The Town of Odyssey

I gave this episode 5/5.
PM is brilliant as usual in delivering on suspense and the hint of some new whacky invention of Whit's.
It's also great to hear from Bernard again. He always delivers unexpected off-the-wall comments.
I am surprised, and a bit disappointed, that Tom would join Bernard and Connie in sneaking behind Whit's back. I would expect Tom to simply confront Whit (not at 4am by sneaking into Whit's End), but in an upfront and honest fashion.
Jack, Joanne, and Jason all being out of town is maybe a bit too convenient, but, in my mind, necessary. There can't be too many characters running around or it will get confusing. However, I think it should have been said that Jason was doing missions work somewhere remote, which would make perfect sense, as last time I checked that's still what Jason was doing.
Overall, a great episode and I can hardly wait for the next 2 eps.

I gave it a 5/5 stars, of course! I am very, very much looking forward to next week! I loved the scenes from next week's show! This was definitely worth the wait! Too cool for words!

edit: Ok, so, now that I've somewhat recovered from my total flip-out there, I decided to post something that atcually makes sense. Here's my review from the TH:

Try too cool for words for this ep! It was really good. A lot better than any of the other eps we've been hearing lately. Don't get me wrong, I like Wooton and Trent and Marvin, but there's just something about the "old" Odyssey that was wonderful. And this ep was a whole lot closer to that than any other of the new ones. I loved the fact that Eugene is, at least so we assume, back. However, the circumstances are rather strange, as has already been mentioned. We will just have to see what happens to all of our favorite characters in the near future, which brings me to another postive aspect of this ep. We hear a bunch of classic AIO characters together again. Whit, Connie, Tom, Bernard, and even Eugene! How much better can an ep get? So, anyway, I can't wait to hear next week's ep! The pre-views were awesome!!!

What does everyone think of my 'two men and a truck' theory?

I posted this at the TH as well:

I wrote this in MS Word just so I couldn’t see anyone else’s ideas/reactions , so they can’t influence this- my review of AMIQ strictly from my own observations:

First of all, it was so short!! Second, it was a great episode!

My pre-guess, which I posted on the TH a while back, was that the return character was Eugene and that I was afraid something sci-fi or “supernatural” was going on with the IS. (I like realism vs. sci-fi)

Well it is Eugene! ***“I am oh-so-happy. Happy, happy, happy! I am oh-so-happy, and so I say-hey-HEY-hey: Happy, happy, happy! Yea!”***

And a “memory stimulator” program is sci-fi, but to my surprise it isn’t too wacky for me. I don’t mind that at all. It could’ve been a lot worse.

Let’s get on to my theories.

Just before this episode occurs in Odyssey, Whit was contacted by someone in who dealt with Novacom’s aftereffects. (Or his wife contacted Whit in desperation) They (or she) have a patient who has listed Whit as a sort of “next of kin” to notify in case of emergency. And this is an emergency.

There is something very wrong with the mental health of this patient-a former researcher, because he tested the brain wave therapy on himself with disastrous results. (or he was tested on unwillingly).

While they tried in secret to heal him, they have given up. He is about to die if he doesn’t miraculously improve soon.

I think “the researcher” is Eugene of course. And his disease? That’s a hard one. It includes selective amnesia, but that’s definitely not all it includes. It is something similar to Armitage Shank’s brain tumor.

Eugene has not lost all of his memory. But there are certain select things-including certain very important things about NovaCom and his brain wave research, he cannot remember to save his life. And he needs to, or he will lose it!

Whit had him in his car that morning Tom and Bernard were up fishing by Trickle Lake. He was taking Eugene up to a secluded cabin, so no one would see him. They had just come from Whit’s End; a place where they had been spending a lot of time every night that week.

What were they doing there night after night? Whit was trying to help his almost adopted son, when no one else could. So, he had invented a program. It is called “The Memory Stimulator”.

Whit is trying to jog Eugene’s memory. To get him to remember the past-so they will know what to do before the disease claims all of him.

Whit doesn’t want Eugene to lose what memories he had, so he decided to test something on himself. He tries to recreate what happened to Eugene. He tries to erase part of his own memory, and then regain it with “The Memory Stimulator”.

It isn’t working very well. Whit still takes Eugene to The Memory Stimulator” while he is experimenting on himself. Just to see if it can help him anyway. That too isn’t working very well. Eugene just can’t remember.

Dr. Foster from the National Institute of Health (NIH) has gotten wind of Whit’s new program. And the possible cure for people with Eugene’s incurable disease. The NIH sent him to pick Whit’s brain, and while he’s there he might as well assist him in any way he can.

Whit trusts Dr. Foster, and they two decide to try something else to jog Eugene’s memory. It is time for Whit’s “contingency plan”. A type of plan intended for use in circumstances not completely foreseen. Whit and Foster have Eugene bring his wife along, and have her stay in the I.S. while “The Memory Stimulator” is running.

Yes, Katrina Shanks Meltsner is in town too. And desperate to save her husband’s life. (On a disappointing note, it is a new actress)

Whit sees Katrina going in as risky. But he is desperate too. If he doesn’t have a breakthrough getting to Eugene he says, “I don’t know what we are going to do!” Foster remarks that no one has even come as close as Whit has in attempting to defeat this horrible disease. Foster also says he hopes Whit will tell his health institute all about the cure he is working on. Whit ominously says, “Well, no promises”. He is not at all sure the contingency plan will work.

Connie (& Tom and Bernard) unknowingly decide to confront Whit at the exact time when Katrina and Eugene are still in the IS. They are about to open the door when

“Don’t touch that”! Whit says behind them. They whirl around and almost demand Whit tell them who is in the Imagination Station. Whit refuses, and shoos them out. But not before the IS dies, and he tells Foster “**They*** must have shut it off from the inside”.

