Episode Description:
"Emily Jones is pulled into another case when she gets in trouble for having a cell phone in class that she insists is not her own. Upon reaching detention, she finds that Morrie and Suzu Rydell have also been falsely accused." -AIO
Episode Review:
After reviewing “The Rydell Revelations”, I was surprised to discover just how many listeners disliked that episode. I mean, really disliked it. It’s been over six months since it aired, and fans are still sharing their frustration all over social media -- complaining about Whit’s behavior, the fact that Morrie and Suzu had no grand plan, or how the plot seemingly had more holes than a slice of swiss cheese. Their harshness has, at times, made me feel embarrassed to be an AIO fan -- when did the AIO community decide to turn into an angry mob?
Criticism is natural and can be a healthy exercise. But whatever happened to criticism that’s respectful, well-thought out, and bolstered by well-constructed prose? My reviews are not always shining examples of these qualities, I know. I, too, can find myself writing angrily if the series does not meet my high standards. I, too, have moments where I think I know more, and speak with more authority than I have. That said, I do always try to spend time reflecting upon the good parts of each final product (but never ignoring its weaknesses!). Ultimately, I encourage all readers to be slow to brand each episode as “good” or “bad” and to spend more time grappling with your own creative biases, to consider the writer’s intent, and, most of all, consider the positives.
Despite my own rather mixed review, I enjoyed “The Rydell Revelations'' as entertainment and was ready to accept many of its creative decisions as cannon and move on. Part of the reason “The Rydell Revelations'' didn’t frustrate me for long was because 1) Odyssey has created some truly great episodes since then and 2) I knew that several of these problematic elements (such as Whit’s rather laissez-faire behavior) could easily be fixed with a few smartly written episodes in the future. I know that the show -- and Focus on the Family especially -- would take any “messaging” concerns seriously and would take the necessary steps to clarify those messages in future episodes. So is “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off'' one of those episodes? Does it, even a little bit, make the developments of The Rydell Revelations feel slightly less frustrating?
Well, not in the ways you might expect. To be fair, “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off '' was written quite some time before the three parter aired and thus could not have predicted the tidal wave of negative fan feedback. If it had, I suspect (though I can’t be positive) that the episode might have switched focus from Emily Jones to Whit and had answered more urgent questions such as: “Is it OK for Morrie to manipulate others in order to see the good in people?”, “Does Whit have any regrets for not stepping in sooner?”, “Will Whit face any repercussions from the parents of Odyssey for his behavior?”, and, finally, “What consequences will the Rydells face for what they did?”. For those listeners who wanted those questions addressed, I’m afraid you might need to wait for future episodes. Once provided, those clarifications will certainly help fix fans' confidence in the Rydell Saga.
But, that said, I was pleased to discover that “Let’s Call the Whole thing Off” does help that infamous three parter. It does so by acknowledging that Whit’s actions were intended to be questioned by listeners. That’s an important fact, because so many listeners left “The Rydell Revelations” believing that AIO was telling listeners that Whit’s actions were perfectly OK -- that him allowing Morrie to emotionally manipulate others is the sort of behavior that you, listeners at home, should try to imitate. But in this episode, we now see at least one repercussion of Whit’s actions -- Emily got hurt. Really hurt. And that revelation confirms that Whit’s actions are not being swept under the rug -- that he’s not blameless. And though I still think several “revelations” in that infamous three-parter will always feel a little underwhelming, this is a story thread that does make me see that three-parter in a new and better light.
Unfortunately, this interesting continuation of the saga is part of a standalone story that -- like a handful of other mysteries from the past few years -- needed some heavy polishing. Let’s look at what happens in today’s episode: our three main characters (Emily, Suzu and Morrie) each receive a mysterious phone that lands them in detention. They leave detention, enter the hallway, then ask each other, “did you see anything suspicious?” Suzu then remembers that Jay was acting suspicious around Principal Vogler’s office, so they break into it, log onto a computer, read some emails, and, “oh look!” the culprit (Buck) enters only a few seconds later. Our detectives’ journey towards solving the mystery seems surprisingly simple. I mean, I’d certainly write more mysteries if I could just have my detectives simply remembering something suspicious at the beginning of the episode and having their first guess turn out to be right.
