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The Transmuter is another one of John Avery Whittaker's inventions. Just as The Imagination Station allows a person to experience the past, and The Room of Consequence allows a person to see a possible future, the Transmuter allows a person to experience the present from another person's point of view. This lets you experience events from a perspective you normally wouldn't be able to see. It debuted in episode #419, "Another Man's Shoes". The Transmuter is described as bearing a resemblance to the [[Weighing scale|weight scales]] in a doctor's office. |
The Transmuter is another one of John Avery Whittaker's inventions. Just as The Imagination Station allows a person to experience the past, and The Room of Consequence allows a person to see a possible future, the Transmuter allows a person to experience the present from another person's point of view. This lets you experience events from a perspective you normally wouldn't be able to see. It debuted in episode #419, "Another Man's Shoes". The Transmuter is described as bearing a resemblance to the [[Weighing scale|weight scales]] in a doctor's office. |
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==Related products== |
== Related products == |
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{{Cleanup-laundry|date=January 2009}} |
{{Cleanup-laundry|date=January 2009}} |
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=== Film series === |
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{{main|Adventures in Odyssey video series}} |
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The ''Adventures in Odyssey'' [[video]] series were a total of seventeen animated [[direct-to-video]] films, all approximately 30 minutes long. The only characters in common with the radio series through 11 videos were [[John Avery Whittaker]] and [[Eugene Meltsner]], although in video 12, [[Connie Kendall]] made an appearance. All of the videos have [[Dylan Taylor]] as their central character. |
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*''1) The Knight Travellers'' |
*''1) The Knight Travellers'' |
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*''2) Flight to the Finish'' |
*''2) Flight to the Finish'' |
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*''13) Baby Daze'' |
*''13) Baby Daze'' |
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;New video series: |
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*''1) The Last Days of Eugene Meltsner'' |
*''1) The Last Days of Eugene Meltsner'' |
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*''2) Escape from the Forbidden Matrix'' |
*''2) Escape from the Forbidden Matrix'' |
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# The Case of the Mysterious Message |
# The Case of the Mysterious Message |
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# The Mystery of the Hooded Horsemen |
# The Mystery of the Hooded Horsemen |
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==Criticisms== |
==Criticisms== |
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{{Original research|date=January 2009}} |
{{Original research|date=January 2009}} |
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* [http://www.whitsend.org/ ''Whit's End'' – official website] |
* [http://www.whitsend.org/ ''Whit's End'' – official website] |
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* [http://www.aiowiki.com/wiki/Main_Page Adventures in Odyssey Wiki] |
* [http://www.aiowiki.com/wiki/Main_Page Adventures in Odyssey Wiki] |
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* [http://www.imdb.com/find?s=tt&q=adventures+in+odyssey&x=16&y=13 Adventures in Odyssey video series] at the [[Internet Movie Database]] |
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{{Adventures in Odyssey}} |
{{Adventures in Odyssey}} |
Revision as of 04:41, 11 January 2009
Adventures in Odyssey | |
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Created by | Phil Lollar & Steve Harris |
Starring | Hal Smith (1987 - 1994) Katie Leigh Paul Herlinger (1995 - present) Will Ryan Walker Edmiston (1987-2007) Dave Madden Alan Young Earl Boen Townsend Coleman Steve Burns Chris Anthony Corey Burton Jonathan Taylor Thomas |
Country of origin | United States & Canada |
No. of episodes | radio: 645 (at present) video: 17 books:15 Lists |
Production | |
Producer | Focus on the Family |
Running time | 17-30 minutes per episode But can go to two hours |
Original release | |
Network | syndicated |
Release | November 21, 1987 – present |
Adventures in Odyssey, also known as AIO or simply Odyssey, is an Evangelical Christian-themed radio drama/comedy series created by Focus on the Family in 1987.
The series centers on the fictional town of Odyssey, and in particular, an ice cream and discovery emporium called "Whit's End," and its proprietor, John Avery Whittaker. Episodes range from comedic to melodramatic and usually feature thematic and Bible references. Characters openly discuss Christianity and sometimes Bible stories are retold.
