Hello everyone, merry Christmas! And welcome back to my corner of the internet:)
I doubt I’ll ever forget the suspense. The feeling of annoyance when we pulled into the driveway-late at night-on a cliffhanger. We could only listen when we’re all together, and I knew that wouldn’t come along again until the next trip to school. When the final disk spun to conclusion, and we realized that the saga was complete, nobody knew how to feel. I remember the excitement after Opportunity Knocks, the frustration during Red Herring, the giggles during Green Eyes & Yellow Tulips. I remember the shock of hearing that long-gone but familiar voice in Strange Boy in a Strange Land. I remember the surge of emotions in Plan B. I remember shedding tears alongside Connie and Tom. I remember comforting with Wooton, and searching for clues with Mitch, Whit, and Borland. I remember researching the production, and studying the Official Guide, and the pamphlets that came with the CDs. A ll these memories are ingrained in me, and come back to life with the click of a button. In case you haven’t figured it out, I am talking about Novacom.
As a kid, I had Here Today, Gone Tomorrow? (pts. 1,2,&3) on CD long before I had Novacom. So as I listened, I was piecing together bits of different stories. Recently, I have been deeply grateful that I grew up in the era of Odyssey CDs. I didn’t have to wait weeks for the next episode to air, and I could re-listen as many times as I desired. With holiday travels, I have recently been on several long car-rides. Of course-as is instinct for all fellow Odyssey nerds- I had plenty of time to re-listen to my favorite Odyssey saga.
Until this listen, I had forgotten how intense and emotional these episodes were. I had built up this depiction of Odyssey as “emotionally immature”, and fun, but “poorly written”. Now, I realize that these thoughts had been built up by my not-so-stellar reviews and opinions of the emotional maturity, writing, and logic in ‘New Odyssey’. But now, I can boldly state, that these episodes can bring the suspense, mystery, grief, hope, peace, and joy to life.
So, with all this backstory of of the way, welcome to my episodic review of the best saga in Adventures in Odyssey. (imo ofc:))
———-a little note: I have no idea how long this series will be, how often they will be released, how detailed they will be, or when I’ll get bored and decide to do something else. So please join me for these chaotic, rambling, and spontaneous rants. 🙂 ——————-
episode 1: #457 Opportunity Knocks
This episode introduces a suspicious new company in Odyssey. The Timothy Center goes through some financial issues, which are quickly solved by Novacom renting some land, and gaining some trust, in the hearts of the Odyssey gang. Several plots and new characters are introduced that are used throughout the series: the Timothy Center, Candid Conversations with Connie, the Shepards, and Arthur Dent. This episode clearly discuses the search for God’s will and how people interpret their situations. A solid episode, and a good introduction to this series.
episode 2: #458 Red Herring
While often forgettable, this episode is totally iconic for all AIO kids. Cal and Alex have great chemistry and humorous banter. The quotes and conversations, the conflicts and the surprises, all make this episode enjoyable and memorable. Cal and Alex had the ultimate cousin relationship that is introduced in this episode and played with throughout the series. In typical Odyssey fashion, Connie is once again left confused. However, unlike the norm, this time everyone else is bewildered too. This episode shows the importance of using God’s gifts wisely, managing curiosity, and discusses the importance of trust in friendships.
Thank you so much for reading this post! Tune in next time to read the next reviews.
If you want to input on my final post in this series (Novacom Recap: The Best Quotes) please comment, or message me:) I’d love to hear your favorite quotes from this series.
“As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.” Ezekiel 34:12
~The Perilous Pen~
The Perilous Pen 