He will be greatly missed. (it makes me sad just to think of odyssey without bart or tom... 
)Walker Edmiston
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JesusIsAlive
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I loved the episode where Whit felt like he wasn't relating to the kids anymore, so he went to Tom's farm and started picking all the apples off the trees while he thought about what he was gonna do. Tom's response was great. It was one of their better conversations in the newer shows.
"If you casually cover your mouth with your hand, you will never put your foot in it."
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That would be tragic! He was one of my favorite characters! 
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Again, Tom is too important to just disappear. This would be a good chance to have an episode dealing with death (as all the ones in the past basically created someone just to have them die--unless you count Whit leaving for the Middle East as a death episode).
But yeah, they are not going to go the "Bart is in heck" route.
Seriously, people. An actor dying doesn't automatically mean characters dying.
Personally, I think Bart should be launched into space!
But yeah, they are not going to go the "Bart is in heck" route.
Seriously, people. An actor dying doesn't automatically mean characters dying.Personally, I think Bart should be launched into space!
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thelovelyrose
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Walker Edmiston was amazing. Hearing him doing the Tom/Bart conversations was always tremendous fun.
It feels as if there could never be an adequate replacement now, but I hope the AIO team will find someone (or maybe two people) who can fill those humongous shoes. Tom's simple wisdom and Bart's loveable blunders are too good to give up forever.
It feels as if there could never be an adequate replacement now, but I hope the AIO team will find someone (or maybe two people) who can fill those humongous shoes. Tom's simple wisdom and Bart's loveable blunders are too good to give up forever.
~now with High School Equivalence~
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Jimmy Barclay Fan
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Walker Edminston.
Hearing the news today really surprised me. It's as if I had lost a friend, which was a weird feeling because I don't remember feeling much when Hal Smith died (probably because I Didn't learn he had died until the new Whit actually appeared on he show, interestingly enough.) It was sad to tell my parents, for though they weren't too familiar with Tom Riley's character, they enjoyed him as Bart Rathbone.
Ahh. Tom Riley. Tom had been losing his value in recent years on the program, but I remember a time where he was so valuable to the program in it's earlier years. Whit didn't have the ability to bounce around ideas with Connie and Eugene, especially when it came to decisions involving a Christian persepective on things. Tom Riley was perfect for the role.
Tom was a strange old character. He really took on several roles when the show got its start. I sensed they created him more for a humurous effect, not being to bright, and perhaps losing some of his marbles. Fortunatly, he lost that aspect of his character quite a bit, when he became a significant mentor to those younger then him. I almost felt that, well, if Whit didn't know the answer to something...or if Whit was sinning...then Tom was the one who be the back up. He made the best Softball coach, that's for sure. Then, they decided to put him into office, having a great political mind...a bit strange now that I Think about it. But it was a fun adventure to see Tom rise into power like that. After he retired from office, we saw less of him, I feel, but they made very good use of him in the Novacom Saga, as well as starting the Timother Center, and having the tower built on his land, and getting him involved when including the state of his wife.
But whenenever he wasn't serious, we always saw his comic-relief. In "Flash-Flood' we see him and Bernard taking attacks at Eugene, or when in "Ice Fishing" when he couldn't accept Eugene's inventions.
Several occasions I really enjoyed Walker Edminston was in The Mortal Coil. Brilliant Performance, and probably one of the best in the history of the show. As someone already mentioned, he made a good friend in "The W.E", giving wise words to Whit, or in "Greater Love' when we hear he felt responsible for his sons death, to his speech he gave to the public about his wife's mental illness.
When I think things over, the character had so much depth to it. Sometimes we feel like he didn't do much, but considering the fact that he accomplished so many storylines, when he wasn't even a worker at Whit's End, he definitely was involved in some of the Greatest moments in Odyssey History.
I am going to miss him. Afterall, he "Saved" the world...
It makes me wonder though. What is going to become of the future on the show. It may sound a little insensitive to the fact he has died, but it does make me wonder. I feel like losing both Tom and Bart at once, is losing a HUGE chunk of what made Odyssey, well, Odyssey.
