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2-16, 2005 | April 23-30, 2005
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A
note of about the ratings... All ratings are out of four unless otherwise
noted.
"The Invisible Dog" is generating positive reviews, both for it's story and for the continuing strength of Eugene Meltsner. Almost everybody agrees that Eugene has given Odyssey a new lease on life. Most enjoyed having him as a substitute teacher, with some wondering why this kind of thing had never come up before.
The two most-talked about scenes, however, didn't involve Eugene. The first was a scene where Lester tells Trent about his dog getting hit by a car and Trent shares a secret from his past. The writing, performances, and especially the use of sound effects were praised on this scene.
The second memorable scene was the ending scene where Trent gave Lester a puppy. Most agreed it was sweet.
6. Max Hampton
4. Jonh Whittaker
3. Trent Dewhite
2. Eugene Meltsner
1. Lester
Keep up the good work, AIO...and God bless.
That said, we need to get onto
a more negative footing and that unfortunately is Eugene. After his starring
performance in "Two Friends and A Truck", Eugune is reduced to
being a dry, bumbling substitute teacher. Never mind the fact that we've
never seen Eugene teaching before or that the writers drop Eugene into a
class without bothering to give some background. It was all very strange
and it definitely didn't work. I know
the writers are wanting to re-introduce Eugene again but please, put him
in natural situations Eugene is likely to be in.
That brings to light a problem
AIO has on their hands. Eugene was largely the brainchild of writers that
no longer make major contributions to AIO. That said, I'm worried Eugene
is no longer going to be the character we've
come to know and love. I mean no offense to the current writers but they've
butchered so many characters on AIO that I'm almost expecting Eugene lose
most of his character and become a one-dimensional person like the majority
of the characters on today's AIO.
I was glad AIO brought a lesson or two into the episode but like most episodes within the past three or four years, it lacked spiritual dimension and power.
All in all, it was a good ep, though! It's still so wonderful to hear from Eugene!
I type this with tears in my eyes, thank you Odyssey for such a great ep.
However, the show could have added more Scriptural emphasis and less pop psychology. I believe "God" was mentioned only once in the show. I mean, why do we have to wait until the end of the show to hear the Scriptural application from Chris when Whit can just as easily say it in the program?
That's my only small complaint with the episode. Otherwise, it was very nicely done.
This episode followed another tried-and-true method: A/B story- follow the two plots, tie them together at the end, and throw in a spiritual application at the end.
Is this 2005? (Yes, I know I asked that last week, but I have to ask it again b/c I still don't believe it).
As for the actual story, I like it. It was nice to hear from Lester again. He's one of those characters that, if used sparsely, can bring something to the show. And the Eugene bit was good too. I wasn't surprised that he, at first, stayed at a level far above those he was teaching, and later had to face up to the fact that that wouldn't work. It reminds me of "Do, For a Change."
I also agree with Christian Cowgirlthe sound effects during Trent's flashback were marvelous.
I'm usually really hesitant to say that we've made a return to "classic" Odyssey after hearing an episode I really liked, because the next few might not be so great. But this is the third episode after the "something big" episodes that I've absolutely loved, and I'm getting close to saying it"classic Odyssey" is back.
Keep up the terrific work, Odyssey!
I did have one concern. The proof that Trent used on Lester's dog bothered me. You see it's almost word for word what many of my classmates and friends have used to disprove the existence of God. I'm kinda surprised Trent didn't realize it when he said it, but also very glad. Maybe I only noticed it because I've heard it so much.
Anyway, other than that one little thing I absolutely loved this ep. It reminded me of my 3rd period class. (I TA for a geometry class.) So I actually understood Eugene's remblings for once.
Great job, Odyssey.
The scene with Trent and Lester was great in an sad way. The sounds made it come to life. I could see the dog getting hit in the road.
Eugene as a teacher was great, but I thought that Trent was older then grade 7.
This show also added an problem to the Odyssey map. But that's just so out of whack already it dosen't really matter. Trent said he was at the park, so McAlister Park and his house was across the street. So another person the lives right by Whit's End and the DeWhites are supposed to live on another street.
Ed Note: It's doubtful that the DeWhites live in the same house that they lived in before they moved away. They were gone for years so someone else probably moved into their old house. However, a lot of people do seem to live near McAlister Park...it must be huge!
