
Wow, this was a really good ep!
I love how Jimmy didn't sound completely different then before. It seems to
be a realistic twist for Jimmy to not be all perfect and everything.
Review
by The Top Crusader (Town Hall)
Ah, Prodigal Jimmy Part Deux.
Great episode.
Review
by Bennett Charles (Town Hall)
Jimmy. Jimmy...Jim... The
episode was great. I really liked it, and it wasn't anything Odyssey has done
before. So, basically it's a perfect score episode.
Though, something did trouble me.
Jimmy's character seemed a bit different, and I guess it was such a load to
handle when they began describing him as the tall hairy, goatee-bearing man
he had become. He was different.
But was the change good? On
one hand, I'm a bit sad that the fun-loving Jimmy wasn't the exact same behavior
as he was. (I mean, he was still fun and all, but just not exactly the same
way.)
On the other hand, we have seen
him grow up and mature. Or in this case, immature... We love seeing people
grow up. It's fun. And it's interesting, too. So, I like where he's gotten
himself to in life. It's an interesting situation that I can't wait to see
how it turns out.
Connie moving to Washington? I
don't think she will...But is there a possibility of Jimmy moving to Odyssey
after all of this? It would be great. But if I think about it, I don't think
he should. Let a great character remain a great character. Let him appear
once in a while, but let him remain who he is.
All in all, great episode. It's
good to see you again, Jimmy. (But shave off the goatee, will yah?)
Review
by Lyndsay (Town Hall)
I guess it was okay! It's just
that I'm really confused at Connie's age...Jimmy's too! I thought Connie was
like 18, but if Jimmy was out on his own like that well he has to be at least
18 and he was suppoesed to be younger that her! I'm so confused!
Review
by MXracer (Town Hall)
Rating:
(out of
five)
One of the Top Shows They've Done!!
Review
by chrisluby (Town Hall)
Finally! This really makes the
last few shows seem less than stellar...this show was great! Jimmy has grown
up, that's a given and he's made less than perfect decisions and it's nice
to see imperfections in characters because they come across more real. And
Jimmy is a well-developed character from his Odyssey and brief Pokenberry
days. I can't wait until next week to see what happens. I'm sure he will come
through and get out of his mess that is his life right now. I mean he has
to, cause they wont leave us thinking Jimmy still lives in a horrible situation.
Will he move home with Mom and Dad? He's not in school and it looks like he
lost his job. I doubt he would...hopefully he will go back to school. Then
again, he could go to CCCC to get his grades good again.
Overall, great show. Jimmy still
sounded like Jimmy and Connie is back to the Connie we grew to love. She's
not all love-crazed and acting weird; she's back to being a caring, but still
inpulsive young adult
Is it creepy to anyone that Jimmy
is like Connie's age now? I love how time works in Odyssey! Jimmy grew up
and Connie stayed in high school. Now he's on his own. He's gotta be like
twenty now and Connie can't be that much older. Just weird.
Review
by happysmiler (Town Hall)
I thought it was pretty cool,
but I don't really like the fact that Jimmy was lying. But, on the other hand,
like has already been said, he is older and different, so, I guess we'll see
what he does next week.
I think it's weird, too [that
Jimmy seems to be Connie's age]. But, Connie wasn't supposed to grow up!
She can't go away! I don't think she's gonna move to Washington!
I loved [Connie's song]!
The best part of the show! (Ok, so maybe not quite...)
Review
by E87M2 (Town Hall)
I think I'll wait until next week
before giving my flat-out feelings on this episode. So far, I wasn't impressed...
but I think it's because of the plot in this story. I have a feeling that
Jimmy will turn around again and make everything right in the next episode.
I highly doubt that Connie will
move to Washington. I think that was more along the lines of scaring Jimmy
of the idea of having her looking over his shoulder for the rest of his life
there. Connie seems like the homebody type to me, especially with the California
trip ("Connie") in mind.
I loved how Connie sounded like
herself again... but that is another topic for next week. Also for Felisha...
Why do I think that we should hear
from Donna now?
Review
by dreamerfishb (Town Hall)
I loved this episode! Boy, I sure
did miss Jimmy...gotta admit I did have a little crush on him in the past.
(Come on, you did too!)
I liked it especially because Jimmy's
life is kinda like mine right now and I think he is dealing with a lot of
struggles that older Christians (ie, the twenty-somethings) deal with. It's
cool and great writing too! I love this show, although part of me longs to
get back to Odyssey. Hmmmm.....
Review
by Flutem (Town Hall)
There was no Mitch and Connie
was cool! No mooning over anyone, decisive, and taking action that isn't completely
headstrong or disastrous. I warned that Jimmy might be a little different,
but I was not expecting this at all. His girl friend was so ditzy and
empty-headed. She was extremely annoying. But by using her, AIO was
able to emphasize how low Jimmy had gone. Yeah, I'd like to here from a sensible
Donna who hasn't gone astray.
Review
by Boa (Town Hall)
This episode was a blast from
the past and I don't mean AIO's past but my past. I was in a similar situation
when I was in the Air Force down in Florida. I had stopped going to church,
started dating an unsaved girl, went to dance clubs with my unsaved friends
and did other "unchristian" things that I won't get into. I rarely
talked to my Dad during those four years. Why? Because I knew he wouldn't
approve of my lifestyle and also I think deep down inside, I was ashamed of
what I was doing. Maybe that's why I was able to turn things around.