Let me just say here and now that replacing the characters just wouldn't work, and especially not both of them. The way I see it, the writers have an easier time dealing with the lost of Tom on the show, then of Bart. For Tom, I see several options:
1. Don't do anything. He wasn't doing anything when he died (I assume, unless they made more shows until now in the show and when he died) He owns the Timothy Center. He's taking care of his wife. That's it. Just refer to him every so often. Problem? When the series comes to a close, we're gonna really wanna here something from the guy.
2. New actor? Yeah, euh, no.
3. Clips from Previous episodes? Have him and his wife move away? Bah...it'd be kinda lame...
3. Present it as death on the program. Old age being the reason, preferably. I don't think we need to make it part of a huge Odyssey plot or saga. Unless, you want the chairman to strike revenge. But having an Odyssey character murdered is reaching the extreme, especially if the real actor died. Present a Funeral. Present a Two-Parter dedicated to his work on Odyssey, as characters show recollections and flashbacks of the old character. This is my preffered option.
Bart Rathbone is a different situation. I have no idea what should be done with him. Because, in a sense, we can't have both of them die, and I'd rather have Tom die, then Bart, ya know? On the other hand, if Bart dies on the show that would answer a lot more unanswered questions such as; Bart's Salvation! We will never see Bart become a Christian. And seeing that, what effect will it have on the rest of Odyssey; especially on Doris and Rodney? Will it change them? It'd be a good storyline plot. But two deaths in one show? Kinda iffy. Unless they have it so that Tom and Bart were together at the same time during...uh...a car accident. That's why I wish they couldv'e been working on getting him saved, you know? Having him just leave, and showing that there is no chance of redemption for him...just kinda makes me sad. It's always something I had always wish would someday happen...maybe in the few very last episodes of the program. But, now, it just won't happen. No one can play Bart anywhere close to how he sounds like...so a replacement? Naw. Just wouldn't work.
That's the verdict; I'm against both characters getting replaced by other actors. I want one of there deaths to occur on the program. Two just would be too awkward...and the only way that could be done is through a saga, even though both dying would make a lot more sense then anything else.
Well, we have to face the facts. We're going to be seeing some changing times in Odyssey, folks. Some will be good, some will be bad, and others will just be unexpected. Let's pray for the best decision on the program. Because, if it's handled badly, that creates inconsistencies. And losing two main characters who have been around since the very beginning can add so much pressure for a show to stay the same...and therefore lose a LOT of listeners.
More importantly right now, however, as said on AIOSODA, let's pray for everyone connected to Walker Edminston, including family and his friends. I have no doubt he had a lot. Hopefully they can find peace at this time.
Dang, I'm sure gonna miss him.
Hearing the news today really surprised me. It's as if I had lost a friend, which was a weird feeling because I don't remember feeling much when Hal Smith died (probably because I Didn't learn he had died until the new Whit actually appeared on he show, interestingly enough.) It was sad to tell my parents, for though they weren't too familiar with Tom Riley's character, they enjoyed him as Bart Rathbone.
Ahh. Tom Riley. Tom had been losing his value in recent years on the program, but I remember a time where he was so valuable to the program in it's earlier years. Whit didn't have the ability to bounce around ideas with Connie and Eugene, especially when it came to decisions involving a Christian persepective on things. Tom Riley was perfect for the role.
Tom was a strange old character. He really took on several roles when the show got its start. I sensed they created him more for a humurous effect, not being to bright, and perhaps losing some of his marbles. Fortunatly, he lost that aspect of his character quite a bit, when he became a significant mentor to those younger then him. I almost felt that, well, if Whit didn't know the answer to something...or if Whit was sinning...then Tom was the one who be the back up. He made the best Softball coach, that's for sure. Then, they decided to put him into office, having a great political mind...a bit strange now that I Think about it. But it was a fun adventure to see Tom rise into power like that. After he retired from office, we saw less of him, I feel, but they made very good use of him in the Novacom Saga, as well as starting the Timother Center, and having the tower built on his land, and getting him involved when including the state of his wife.
But whenenever he wasn't serious, we always saw his comic-relief. In "Flash-Flood' we see him and Bernard taking attacks at Eugene, or when in "Ice Fishing" when he couldn't accept Eugene's inventions.