As for the episode, it was excellent. The dialogue was good, Eugene was using large words, humor was present, and the ep had a good point. The only thing of which I'm not sure is how Eugene got the teaching job. Other than that, he made a great sub. One I will definitely listen to many times in the future.
I didn't like Lester in "No Way Out/No Way In"...but I liked him
in this episode. He seemed liked a realistic character. Good job, AIO.
Eugene as a sub teacherwhat a fabulous idea! I think that Eugene would be a great teacher, and it was good to see him humble and willing to accept help at the end of the ep, realizing that his approach was not working, and accepting advice. I feel a lot of pity towards those poor students, thoughI find math bad enough without my know-it-all teacher who had no idea that nobody (except the way-too-smart kid) knows what's going on! I wonder if John Fornof knew all that math stuff, or if he researched it all specifically for this ep?
One thing I found weird was Trent's presence in the class. At the end of "Potential Possibilities," it sounded like Trent was going to go back to the gifted class, so he could be all that God wanted him to be and stuff like that. Now he's still in his normal class. I wonder what happened? I'm sure that storylines are easier with characters we already know, like Marvin, and I really liked this ep, but I would have liked some small explanation about the gifted class thing.
Worse off, I was worried about what they had done to Lester. First off, I think reappearances of characters are like Movie Sequels. They were good the first way through...but chances are they'll ruin it the second time. Lester was simply amazing in "No Way Out"...his acting and character was perfect for the part. But would they be able to pull it off once again? Why ruin an already decent character?
Though, this hasn't always been the case. I found I enjoyed Irving and Solly much more than the first time I heard them. So, character development could also bring about a better character. Thankfully, it was the same writer for both episodes. Lester seemed to be John Fornof's creation, and chances are, Lester would remain true to his character.
My uneasiness wasn't immediately cured through the first few minutes of the show. The timing for that Odyssey theme was terrible, first off. If you can't do it right, stick it at the beginning of the show. Secondly, I found out that the Invisible Dog wasn't something from Eugene...but from Lester; and was his imaginary friend.
As a brother of two mentally retarded siblings, I was wondering if handicaps actually do have Imaginary friends. Afterall, to concoct a friend who isn't there, it takes quite of bit of intellect. I always took that, aside from talking to themselves (in the down-syndrome category), they always depended on what was actually there. However, after asking my mom, she said that it all depends on how smart they are...and Lester is actually so smart that he knows he's not smart (which is actually the downside of being a smart handicap; to be so smart that you know your not...).
Finally, the final uneasiness had was to do with Eugene. He sounded almost at his greatest point of intellectuality, which is okay. It's only that I always assumed that he had learned to bring himself down to other people's levels over the years. Maybe being away so long made him smarter. He sounded almost; inhuman...like a robot.
So, did I enjoy this episode? Yes, every one of my uneasy feelings got cured. The ending with Lester ended up nicely. Eugene actually became human at the end...and learned something and came to a conclusion. I enjoyed that very much. "And that, Mr. Hampton, is it."
"B-I-N-G-O. B-I-N-G-O. B-I-N-G-O, and Bingo was his name-O!" The scene between Lester and Trent outta be on that "End of Season Awards." It was touching to hear a...well...touching scene between an adult and a kid. Those types of scenes are usually between two adults.
I find Trent's character was so similar to his brothers'. I mean, we could've practically stuck Jared in there, and it would've been the same (except we would've enjoyed it more). The whole, "analyzing" bit was totally Jared. Speaking of which, I'm starting to miss that guy...
It's good to hear from Max again. I wonder why they're having him stick around since his voice broke. I was really expecting Marvin to be there in his place. There has been talk about Marvin appearing in every episode ending in a "nine" since he's been here. Today, ladies and gentlemen, we can forget that theory...because episode 569 did not have him.
It seems that Odyssey hasn't been dealing with the same old themes. Don't get me wrong, we've heard the theme of "compassion" many times, but this episode took a different view on it. Some episodes would have a 25 minute broadcast dealing with a very specific part of a bigger theme. Just take a look at some themes such as lying; "Half-Lies," "Speaking the truth in Love," and "A Glass Darkly'...these themes have been just skimming another broader subject...ending up teaching us about more specific things than simply the usual well-known theme. If you don't get what I mean, forget it.