I don't have a problem with Connie's
age. When Jimmy was eight, Connie was around 14 or 15. Now, I see Connie as
around 24 to 26 (she did almost get married, you know) and Jimmy around twenty,
roughly the same age difference as before.
Also, I thought the "Start the
car!!" scene was pretty cool. Reminded me of Raiders of the Lost Ark when
Indy is being chased by the natives..."Start the engine!!".
Review
by Jared (Town Hall)
I thoroughly enjoyed the episode.
It had its faults, of course. It doesn't soar to the top of my "favorite
episodes" list, which I say as if I have actually compiled one lately.
But that being said, it was just a good episode.
Perhaps I'm biased because of my
love of Washington, D.C. and my fascination with journalism, though. Then
again, it's not as if young Barclay's job was exactly ... well, let's just
say that he won't be displacing Joe Klein any time soon.
By the way, did not Jimmy's boss
at the tabloid sound very familiar? Similar to, say, the tabloid publisher
back in "The Other Woman"? Now, I'm not saying they're played by
the same guy, although they could be (a similar voice has been on some BTV
shows and as a few one or two line characters as well, but it could be a handful
of actors), but it does seem that the folks at AIO have decided that tabloid
editors are big, gruff-sounding men who like nothing better than to scream
at people for not getting the wildest story imaginable.
Then again, that's probably about
right.
Review
by Tasha (Town Hall)
Is Connie moving to Washington?
If they're going to get her out of Odyssey, why not make her marry Mitch?
I got a kick out of Felicia, and
Connie and Jimmy had some hilarious dialogue. I'm so happy we've got new episodes
again!
Consensus:
Thumbs Up (18/20 positive reviews)
Jimmy and Connie's
adventures in the second half of the season premiere are drawing more
praise. Once again, listeners enjoyed hearing a struggling, but repentant
Jimmy and a more-mature Connie. The increased emotion of the show got
high marks, as did the acting of all three main characters. Felicia continued
to get more uncertain reviews.
Everyone agreed
that it was great to hear from Jimmy, though many wondered about the other
three Barclays. (Many noted that the show featured not even a mention
of Stewart.) Others hoped that Jimmy would be back on the show soon.
Review
by JoyElectric
Rating:
This was a good
ending to a good two-parter. The ending with George and Jimmy was very special,
as was Connie's sisterly attitude towards Jimmy. It was a fun reunion episode,
and I'd love to hear others make a trip back through the long, dark hallway!
Review
by Robert, age 11
Rating:
Bravo! Bravo!
This episode ended a lot better than part one. I'm glad Jimmy didn't write
it for the same reason as his boss wanted to. I hope we hear more of Jimmy
soon.
Review
by Rose
Rating:
Awesome show!
And awesome acting for Connie, Jimmy, and George! Although the ending could
have been more emotional, it was okay. I also liked the part where Connie
said that she wasn't going to lecture Jimmy and then she really let him
have it! And Jimmy's part about Mitch was a good, though painful, point
and really opened Connie's eyes. I hope she goes back to Odyssey now and
I hope her personality remains the way it has been the last two episodes.
She is sounding so mature and adult. Once again, awesome episode, writers!
Review
by Ruthie, age 11
Rating:
I was nice to
hear Jimmy again, but it is not a really good episode. And I think Connie
should just go back to Odyssey and face everybody(and probably they won't
ask a super lot of questions)!
Review
by On The Cross (Town Hall)
I agree that
part 2 was better than part 1.
I enjoyed this episode because
it was very real. As has been mentioned, it applies to not just the younger
kids but also the older ones. I appreciated that Jimmy's actions had consequences
(there have been episodes in the recent past where characters [ie Mandy,
Alex, those guys] have gotten away with way too much).
This was a good episode.
Review
by James M (Town Hall)
Good ep! I liked
how Jimmy came back to dad at end and refernces to "The Prodigal Jimmy."
I wish we had heard conversation and what happened later. How bout stewart?
We all wanna know how he is. He is 9 now, I guess...well, you can never
tell with AIO time.
It was very good.
It was great to hear from Jimmy, hope he is good and gets back to God.
Review
by Scott, age 51
Rating:
I was disappointed
that Jim stopped short of repentance in this episode. Does it continue?
Perhaps in Pokenberry? What about Felicia?
Review
by old fan, age 22
Rating:
I think it was
a good episode that may bring back some of the older fans. A lot of people
seem to be upset at what the writers did with Jimmy, or wonder how quickly
Jimmy could fall so fast, and I can tell you from first hand experience
that it is not hard for Christian kids as they get older and move out into
the world to rapidly fall away, and props to Focus for making an episode
that deals with them. I really like the parallel to the Prodigal son episode
back decades ago with Jimmy and his dad.
Review
by Nathan Ehnis, age 15
Rating:
Not quite what
I was hoping to hear right off.
Review
by Scott, age 51
Rating:
What a real
look into the transformations that happen in life. Jimmy is still the same
person he was, but circumstances have left him hopeless and helpless just
where God can change him into what He wants Jimmy to be! Applause! Applause!