Foster none too brightly allows Connie and the gang a look into the Imagination Station from the security camera monitor at the control room. They can’t see- Whit is in the way-but they recognize “those voices”. Then one very distinct, familiar voice sleepily says, “Nocturnal Felicitations”. To which Whit replies, “ Thank you”

“IT’S EUGENE!!”, they all shout. And the episode is over.


In scenes from the next episode my theories continue:

Connie is crying. She has found out about Eugene’s illness. “There must be something we can do” she sobs. Bernard (or is it Tom?) says Whit is trying to “do the impossible” in trying to make a cure. Whit says whether or not it’s impossible he has to deal with it. And he tells Connie he will do whatever he can for as long as possible.

Whit spills the beans that he has been experimenting on himself.

Later Whit falls ill himself. Which means his experiment on himself was partly a huge success- but now he can’t help. Katrina and Dr. Foster try to see what caused Whit’s illness. They find out in Whit’s notes, and Katrina says:
”Wait a minute. That’s Eugene’s technology”!

Then it ends. But not before Foster offers one last hope until next week: “There IS one thing we haven’t tried”!

This was a great episode!! I cannot wait until next week. I really hope that it was Eugene in the IS. 5/5

If this is not Will Ryan, I will be extremely disappointed..

Here is an option that no one thought of, it would be very disappointing. No, it would be an evil doing on the part of the writers to raise all our false hopes. So here is what it might be. I really hope I'm wrong.

Eugene may not have been the one in the imagination station. It may simply be someone else who is having a memory of Eugene stimulated.

Jonathan wrote:I've heard each and every Eugene ep up to this point, and can never recall his saying "Nocturnal Falicitations".

-Jonathan

But he probably has said "Nocturnal" and certainly has said "Falicitations" They could probably meld these clips together.

I really really hope I'm wrong.

--Kat

I'm pretty sure you are

-Jonathan

Jonathan wrote:I don't think so. I've heard each and every Eugene ep up to this point, and can never recall his saying "Nocturnal Falicitations".

Indeed.

Well, I'm glad Eugene is, indeed, a primary character in this three-parter. Even if Will Ryan isn't back, at least his character is involved . . . I hope this wasn't a cut-and-paste soundbite.

The voice of Katrina certainly sounded suspicious . . . although if Will Ryan has returned, I wouldn't be surprised if it actually was the voice of Pamela Hayden.

Overall, I thought the episode was a great setup for the next two episodes . . . Bernard and Tom are hilarious together. When you throw Connie into the mix, the three make for an outrageous trio.

Whit has gotten into one of those moods. He never gets like this unless something big is up. Obviously, he has stumbled upon a finding which ultimately will impact Odyssey like never seen before. Could it be the exit of a primary character? Or the return of one?

Loved the way the writer(s) hinted at the whole Novacom saga. It'll be interesting to see if Eugene's studies of transforming brain waves to radio waves comes up . . .

I applaud you, AIO, for what you've given us thus far. It's lived up to all the hype . . . at least my personal expectations, anyhow.

Flyah wrote:If this is not Will Ryan, I will be extremely disappointed..

I'm be a tad disappointed. But, it is Eugene!

wonder if katrina will be in theys shows?or jason.

They said in today's episode that Jason was out of town. As were Jack and Joanne. I am not sure about Katrina. I am really hoping that it is Eugene and Katrina in the IS.

it was ...different even tho i listened early im glad everyone heard

Eugene Meltsner's return was well worth the wait of eight hyped weeks, and I absolutely love all of the intrigue the AIO team set up in this first episode. However, that was about it. For me, the episode minus the last few minutes was simply so-so. Don't get me wrong, I am overjoyed with what's going on (think about the countless storylines this creates!), but like the four star option, "it was missing something".

Paul B wrote:wonder if katrina will be in theys shows?or jason.

I'm sure she will be. For those who don't listen to the end of the show, we heard clips from the April 9th show, which included Katrina.

-Jonathan

Yeh I think it has something to do with the brain-wave study, and it does sound like something might be wrong with Eugene

I don't know, I just can't make myself believe that Eugene would be back. I mean in the episode previews, it never once had Eugene talk again. Don't get me wrong, I would do ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING to get dear Will Ryan back, it just seems like he isn't. I mean it's hard for me to believe. Is it possible that Whit is creating, like a fake Eugene or something? If I ever hear Eugene is 100% definately back, I will run around my house jumping and screaming in joy. Equally, if I find out it's not really him I'll probably cry. I mean, it would be kind of mean to make us think he's there just to shatter our hopes and say he's not. Oh well, I guess we'll just have to stay tuned!
Oh no! Next Saturday is a new SRMTHG, and AIO, which to choose, uhhh... DUH! Scared you for a minute didn't I?

I absoulutely LOVED it. I have to agree with people who think it has something to do with the Radiowave Study. I mean what has been on during the week for the past month?? The Novacom Saga. If this is connected to what happened with Novacom it would seem logical they would plan this around it enabling them to refresh people's memories about what happened to people involved.
I think it was great to have the primary cast of characters because while Jack, Joanne, and Jason would care about Eugene coming back there is a special bond between Tom, Whit, Bernard, Connie, and Eugene that has made AIO what it is.
The way Whit was acting is so reminicent of episodes such as Applesauce and The Nemisis/The Battle. It gives newer listeners who haven't yet heard the earlier episodes a taste of what the show was like. Two thumbs up.

Well it would appear that we have eugene back!
other than that, this episode didn't really tell us much of anything..

I don't think it was supposed to. It was to grab our attention so we would listen to next weeks ep. That, and, it wouldn't have been the same if we heard Eugene's voice in the beginning rather than the end of the ep.

-Jonathan