Review by Ming, age 14
Rating:

Pretty good but somewhat predictable.

Review by Jonathan, age 18
Rating:

This episode was done the way most Odyssey Mysteries are done: letting the listners figure it out with the characters. The first half, I thought was predictable, but the twists as the episode continued were well done. I won't give anything away, but I did like the ending, which surprised me. My one complaint was Rodney. He has always been one of my favorite characters, but in the last few years he's been annoying (although he wasn't as bad this time). Overall, a nice start to the new season.

Review by Aaron, age 15
Rating:

An ok start. Not the best but definitely not the worst. I like Rodney being back, but I think the actor had a lot of trouble getting into his character again. Whit didn't seem his usual self. Also I'm still ticked about all the cell phones. They are really getting on my nerves. But Nick was cool. Though I think it would have been better if Connie had also been in it. Good to hear old voices but AIO had better have some better eps this season.

Review by April, age 21
Rating:

This was such a great show! I loved the mystery—they need to do more CSI-type shows—the investigation of the sounds, sights, etc was so awesome. It was great to hear from Nick and Rodney, too.

Review by Ruthie, age 12
Rating:

It was wonderful I LOVE the AIO mysteries! So many twists and turns than keep you on the edge of your seat!

Review by Nathan, age 16
Rating:

Great I loved the twists and turns!!

Review by Justine, age 13
Rating:

Overall, pretty good episode. Kind of reminded me of "The Perfect Witness," though, with the supposedly good person the criminal. I thought the acting in this episode was pretty good, not the best Odyssey ever. Just a fun average AIO episode. The whole Macadamia nut air freshener thing with Rodney was funny. It was awesome how Whit used the telephone to help solve the mystery.

Review by Bradford G, age 14
Rating:

Instead of coming into relaxing, calm Odyssey, we jumped straight into adventure. I have to say at the beginning, I felt it was a little tiring, but thank goodness when Whit noticed things didn't all line up. That took me right where I wanted to be. It's been a while since a season opened with an epsiode like this and I can't wait to hear more. Thanks Odyssey for never letting us down.

Review by Paul B
Rating:

The new shows stars Rodney and Nick. This new mystery was great. Captain Quinn makes a comeback with a new rank. I highly recommend this episode.

Review by Nanci, age 18
Rating:

Neat show. Good that Nick was innocent, it would be good too if he became a Christian in the future. Where was Connie?

Review by happysmiler (Town Hall)
Rating: (out of five)

I liked it! I really liked the idea of them reviewing the sounds to figure out the mystery. Very good. I really liked that we heard from Nick again. He's one of my favorite characters. I must say that I pretty much had it figured out. It wasn't too hard. I mean, it obviously couldn't have been Nick, and it would be awfully boring if it were Rodney, so I suspected Collins pretty soon. But, that's ok. It was still a great episode.

I got a real kick out of the "I love my barking tree frog" t-shirt and Rodney's line about cooking rope in the microwave. That was great!

Review by Captain Jack (Town Hall)

I love it! it was GREAT!

Review by alwaysHis324 (Town Hall)
Rating: (out of five)

Well, wasn't that a fun season opener! I enjoyed it quite a bit. It wasn't an overwhelming "Wow" type episode. It had an air of predictability, but it wasn't awful.

First it was great to have Nick back. I have always enjoyed him working at Whits End. I love that we get a description of how he looks. That t-shirt made me giggle.

However I was bummed that again we have annoying Rodney back. I'm tired of Rodney, his whiney voice, and how he always is breaking the law and getting arrested.

Like I said, the plot was a bit predicable, but not bad. It did have a bit of a twist, with the stolen statue being an inside job. Overall I enjoyed the episode.

Review by Bennett Charles (Town Hall)

Let me just start off by saying that Odyssey Mysteries are best left as two parters.

It wasn't horrible or anything. But, I thought the story wasn't as strong as it could've been. Most of it was kinda fakish dialogue. And...Collins wasn't a very good vilain. She didn't really have a strong motive at all. Besides, in the past two weeks, I've watched about 8 hours of Poirot mysteries, so anything Odyssey made was pretty simple.

But still, the episode left with a few smiles on my face. Nick came back after his full season dissapearence. (Yes!) I've said it time and time again, the only reason people might hate Nick is the fact that he never appears. Why enjoy a character who pops his head up once every two seasons and acts as if he's always been around? He needs to be trying to reach for at least 3 episodes per season, just like the regular Whit's End employees. And I've also said that ever since Nick was Whit's sidekick in "The W.E," they should try it again. They make a very likeable duo. I would've liked a lot more if Nick had been more sarcastic with smart comments like before. His character seems to change with different writers. It's just something I notice.

It was good to hear from Rodney again. The only problem I have is that his character is used the same way too often. He's always the guilty/victim kind of person with stupid sayings (which are often funny, mind you). Odyssey either needs to upgrade him, or have something serious happen in his life—just to keep us interested in his character. But that's basically it.

It wasn't the strongest start for an Odyssey season...but it did have it's advantages. Pretty good episode.

Review by Arwen (Town Hall)

I liked it, but it seemed a little too easy. I agree that AIO mysteries are better as double parters. They could have played it out a little more. Not a bad ep, though.