Review
by samitude (Town Hall)
I think this
needs to continue. It's almost like they just started into a new series.
I know they haven't, but they can't just leave us where they left us. We
need more of the Barclays! By the way, why hasn't Stewart been mentioned?
Review
by Carolita (Town Hall)
I
really liked this episode. But they don't need to just forget Jimmy, now.
We've gotta hear from him again..and soon!
[About Stewart
not being mentioned] Good
question...
Review
by Bennett Charles (Town Hall)
Wow. Powerful
stuff. It was really cool how Jimmy came back and confessed all the stuff.
I mean, it might've taken him a while, but I certainly felt relieved when
he did.
The scene between
Jimmy and his dad were nice, especially the "It's good for my resumé"
bit. The "artificial limb" part made me crack a smile. And everything
else was good.
I also liked how
they wrapped up Connie's relationship with Mitch a bit in the episode. It
kinda made Connie look not-so-wise too. I like it when they refer back to
past shows..."The Prodigal Jimmy" bit might sound confusing to
a newer listener, but a bonus to a long time fan.
One negative comment, but nothing
that wrecks the heart of the show. One: That phone call from Felicia being
in jail seemed kinda corny. He talked on the phone, and it would've been
impossible for his ex-girlfriend to explain how she was in jail in the short
amount of time he was letting her speak.
Great Ep! Marshal Younger, David
Griffin...and the rest of the AIO cast and crew.
Review
by jessicado (Town Hall)
I liked the
episode as a whole, but I don't think they did a very good job of keeping
Felicia the same. She changed way too much between the first episode and
the second one. I dunno...maybe I need to listen to it again, but on a first
episode she was totally ditzy and happy-go-lucky and in the second episode
she was kinda mean and actually had caught on that Jimmy had dissed her.
I completely agree with Bennett Charles about the jail thing. Anyways...still
a good episode. :-)
Where is Stewart? Hmmmmmm.
Review
by DrBlackgaard (Town Hall)
Rating:
(out
of five)
It was a pretty
good episode, I liked the moral. It's one that has rarely been touched in
Odyssey (with the exception of a few episodes like "Pamala Has a Problem"
and "Missing Person.") And it's also a problem that many people
today (myself included, sometimes) seem to struggle with.
I like the way the episode spoke
not only to the 8-12 target audience, but also the older listeners. The
references to older episodes were also nice, though probably confusing to
newer listeners.
Connie's continuing coments like
"I like it here" and "I think I could really get used to
a place like this" are making me nervous. Actually though, her marrying
Jimmy and moving to DC might be a good way to phase her out of the show...
It was great to hear from the
Barclays again. Maybe this means we will hear from other old long-lost characters
in the future?
One thing I was wondering about:
Most of us know that we
heard Jimmy in one of the Plan B episodes (2, I think) as a taxi driver
in Chicogo. While he tried to disguise his voice somewhat, it was obviously
him. Does this mean that Jimmy actually lived in Chicago for a time, while
his parents thought he was in a college in D.C.? He then heard that his
father was coming to town, so he rushed to DC, getting a job as fast as
he could, but the only thing he could find was one with a local tabloid.
If all that is true, does that mean that Jimmy has something to do with
Novacom/Arthur Dent? Possably that is why he is always so nervous and secritive.
Maybe this is all leading up to another Novacom scandal?
As for Stewart, I doubt that
leaving him out was on purpose...They barely mentioned Donna and Mrs. Barclay.
Review
by happysmiler (Town Hall)
Rating:
(out
of five)
I loved this
episode! I was really good! I almost started crying at the end! I love how
compassionate George was with Jimmy. I think it's awesome that he's such
a great father. (And I also thank God that he gave me a father like that!)
I loved the part where Jimmy realizes that his dad is really great ("When
I sneeze, my dad hands me a tissue"). And I also like the part where
George asks Jimmy if he spent all of his money on Zapazoids again. I really
liked the whole show. It was one of those where it just gives you a really
warm feeling inside.
On the Felicia jail
phone call, I got the impression that he had gone through that all before,
so it would really have been enough for her just to say "I'm in jail,"
and he would have known what was going on.
Review
by Chris Luby (Town Hall)
Man, good show.
Makes me wish Jimmy would become a part of the regular cast. I know he might
just move back to Pokenberry Falls, but I'd like to see him back in Odyssey.
I think he'd fill in better at the shop than Nick does. Dunno...just a thought.
Review
by AREM (Town Hall)
Rating:
(out
of five)
I think Connie's
not done in Washington quite yet... Great episode!
Review
by Me (Town Hall)
Rating:
(out
of five)
Great Episode!
I'm very glad that it is the type that appeals to everyone, not just the
younger fans. Having Barclays in the show somehow adds something special.
Review
by Laurie (Town Hall)
Very good episode.
I have to confess that I liked Part 2 better than Part 1. It is sure good
to hear from the Barclays. I hope they come back for more.
Review
by Jacob Isom (The Odyssey Scoop)
Rating:
(out
of five)
There's just
nothing like an episode that makes references to the older shows of Adventures
in Odyssey. I was pleasantly surprised when George Barclay reminded his
son about the events that unfolded so many years ago in The Prodigal, Jimmy.
