Review for 005 - Gifts for Madge and Guy

Whit tells a wacky Christmas story about a poor couple named Madge and Guy.

This is the first Christmas episode of Odyssey. It's also the funniest Christmas episode. One of my favorite episodes of the album 01 The Adventure Begins. I love all the puns in the episode, like Guy describing his nose when Madge asks "Your nose! What is it?" That was funny! I loved this episode a lot. It teaches about giving. It's one of the funniest episodes of Adventures in Odyssey. Definitely a must-hear!

You can find this episode in the albums 01 The Adventure Begins, A Christmas Odyssey, Ultimate Christmas Collection, Christmas Classics, and Encore Collection. (Wow, that's a lot.)

My rating - 95%

Review for 004 - Connie Comes to Town

A teenage girl named Connie Kendall comes to Odyssey and gets a job at Whit's End. But she wants to go back to her previous home in California.

This is the introduction to Connie Kendall. The eternal teenager we all know and love. For people who want to know how Connie came to town, this episode will give you all the answers.  This episode teaches about contentment. A lesson a lot of people need to learn. I kinda liked this episode. I loved the part at the beginning with Whit trying to make a phone call, help Tom Riley with boxes, and give kids their orders at the same time! I recommend this to first timers.

You can find this episode on the albums 01 The Adventure Begins and Discovering Odyssey

My rating - 78%

Review for 003 - Lights Out At Whit's End

When Whit's End has a power outage, the kids try to find something fun to do.

This is one of those episodes that were never aired again and not in any albums (In this case, an album that is no longer available) The reason why it is unreleased is because it included Officer Harley, a character that made a bad example of police officers, and said rules that aren't really true (Including "Ignorance of the law is no excuse"). Another reason is because of the rap at the end. It was kinda embarrassing, and according to the Official Guide, it is an episode that is "not up to Odyssey standards." I snatched this episode on a link that is no longer available. I listened to it, and I don't know why they thought that. I loved the play they did, and I liked the rap. They made a fan remake of the rap, and that was cool. This is one of those episodes that still has the Odyssey USA label after 25 years, which makes this episode the source of the third part of my Adventures In Odyssey Theme History. I liked this episode!

You cannot find this in any album

How I liked it - 85%

My rating for everyone - I'm not sure

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Review for 002 - The Life of the Party

Craig Moorhead makes lots of friends with his jokes. But no one will comfort him when he is going to move away against his will.

This is a pretty funny episode. Some of the jokes are corny, but I still like this episode. I think this should've been on the album Comic Belief, because it had to do with jokes. I love the orange knock-knock joke. That was pretty funny! Also, David Griffin, voice of Jimmy Barclay, plays Freddy in this episode. Also, Will Ryan, voice of Eugene Meltsner plays Craig's dad. A pretty good episode I guess

You can find this episode on the album 01 The Adventure Begins

My rating - 84%

Review for Album 01 - The Adventure Begins

Episodes:

• 001 - Whit's Flop (cover picture)
• Bonus - Clip of Family Portraits
• 002 - The Life of the Party
• 004 - Connie Comes to Town
• Bonus - Katie Leigh on the Creation of Connie Kendall
• 005 Gifts for Madge and Guy
• Bonus - Officer Harley Featurette
• 006 - The Day After Christmas
• 007 - Promises, Promises
• 010 - Nothing to Fear
• 012 - The Tangled Web
• 017 - A Member of the Family Part 1
• 018 - A Member of the Family Part 2
• Bonus - Paul Mckusker Talks About Whit's Family
• 019 - Recollections
• 027 - A Change of Hart

I got this album on my 11th birthday and I enjoyed it very much. One of the three places to start (The other two are Family Portraits and Discovering Odyssey) My favorite episode is Gifts for Madge and Guy, because it's sooooooo funny! The only thing I don't like about this album is that most of the episodes weren't labeled Odyssey USA. The first 22 dramas had the label. They released an album of that name.

Anyway, it's a very good album.

My rating for people who are seeking the early episodes - 99%

My rating for everyone - 89%

Review for 001 - Whit's Flop

Davey Holcomb never succeeds at anything, but is faced with a dilemma when he has to fix one of Whit's inventions -- Whit's Flop.

This is the first episode of the Odyssey canon. One of the 3 places to start. (the other two are Whit's Visitor and Welcome to Whit's End) This episode teaches about failure and responsibility. Very good lessons to learn. It is the episode of the cover picture. There was an opening wraparound from the original broadcast that was very different from the album version. (hear here) I like the original version better. As far as first episodes go, this is a very good one. 

You can find this episode on the albums 01 The Adventure Begins and Silver Celebration

My rating for people who are seeking the early episodes - 99%

My rating for everyone - 90%

Review for FP 13/022 A Simple Addition

Little Nicky Rogers has a newborn sister named Shannon. But it seems like his parents love Shannon more than Nicky.