Review by trina (Town Hall)

I found this episode to be one of those "listen to it once a year" episodes. Once you've heard it (and even before you've heard it once) you know the plotline. The acting wasn't bad, but Collins was incredibly transparent. Glad she's going to jail, that way she won't be back.

Review by DrBlackgaard (Town Hall)
Rating: (out of five)

It was a bit predictable and there was really no quotable dialogue...But it could have been far worse. It was good to hear Nick again, though his character seemed a bit weak in this episode. I think Rodney is getting a little bit old to be stealing statues and acting like a child. After all, he's probably nearing 30 years old. I think he should either become a full-time villian, or pack up and leave. Maybe he could get a job as a spy for Novacom or something.

Review by DrBlackgaard (Town Hall)
Rating: (out of five)

It was a bit predictable and there was really no quotable dialogue...But it could have been far worse. It was good to hear Nick again, though his character seemed a bit weak in this episode. I think Rodney is getting a little bit old to be stealing statues and acting like a child. After all, he's probably nearing 30 years old. I think he should either become a full-time villian, or pack up and leave. Maybe he could get a job as a spy for Novacom or something.

Review by Jared (Town Hall)

(After three pages of "goofs") I could go on, I suppose, about how predictable the show was, or I could mention how odd I considered the plot, but I think that suffices.

Review by Catspaw (Town Hall)

Did Collins know that Whit knew that she was the bad guy when she started driving? And shouldn't Whit have realized that Collins was taking him in the wrong diresction? Part of the plotline does depend on the listeners partially suspending their disbelief. Whit is a smart guy. I thought that Collins was the thief, but when Whit got into her car, I was sure that she wasn't, because I didn't think that Whit would do something that stupid. Apparently I was wrong. That was one part I didn't like.

That said, I enjoyed the episode. No, it wasn't a classic. So what? I enjoyed it, and I would enjoy listening to it again. The "I love my barking tree frog" shirt was a highlight. It was good to have Nick back! Overall, it was a decent start to the season

Review by Amadeo (Town Hall)

This show was an enjoyable beginning to the new season.

Review by Me (Town Hall)
Rating: (out of five)

I agree with many of Jared's comments, but there ae several things that went unmentioned.

1. It seems that there has been far too much "audio detecting" lately. Not that I disapprove of high tech (they also do things that are actually impossible), but they just don't make it as exciting as Jason hacking into Blaggards computer in DBD.

2. Whit didn't sound like Whit. Part of it was the dialog, but I've noticed that in recent years, his expressions and mannerisms have not been "Whit-like." Whit used to get angry and emotional. We haven't seen any really good scenes like this in a long time.

3. Rodney and Nick also didn't sound quite right at the beginning. I think this is due to the fact that they haven't appeared on the show in so long, it took them a while to get back "in voice." I think they should have re-recorded the first few lines.

Even though I have complaints, I enjoyed the episode (despite the predictability).

Review by Me (Town Hall)
Rating: (out of five)

The first thing I'd like to say is that I did enjoy this episode even though to me it was bordering the juvenile line.

The next thing: Nick's T-shirt. Why WOULDN'T Nick wear something like that to work... I mean this is a kid's place, not a fancy motel restaraunt. Beside's that, he would put an apron over top of the shirt, which would cover most, if not all of the slogan.

Another thing would be Whit's actor's acting. In the first scene, I think it was, when he was doing the press conference, it sounded as he was reading a script. Not good at all.

The last thing would be Whit entering Collins' vehicle. He may not have figured it out untill he compared the buttons the way he sounds like he's just realizing something. Perhaps when she realized Whit knew she was the culprit she turned turned towards the airport. Or the place the press conference was being held in could have been on the same route as the airport. Or even another possibility could be that Whit didn't know where it was going to be! A lot of things could have happened... it is a show. Not real life.

Review by Screech (Hillingdale Haven)

I like it a lot, in fact I love it! I thought the "I love my barking tree frogs" was soooo funny!

Review by Laurie (Hillingdale Haven)

I loved it!!!

Review by AIOFanatic (Hillingdale Haven)

A good start to the new season! Even though it was a mystery show, they included what seems to me as more of a lesson than they are normally including lately.

Review by gimp (Hillingdale Haven)

I thought it was pretty good. Especially the fact that Whit was still willing to want to trust Nick even after he broke that trust.

Review by Bearliz (Hillingdale Haven)

I thought it was pretty good, though a lot shorter than their other mysteries.

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

Click here to see the full review.

Let me start with an observation. It's been noted several times in several episodes by several different people that Whit's End is not a safe place for children to hang out. The ice cream shop has been held up by a man with a gun, rigged to explode by an egotistical doctor, and broken into on more occasions than I wish to recall at this point in time. That's to say nothing of the dangers the Imagination Station poses to children when you consider it interfaces with a person's mind in such a way that would surely inflict brain damage if violently ripped from an adventure. So where am I going with this? Well, these are only minor examples of a safety threat regarding Whit's End. "Sounds Like a Mystery" unveils the biggest threat of them all: Macadamia Nut Air Fresheners.