One major complaint about this
episode; and that's the title. Wow, "The Invisible Dog?" When
do we need to have two titles that almost completely resemble each other.
Even still, the dog wasn't invisible...it was imaginary. I mean, you couldv'e
had; "The Invisible Pet," or, "Bingo, the Beagle," or..."My
Dog, Ralph."
Well, there's already "The Imaginary Friend"...so it kind was
in the middle of two episodes if it decided to call itself, "The Imaginary
Dog." ...
All in all; a very decent episode. I enjoyed it, and it kept me guessing to what the moral to the story was. Eugene and Lester were great, and I found Connie kept at her "to-the-side" character nicely.
Good job, Odyssey! Two thumbs up!
I suppose things will start to heat up next week. Rating; 9/10.
Except for the Kids' Radio episode, this season has been fantastic! I don't know if we could ever get back to "classic" Odyssey again. I mean they don't call it "classic" for nothing. However, I think we are heading in the right direction.
I agree with the lot of you who say that Eugene is such an improvement to the show. I am astounded at how good each episode has been since his return. Hard to believe one character could make the difference, but it does. Eugene being back, its like we've gone back in time, back to the classic episodes. I love it.
The moral of this episode was wonderfully portrayed. I so enjoyed having Lester back. It will be nice to hear from him on occasion. Trent's character was a delight to hear from, and really loved the scene with him and Lester when Trent talks about his puppy dying. It was very sweetly written and performed. The ending, with Trent giving Lester an invisible puppy was awesome, especially Lester's line "I just played along."
Havine Eugene as a substitute... why oh why haven't they done that sooner? It was brilliant. Also brilliant to see Eugene learn a lesson. Brings out the humaness of his character, even Eugene can make mistakes. It was resolved nicely as well in the scene at the end where Eugene decides to listen to the students.
All around this episode was great. One that I will listen to again and again. This season has turned out wonderfully so far, I have yet to be dissapointed. Great job AIO team, please keep it up.
Oh... and am I the only one who gets a thrill out of hearing Chris say "and Will Ryan as Eugene"? I do believe thats my favorite part of every show.
The plot with Lester and his dog was a bit sad, a bit corny. I suppose I think it's corny because a dog was involved. I don't think that this ep would have worked as well if Jared had replaced Trent. I mean, can anyone see Jared singing "B-I-N-G-O"? Jared seems more the type to analyze Lester from a distance, and tie him into some evil plot.
I miss Jared terribly, by the way...
The Eugene schoolteacher plot was terribly disappointing. I was glad to hear from Max, and I smiled a few times during the scenes, but there wasn't anything I heard that would make me want to listen to the ep again.
Maybe I'm being overcritical. Maybe, after going so long without hearing new Eugene eps, I'm going crazy because I still can't comprehend the fact that Eugene is back. At any rate, I'm not sure what's wrong with this ep. Something seemed to be missing. Was it because the scenes were too short? Was there too much focus on Lester? Maybe.
Secondly, we have Lester and his imaginary friend. It was good to hear from him again, but the story was just too silly to me. I know the moral of the story was being able to see things through others' eyes, but the way in which it was done was too childish. It wasn't a bad episode, and it had a good lesson, but I didn't seem to enjoy it that much.
Some of the best reviews of the season are saved for its penultimate episode"For Better or for Worse, Part 1." Many reviewers agree that it had the feel of a "classic," bringing back nearly all of the main characters and featuring an event that fans have waited a decade forthe wedding of Eugene and Katrina!
Most loved seeing Tom and Bart banter, though a few felt their teasing of Eugene was a bit harsh. Everyone agreed that Connie was definitely in character and her conversations with Eugene were right on the mark. High marks were also given to production, music, and dialog.
Many didn't like Millie Shanks in the show, finding her overly controlling. Finally, Katrina remains a topic of debate, with many still feeling her "new" voice is hard to get used to. Others thought that she really "gelled" with the rest of the cast in this show, and didn't notice the change as much.
First off, let me address the voice casting...Katrina's and Mrs. Shank's voices are different from how I remember them from the good old episodes of 1996, but that can't be helped.
Now as to the episode itself...