This is a double final episode. It is the final episode of Family Portraits, and the last episode to be labeled Odyssey USA (It was called that for the first 22 episodes) The episode teaches that there's a place in the hearts of your parents for you. To me, I think it's a younger-kids episode, but that's actually a all-ages lesson.  I love how they named their dog Jingle Bells. I guess it's a pretty good episode.

You can find this episode in the albums -1 Family Portraits and 00 The Lost Episodes

My rating - 65%

Review for FP 11-12/017-018 - A Member of the Family

Monty, Whit's grandson, comes to Odyssey for 8 weeks, but strangely enough, he thinks Whit is the meanest grandpa there ever was

This episode is pretty good. It gives Whit a lot more character. It's the first episode with Whit's family. This episode teaches about the meaning of discipline, and how to resolve family conflict. I like in the AIO version how Chris explained the situation, and I like how they cleverly connected part 1 and part 2 in the Family Portraits album version. Not only is this the 11th and 12th Family Portraits, but the 17th and 18th Adventures In Odyssey episodes.

You can find this episode in the albums -1 Family Portraits and 01 The Adventure Begins

My rating - 85%

Review for FP 10 - In Memory of Herman

Randy Hardwick's frog, Herman, dies and his mother, Amanda tries to teach him about eternity, but her husband, Vic ruins the attempt. Amanda tries to get Vic to believe in Jesus.

I think this is a pretty good episode. It is probably the most adult Odyssey episode, because it talks about hell and divorce. This episode teaches about evangelism. I enjoyed this even though it's for adults. I learned that you can't change someone, but God can. Your job is to "be there when it happens." It was a pretty good episode, but I'm not sure younger kids would understand it.

You can find this episode on the album -1 Family Portraits

My rating - 75%

Review for FP 09 - A Different Kind of Peer Pressure

Richard Hudson puts his daughter on restriction for giving in to peer pressure. But he himself gives in to peer pressure.

An interesting episode. It has Earl Boen (Who later played the villainous Regis Blackgaard and the Shakespeare-devoted Edwin Blackgaard) as Richard Hudson. It teaches about adult's peer pressure. Whenever I hear this episode, I picture Richard's daughter, Blair Hudson as Katie Leigh (voice of Connie) with glasses. A pretty good episode.

You can find this episode on the album -1 Family Portraits

My rating - 72% 

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Review for FP 08 - The Letter

After her father humiliates Stacey in front of her friend, her mom shows Stacey a letter from her dad proving his love for her.  

This is one of my favorite Family Portraits, because it's so emotional. Slight tears were streaming in my eyes when I first listened to it. It teaches communication (according to other sources) and another thing that makes it interesting is that Katie Leigh (Connie Kendall) was acting as Stacey. She sounded almost exactly like Connie, but a tad bit younger. A pretty good episode.

You can get this episode on the albums -1 Family Portraits and 14 Meanwhile, In Another Part of Town

My rating - 78%

Review for FP 07 - While Dad's Away

Whit tells the story of Michael Brettman, who is the vice president of sales at the Odyssey Automotives, and a father. He had to fly for Detroit, but he stayed there for a long time.

This is an okay episode. Strangely enough, it has Chuck Bolte and Roger Scott, both actors of George Barclay. As a 13-year old, I don't understand the lesson. The Official Guide says "Absentee Fathers" probably meaning fathers that aren't always home. It was interesting.

You can find this episode on the albums -1 Family Portraits

My rating - 52%

Review for FP 06/015 - My Brother's Keeper

12-year old Philip Callas wishes his pesky 6-year old brother, Dean would disappear. But when he sends him home from baseball practice, his wish almost comes true.  

I kinda like this episode. When I first listened to this on broadcast, I stopped in the middle because I was scared of what would happen when Philip's wish comes true. When I bought this with the other Family Portraits episodes, I wasn't that scared anymore, and I enjoyed the episode. It's very dramatic, and it teaches about sibling rivalry. A lesson I needed to learn. But it was less powerful than Wishful Thinking, which teaches the same thing. I never heard the end of the Adventures In Odyssey version of My Brother's Keeper (with Chris in it) and in Wishful Thinking, I actually learned this lesson, that God actually put your younger sibling in your life to love and help you.  This episode doesn't say that. (No offense, Focus on the Family) But that doesn't make the episode bad, I still liked it! And I think you'll like it too! Not only was this the 6th Family Portrait, but the 15th episode of Adventures In Odyssey

You can find this episode in -1 Family Portraits and 00 The Lost Episodes

My rating - 64%

Review for FP 05 - You're Not Gonna Believe This

There's a 14-year old guy named "Budgie" Wentworth. He loves to exaggerate. But his cousin doesn't believe him when he tells a wild story about losing his mother's new umbrella to a saloon girl.

If you like The Boy Who Cried Wolf, you'll love this episode. It's very wild. I love how Budgie mispronounces "vindicated" as "ventilated" This episode teaches the importance of a good reputation. It's a very good episode and one of my favorite (and Phil Lollar's too) episodes. Whenever I hear this episode, I picture young Budgie as Chad Reisser. A very good episode. A must-hear.