Yes, I'm serious. 3 million people in the United States are allergic to nuts and the health risks are quite severe. Ever wonder why you see labels on food products or in restaurants that warn the consumer certain foods may have come in contact with nuts? Because it's a very real and dangerous allergy that has life threatening results. I knew a girl in elementary school who had to sit away from the rest of the school because of her allergic reaction to just the smell. It was so bad that when we went on field trips, we were explicitly told never to bring any nut products with us. Then about seven years ago, my own grandfather was hospitalized after eating just one macadamia nut, though thankfully he pulled through. We're not just talking sneezing here. We're talking swelling of the throat, skin rashes, loss of consciousness, and even death. Thanks to Whit, any patron to his shop that requires use of the restroom may discover it actually to be their final resting place.

Hehe, no, I'm not some big health nut (ho ho!), but I'm fairly familiar with the allergic reactions relating to nuts of any kind. In fact, though I could be wrong, I believe it's illegal for Whit to use macadamia scented air fresheners (which don't exist), even if he were to explicitly warn customers in his shop. But I digress... I just wanted to point out how seriously illogical that particular piece of the plot is... but it doesn't really ruin the overall enjoyment of the show.

And happily, there's lot to like about this episode which I feel is better than last season's finale of "No Way Out / No Way In". For one thing, I find myself liking Nick more and more. At first he struggled to fight off the stigmatism associated with being a Mulligan, but has since developed into an interesting and deep character. I've also adjusted to the idea of him working at Whit's End (I was very opposed to the idea initially) and rather than view him as a minor contributor to a story, I actually think he could carry an entire show on his own. In fact, I'd love to hear more about Nick's romantic exploits. No, none of that nausea inducing posion we suffered with Connie and Mitch, but just good clean fun from a character who represents most typical teenagers.

He even lied to Whit... again. I mean, this is a character who doesn't conform to any particular convention. He's not perfect, like so many kids come across as these days, and he's not created to cause problems, like your typical foil to those said kids... he's in the middle. Nick's gained a lot depth since he was introduced as the "Smoking New Yorker" and there's plenty of potential for turning him into an endearing favorite.

The use of Captain Quinn was nice too, though he factored only a tiny bit into the episode's events. Kenneth Mars played him slightly differently than he did in the three previous shows he's appeared in ("Jesus Cloth", "Real Time", "The Perfect Witness"), but it was a comforting 'old time' voice to hear. It was also a nice touch to listen to Dave Arnold's voice (who reprised his role as Link Wainright from "Green Eyes, Yellow Tulips") and I got the distinct feeling I was listening to a classic AIO mystery. But can someone explain to me how Mr. Jenkins ("Cousin Albert", "The Unraveling") has become Lieutenant Jenkins? They are the same voice!

Hehe, anyway. Despite being fairly predictable, it's still an enjoyable mystery with a decent twist. I also liked the process of going through audio recorded, via motion sensor phones, and piecing together the puzzle in that way. Rob Jorgensen (who worked extensively on Radio Theatre after the Spring 2002 season), did an amazing job with a show that relied so heavily on the sound production and I hope it's remembered when the end of season voting begins! ;o)

Another solid beginning to a season that holds plenty of promise following an extremly successful Spring 2004.

Excerpted Review by Frank (Frank's Breakfast Inn)

Click here to see the full review.

The new season has started. It's finally come. The Statue of Liberty has arrived in Odyssey. And with it has come the return of our beloved officer, Captain Quinn. (Whom we've only seen in once before, but love him still the same, particularly for his impressive voice acting credentials.) Although, most likely the return of Nick Mulligan will get more positive comments. Tantalizing hints from the Official Site helped to spice our taste buds all the more. And One Place put it out early too! And it looks like we have at least five sites that are apt to put up a review! Oh the AIO-filled joy!

...And Nick is back. He almost (I said almost.) redeems reptilian Rodney's cheesiness. Nick said the line! We all knew that someone would say: "Sounds like a mystery" somewhere in the ep. I expected Whit to. Unpredictable. I didn't know that Nick had curly blond hair. Or that he was 5'8''. The "I love my barking tree frog" t-shirt was true to character. But even with all that, he didn't quite have the sarcasm and wit that Nick usually has. That was strange. Then came the shocker. Nick lies to Whit. What! (Actually, it's pronounced "hwhat?" in your best Tom Riley twang.) After all that we went through with Novacom! After all the lessons that you've learned, Nick! But we can forgive, as Whit forgives.

Personally, I think that Whit should just join the police force. All the police officers do is bumble around and call each other on their static-producing walkie-talkies to update each other on info that Whit has discovered already.

So this is what the Official Site hint was for. Solve the mystery by listening to sounds. Very ingenious, Whit, to install motion-detecting microphones in all of Whit's End's telephones. More security! More government intrigue! That sneeze thing was very funny. I thought that Nick would go around to people and spray them with the deodorizer scent...

...There's one more thing that came to mind. This show had yet a new feel for AIO eps. Usually the season premiere welcomes you out with a heartwarming show brimming with the charms of Connie Kendall and John Avery Whittaker. This one has a new edge. I'm always trying to explain these things to you people, but can never get them out quite right. Do you know that feeling when you get a picture back from the developers, and it turned out really bright? The beautiful lawn that you were trying to take a nice picture of was slightly blinded by the glare. That was what I felt while listening to Whit and the news reporter talking on the lawn at McAllister Park, and throughout the show. Don't get me wrong, I totally enjoyed the show...but it was different than usual.

