Worst Odyssey Episode Ever
Poor Trent.
I guess the reason I don't find "Idol Minds" as the most awful show ever is the fact that I don't accept it as reality. It seems so far-fetched to me that I view is as a play or something. Kind of like "Mandy's Debut." In that way it's fine... the gang at Whit's End cooked up a wild tale as a modern-day example of worshiping the golden calf. Whit in this case was the lucky person who got to be the calf.
I guess the reason I don't find "Idol Minds" as the most awful show ever is the fact that I don't accept it as reality. It seems so far-fetched to me that I view is as a play or something. Kind of like "Mandy's Debut." In that way it's fine... the gang at Whit's End cooked up a wild tale as a modern-day example of worshiping the golden calf. Whit in this case was the lucky person who got to be the calf.
First of all, it wasn't a kyds program of a play, it happened at Whit's End with the real characters.
To respond to the rest of your post, I submit Nathan Hoobler's review:
Idol Minds contains some of the very worst characterizations of Whit, Connie, and Eugene. As far as I'm concerned, those three empty shells bear little to no resemblance to the three characters that I hold dear to my heart. Furthermore, I think that the point the episode is trying to make isn't really a valid way to tell it.
The episode begins with Whit away from town and the kids wanting advice. This idea was used (to far better success) in 62: Let This Mind Be in You. The first scene of this episode provides an opportunity for Eugene and Connie to interact. It's almost as though the script contained a section labeled, "Put in clever banter here," but the clever part was forgotten. Only the banter is left.
Eugene ends up making a robot of Whit, but it's really more like he got some robots that could represent himself and Connie. Were Eugene and Connie really in this episode or were their evil twin suddenly written in? The pair practically act like non-Christians in the episode. And then there's Whit. When he pops up at the end, they must have run out of time, so they couldn't even give him the decent "Whit speech." In what Whit seems to think is a serious issue, he does nothing more than toss the kids a Bible verse and send them home. Come on! The real Whit would take the kids aside and explain the issue to them.
But another thing that really bothers me about the episode is the "theme." Whit is not God, so the same rules don't apply to him. I don't think that it's really very good parallel to show idol worship with some kids wanting to see a robot talk. This brings up some interesting theological issues that the episode shrugs off and doesn't have time to discuss or bring any resolution to.
There are other problems with the episode as well. One problem with some of the episodes lately seems to be with the "rules of a series." One of the laws of writing for any kind of series is that you are supposed to write within the confines of what you've already done and presented as "fact." You can't have long-established characters suddenly start acting differently without giving a reason. You can't just throw Connie back into work at Whit's End without giving a reason for her being there. You shouldn't just forget characters (Katrina, Jack, Jason) for two years. Like it or not, what has already been written is now Odyssey "history" and the writers should write shows that correspond to existing data.
-Jonathan
To respond to the rest of your post, I submit Nathan Hoobler's review:
Idol Minds contains some of the very worst characterizations of Whit, Connie, and Eugene. As far as I'm concerned, those three empty shells bear little to no resemblance to the three characters that I hold dear to my heart. Furthermore, I think that the point the episode is trying to make isn't really a valid way to tell it.
The episode begins with Whit away from town and the kids wanting advice. This idea was used (to far better success) in 62: Let This Mind Be in You. The first scene of this episode provides an opportunity for Eugene and Connie to interact. It's almost as though the script contained a section labeled, "Put in clever banter here," but the clever part was forgotten. Only the banter is left.
Eugene ends up making a robot of Whit, but it's really more like he got some robots that could represent himself and Connie. Were Eugene and Connie really in this episode or were their evil twin suddenly written in? The pair practically act like non-Christians in the episode. And then there's Whit. When he pops up at the end, they must have run out of time, so they couldn't even give him the decent "Whit speech." In what Whit seems to think is a serious issue, he does nothing more than toss the kids a Bible verse and send them home. Come on! The real Whit would take the kids aside and explain the issue to them.
But another thing that really bothers me about the episode is the "theme." Whit is not God, so the same rules don't apply to him. I don't think that it's really very good parallel to show idol worship with some kids wanting to see a robot talk. This brings up some interesting theological issues that the episode shrugs off and doesn't have time to discuss or bring any resolution to.
There are other problems with the episode as well. One problem with some of the episodes lately seems to be with the "rules of a series." One of the laws of writing for any kind of series is that you are supposed to write within the confines of what you've already done and presented as "fact." You can't have long-established characters suddenly start acting differently without giving a reason. You can't just throw Connie back into work at Whit's End without giving a reason for her being there. You shouldn't just forget characters (Katrina, Jack, Jason) for two years. Like it or not, what has already been written is now Odyssey "history" and the writers should write shows that correspond to existing data.
-Jonathan
That review reflects his overall frustration with that current season. Again, when I think of the show on the level of one of the plays in "Mandy's Debut" it's plenty palatable. Certainly the idea of the kids suddenly getting so weird about Whit leaving town when he's done so many times before is odd. Thankfully the show hasn't influenced any others so I can keep it compartmentalized as a sketch.
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Would that be ......(oh no! My mind is going blank!) the kid who trys to witness by being two faced? Chad? Chet?mellow wrote:'Aubrey's Bathrobe' its got all my least fav charitors in it
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I'm sure that's what he meant. For some reason I find that one a tiny bit funnier than "The Seven Deadly Dwarves." Not enough to rank it above a 2 out of 5 star rating though.Jonathan wrote:I believe you are thinking of Bethany's Flood.Dr. Watson wrote:Bethany's daydream episode wasn't to good either. I can't remember the name of it now--the one with the Shepherd's in Noah's Ark or something like that.
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Really?David O wrote:Because 13% of listeners actually shriveled up and died within 48 hours of listening to them.
<--Is gullible on occasion.
Maybe they seem too pointless and silly to people? There isn’t much of a moral... Bethany’s brain is wildly imaginitive. I guess “Bethany’s Flood” is about trusting God and obeying Him and “The Seven Deadly Dwarves” is about the power of love. I’m not sure how well the younger set will pick up on either one.dancer02248 wrote:I loved the seven deadly dwarves and beathany's imaginary flood. i thought they were both great episodes? why didn't anyone like them
He's joking (I hope).Chandler wrote:Really?David O wrote:Because 13% of listeners actually shriveled up and died within 48 hours of listening to them.
<--Is gullible on occasion.
Quite true. Make it too silly and the youngins miss the point. The older crowd is upset too b/c there's nothing to mentally chew on. Put it in a horrible season filled with eps like this, and no one's happy.Chandler wrote:Maybe they seem too pointless and silly to people? There isn’t much of a moral... Bethany’s brain is wildly imaginitive. I guess “Bethany’s Flood” is about trusting God and obeying Him and “The Seven Deadly Dwarves” is about the power of love. I’m not sure how well the younger set will pick up on either one.dancer02248 wrote:I loved the seven deadly dwarves and beathany's imaginary flood. i thought they were both great episodes? why didn't anyone like them
Which is what happened.
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I think one of the worst is, well I can't remember the name right now, it's a really old one. It's got Lappy the wonder dog and Brock and the whole space thing, really dumb if you ask me. But I do love Odyssey!!!!
Crucified, laid behind a stone
He lived to die, rejected and alone.
Like a rose, trampled on the ground.
He took the fall, and thought of you
Above All
He lived to die, rejected and alone.
Like a rose, trampled on the ground.
He took the fall, and thought of you
Above All