Several occasions I really enjoyed Walker Edminston was in The Mortal Coil. Brilliant Performance, and probably one of the best in the history of the show. As someone already mentioned, he made a good friend in "The W.E", giving wise words to Whit, or in "Greater Love' when we hear he felt responsible for his sons death, to his speech he gave to the public about his wife's mental illness.
When I think things over, the character had so much depth to it. Sometimes we feel like he didn't do much, but considering the fact that he accomplished so many storylines, when he wasn't even a worker at Whit's End, he definitely was involved in some of the Greatest moments in Odyssey History.
I am going to miss him. Afterall, he "Saved" the world...
It makes me wonder though. What is going to become of the future on the show. It may sound a little insensitive to the fact he has died, but it does make me wonder. I feel like losing both Tom and Bart at once, is losing a HUGE chunk of what made Odyssey, well, Odyssey.
Let me just say here and now that replacing the characters just wouldn't work, and especially not both of them. The way I see it, the writers have an easier time dealing with the lost of Tom on the show, then of Bart. For Tom, I see several options:
1. Don't do anything. He wasn't doing anything when he died (I assume, unless they made more shows until now in the show and when he died) He owns the Timothy Center. He's taking care of his wife. That's it. Just refer to him every so often. Problem? When the series comes to a close, we're gonna really wanna here something from the guy.
2. New actor? Yeah, euh, no.
3. Clips from Previous episodes? Have him and his wife move away? Bah...it'd be kinda lame...
3. Present it as death on the program. Old age being the reason, preferably. I don't think we need to make it part of a huge Odyssey plot or saga. Unless, you want the chairman to strike revenge. But having an Odyssey character murdered is reaching the extreme, especially if the real actor died. Present a Funeral. Present a Two-Parter dedicated to his work on Odyssey, as characters show recollections and flashbacks of the old character. This is my preffered option.
Bart Rathbone is a different situation. I have no idea what should be done with him. Because, in a sense, we can't have both of them die, and I'd rather have Tom die, then Bart, ya know? On the other hand, if Bart dies on the show that would answer a lot more unanswered questions such as; Bart's Salvation! We will never see Bart become a Christian. And seeing that, what effect will it have on the rest of Odyssey; especially on Doris and Rodney? Will it change them? It'd be a good storyline plot. But two deaths in one show? Kinda iffy. Unless they have it so that Tom and Bart were together at the same time during...uh...a car accident. That's why I wish they couldv'e been working on getting him saved, you know? Having him just leave, and showing that there is no chance of redemption for him...just kinda makes me sad. It's always something I had always wish would someday happen...maybe in the few very last episodes of the program. But, now, it just won't happen. No one can play Bart anywhere close to how he sounds like...so a replacement? Naw. Just wouldn't work.
That's the verdict; I'm against both characters getting replaced by other actors. I want one of there deaths to occur on the program. Two just would be too awkward...and the only way that could be done is through a saga, even though both dying would make a lot more sense then anything else.
Well, we have to face the facts. We're going to be seeing some changing times in Odyssey, folks. Some will be good, some will be bad, and others will just be unexpected. Let's pray for the best decision on the program. Because, if it's handled badly, that creates inconsistencies. And losing two main characters who have been around since the very beginning can add so much pressure for a show to stay the same...and therefore lose a LOT of listeners.
More importantly right now, however, as said on AIOSODA, let's pray for everyone connected to Walker Edminston, including family and his friends. I have no doubt he had a lot. Hopefully they can find peace at this time.
Dang, I'm sure gonna miss him.
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Jennifer Doyle
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Applesauce
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I'm just now seeing the news for the first time. I'm in shock. I really am. A few years ago I was considering the fact that Walker Edmiston was getting older, and he could very well die soon. But now he has, and it bothers me so much more than I thought it would.
As I'm writing this, I can hear Walker's many voices floating through my head. His absurd, comical Bart trying to worm his way out of another situation. His soft, soothing Tom in a warm, heartfelt conversation. Or the passion in his voice as he's speaking to Whit in the Mortal Coil. In many ways, I think Walker defined Odyssey. No matter what episode he was in, I could hear his voice and feel like I was in Odyssey. I was listening to the 500th episode CD recently and remember Walker talking about Mortal Coil being his favorite episode, because of his friendship with Hal Smith. And now Walker's gone, too.