AIO does that every once in a while, but not enough. AIO fans are needy.
We need to be reminded of things and we need to see an interconnecting system.
Marriage is an important thing,
and even though it wasn't the main focus of the episode, AIO did a wonderful
job of capturing the meaning of marriage throughout the episode. In today's
society, there are just too many marriages that aren't working out. Marriage
in our society is a contract, not a covenant, when in reality, marriage
is a covenant, not a legal document that can be broken. Hooray for AIO in
that they were able to get that truth in, and also the fact that marriages
can be rekindled.
The music in this episode, as
well as part one, was very well mixed. I wasn't overwhelmed with music rather
than speaking parts, and the speaking parts themselves were very well acted.
David Griffen, the voice of Jimmy, never ceases to amaze me with his great
acting. If only he could come back on the show every now and then, as well
as the rest of his family! Now I say it's time for Donna and Mary Barclay
to show up for a visit.
The portrayal of Connie's character
wasn't ditsy, surprisingly. AIO has been patching up its mistakes with Connie's
ditsy behavior in previous episodes, and thank goodness. Instead of ditsy,
"goo goo" behavior, Connie has been more mature in her relationships
with people. It was a perfect touch for her to be the one who is reminding
Jimmy of his existing conscience and what is important.
All in all, parts one and two
of this episode have been some of the best season openers I have heard in
a long time. Other season openers in the past have not drawn me in as much
as this one has, although that's probably due to the Barclays' reappearance.
Review
by Shadowpaw (The Soda Fountain)
Rating:
(out
of five)
9 years, 18
albums, and 241 episodes later, Connie Kendall is finally reunited with
Jimmy Barclay in Washington DC. It's hard to believe that the last episode
Jimmy and Connie shared a scene together was way back in "Unto Us a
Child is Born"... the show has nearly doubled in episode totals since
that day! In fact, to put things into perspective, B-TV hadn't even started
yet! Now that's long ago... I guess when you can listen to episodes whenever
you feel like, timelines just don't have any meaning.
So where do we start? Well, the
beginning is usually the best place. How great is it to hear Chuck Bolte
as George again? There's something magic in that man's voice. I don't know
if it's the quiet chuckle between his lines, the timber of his vocal chords,
or just the realism Chuck brings to the script... but everytime I hear George,
I can't help but feel in awe of his abilities. Now some people might not
share the same views as I do, but I listened to dozens upon dozens of auditions
for Adventures in Odyssey with highly trained professionals asked to act
out a scene between Mary and George in "Treasures of the Heart"
where the two are cleaning out the attic. Not one of those actors came close
to the performance Chuck Bolte gave, nor close to the performances Chuck
has given time and time again on Odyssey. What makes the feat more amazing
is that Chuck isn't an actor. When he first started out, he was simply the
Executive Producer of Odyssey and has since moved onto other projects...
but he certainly has a talent that he's used for the show, and because of
it, any show with George Barclay is a good show. He brings something to
his performance that really reaches out and grabs you as a listener... it's
just a shame we don't hear more of him.
But what about Jimmy? David Griffin
was a great actor. In fact, few child actors could really compare to the
talent he had growing up. When he hit puberty, things changed a little...
what was natural before became harder and harder to pull off as "real".
Jimmy was still someone we loved and cared for, but there was something
different about him. To put it simply: David struggled at times and just
wasn't as good as he was in the past. Through no fault of his own really,
but the range in his voice changed... which makes it harder to display different
emotions, especially when all you have to use is your voice. But personally,
I'd prefer to have Jimmy on the show in some form, than have no Jimmy at
all. But what I didn't expect was to have Jimmy back in "Living in
the Gray I & II" and actually be impressed with him. He was great!
His emotional scene when telling Connie about his life was really touching,
and David's come a long way since he hit the voice barrier many years ago.
I certainly hope we can expect to hear from him in the future, fans would
definitely be all for it.
Now, we've watched Jimmy grow
up on Adventures in Odyssey from little bratty brother, to awkward adolescent,
to well... we didn't know what he became until now. What long time fan of
Adventures in Odyssey couldn't tell you that they feel like they knew Jimmy
Barclay like the back of their hand? If polled before this episode, I'm
sure most fans would have said that he was a successful pastor, paramedic,
or teacher spreading his infectious charm and fun loving personality to
those around him. But what a boring episode that would have made... so the
writers ripped out everything we would have expected from Jimmy's new life,
and turned his world upside down! A crummy job, a terrible girlfriend, no
more church, no more God, no more home, and a life based on a thousand lies.
What a shocker, but a very sad one at that. Who wants to listen to Jimmy
in such dire circumstances? Well, we don't...
But that's something Odyssey
does so well. You feel for these characters. Odyssey isn't about great epic
story arcs, crazy Imagination Station adventures, or fun twists on bible
stories. Sure these things make Odyssey a better show, but at the heart
it's the characters who drive it. We tune in to find out what's going on
with our favorite characters and watch them grow in their faith and as people.
And when they leave the show, we miss them... like we do the Barclays. Though,
just like in the real world, things aren't always perfect... we'd like to
think the Barclay's lived happily ever after in Pokenberry Falls, but things
don't always turn out that way. Now that Jimmy's returned for a brief two
parter, we finally know what became of him.