By now you all can tell that I haven't written a review in a long time and are now letting out all my steam. I hope that it's been enjoyable. I enjoyed this episode. It was a great mystery...

Review by EugeneFan (Eugene Forever)
Rating: (out of five)

Click here to see the full review.

The AIO season is off to a good start! It was nice to hear a mystery for the season premier. It wasn't my favorite mystery episode, but it was a good "average" mystery.

In the first scene of the episode, Whit is in a TV interview regarding a temporary display in Odyssey, containing an original 6" model for the Statue of Liberty. Immediately following the interview, we learn that the model has been stolen. Nick is accused of the crime, and Whit, Captain Quinn, and Nick spend much of the episode trying to find clues leading to the theif.

When Rodney Rathbone's voice first came on the episode, I thought, "Oh no, Rodney is the thief. How hard was that to figure out?!" But, I was pleasantly surprised that the mystery was not so easy to solve. When Nick was accused of stealing the model, I was sure that it wasn't him - he would have been too obvious as well. It wasn't until almost the very end that I realized the true culprit. If you didn't listen to the episode and you want to know who the culprit is, I'm not going to tell you! You'll have to listen to the episode and find out!

A really good thing about this episode was that Nick was in it. Nick isn't on AIO very often, and I think he had a good role in this episode. I hope we will hear more of him this season, and that we hear from Aubrey also!

I liked this episode, but I have a complaint. What happened with Whit's broken leg? Last season, Whit's leg was severely injured, but in this episode his leg isn't even mentioned. I think Whit should have at least been on crutches, or he should have mentioned something about his leg.

Overall, I thought this was a good mystery that was fun to solve. It wasn't exceptional, but not every episode should be. I rate it 3.5 out of 5 stars. If you haven't listened to the episode yet, you should!

549: Think on These Things

Episode Information

Consensus: Thumbs Up (16/19 positive reviews)

Think on this...most Odyssey fans liked this week's episode, though there were a few who found it boring. Whether they liked the show or not, everyone liked the references to Odyssey's past (the pizza oven, Dr. Hawthorne). Most also liked the Imagaination Staiton being used in a new way—and the scanning features being used for the first time since they were introduced in "The American Revelation." Trent was also universally liked.

However, some found an entire plot about math problems to be boring and thought that Odyssey shouldn't sound like "edu-tainment." Some also found the theme to be "forced."

Review by Jonathan, age 18
Rating:

The second show of the season is another good one. I liked hearing the new possibilities for the Imagination Station and the possibility that it could be misused. I also liked the fun reference to "Whit's Flop" and the story behind the Imagination Station at the end. I also liked how the lesson was applied, as I'm sure we've all been tempted to cheat before. Well done.

Review by Paul B
Rating:

Trent and Marvin use the Imagination Station to scan math books and learn story problems.Trent uses the Station to be mean to Dr. Hawthorne and Marvin uses the program to cheat. Will they get away with it? Tune in and find out.

Review by Lauren, age 13
Rating:

It was kind of childish in a way, but it was pretty good.

Review by Ruthie, age 12 1/2
Rating:

It was very interesting, it was one of the shows with a more apparent theme!

Review by alwaysHis324 (Town Hall)
Rating: (out of five)

I really enjoyed this episode. Trent is a great character. I agree with Amadeo, a unique way to present Biblical truth. Its a very creative episode, and I liked it.

Best line: "Mr. Whitaker's really smart." "Yeah."

A side note on "story problems..." My college math professor thought they were pointless. For which I was very thankful! I so dislike those. If a train leaves the station... blech! But thats my un-genis opinion.

One thing that I kinda disagreed with. Trent releasing his frustation. I think that it is important for a person to work out their frustrations. I guess I agree that Trent went about it in the wrong way, meaning he shouldn't have done it on his own. He could have gone to his parents and talked with them and worked out how he felt when his teacher did or said something. I think it is valuble to vent. Journaling, talking it out, however you do it. Because keeping those frustrations inside is like shaking up a can of soda. Its gonna explode sooner or later.

Review by Bennett Charles (Town Hall)

I love it when someone ties the knot...

What do I mean? Well, this episode featured several things that were left hanging from the past. The Treasure Room was never mentioned again, and so, it left that rope hanging pointlessely before. But now, it was put to good use. Dr. Hawthorne is another example. I really liked his character just because he reminded me so much of a Mr. Rathburn in the television show "Arthur." And it's so realistic because, everyone thought that his/her teacher was the meaness in the world.

Mr. Whittaker's talk to Marvin about scanning things into the Imagination Station was connected to this ep as well, putting it to good use.

And the most obvious example of all was the small mention of the Classic little Pizza Oven that was invented by a photocopier machine. I'm glad that our little friend is still around...

I just love connections like these because it brings Odyssey together as one big story...and it's a treat for some of us old listeners!

The episode itself was a very good slice of life episode. I don't really any complaints about this one, because everyone kept his character, and the acting was pretty good, and the storyline was just fun to listen to. Great show!

