Episode Review: Episode 581: A Christmas Conundrum
Writer: Kathy Buchanan(#35)
Sound Designer: Nathan Jones
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Title:
A Christmas Buchanan
Characters:
Major: (greater than 30 eps)
Whit(#385)
Connie (#273)
Eugene(#173)
Tom (#122)
Bart Rathbone (#63)
Minor: (less than 30 eps)
Grady (#4)
In the spirit of Christmas, I’ll be giving Kathy Wierenga a break from criticism.
Aaw, Christmas. Looking back at all the Odyssey Christmas Shows, I almost feel inspired to rate them according to my preference. (I’ve left out two episodes, mind you)
14. Gifts For Madge and Guy
13. The Day After Christmas
12. The Popsicle Kid
11. Monty's Christmas
10. Back to Bethlehem, Parts 1, 2 & 3
9. A Christmas Conundrum
8 The Star, Parts 1 & 2
7. The Living Nativity
6. A Time for Christmas
5. The Visitors
4. It's a Pokenberry Christmas, Parts 1 & 2
3. A Lamb’s Tale
2. Unto Us a Child Is Born
1. Peace on Earth
Considering the number of not-so-satisfying/popular Christmas shows in the series, this episode actually did quite good. As you see, I’ve placed it #9. The thing is; I look at all Christmas episodes as one whole. Every episode brings a certain dimension to the Odyssey Christmas. I suppose your preference mainly depends on what part of the Odyssey Christmas adventures tingles your socks the most. Is it the story of the birth of Jesus? Is it Whit’s Famous Eggnog? Is it an Imagination Station adventure? Is it hearing craziness throughout a time meant for peace? By itself this episode would be nothing if it didn’t also mean adding to the other great Christmassy shows.
I tell ya’, it sure doesn’t seem like Christmas until I listen to a good old holiday episode.
I remember last year when I read Shadowpaw’s review for “A Lamb’s Tale”;
Shadowpaw wrote:
Next year I'm demanding that the characters drink hot chocolate, sing Christmas carols, decorate a Christmas tree, and give gifts to one another!
Well, one out of four isn’t bad—and Whit’s famous eggnog was mentioned! And while, I was half waiting for that too, it was a nice holdover until that time truly comes.
Overall, I enjoyed the cast in today’s episode. Having Whit, Tom, Eugene and Connie open gifts before Christmas at Whit’s House was so classic that I wonder why it hasn’t happened sooner. I was extremely pleased with the whole mood and atmosphere of the episode. Though, anyone else expected a roaring fire in the background while they were opening gifts? Hmm.
Something was missing throughout that scene…
Obviously hot chocolate, Christmas Carols, Christmas tree decorations…;)
Though, maybe if they hadn’t rushed to opening presents after Connie arrived, they would’ve had time to do that.
The fact that Katrina was missing makes more sense then what people think. This episode takes place much earlier then Christmas day, since everyone mentioned they were gone the following day and since “Silent Night” takes place on Christmas Eve. Though it doesn’t excuse the fact that Katrina would be spending Christmas with the rest of the gang, I assume that Eugene and Katrina will be spending Christmas with each other. However, maybe she thought that the gift-giving ceremony was a tradition between the four of them and she wanted to respect that. Okay. The reason that I’m defending her is the fact that her presence in this episode would not have worked. Confusing 4 presents among four people is hard enough than having 5 people! And I realize that it’s hard for Eugene to play parts if his wife is constantly around him—like a wife should be doing—but…then she’d just get annoying and most probably convince younger listeners never to get married. But, wait a minute; so many characters were missing from this episode that I don’t even understand why she’s the big deal. I had wondered when I read the description for this episode which characters would be making up the list of characters. Luckily, it was many of the old/original characters. But, then I thought of so many other characters that I wish could’ve just piled into Whit’s House. As Whit greeted Connie merrily as she entered the door, I was almost thinking to myself; ”alright, and now, please open the door for Jack, Jason, Bernard, Harlow, Nick, the Washington’s, and heck, even the Barclays too.” After all, what’s a Christmas show without the Barclays?
I can’t go without mentioning the great dialogue Kathy Buchanan managed to write between these characters. One of these scenes was the highlight of the episode. I especially enjoyed the conversation Eugene and Grady had at the end of the episode. It continues their friendship made in “Back to Abnormal” and shows a particularly rare compassionate side to Eugene. His explanation to why he didn’t need to repay for the present really drove in what Whit talked about moments earlier (when we so rudely interrupted by Tom’s vacuum). Other instances included the quibble between Connie and Eugene, Whit and Eugene’s conversation at the beginning, and Tom’s “twang”…
I very much enjoyed the moral of the show. I had truly never thought of the story of the Wiseman in that sense, and it’ll most assuredly have me looking at it in a different way. Jesus gave them the greatest gift at all that their gifts must’ve been nothing in comparison—however, they gave them anyway.
And what’s a Kathy Wierenga episode without complaints? I knew the usual stupidity and silliness would slip in at spots, which, truly, was the only real drawback to the episode. Or else it would’ve been worthy of a higher rating. Not including the donut joke, the toast joke, the hubcaps, the powerful vacuum (which is a recurring joke not getting any funnier…), and, most of all, the mustache trimmer, the episode was fairly light on the usual Kathy humor. I still think she’s an impressive and talented writer…but she has a thing for these types of jokes.
Too bad I don’t have a thing for them...
And, of course, I was a bit puzzled with Whit’s…stupidity. I’m not sure about the older episodes, but I wonder if Whit was always not very subtle. I remember back in “Room Enough for Two”, how he was extremely obvious in his attempts to make Liz and Natalie friends. Oh well, at least it’s official.
Aside from a few minor complaints like that, the overall episode did fairly well. Like many others, I have a big heart for last year’s Christmas Adventure. But, of course, this one was better than nothing. Luckily, and though we shouldn’t expect the AIO Christmas of our dreams, we are dished with yet another holiday show next week.
Broadcast wishes you all a Merry Christmas! Until the season finale…!
Acting/dialogue: 5/5
Story/Originality: 4.2/5
Use of Characters/Consistency: 2.6/5
Personal enjoyment/Entertainment Value: 4/5
Total: 15.8 /20= 79%= SCORE:
GOOD+
*Note: Due to the realization of the uselessness of one category, I decided to delete it and partially combine it with one other so that it makes more sense. As it was, it was automatically taking down points of a show if the shows wasn't important to the series. Slice of Life shows were automatically penalized.
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Rating Grid:
0%=Poison
0-20%=Complete Failure
20-40%=Very Poor
40-60%=Poor
60-70%=Average
70-80%=Good
80-90%=Very Good
90-100%=Terrific
100%=Perfect)
For additional Reviews agreed by the author, please refer to: CATSPAW
Memorable Quotes:
Connie: What a mess! You’re never gonna guess what happened to me this morning.
Eugene: You confused your hairspray with your Antiperspirant Spray.
Connie: Like I would make that mistake twice…
Eugene: Hmm…
***
Have fun!
I can hear that farewell already.
You'd almost think that all other businesses had left Odyssey with the frequency we here those two mentioned. Or maybe this is "National Car Awareness Year." 
It seems like we hear Bart and Tom on the same shows more frequently because they're voiced by the same person. But maybe I'm just imagining things. 
*is looking forward to next week's show*