First off, the dialogue between all the characters was VERY well-done. They sounded like good old vintage Odyssey episodes. For instance, Eugene's dialogue with Connie...it sounded JUST like back when they were arguing. And Connie's fuming after Mrs. Shanks made her comment...so like her.
Perhaps I come across as too impressed with the dialogue, but it's been a while since I heard an AIO episode that reminded me of how good the show was several years ago.
What else...Whit, Bernard and Tom were definitely the choices for bridegrooms. They were hilarious, and I can't wait to hear what Tom and Bernard get up to next episode.
Rathbone helping set up the wedding...brilliant touch.
Bernard's list of "10 things"...so revealing. :)
I also liked how Eugene questioned himself as to whether he was any less of a man and whether he was romantic. It seemed like something he would wonder about, and I enjoyed his kidnapping of Katrina...so sweet and hilarious.
As an old AIO fan, this episode was a real treat and delight for me to hear. I was skeptical at first, but they did a superb job. I can't wait to hear the next part.
Quotable quotes:
"What can I say, Eugene? When I make fun of you, I get on a roll!" -- Bernard
Bernard: "16 piece orchestra??"
Tom: "That's a lot of pieces, isn't it? Do they even make that
many instruments?"
Eugene: "I am your vindicator in illustrious metallica apparel!"
Mrs. Shanks: "It never
rains on a Shanks wedding!"
Connie: "No, it's a Meltsner wedding, and trust me, it WOULD rain
on a Meltsner wedding."
I really did not like that neither Eugene or Katrina had the backbone to stand up to Mrs. Shanks. I mean, this is Eugene and Katrina's wedding not her's! Eugene can't stand up to his mother in law? He is the head of the family! And Katrina can't even tell her own mother the truth? Another thing; why does AIO make Tom look like a idiot one minute then a normal guy the next? It really bugged me how they made Tom look like such an idiot in this episode! I mean they have done this before! One minute Tom can't understand that Whit is not having Robert Lewis Stevenson over for a chat because he is dead; the other time they have him be a dramatic character stuck right in the middle of the Nova Com saga! Argh!
The episode was very humorous, though. I loved the scene where Eugene took Katrina on a "romantic" drive! It was also funny to have Bart Rathbone in the episode! And finally Dreams By Constance is getting some work!
So, how did this episode measure up to my concerns?
Kathy Buchanan's writing impressed me. Like I said, I was concerned with her writing a "romantic" episode, but this time I wasn't disappointed. Most of the writing for the characters was terrific. Whit, Tom, Bernard, Eugene, Connie, and Bart (providing comic relief) were in their element. I know I've said it before, but I like hearing Tom and Bernard together; they play off each other so well. And Eugene is back to speaking the English langauge without anyone understanding (always good for a laugh). What it comes down to it, the episode wasn't too sappy or awkward in it's romance. Which is good for me, as I'm not interested in that.
Concerning Katrina......Actually, both Shanks annoyed me at times. First off, Katrina didn't sound herself in one scene, and I'm not talking about the voice. The scene in the park (I think it was the park) with Katrina, Connie, and Millie, the stubborn headstrong independent strong person I saw in "Wrapped Around Your Finger." Maybe this could be explained by a slight personality change because of the last several years and what they'd been through, but I still expected the strong character I've come to know. And Millie's acting seemed a little forced, but maybe it's just me. Of course, all these observations may be considered moot at the moment as I haven't heard part 2 yet. That and perhaps Millie is supposed to be annoying in part 1. Like I said, I need to hear part 2 (hence the problem with writing reviews for the first part in a 2 part episode and what not).
As for the content (aka number 3 on my list) it was also good. My friend's sister recently got married, and I was stressed out without even being involved with the planning! So I have a very vague idea on how nuts it can be. We get a good taste of that listening to Connie and Millie go at it.
In fact, my only significant complaint is the lack of spiritual content (which I hope is brought into the story in part2).
I just realized something; this is much more of an analyzation of the episode than a review, so I'm going to stop writing and review it next week. As for my rating; it was enjoyable, not too sappy, the characters sounded very much like themselves (with a few exceptions), they piqued my interest at the end of part 1 (good since it's a two parter) and I think that I'm even getting used to Audrey Wasilewski as Katrina.
I can't wait till next week's ep!
Keep up the good work, AIO and God bless.