*thread merged*
Okay, ToOites, there was a topic made on this before but it's from 2011. Should I bump it? Anyhoo.
Oh my gosh. You have to listen to this show. Please.
It. Is. So. Stupid.
It's hilarious. So, around the time of the split episodes, when aio wasn't as popular, this other radio drama decided to take a shot at being the new aio and it's actually still around.
As an Odyssian, you'll spot the similarities right away. These people aren't even subtle.
If the theme sounds familiar, that's because it's nearly the same as aio. It's basically just different instrumentation. Plus, it starts with that theme introducing the show, interspersed with scenes from the upcoming episode like aio sometimes did around then. Then the theme stops, followed by only one calming instrument as the episode transitions to kids talking as school starts. Part of why the music is similar is because they went so far with their copy catting as to get John Campbell! And if some of the actors sound the same, that's because some of them are the same! Play by play, it feels like aio. It centers on kids but with recurring adult characters. The adults give wise advice. Then it ends with the host summing up the moral and ending with Bible verse. It even has classic aio lines. Such as, "X has been acting weird." "You know x, they once did x crazy thing. Ha ha!"
It's trying to be aio but it just isn't. It is so pale by comparison. Let's use Stars and Gripes for an example. (The first of three episodes I've heard.) The premise: how dare those rotten public schools not teach religion in school! Haley is studying this old textbook in school and sees it teaches about God in it. Then she immediately comes to the conclusion that they should still be doing this. Everyone knows if someone used to do something once, they should keep doing it. She gets mad and keeps obsessing over it the rest of the episode and that's really all it is. The episode barely spends any time addressing why they stopped doing it in the first place. Namely, a government sponsored religion is a terrible idea. But wait, it gets better.
There's this character named Shannon- Oh sorry, I mean Tiffany. Tiffany is a bit of a brat (a poorly written brat who acts like no bully does.) Is she a non-Christian? You bet! Is she the only regularly recurring non-Christian kid in sight? You bet! There's a girl named Maya who's Christian, but used to be a bit bratty. Did she used to be non-Christian? You bet! Is she all sugar and butterflies now she's Christian? My friends, she is. She is. But wait, it gets better.
Again, this is a "Put religion back in schools, it's government's job!" episode. So I was praying they'd pull the money line. Do they? You bet! Which leads us to another thing. Are the kids' dialogue unnaturally written? You bet. The kid, Justin I think, delivers the money line like this: "God is one our Nation's currency." Yep, he totally says that and Tiffany, who hears, totally gets mad. This is news to her! She had no idea "In God we trust" is on our money! She's mad! I was mentally pleading with her to storm out and she obliged! This show is
that corny. But wait, it gets better.
Haley is an alien from outer space. She keeps getting madder to the point she's so mad at the government she takes down the family flag and shoves it in a closet. I am not making this up. Mr and Mrs. Barclay- I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Morrison- come in to talk to her. So then I think, maybe I've been to harsh. Maybe this is a good show and they'll call her and her actions.
Nope.
Oh, they tell that she shouldn't' have done that to flag but they don't contradict her about religion in school! Does he refuse to consider the opposing side? You bet he does. Plus, the dad tells her the government entirely reflects the will of the people and if something bad happens it's because the people wanted it. So the man knows nothing about government. Plus the mom casually mentions porn though it barely connects to the conversation. Who does that? It's probably because this show is trying so desperately to be deep and handle more adult stuff and it isn't smart enough. At all. AIO goes deeper talking about actual truths than this show does trying to handle deep stuff and just being a laugh fest.
I urge, I implore, I beseech you guys to check this show out. It is hilariously bad.
http://www.keysforkids.org/For-Kids/Dow ... -ListenAnd if anyone out there has fond memories of it or likes it, I won't laugh or anything, I'd be genuinely interested why. Maybe it' gets better after the season that's airing, I don't know. Thanks, feel free to talk it up!
Grrrrr.
