2 + 2 = ?

Whit's wiping down the counter, Connie's mopping the floor, and the kids are sipping on their milkshakes. If you want to talk about Adventures in Odyssey the radio drama, this is the spot to do just that!
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Bren
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2 + 2 = ?

Post by Bren »

Phil Lollar has stated n mutiple interviews over the last few years that his writing sty,e has changed to an extent because he is of the opinion that AIO needs to quit solving problems for us. Instead of showing us 2+2=4, give us the problem and let us come up with 4. He also has no plans to change that style of writing even if it causes an uproar among fans.

His goal with episodes like The Rydell Revelations and the like is to get people talking through these moral issues. So we are doing exactly what he wants. Apparently, none of the other AIO team has an issue with it, or they would say something.

What do you think of this new way of writing based on his reasoning?
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Bob
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Post by Bob »

There's several problems I see with Mr. Lollar's reasoning.

The first is that it's a solution for a problem that we don't have. The world is full of problems and moral dilemmas. We can clearly see that. We don't need more of those. People expect Christ, Christianity and Christians to have answers, not more of the same things as everyone else, and I expect Christian content to have answers too. If you never offer any answers, the assumption people have will reasonably be that it's because you don't have them.

The second issue is that it isn't just about the material itself, but what the message the show intends to get across to their fans (which include children) and the world at large. In many of the recent episodes Lollar's done or been involved with, we know what the right answer is because it is so obvious. I can't think of anyone who's bought into the argument that Morrie was actually doing good. So, the problem isn't that we can't figure out the right thing. The problem isn't even accepting that Whit, Morrie, et al. did the wrong thing. The problem is that we don't know that the AIO team, and Phil Lollar himself in particular, know that it is wrong. The message we're getting from them seems to be blithe unconcern about this 'uncertain sound' of theirs. Maybe if I had a personal relationship with Lollar I would know that he was a pillar of orthodoxy, and I could have faith that he is just being very serious about trying to get people to think about these things, but all I know is what he and the team are writing and saying to fans who ask them about it.

Besides, with the format the show follows, and has always followed, it comes off as a bait and switch. If Chris went out of her way to say, 'We're not giving you the moral for this story; think about what happened', that'd be one thing. But instead, my recollection is that she still generally tries to give a neat moral to tie things up at the end, and so fans reasonably conclude her statements (or lack of statements, on certain issues) reflect the beliefs of the authors! You can't have it both ways at once.

If Phil Lollar would rather be doing a spinoff show about "Rights, Wrongs, and Reasons" than writing for Adventures in Odyssey, that's his business, but as long as he and the crew insist on doing these kinds of stories here, without addressing any of the problems in their execution, then they will rightfully continue to be critically bashed and to drive away listeners. More importantly, they will continue to be giving the impression that they tolerate, or even endorse, these various incorrect doctrines.
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Post by KODY 105 »

Haha, based on the storylines that have been done with Mr. Whittaker's tolerance/acceptance/going along with the Rydell child endangerment scandal, I no longer recommend AIO to my friends. I don't care if Phil Lollar has some great, deep thinking involved. The objectionable elements of the show outweigh any moral that the show gives.

Way too many recent episodes have had legal minors who are main characters commit all sorts of crimes, without any repercussions! I think this show has jumped the shark, and actually is irredeemable now. If they had nipped the Rydell saga in the bud and had a 26-minute episode where Whit grovels before Emily and her parents (she's a minor remember?!) maybe it could be redeemable.

In response to Bob: A casual listener of AIO is not going to be able to dig through a moral dilemma that the characters are going through and come to the right conclusions about their faith and morality. I recall in the Bible the expression "milk of the Word" as opposed to meat. A radio drama for families is not the right place for the meat of a complex moral dilemma taken down the wrong path by the main characters. If the writers want deep moral dilemmas where the characters screw up, save it for the shows that are for mature Christians.
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Post by bookworm »

Reading the last two posts as someone who hasn't been up-to-date on AiO for many years, I can't imagine what kinds of happenings have gone on to make it such an apparently now vehemently detested show. :huh:
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Post by Peachey Keen »

bookworm wrote: Wed Feb 16, 2022 12:29 pm Reading the last two posts as someone who hasn't been up-to-date on AiO for many years, I can't imagine what kinds of happenings have gone on to make it such an apparently now vehemently detested show. :huh:
I wouldn't go so far as to say the show is detested. It's mainly the Rydell Saga episodes that are the problem. 90% of the episodes that don't revolve around that storyline (the majority of the recent episodes have no connection to the Rydells) are really good! It's almost like the Rydell Saga episodes and some of Phil's episodes are an alternate reality of the rest of the show.

I just think we can't throw the baby out with the bathwater when there is so much good still going on. AIO's has had some downs in the past
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Post by Bob »

I can see it from both ends. I quit listening to AIO for an extended period of time not too long after the end of the Rydell Revelations. I was drawn back in by Bren's description of the Olivia arc. I'd say that the best Olivia episodes are very nearly as good as the worst Rydell ones are bad, which is intended to be as strong a compliment to the former as it is a condemnation of the latter. Many of the other episodes I've heard have also been quite strong.

But there isn't really a parallel between this and anything that's happened before. The last time I can think of there being such a negative reaction to certain episodes, AIO backed down, discontinued some of them, stopped making new ones in the same style, and then made sure to go as far in the opposite direction as possible.

This time, instead of listening to feedback, certain writer(s) have instead doubled down on their approach. It's apparent from listening to the writing that they are at least somewhat aware of fan concerns (much of Emily's recent dialogue could have been adapted, or even copied verbatim from Rydell Revelations reviews)... they just don't care.
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Post by KODY 105 »

When one gets old, he stops caring about the world thinks. This can be good. But when you're the writers of a (hopefully very) public work, that is not so good. Particularly when you're suppose to be representing truth and righteousness, and you have stopped doing so.
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Post by Patterson »

Peachey Keen wrote: Thu Feb 17, 2022 10:23 am I just think we can't throw the baby out with the bathwater when there is so much good still going on. AIO's has had some downs in the past
This. I feel odyssey hasn't really had a truly great album (I can't speak for album 72 yet) since they started making albums only 6 episodes long. It's not the album length I really have a problem with, just quality has overall gone downhill in my eyes. Every newer album has typically had at least two or three episodes I enjoy though and when the albums are that short, it's enough to keep me listening to new episodes.

I'm not against the 2+2=? approach in theory, but I agree that the Rydell episodes didn't handle it well at all. It's all to easy to get the wrong impression. Image

Perhaps the best is yet to come? Given Odyssey's rich history and the state of things now, I wouldn't count on it, but Please Adjust Your Frequency felt just like a good classic episode to me. We shouldn't view all the old episodes with rose colored glasses either, there's always going to be ones like The Secret Weapon which reused a plot seen a million times in plenty of kids' shows(lucky baseball bat, magic earmuffs whatever).

I'm not in control of Odyssey, so I try to be thankful for whatever good episodes we do get. But seriously, Phil Lollar needs to write less like someone with a psychology degree and more like someone writing a Christian radio program for kids. Ya know who else had a psychology degree and gave the wrong impression to everyone? Dr. Regis Blackgaard!!!
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