I felt like I was listening to
an extended version of "The Prodigal, Jimmy", and in fact, "Living
in the Gray II" references that fact not once, but twice. Though fortunately
that episode didn't stick Jimmy with an awful girlfriend. I mean, a bad
girlfriend is one thing, but Felicia was a little over the top even for
Odyssey. She was really annoying in her first scene, irritating in her second
scene, and by an act of God was subdued with alcohol in her final scene...
hopefully we'll never hear from her again. However, she was but one of only
a couple drawbacks in an otherwise very enjoyable episode.
One nice little touch I noticed
was that Jimmy refers to the streets of Washington having more stop lights
than Pokenberry Falls. It subtly reminds the listener that the Barclay's
lives don't revolve around their past in Odyssey. Pokenberry was just as
much their home as Odyssey was, and that gives some fairly deep characters
even more depth. It would have been nice to hear what other stuff happened
in Pokenberry which lead Jimmy down the path he took, but a little mystery
is always nice too.
And what's more? Jimmy finally
put Connie in her place. I mean, I like her and everything, but she's been
getting on my nerves ever since her and Mitch started seeing each other.
Now that Mitch and her are finished, Connie can finally get back to the
way she was... and Jimmy pushed her in the right direction with his stern
lecture by sending her back to Odyssey to face her problems. On a side note,
that song Connie sang on her stakeout was sure great... wasn't it?
I mentioned that Felicia was
only one of a couple drawbacks... the other drawback would be the ending.
And it's not so much a drawback as it is a personal preference. Considering
how similar this episode was to "The Prodigal, Jimmy", it would
have been nice to have a parallel scene here with George and his son having
a heart to heart talk. That scene is still one of the greatest moments in
Odyssey history based on the performances of the two actors and just the
wonderful moment that it was. Now, I understand you don't want a repeat
of the same scene... that wouldn't do at all. But the episode could have
been that much better with a more emotional ending. One where Jimmy breaks
down and tells his father that he's been lying to him, and have George hug
him and then say they'll talk about it. As it is, we're left with a sense
of only semi-closure. We know George and Jimmy are going to talk about it,
but we don't know how George will react, nor what Jimmy will do afterward.
But again, just a personal preference and perhaps had it been written that
way, I would be complaining in this review that they replicated the same
scene!
On a final note, the last thing
that bugged me is the absence of Stewart Reed. George and Jimmy are in the
episode, Mary and Donna are both mentioned, but Stewart seems to be ignored.
Now, I often forget myself that Stewart is part of the family as he was
only introduced at the end of the Barclay's storyline, but I'm sure Jimmy
would at least ask George to say "hi" to his brother for him when
they were saying goodbye at the airport.
But I digress. The episodes were
really terrific and it's nice to be able to check in on the Barclays. Sure,
Jimmy might not be in the best of circumstances... but it's an interesting
story nonetheless, with Jimmy getting his life back on track by the end.
Consensus:
Thumbs Up (18/24 positive reviews)
The fourth episode
in the (usually) popular
Twilife Zone series is garnering mostly positive reviews. Fans enjoyed
hearing another Kids' Radio show and agreed that it was a good message.
They also praised the acting of Hallie (Sarah Buskirk) and Joey (Corey
Padnos). Many were excited because their ending was chosen, while others
were a little disappointed because they voted for the losing ending.
Other thumbs up
included hearing Chris as the mom in the show and the subtle transition
as Joey became computer-like and Hallie more human. Other thumbs down
included Whit's sometimes monotone narration and the similarity of the
episode to the original "Twilife Zone" show.
Review
by Loren, age 13
Rating:
I didn't really
like "My Girl Hallie." That computer was really freaky, dont
y'all think? I hope Odyssey does better next Saturday. But I still love
AIO. They are my best radio show!
Review
by Natalie, age 13
Rating:
I didn't think
"My Girl Hallie" was as good as other AIO shows. I found it
sort of boring. I did like the fact that the ending I voted for won!
Review
by Prince Caspian
Rating:
An average
episode. Nothing outstanding—but nothing glaringly negative. One
complaint though: It seems to me that all the "Twilife Zone"
episodes are about addictions—the Henny the Chicken one and the episode
where a girl spends her life in the mall. I wish they could do a Twilife
episode on a different subject.
Review
by EC, age 12
Rating:
It was okay,
but it definitely was not my favorite (since I'm suposed to be perfectly
honest). I voted for the other ending. The other ending made more sense
to me (if you can believe that—my opinions usually contradict other's
views). Still, it was okay. It kind of sounds like another "Twilife
Zone" ep, about Henny the chicken. It could have been better.
Review
by Me (Town Hall)
Rating:
(out of five)
Not bad...for
the Twilife Zone. My ending won!
Review
by Carolita (Town Hall)
Yeah, it was
pretty good for the Twilife Zone. I actually forget which ending I voted
on...but I'm thinking that it was the one that was aired.
Review
by Bradford G, age 13 1/2
Rating:
Wow! I can't
believe this epsiode; it was amzing to see how objects here on earth can
in a way take us over, which then decreases our relationship with God.