It's pretty obvious that the writers weren't expecting this now. They'd finally gotten a replacement actress for Doris and she's been in two shows already, and now they lost Bart. And I'd been hoping, really hoping to have another episode with Tom sometime soon. It's been a while since he's been around, and I wanted to hear what he's been up to and how his wife is doing and what's been happening at the Timothy Center. I hope they were able to record at least one more show with him as Tom before he passed away. As far as the future of AIO goes, I hope they do have Tom die. That way, they would be forced to address all the things I mentioned. They could have a series of "coping" episodes, showing what will happen to Agnes with Tom gone, and what they'll do with the Timothy Center. I'd kind of like the Shepherds to take over, so that we could hear more of them. I'd also like to hear Whit's part of the story, since he and Tom were best friends.
When Hal Smith died, there was a lot of work that was put into appropriately making the necessary adjustments to the show, and as a result I feel that AIO produced some of it's best shows during those two years without Whit. Now I don't mean to sound at all insensitive to Walker Edmiston or his family (I am incredibly saddened by this, and will be praying for them), but I really think that this could result in some really great episodes from the AIO team in the next couple years.
A question: does anybody know if Walker Edmiston was a Christian? It seems pretty likely that he would have been, but I know that not everyone who works on AIO is.
Rest in peace and God bless, Mr. Edmiston.
As I'm writing this, I can hear Walker's many voices floating through my head. His absurd, comical Bart trying to worm his way out of another situation. His soft, soothing Tom in a warm, heartfelt conversation. Or the passion in his voice as he's speaking to Whit in the Mortal Coil. In many ways, I think Walker defined Odyssey. No matter what episode he was in, I could hear his voice and feel like I was in Odyssey. I was listening to the 500th episode CD recently and remember Walker talking about Mortal Coil being his favorite episode, because of his friendship with Hal Smith. And now Walker's gone, too.
It's pretty obvious that the writers weren't expecting this now. They'd finally gotten a replacement actress for Doris and she's been in two shows already, and now they lost Bart. And I'd been hoping, really hoping to have another episode with Tom sometime soon. It's been a while since he's been around, and I wanted to hear what he's been up to and how his wife is doing and what's been happening at the Timothy Center. I hope they were able to record at least one more show with him as Tom before he passed away. As far as the future of AIO goes, I hope they do have Tom die. That way, they would be forced to address all the things I mentioned. They could have a series of "coping" episodes, showing what will happen to Agnes with Tom gone, and what they'll do with the Timothy Center. I'd kind of like the Shepherds to take over, so that we could hear more of them. I'd also like to hear Whit's part of the story, since he and Tom were best friends.
When Hal Smith died, there was a lot of work that was put into appropriately making the necessary adjustments to the show, and as a result I feel that AIO produced some of it's best shows during those two years without Whit. Now I don't mean to sound at all insensitive to Walker Edmiston or his family (I am incredibly saddened by this, and will be praying for them), but I really think that this could result in some really great episodes from the AIO team in the next couple years.
A question: does anybody know if Walker Edmiston was a Christian? It seems pretty likely that he would have been, but I know that not everyone who works on AIO is.
Rest in peace and God bless, Mr. Edmiston.
Smushed and Spicy!
I really need to change my avatar...
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Macnut
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It's almost funny how sad one can become when someone they didn't even know passes away. When I read that he died, I felt really and truly, genuinely sad. I didn't know what to say. I'm still really sad. Odyssey will never be the same. He will be greatly missed.
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living, and dwarfed goals...I am a disciple of Jesus."
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Lord_Kappa
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I don't know the answer, but I pray that he was.A question: does anybody know if Walker Edmiston was a Christian? It seems pretty likely that he would have been, but I know that not everyone who works on AIO is.
God comfort his family and many friends.
“Among the attributes of God, although they are all equal, mercy shines with even more brilliancy than justice.” —Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
By the way, Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, was a racist.
By the way, Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, was a racist.