You can get this episode on the album -1 Family Portraits 

My rating - 93%

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Review for FP 04/016 - No Stupid Questions

Meg Stevens is criticized for asking  too many "stupid questions" and had an accident with a guy in a wheelchair named Chris Gotlieb.

This is one of my favorite Family Portraits. It's a pretty good episode. Some parts are funny, like my favorite part is when Meg says she thought that a Fjord was a Norwegian cjar! (Get it? Ford, car, Fjord, cjar?) That was really funny! This episode teaches that there is no such thing as a stupid question. Whenever I hear this episode, I picture Meg Stevens as Lucy Cunningham-Schultz.

Not only was this the fourth Family Portrait, but the 16th episode of Adventures in Odyssey.

You can get this on the albums -1 Family Portraits and 00 The Lost Episodes

My rating - 73%

Review for FP 03 - The New Kid In Town

Young Shawn Walker is the new kid in Odyssey, so it's hard to make new friends. Whit has a nice conversation with her.

This episode is pretty good.. Shawn Walker was played by the girl who later played Marcy in 051-052 - Connie, and the mailman at the beginning of the episode was played by Chuck Bolte, who would later play George Barclay.  This episode teaches how to make new friends.

You can find this episode on the album -1 Family Portraits

My rating - 67%

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(Sorry about the shortness of this review. I couldn't think of anything to say.  :/)

Review for FP 02/008 - Dental Dilemma

Mark Forbes lies to his sister, Emily, about how dangerous the dentist can be.

This is a very interesting episode actor-wise. Mark Forbes was played by Chad Reisser, who would go on to play all the tough kids in Odyssey, and Whit's grandson, Monty. Emily Forbes was played by Sage Bolte, who would go on to play Karen, and later Robyn Jacobs. Emily's dad was played by Roger Scott, who would later play George Barclay for a short time before being replaced by Chuck Bolte. I think this episode is pretty good. It teaches how lying can hurt people. My favorite part is when Mr. and Mrs. Forbes argued about breakfast choices. That was kinda funny. Whenever I hear this episode, I picture Dr. Graves as Dr. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family.

 This episode was not only the second Family Portrait, but also the eighth Adventures in Odyssey episode. Good episode.

My rating -  78%

You can find this episode on the albums -1 Family Portraits and 00 The Lost Episodes.

Review for Album -1 Family Portraits

Episodes:

• FP 01 - Whit's Visitor
• FP 02 - Dental Dilemma
• FP 03 - The New Kid In Town
• FP 04 - No Stupid Questions
• FP 05 - You're Not Gonna Believe This
• FP 06 - My Brother's Keeper
• FP 07 - While Dad's Away
• FP 08 - The Letter
• FP 09 - A Different Kind of Peer Pressure
• FP 10 - In Memory of Herman
• FP 11 - A Member of the Family Part 1
• FP 12 - A Member of the Family Part 2 (merged with part 1)
• FP 13 - A Simple Addition
• Bonus - The Creation of Family Portraits

This is the perfect album to start with. (Other than The Adventure Begins and Discovering Odyssey) I like this album a lot. It was the first album in the Odyssey series. This is a non-canonical album, and there are some things that don't count in the album. (see Whit's Visitor) That's cool trivia. My favorite episode is The Letter, because it's so emotional. I liked the bonus track, and I heard about some things I never heard of before. Most of the lessons are for parents, like divorce and wife-husband evangelism. But some are for kids, like having a good reputation, and that there's no such thing as a stupid question. This is only available for download, so don't count on going to the local store to get it. I found some issues with the download, but I solved them and it's fine. Good album. I recommend this to first timers.

My rating for people who are seeking the early albums - 100%

My rating for everyone - 86%

You can get this for $18 on iTunes

Review for FP 01 - Whit's Visitor

Whit finds Davey Morrison in his house, whose parents have a problem. 

This is a pretty good episode. The perfect place to start (other than Welcome To Whit's End and Whit's Flop). This episode introduces John Avery Whittaker and Tom Riley. And also, it introduces the town of Odyssey to the world. For adults, it teaches how divorce can hurt children. For kids, it teaches how adults say things they don't mean. Pretty good lessons. My favorite part is when Whit and Tom are arguing about an author coming to his house. The original cassette version has a guy saying that Odyssey is in Ohio. This is a big statement for Where Odyssey is Not, but since Family Portraits is non-canon to the Adventures in Odyssey series, and this was never mentioned again, this does not count. Other things that don't count in this episode are that Whit says that he and his wife opened Whit's End as a bookstore/coffee shop/conversation house, when in 019 - Recollections, Whit opened Whit's End after his wife died, and in non-Family Portraits episodes, Whit's End is an ice cream shop/library/conversation house/discovery emporium. I enjoyed the episode a lot. I recommend this episode for first-timers.

You can find this episode in the albums -1 Family Portraits and 09 Just In Time


My rating for people seeking the early episodes - 100%

My rating for everyone - 85%

Preview Link (Youtube) - The Introduction to Whit - Adventures In Odyssey