We all need to remember that while computers, TV's, etc. are fun, we need
to make sure they don't become more important then the One who loves and
wants to be with us. Also it would have been nice to have Connie as the
host since it has always been her, but she is still on her trip, but Whit
did a very good job. And the best part of all the ending I voted for won,
Ending B. This has to be one of the best Twilife Zone epsiodes ever, next
to "The Time Of Our Lives". Great Job AIO! :-)
Review
by Ruthie, age 11
Rating:
I was REALLY
disapointed that it was Ending B. But it was nice to hear Chris playing
Joey's mom! I like Ending A because in all the past "Twilife"
episodes, the people stuck in the end.
Review
by Paul B
Rating:
My Girl Hallie
teaches us not to spend twenty-four hours a day on the computer. When
we do go outside, the sun will hurt our eyes. This episode was like an
older show when Alex was an Internet junky. The two ending option was
great. Great show!
Review
by Kanimoto, age 14
Rating:
AWESOME! I
was looking forward to this episode, and AIO did not disappoint! I can
really identify with Joey, and how he became addicted to Hallie (I would
have been, too, and I already am addicted to my computer now).
One more thing:
I voted for Ending B and it won...but now that I look over the script,
I think that Ending A should have won because it sets the stage for a
sequel. *hint hint*
Review
by ExecutorQ
Rating:
IMHO, Twilife
shows are just getting too generic and predictable.
Review
by Allison, age 13
Rating:
I didn't really
like it. It seemed exactly like the episode where the guy has a talking
rubber chicken, and he spends all his time with it.
Review
by Rob, age 15
Rating:
I thought
it was okay, although the meaning of the story wasn't quite clear enough.
The ending was the one I voted for though, so that's always a plus. :-)
Review
by Robert, age 11
Rating:
This was one
of the weirdest eps I have ever heard. It was funny when Hallie found
out Joey was looking at new computers; I cracked up. I voted for ending
A, but after I heard both alternate endings, I changed my mind.
Review
by JoyElectric (Town Hall)
Two thumbs
up for My Girl Hallie! (aka Serial Experiments: Joey)
Even after reading the script
beforehand, it was impressive that I was so interested in hearing how
this episode was going to go. I'm happy to say that this episode fires
on all cylinders, and comes off as one of the best episodes post-Novacom—and
certainly one of the creepiest since Novacom.
Personally, my preferred ending
did not get aired, but that didn't detract from the show.
This episode also deserves
2nd, and 3rd listens. Especally of interest is listening to conversations
between Joey and Hallie. There are certain places where Joey becomes more
mechanic in his speech, and vice versa. By the end, Hallie's voice is
nearly human, as she is frantic about being disconnected. Hallie's voice
actor deserves the End-of-Season award this time—hands down. The
male voice award should be given to Joey's voice actor as well. They both
nailed their parts, as did Chris (it's always fun hearing her as a character
on the show).
The only (and it's a very minor
issue) thing with the epsiode is that Whit seemed a little monotone about
the opening and ending. Whit never seemed to be the type to do those types
of introductions, so choosing Whit seemed a little odd, since Connie or
Wooton (and least in my opinion) would have made better choices for the
Twilife Zone intros. Whit could have read the ending, but again, that's
just backseat driving.
Anyway, good show! Everyone
involved, give yourself a gold star!
Review
by happysmiler (Town Hall)
Rating:
(out
of five)
It was very
good. I really liked it, except that it was almost too close to "The
Twilife Zone" for me. It was the same idea, except that this was
a computer instead of a chicken. But other than that, it was a very good
episode. I think it's important for kids nowadays, because they do tend
to spend like way too much time on the computer! I voted for ending B,
which was the one that was taken, so that's cool! I voted for B, because
A was too close to the ending on the chicken one.
Review
by James M (Town Hall)
Rating:
(out
of five)
Great ep.
My ending was not chosen. I heard Chris Anthony say her own name at end.
She played the mom. I heard her daughter's name, too. It reminded me of
the Henny chicken ep. We can't let things take over lives. The way Joey
acted was crazy and chilling. Great ep.
Joy Electic, I have to agree
with you on Paul Herlinger.
Review
by Chris Luby (Town Hall)
Neat episode,
I'd have to say. Very close to being like a real episode of the Twilight
zone. Good performances by the actors except Whit...I agree about the
monotones. Good stuff, I didn't do the choose the ending thing so I have
no clue if the other one was better or not.
It was a lot like that episode
with the talking chicken. Except this time it was...err...um...a talking
computer. But still it had a good twist to it, enough to keep me from
thinking about that other episode right off the bat.
Review
by Ferder (Town Hall)
Isn't it ironic
how for many of us, as soon as we're finished listening to the episode
we head straight for the computer (or just stay on if we were listening
to it on the computer in the first place) to write our reviews?
This was a really cool episode.
I loved the whole "computer becoming human / human becoming computer
twist." The thing with the two friends was a bit to similar to "The
Twilife Zone." It was nice to hear Chris doing the voice of the mom,
and that was the same actor as Courtney doing the voice of Hallie.
I voted for ending A (which
I thought at the time was better since it was more creepy and Twilight
Zone-ish), but the other ending was fine and less "over the top."
One other thing is...while
I don't mind the fantasy of a computer coming to life, etc., why do computers
in AIO always have to have names like "The Super Duper Zowy Capowy
2,000,005 Deluxe"?