PS: Marvin's voice sounds a lot better now that it changed a bit last season. He's been growing as a very good character lately.

PS #2: I kinda wished Dr. Hawthorne could've said to Trent, "Your just how your brother was..." You know, just some reference of his past dealings with Jared DeWhite. Kinda scary to think that they both had to deal with him.

Review by Catspaw (Town Hall)

I liked this episode. It brings a moral lesson and a potentially hard-to-apply Bible verse down to a normal kid's level. I'm still not convinced that math is fun, but that's because I'm so bad at it! It was great to hear from Dr. Hawthorne again! Just the tone of his voice makes me think that I'm doing something bad, and he knows exactly what I'm doing wrong, even though he obviously can't see me! You have to have some respect for a man who taught Jared DeWhite and survived! It would have been nice for Mr. Hawthorne to mention Jared, but, alas, it was not to be. The reference to Whit's Flop was appreciated. I was suprised but happy to hear a mention of the far Odyssian past. Overall, a fun episode that won't be constantly in my CD player, but good to listen to now and then.

Review by Ferder (Town Hall)

It was good to see the Imagination Station used in this way. There's too many times when the kids forget they are in the Imagination Station, so they never try and experiment in it (since they know it's not real).

The moral tacked onto the end (and the title) seemed a little irrelavent to the story. It's not that it didn't fit at all, but if the point of the ep was to get that lesson accross, they could have done it in a more clear way, with a completely different story. But the upside of having the moral conform to fit the story, instead of the other way around, is that the episode doesn't sound too contrived.

Review by Kanimoto (Town Hall)
Rating: (out of five)

Ferder has a point, but I still loved today's ep. Trent's voice was cool, and I agreed with him about releasing frustration (just not how he did it). This seemed like a typical episode, but Trent's input made it much better.

Review by happysmiler (Town Hall)
Rating: (out of five)

I really liked this ep! It was funny, but it still taught a valuable lesson! In my opinion, it was one of the better ones in the last while! I really liked the reference to "Whit's Flop" with the pizza oven! It's always nice to be reminded that we're still in the same Odyssey that we were 15 years ago! I also wondered about Dr. Hothorrn and him teaching math intestead of history, but that's ok, I guess. I must say about the word problems, they are really stupid! Why can't you use real life situations for the kids to figure out something instead of 90 gallons of mayo, or 47 armadillos? No wonder the kids think they'll never use word problems! (Unless, of course, they work for a zoo, or a mayo company. )

All in all, a really nice episode.

Review by Eugene Blackgaard (Town Hall)

Sweet sword of awesomeness! Is this what I think it is? YES!!! A truly great old-school style AIO episode! The way the show used to be!!! Here's what I liked:

1. It was a story about kids who had a simple problem. Not some big complex huge industry trying to take over the world, or conspiracy theories (those things are only funy when involving Jared.)

2. The characters (kids) were not the greatest actors. They sounded like real kids, no wise cracking every 3 seconds or smooth remarks. They were just kids.

3. Whit came out from under that rock he's been hiding under lately, and actually gave sound advice in several scenes. He became involved in the story, not just a cameo appearence.

4. The Imagination Station was used instead of the R.O.C for once!

5. It was not one big comedy, but rather, a lesson teacher. Although it had its moments: Exactly the way AIO should be.

6. Whit recieved a phone call from a parent asking him to help them with their kid, just like the old days. We never saw that with Alex, Mandy, or Liz...

7. Whit used some of his clever tricks to teach a lesson.

8. The musical score was very much like the olden days of AIO, none of the rock or jazz throne in, just that nice flute and piano and such... Very nice!

Review by Arwen (Town Hall)

I really liked today's episode. Dr. Hawthorne hasn't been around for a while. It was interesting to hear him again. It wasn't too...I don't know what to call it... Like the other ones recently, but it definitely wasn't the same as the old ones. It was pretty much right in the middle, and it was pretty good.

Review by Me (Town Hall)

The ep was ok. When it first started, I thought it was going to be like the shows of old (hooray). Unfortunately, the actors didn't seem to put as much energy into scenes like that as past characters. They weren't animated enough. I really loved the pizza oven reference. Overall, it was very refreshing to have a good story that taught a lesson in a similar fashion to what we've seen in the past.

Review by James M (Town Hall)
Rating: (out of five)

I enjoyed it all right. I liked referenes to past eps too. I like Trent, he's cool.

Review by Bearliz (Town Hall)
Rating: (out of five)

Very nice ep. Trent is a good character, one of my favorites, and he works well with Marvin. The opening scene was a good way to introduce the ep. It had you wondering what was going on. Let's hope the rest are all like this episode!

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

Click here to see the full review.

Adventures in Odyssey usually serves as a means to escape from reality... a nice diversion from the facets of life. With that said, it's incredibly difficult to find enjoyment in an episode that deals with math problems.

I don't mean to imply math isn't a fun subject. Afterall, it's a completely subjective experience. There are those who get it, and those who don't. People who love it for its challenges, and people who hate it for those same challenges. It took until the very last month of high school for me to finally come around and realize that I not only understood it, but was actually good at math! Unfortunately, this realization came so late in my schooling that all the years I had spent fearing a math problem were a simple waste of time. Similar to how I feel about listening to this episode.