Their simple journey feels especially strange considering the convoluted scheme that’s given to us at the end. Piles of information are, in rather disorganized fashion, thrown at us, making us wish it had been more carefully spread out throughout the episode. For one thing, it’s never fully explained how Buck could have guaranteed that Principal Vogler, Mrs. Mays, Vice Principal Morris, wouldn’t have talked to each about their lost phones (requesting them to leave the office at slightly different times wouldn’t have stopped them from talking to each other). Secondly, it’s never explained why any of our main characters needed to be involved in Buck’s scheme in the first place. (It was the end of the day. Why did you need to make sure they’d “be out of the way” if they were just going to go home anyway?). And, finally, it’s never really explained why Jules couldn’t have just asked for the diary back. Yes, Emily mentions this point -- but, here’s the thing, just because you have your character mention the giant plot hole in your story doesn’t make the giant plot hole magically disappear.
Then there’s the problem with Chris’ wrap-up. I’m not a fan of Odyssey episodes, like this one, that seemingly have a theme at the end just to have a theme. You might as well not have Chris say anything and just cut immediately to her usual “Adventures in Odyssey is a presentation of Focus on the Family'' line. But this theme of embarrassment feels so shoe-horned in that the character who actually felt embarrassment doesn’t even appear in the episode. Has that ever happened before? I like when the episode has a strong moral and lesson, but Chris’s wrap-up needs to feel logical to the story, or the inclusion of a biblical verse feels disingenuous.
But aside from the muddled theme, the muddled motivations, and a few muddled explanations, I can’t say I was overly bothered by the episode. Hearing Jay and Buck enter -- if for only a brief moment -- into the Rydell saga was quite fun. And the music, like its three-part predecessor, was wonderfully moody. And, as mentioned, the way it continues some of the elements of the Rydell Saga is quite welcomed. But let’s face it. This is a transition episode. It’s meant to leave the events of the Rydell Saga far behind and take these characters onto a new adventure by, once again, providing more questions than answers. After waiting four years to hear (somewhat underwhelming) answers in “The Rydell Revelations”, am I really going to get excited about another cliffhanger?
You bet.
"Emily Jones is pulled into another case when she gets in trouble for having a cell phone in class that she insists is not her own. Upon reaching detention, she finds that Morrie and Suzu Rydell have also been falsely accused." -AIO
Episode Review:
After reviewing “The Rydell Revelations”, I was surprised to discover just how many listeners disliked that episode. I mean, really disliked it. It’s been over six months since it aired, and fans are still sharing their frustration all over social media -- complaining about Whit’s behavior, the fact that Morrie and Suzu had no grand plan, or how the plot seemingly had more holes than a slice of swiss cheese. Their harshness has, at times, made me feel embarrassed to be an AIO fan -- when did the AIO community decide to turn into an angry mob?
Criticism is natural and can be a healthy exercise. But whatever happened to criticism that’s respectful, well-thought out, and bolstered by well-constructed prose? My reviews are not always shining examples of these qualities, I know. I, too, can find myself writing angrily if the series does not meet my high standards. I, too, have moments where I think I know more, and speak with more authority than I have. That said, I do always try to spend time reflecting upon the good parts of each final product (but never ignoring its weaknesses!). Ultimately, I encourage all readers to be slow to brand each episode as “good” or “bad” and to spend more time grappling with your own creative biases, to consider the writer’s intent, and, most of all, consider the positives.
Despite my own rather mixed review, I enjoyed “The Rydell Revelations'' as entertainment and was ready to accept many of its creative decisions as cannon and move on. Part of the reason “The Rydell Revelations'' didn’t frustrate me for long was because 1) Odyssey has created some truly great episodes since then and 2) I knew that several of these problematic elements (such as Whit’s rather laissez-faire behavior) could easily be fixed with a few smartly written episodes in the future. I know that the show -- and Focus on the Family especially -- would take any “messaging” concerns seriously and would take the necessary steps to clarify those messages in future episodes. So is “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off'' one of those episodes? Does it, even a little bit, make the developments of The Rydell Revelations feel slightly less frustrating?