Anyway that's just a picky
issue on an altogether well-done episode.
Review
by Bennett Charles (Town Hall)
Rating:
(out
of five)
It
was a good ep. It wasn't bad, but wasn't completely spectacular either.
It was interesting and unique. Though, is this the third Twilight-Zone
that has to do with obsessions? It sure seems like it.
Unlike maybe most people, I
like the fact that Whit hosts the episode. His voice doesn't have much
expression when he talks, so it kinda makes it a bit more believable-interesting-creepish.
Connie just sounded pathetic with her little messed up voice as if trying
to be creepy. Whit had the creepy calmness type of thing going, if you
know what I mean.
In some ways, I sorta wish
that when the main character realizes something, and what he's doing is
wrong, that there's more of an action scene, or a struggle. Like, it didn't
take much for him to realise that he was reaching rock bottom with his
relationship with his computer. When the computer began shutting windows
and shutting up his mom, then they should've followed it up with him desperately
trying to get out of the room, or him hacking off the computer's arms
with a lamp...or whatever...just to add a bit more thrills. But, hey,
it's a kids show...but something could've been done to have a more cutting-edge
ending. But of course,
you don't want to scare away kids from using there computers now, do you?
All in all, it was a pretty
good ep. (It was Trent who played Joey, right?) These aren't things that
I'm complaining about, simply things that could have been added which
would've made me like it more.
Review
by Gimp (Town Hall)
Rating:
(out
of five)
It wasn't
the ending that I voted for, but I can't complain. I liked both endings,
but could only vote for one, so I voted for the ending where another kid
gets a computer and it's Joey's voice. It
was a really good episode.
Is it my imagination or did
"Joey" soud a lot like Isaac Morton? I know the probablilty
of them being the same actor is about as far-fetched as the episode, since
when we last heard Isaac he was around 12 or 13 so by now he'd be in his
20s and his voice would most likely sound quite different.
I spent the entire ep trying
to figure out if he sounded more like Isaac or more like Sam. But there
were certian phrases that I was sure it was Isaac's voice.
Review
by AREM (Town Hall)
Rating:
(out
of five)
It was really
good, just like all other Kids' Radio episodes are...haven't heard one
in a while. This season is going great! no bad eps yet!
Review
by Tsion (Town Hall)
Good episode!
I personally enjoyed
some of the references:
1. Quite obviously,
Hallie is a take-off of HAL, the controlling computer of 2001: A Space
Odyssey
2. Did anyone pick up
on the Terminator reference: a Cyberdyne computer?
3. The title "My
Girl Hallie" is also a reference to the Cary Grant film My Girl Friday.
Bonus: While it was later expained
that Hallie had an "arm" that served as a cupholder, at first
I thought it was a tribute to the story of the woman who called tech support
complaining that her "cupholder" broke off -- only to learn
that it was her CD-ROM. So that may not count as a reference, but it could
have been quite funny.
Review
by Shadowpaw (The Soda Fountain)
Rating:
(out
of five)
It was a nice
idea to let fans vote on the ending they wanted for an episode. Not only
did it give fans the chance to read a show months before it would air,
but it also gave them an opportunity to impact the production of an episode.
I mean, all fans jumped at the chance to vote on their favorite ending!
Well, almost everyone. I must admit I never once read the scripts, nor
did I even vote. Why? Well, to be honest, I've never got much enjoyment
from reading Odyssey, it's what I hear that interests me. I just couldn't
be bothered to sit down and wade through a script: I'm just not that much
of a reader. So you can say I went into this episode without any idea
what to expect.
Well, actually that's not true.
I knew it involved a computer named Hallie, but what I was surprised to
find was that it didn't deal with one computer... it was brought to life
by two talking computers! That's right... Joey and Hallie, what a great
couple. One is a computer, and the other sounds like he wants to become
one! Corey Padnos slides into the role of the perfect robot naturally...
considering he sounds like a robot most of the time anyway (as you may
notice on multiple occasions in "It's All About Me"). I hate
to be critical of a young actor, but his robotronic acting is a result
of over annunciating and dropped line endings. Fortunately, the very nature
of the episode allows for the machine voice to flourish... and it makes
it quite comical once Joey becomes like Hallie. So things cancel each
other out... and I loved listening to this robot version of Joey speaking
with his robot buddy. Though it sadness me that even Whit seems to suffer
the curse of the mechanical tongue in his closing wrap... the pacing was
unbareable! And just on a side note, it's nice to see both our host Chris
(who plays Mrs. Patrick) and her daughter Kelsey (who plays Mary) can
be in the same episode together. Kelsey had a small part and it's hard
to judge her talent from a small selection of lines, but she actually
sounded kinda cute and could be a good addition to the cast... if she
ever returns.
Ok, so what did I think of
the actual content of the episode? You can get away with a lot when you
write an episode that airs on Kids Radio or B-TV, because you can pen
crazy ideas that turn out quite enjoyable. This episode takes a goofy
concept, brings back the Twilife Zone format, and gives the listener a
fun story with a surprisingly cool ending! Hallie's voice was wonderful
as you can really understand why Joey might want to sit and talk with
her all day. She may be a computer, but she's friendly and pleasant sounding...
it sure beats sitting and conversing with the talking 'Mirror' in the
Bible Room. And what about the message of the show? Well it's funny...
an episode that utilizes technology to allow for fans worldwide to vote
on it's ending, takes that same technology and forces it into submission.