Ouch. Ok, I'm being a tad harsh here. In the process of writing this review I went back and consulted "The Treasure Room" for some background information and realized something... despite my disappointment in "Think on These Things", the quality of shows today are so much better than they were four or five years ago. I'm happy to say this show could have been a lot worse than it actually is. (I mean, 15 minute shows? Who thought up that winning concept? :o) ) But compared with the thought provoking and entertaining shows we've been treated to in the recent past, this episode doesn't stand out as anything special... and suffers from not being an enjoyable diversion from everyday life.

Though, I don't want to dwell on the negatives. I first want to mention that I did enjoy the nod to "Whit's Flop", the return of Dr. Hawthorne from "Faster than a Speeding Ticket", and reference to the rarely used treasure room. I'm also glad the scanning capabilities are finally being employed in the new Imagination Station, which I still feel has a lot of potential to be an exciting story telling device if used properly. And considering the outcry from many people, Whit's Biblical reference is something that a lot of fans will appreciate hearing... these days it seems to be Chris' job to outline the lesson, though most people stop listening before she even opens her mouth. Finally, the acting for both Marvin and Trent wasn't bad and Dr. Hawthorne's performance was wonderful (I'm hoping we hear more from him soon... it's rare we have a teacher stick around for more than a couple of shows).

But what I didn't like goes back to my ramblings about mathematics. The idea of doing math problems in the Imagination Station is a really cool and practicle use for the machine, but I don't think it makes for a very exciting show. Homework is not something people enjoy doing, and the last thing they want is to tune into AIO and listen to twenty-five minutes of characters doing their homework. Sure things got spiced up a bit, but at times it felt like I was listening to an educational tape rather than an adventure in odyssey.

And did anyone else find it weird that Whit spent the night watching Trent and Marvin's recorded Imagination Station adventures? This day and age it wouldn't be surprising if the parents of one of the boys sued Whit for infringing on their son's privacy. While he did ask them if they wanted their lessons recorded to review later on, he neglected to mention he would also be watching them. I think it would have made for a less... uncomfortable thought process (for I have no better way to put it)... if Trent's yelling at his teacher becomes so disruptive that a boy (perhaps waiting in line for the Imagination Station), overhears him and runs to get Whit. This successfully alerts Whit to what's going on in the Imagination Station, without the vision of Whit holed up in a dark room reviewing tapes of children frolicking around in his invention. You already know my thoughts on Marvin and Whit's underwear (see "Nothing But the Half Truth" review), so there's no need to delve further into this topic.

This episode, unfortunately, is a hiccup in a string of several strong AIO episodes that have aired recently. However, I take comfort in hoping that much better episodes will air in the weeks ahead.

Excerpted Review by Frank (Frank's Breakfast Inn)

Click here to see the full review.

...Let us focus away from the overwhelming AIO horror, and try to dig something positive out of this. ... Okay, so we all liked the little references to past shows.

Oooooh! - The Treasure Room! (From the episode appropriately named "The Treasure Room".)
Ooh! - Dr Hawthorne! There's a comforting voice. But didn't he teach history in "Faster Than A Speeding Ticket"? And maybe living in America for so long has dulled his attractive British accent over the years.
Oooooh! - Pizza oven! That's a stretch. Back to the beginning. (The VERY beginning actually.) You'd think that Whit would toss that thing by now. Get a newer and better one. Maybe that was a nostalgia overdose, but, maybe not. What else was nice in this show?

Ummm. This show followed a very common AIO show format. Kid has a problem, Whit tries to help them solve it, they do something bad, Whit explains to them the consequences of their actions. Nothing too different or new. It's nice to be regular.

Need I say that it's also wonderful to have Trent and Marvin back, I thought they would fade out AIO in the last season. Good to see them back.

Oh, and it's nice to see that Whit trusts the kids to use the Imagination Station without his supervision. Ha. When he does that then the kids always do something bad, breaking that trust. But Whit has infinite room in his heart for forgiveness. Happy day.

What did I really think about this show? It was really predictable and cheesy, I thought. Doesn't Trent know that impertinence can be very painful? Doesn't he know that what Whit says is ALWAYS the right answer! Doesn't AIO know that we wouldn't like to hear a show entirely about math problems?!

... And the show taught a nice lesson. It wasn't all that bad, I guess. If I was eight years old I would have liked it more. If I actually rated these things...what should FBI use, probably coffee mugs, right? Okay, so I would give it 2 and 1/3 coffee mugs.

Excerpted Review by EugeneFan (Eugene Forever)
Rating: (out of five)

Click here to see the full review.

This episode was...a very well-written episode.

This episode is about Trent DeWhite and Marvin Washington. They are both having problems with their math homework, so they use the Imagination Station to help them. However, they take advantage of the Imagination Station, and they don't use the program the way it was designed to be used. Trent uses it to yell at his teacher, and Marvin uses it to get the answers to his homework, and he just copies them down. In the end, Trent ends up yelling at his teacher in real life, and Marvin nearly cheats in real life. Whit talks to them and explains that we need to be careful what we allow into our minds.