Well, not in the ways you might expect. To be fair, “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off '' was written quite some time before the three parter aired and thus could not have predicted the tidal wave of negative fan feedback. If it had, I suspect (though I can’t be positive) that the episode might have switched focus from Emily Jones to Whit and had answered more urgent questions such as: “Is it OK for Morrie to manipulate others in order to see the good in people?”, “Does Whit have any regrets for not stepping in sooner?”, “Will Whit face any repercussions from the parents of Odyssey for his behavior?”, and, finally, “What consequences will the Rydells face for what they did?”. For those listeners who wanted those questions addressed, I’m afraid you might need to wait for future episodes. Once provided, those clarifications will certainly help fix fans' confidence in the Rydell Saga.
But, that said, I was pleased to discover that “Let’s Call the Whole thing Off” does help that infamous three parter. It does so by acknowledging that Whit’s actions were intended to be questioned by listeners. That’s an important fact, because so many listeners left “The Rydell Revelations” believing that AIO was telling listeners that Whit’s actions were perfectly OK -- that him allowing Morrie to emotionally manipulate others is the sort of behavior that you, listeners at home, should try to imitate. But in this episode, we now see at least one repercussion of Whit’s actions -- Emily got hurt. Really hurt. And that revelation confirms that Whit’s actions are not being swept under the rug -- that he’s not blameless. And though I still think several “revelations” in that infamous three-parter will always feel a little underwhelming, this is a story thread that does make me see that three-parter in a new and better light.
Unfortunately, this interesting continuation of the saga is part of a standalone story that -- like a handful of other mysteries from the past few years -- needed some heavy polishing. Let’s look at what happens in today’s episode: our three main characters (Emily, Suzu and Morrie) each receive a mysterious phone that lands them in detention. They leave detention, enter the hallway, then ask each other, “did you see anything suspicious?” Suzu then remembers that Jay was acting suspicious around Principal Vogler’s office, so they break into it, log onto a computer, read some emails, and, “oh look!” the culprit (Buck) enters only a few seconds later. Our detectives’ journey towards solving the mystery seems surprisingly simple. I mean, I’d certainly write more mysteries if I could just have my detectives simply remembering something suspicious at the beginning of the episode and having their first guess turn out to be right.
Their simple journey feels especially strange considering the convoluted scheme that’s given to us at the end. Piles of information are, in rather disorganized fashion, thrown at us, making us wish it had been more carefully spread out throughout the episode. For one thing, it’s never fully explained how Buck could have guaranteed that Principal Vogler, Mrs. Mays, Vice Principal Morris, wouldn’t have talked to each about their lost phones (requesting them to leave the office at slightly different times wouldn’t have stopped them from talking to each other). Secondly, it’s never explained why any of our main characters needed to be involved in Buck’s scheme in the first place. (It was the end of the day. Why did you need to make sure they’d “be out of the way” if they were just going to go home anyway?). And, finally, it’s never really explained why Jules couldn’t have just asked for the diary back. Yes, Emily mentions this point -- but, here’s the thing, just because you have your character mention the giant plot hole in your story doesn’t make the giant plot hole magically disappear.
Then there’s the problem with Chris’ wrap-up. I’m not a fan of Odyssey episodes, like this one, that seemingly have a theme at the end just to have a theme. You might as well not have Chris say anything and just cut immediately to her usual “Adventures in Odyssey is a presentation of Focus on the Family'' line. But this theme of embarrassment feels so shoe-horned in that the character who actually felt embarrassment doesn’t even appear in the episode. Has that ever happened before? I like when the episode has a strong moral and lesson, but Chris’s wrap-up needs to feel logical to the story, or the inclusion of a biblical verse feels disingenuous.
But aside from the muddled theme, the muddled motivations, and a few muddled explanations, I can’t say I was overly bothered by the episode. Hearing Jay and Buck enter -- if for only a brief moment -- into the Rydell saga was quite fun. And the music, like its three-part predecessor, was wonderfully moody. And, as mentioned, the way it continues some of the elements of the Rydell Saga is quite welcomed. But let’s face it. This is a transition episode. It’s meant to leave the events of the Rydell Saga far behind and take these characters onto a new adventure by, once again, providing more questions than answers. After waiting four years to hear (somewhat underwhelming) answers in “The Rydell Revelations”, am I really going to get excited about another cliffhanger?
You bet.
Writer: Bob Hoose
Director: Phil Lollar
Producer: Nathan Hoobler
Post Production: Luke Guenot
Music: Jared DePasquale
Original Air-date: 01.19.2021
Review Published: 01.29.2021