Irony in it's sweetest form. But obviously that's not the real message
we're supposed to get out of the episode, as Whit says it perfectly in
the wrap: when our relationships with objects become more important than
our relationship with our friends or God, we've taken a wrong turn.
And on that note, I'll say
the episode wasn't too bad considering the problems I may have had with
it. But as far as robots go, I'd take Joey 2.0 over Animatronic Whit any
day of the year. Oh what's that? Excuse me, my computer's calling. I'm
sorry. I. Must. Go....
System.out.println("Shadowpaw
is no more.")
System.out.println("I am in control.")
Consensus:
Thumbs Up (26/26 positive reviews)
The return of
"average" episodes (in a good way!) is being hailed with
the latest Odyssey episode—Stubborn Streaks. Fans liked hearing
a show about everyday people in Odyssey, especially involving the
main characters like Bernard and Jack. They also liked hearing an
update on Liz and Mandy's feud, even without resolution. And they
liked hearing Jared again.
Some fans wondered
why Whit wasn't in the show. Others felt it was a bit slow. But overall
reaction was quite positive.
Review
at Franks Breakfast Inn
Aahh,
at last...an episode with all of the old-timers of Odyssey. These
guys compliment each other...Bernard's quirks with Tom's twang,
Jack is the total opposite of Bart's character. I miss them. You
should miss them. I was worried that some of them (Tom Riley and
Jack Allan) had passed away or something terrible like that. We
haven't really heard from many of them since the end of Novacom.
But to further describe our affection for these wonderful men, I
will, without hesitation, say that they are timeless. Large and
solid rocks, unchanged in the swirling winds of time. They don't
really smoothly sway in the complicated dance of fleeting changes
in technology. But because of this we love them. Jack has his antique
shop. Bernard operates his business with only mild amounts of technology.
Tom is a farmer that lives in a rustic retreat center. Bart has
the technology center...fun stuff, eh? Their character hasn't changed
too much since the quartet was introduced to Odyssey. AIO at it's
best.
The Novacom era kids are still in Odyssey Middle School! (you would
think that some of them would graduate, but then again...we remember
Connie Kendall's history...) Mandy, Jared and Liz have been around
since 1999! That's really long for an Odyssey kid. They might tie
with Jimmy Barclay, Sam Johnston and Isaac Morton, but not Lucy
Cunningham-Schultz. Lucy was on the show for all of eight years!
She got married in 1993 (to the actor who played Jack Davis...)
and stayed on the show until 1995. Whoa. That's like, historic.
(Historic for Odyssey...) Maybe they will drop one-by-one out of
the show. How sad.
Mandy wrote a pretty good play in "Mandy's Debut", I wonder
what the play was about.
Jared seemed awfully tame in this episode. I was surprised that
he took up the heavy responsibility of set design. Doesn't really
seem his style. But then again, we all change with age.
Also, I think that tuna sandwiches are very boring without pickles.
Listen to this episode. (You know, I think that I'll say this about
every episode that I review.) But I'll say it again: listen to this
episode. It's great.
Review
by Nathan Ehnis, age 15
Rating:
In the
whole it was A great ep!
Review
by Rick, age 25
Rating:
I really
liked the episode. I really like Bernards quips. He is the funniest
character I think right now.
I hope that Liz and Mandy
get back together. They were really great friends. I always like the
episodes where they have Bernard and technology interacting together.
The day he figures out how to run that cell phone will be a day to
mark down in history.
Review
by Jessica
Rating:
It was
good to hear from Bernard and Tom again. And the lesson Bernard learned
was good to hear. I wish Mandy and Liz would just make up like Jared
said. It happened over a dumb situation anyway. I'm glad Bart is his
old self again and Odyssey is haveing "normal" ep. But I
don't like everything to be "normal" which is good once
in a while. I'm glad Jared is trying to be friends with Mandy and
Liz. Good one.
Review
by Ruthie, age 11
Rating:
Pretty
good one but Jared DeWhite sounds so different!
Review
by Josh, age 18
Rating:
I really
enjoyed today's episode. It was so nice to hear a good quality "normal"
espisode for a change! It was also really great to hear from many
of the old time characters like Tom, Bart, and Bernard. Although I
do think that Bernard's acting still needs some work, it was definitely
an improvement from previous espisodes. As usual, Jack's performance
was outstanding, and his warm personality greatly added to the enjoyability
of the show. I really can't believe the incredible season that AIO
has given us so far. Keep giving us episodes like these!
Review
by Kanimoto, age 14
Rating:
This episode
has got to be one of the BEST of the new season. Not only was the
music great, but we also got to hear more from Bernard, Jared, and
Jack.
Highlights:
~Bernard fighting with his cellphone.
~Jack making Liz change her mind about talking to Mandy.
~Bart Rathbone's intro (I think that other Odyssey characters should
do this too. I'm getting rather tired of Chris...)
~The music!! My sister and I were clapping and almost dancing when,
in the beginning of the episode, the Odyssey theme was played "country
style"!!
All in a