This was an episode that had a lesson, and the lesson was obvious. Sadly, this isn't something that happens regularly anymore. Often, when an episode is finished, I think, "What was the lesson in that?" But, this week, I didn't think that, because there actually was a lesson (yea!). I thought the lesson in this episode was a very good one: we become what we think about. When we continually fill our brain with inappropriate or ungodly things, we will eventually start doing those bad things.

Something I thought was interesting about this episode was that, unlike all other instances of the Imagination Station being used, this was the first episode where the kids misuse the Imagination Station. Trent used it to let his anger out on his virtual teacher, and Marvin used it to cheat on his homework. But, both of these misuses of the Imagination Station contributed to the lesson. I thought it was a creative use of the Imagination Station.

Another thing I liked about this episode was the parallels to past episodes. Even though he was only a minor character, I enjoyed hearing Dr. Hawthorn from "Faster Than a Speeding Ticket" once again. It was also fun to hear a reference to the pizza oven, invented in "Whit's Flop". I like it when little things like this are included in episodes.

I don't have any complains about this episode - it was a good one! Great job!

550: Fairy Tal-e-vision

Episode Information

Consensus: A Reluctant Thumbs Up (15/24 positive reviews)

With reviews joining the ranks of sharply divided shows like "Snow Day," "Called on in Class," and "Something Blue," the latest Adventures in Odyssey episode arrives. The zany, wacky episode has quickly attracted a crowd of lovers and haters with only a few in-between.

Those who loved the episode found it a funny and engaging ride that was different than the typical Odyssey show. They laud the theme (and how it was a surprise at the end) and enjoyed hearing from Jason and Connie.

Those who hated the episode found it childish and hard to follow. Many said they would rather hear an episode in "real life" Odyssey. Some also found it too similar to the Fairy Tale plot in "BTV: Forgiveness."

Review by Bradford G, age 14
Rating:

Great episode! I always wondered if we would ever get a really great funny episode from Odyssey again. And if you've been wondering the same thing, this is the episode. The stories were great, the moral a shock, I had no idea each one involved sin. I have to say this is so far the best episode this season. And I can't wait for more. I think my favorite part was Jack & Jill—I think that's because she tripped him and and his burning pants, down the hill and we got to hear it in slow motion replay. Well anyway fantastic episode! :-)

Review by Jason Hajny, age 16
Rating:

I like anything with Townsend Coleman in it. "Fairy Tal-e-vison" was funny, but very different from most Adventures in Odyssey.

Review by Luke, age 14
Rating:

Very good. I enjoy Adventures in Odyssey. This one was excellent. Can't wait for the new album!

Review by Paul B
Rating:

The new Kids' Radio show makes fun of some of the old fairy tales like Little Miss Muffet and the boy who cried wolf. Jason and Connie are running the show. There are funny ads through the show, too, like Big Bad Breath Mints.

Review by Jonathan, age 18
Rating:

I'm torn on this one. One the one hand, it was fun to hear the parodies, something Odyssey is excellent at. And it was fun to hear Jason again. But on the other hand, it not only seemed awfully kidish (which might be because I'm not exactly in the target age range), but I didn't like the huge number of cuts from 'scene' to 'scene'. While I don't like giving bad reviews, this is one I'm just not too wild about. Younger folks might really like it though.

Review by Sheri, age 14
Rating:

I've got to give them credit for creativity, but it was not a very exciting episode at all.

Review by Neo3DGfx (Town Hall)

It sure sounds funny!

Review by Durbelthwen (Town Hall)

I thought the show was all right. Not as good as some of the others of that type but not as bad as some of the episodes that Adventures in Odyssey has done. I liked Jason's bit.

I did not like the part about the "old man" weather man. This is because my parents told me that people think that the old man in the poem is supposed to be God. They always disapproved of the poem.

Review by trina (Town Hall)

It was great to hear from Jason. The show was pulled off better than I thought the plotline ever could be. I actually somewhat enjoyed listening to this episode (rather nostalgic, it's been a long, long time since I listened to AIO on the radio on a Saturday morning). The "Weather in Budapest" comment reminded me of Mitch, and therefore made me sad. That was probably the only negative comment I have for this episode. I think it is likely to be my favorite Kids' radio ep. Ever.

Review by Arwen (Town Hall)

I really liked it. It was funny.

Excerpted Review by Bennett Charles (Town Hall)

Cool. Good to hear Jason. ...good moral....could've been clearer....

...kind of dis-organized...

Review by alwaysHis324 (Town Hall)
Rating: (out of five)

As I first listened to this episode, I was planning on giving it 0 stars. I saw no point to it. I was almost appalled that the Odyssey team would make a show with no point. Like Jason, I was clueless.

Then the end came and the moral was revealed. And when it comes down to it, I liked this episode.

I am not against fun and sillyness. In fact I once wrote a one-act play in a very similar style to this episode. A bunch of messed up fairy tales resulting in a lot of laughter. However my play had a moral, too. I think sometime you need to see the end of the ride before you can enjoy it as it happens.

I plan on listening to this episode again, when I have time (and a quiet house) and really listen to all the jokes, sillyness, and plain creativity that was put into it.

This show was quite creative. Kudos to Mr. Fornof. It takes a wild imagination to stretch fairytales beyond their norm and make a fun filled story that doesn't lose the audiences attention.

The moral/lesson in this episode I found very important. Sin does effect other people. I have seen this evidenced in my own life. How one persons sin can have an effect on many other people. A simple lesson, but one I think we need to be reminded of. We can't just keep sinning and asking for forgiveness and think all is well. No, each of our sins effect other people, and often times people we love.

On another note, I loved the chemistry between Connie and Jason. Katie and Townsend work well together and this episode showed that. Of course I am a die-hard Connie/Jason shipper, but yeah

Not my favorite episode, but one that warrant several listens.

Review by Mellow Boy (Town Hall)
Rating: (out of five)

Review by happysmiler (Town Hall)
Rating: (out of five)

Well, it was definitely better than I thought it would be! When I heard the promo scene, I thought that it sounded way to similar to "BTV:Forgiveness" for my tastes, but now that I've heard it, I must say it was actually better than I would have expected. It was nice to hear Jason again! Nice to know that he got home safely from Black Sands.

Review by Eugene Kendall (Town Hall)

To me the only slightly funny part was the Connie and Jason scenes. I tuned out about the whole ep then went and listened again and tuned out again....

Review by Kanimoto (Town Hall)
Rating: (out of five)

This episode was hilarious. I enjoyed hearing Jason in a role he hasn't been in for a while.

Review by Catspaw (Town Hall)

I thought that this was a fun episode! There was such a variety of fairy tales that were mentioned that reminded me of good old Mother Goose memories! I loved the reference to the weather in Budapest. Maybe I've been in too many English classes, but it made me think that Connie has now mentally relegated Mitch to the "fairy tale" category. She no longer thinks of him as a real person in her life—he's just a memory now. Connie probably wrote part of the Kids Radio program, so that isn't too far of a stretch. Connie's subconscious had given up hope of ever being in a relationship with Mitch again, even though she can't forget him. Anyway, that's my over-analyzation of a five-second scene! Overall, a fun episode that I will definitely enjoy listening to again and again!

Review by MXracer (Town Hall)

I didn't care for it. I mean, it's the kind of episode that I would only listen to once or twice.

Review by Bearliz (Town Hall)
Rating: (out of five)

I liked it, it suited my short term memory loss, changing every minute or so. It was hard to follow the plot though. It wasn't made very clear...even at the end. Connie and Jason were good, I love episodes with Jason, he's a great character. The way Connie kept saying Fairy Tal-e-vision got on my nerves though. All in all, it was an okay ep.

Review by DrBlackgaard (Town Hall)
Rating: (out of five)

Umm...I grew out of nursery rhymes the day I left the nursery. And frankly, it wasn't the most thrilling thing that happened to me this week to hear them redone in a radio drama. Frankly I found this episode maddening. Sickening. What was the point? 1 out of 5 stars because it was nice to hear Jason and Bernard again (even if it was in such an environment).

Review by Me (Town Hall)
Rating: (out of five)

Ugh. Shudder. And I thought BTV was annoying. Wow. This episode redefines randomness. I don't care what the point was, I found it to be one of the worst eps I've ever heard! The only good part was Jason sharing my feelings at the beginning of the ep. Other than that, I looked forward to the comercial breaks. Imagine. About negative 3 stars, but since that is not an option, I will give it a 1. This is adventures in ODYSSEY, not Fairy Tale TV inside Kids' Radio!

Excerpted Review by Frank (Frank's Breakfast Inn)

Click here to see the full review.

...I liked this episode. (I like all AIO episodes.)

Even Chris admitted that this show was: "Kinda crazy, wasn't it?", it was very fast paced and somewhat quaky, but had some of the best humor bits of any Kid's Radio broadcasts...

This ep was really quite clever. All the stories intertwined somehow. After all this fun and silliness, I was worried about the moral that Connie was promising Jason all this time. Maybe "They all teach a lesson" or "All things work together for good.". But they went far deeper. All the fairy tales have one thing in common - sin. And sin has consequences that effect not only the sinner, but all of those involved as well. The real breath of air was when Connie tells her listening audience to see which one of the Ten Commandments that the people you watch on TV break. What a humbling realization. No matter what we see, there's always sin somewhere in the mix. And what grieves me even more is when people can watch hours and hours of entertainment mixed with profanities and inappropriate innuendo. So, the world is full of sin, Frank - get used to it. But just blowing over sin, even in media where we see it all the time - sin is sin. Harmless murder mysteries...innocent Gene Kelly musicals, simple soap operas...

But enough about deep life lessons, I really enjoyed the spoofs and smile-brining wackiness...it was a good episode. Hear it.

And the music was new and jazzy. How fun!

Review by EugeneFan (Eugene Forever)
Rating: (out of five)

Click here to see the full review.

"Fairy Tal-e-vision" was an okay episode. I'm kind of in the middle: I didn't really love it, but I liked it better than some episodes. Actually, I'm not a huge fan of Kid's Radio. I'd rather hear the characters and a normal episode.

This episode is about Jason and Connie doing a Kid's Radio broadcast. In the broadcast, there are several sketches similar to fairy tales with a moral twist.

To me, the story