Having completed its 20th year, AIO has spanned 645 half-hour radio episodes collected into 51 albums, 13 pilot episodes, 56 Official Odyssey Podcasts, 17 animated videos, 15 books, two music album,[citation needed] and three edutainment computer games,[1] in addition to related merchandise and the Passages and Kidsboro spin-off book series.[citation needed] The show has also produced two official behind the scenes guides and a DVD trivia game titled Answer That!.[citation needed] The show can be heard on hundreds of radio stations in the United States, Canada and around the world.[citation needed]
History
Beginnings
In the spring of 1986, Focus on the Family founder James Dobson interviewed Bruce Wilkinson on the subject of media influence in modern society. Wilkinson told Dobson that complaining about media programming was not enough – that Christians should produce their own programming as a replacement.[citation needed]
The show was commissioned by Dobson as an alternative to Saturday morning cartoons, and created by Steve Harris and Phil Lollar, who decided to set it in a small Midwest town, which they called Odyssey. A 13-week test series was aired in 1987, under the title Family Portraits. It engendered a favorable audience response, and led to a radio program, Adventures in Odyssey.[2] In November 1987, the first Odyssey episode aired, originally titled Odyssey USA.[3]
The First Eight Years - 1988 to 1996
A major change occurred in April 1988, after only 19 episodes of the new program. It was argued that the inclusion of "USA" in the program's name would alienate listeners outside the United States (and, in particular, in Canada). The show's name was then shortened to Odyssey for several episodes, until finally changing to its present title, Adventures in Odyssey. During this time, over 300 episodes were written and major storylines were introduced. Over 25 albums were also released containing episodes from the radio series.[citation needed]
The most significant change to Odyssey came in January 1994, when Hal Smith (Whit) died of a heart attack. With that, the voice of the main character was gone. Of course, a number of yet-unaired episodes had been recorded, but after all those episodes had aired, Whit disappeared from Odyssey. In 1996 Whit returned, and since that time has been voiced by Paul Herlinger.[citation needed]
1997-2008
After eight years of non stop production, the format and schedule of production needed a change. Therefore, a break was called and from December 1996 to September 1997 production halted on Adventures In Odyssey.[citation needed] When the show came back there were significant changes. All previous child characters were discontinued and new ones brought in, with the exception of Rodney Rathbone. New storylines were introduced and new writers were used. Production-wise, the season approach, like television, was introduced and has been used since then.[citation needed]
In February 2007, Walker Edmiston, voice of Tom Riley and Bart Rathbone, died.[4] 2008 was the 20th anniversary of the show.[citation needed] The 2007-2008 season wrapped up all existing story arcs. No new episodes will air until September 2009.[citation needed]
Shows
Format
Adventures in Odyssey episodes are written to convey some moral principle, and a Bible reference verse. Most radio episodes are written a half-hour long. However, many episodes are split into several half-hour segments, which often creates a saga.[citation needed] The show is began with a short introduction from the host, Chris, followed by John Campbell-composed theme music. After the show itself ends, Chris concludes the episode with a recapitulation and biblical reference. The theme song has remained the same since the beginning of Adventures in Odyssey, although there have been variations.[citation needed]
Broadcasting
AIO is broadcast through thousands of radio stations in the United States and Canada. Originally, AIO broadcast once a week on Saturday, and almost every week would air a new episode - several years went by with a new episode broadcasting every single week. Once the show had become popular in the early 1990s, radio stations began requesting that AIO also air on the weekdays. By this time several hundred episodes had been recorded and the daily Adventures in Odyssey broadcasts began. The daily show consisted only of older episodes, and most of these episodes had to be updated to match changes that had occurred in the program. Once the older episodes had all been updated, the format of new AIO episodes was changed so that future episodes could be re-broadcast without modifications.[citation needed]
Releases
Adventures in Odyssey has released a total of 51 albums. In 2006, Focus on the Family announced that album 45 would be the last album to be released on both cassette tape and Compact Disc, limiting future releases to Compact Disc only.[citation needed]
Characters
- John Avery Whittaker, voiced by Hal Smith (1987 - 1994) and Paul Herlinger (1996 - present)
- Connie Kendall, voiced by Katie Leigh
- Eugene Meltsner, voiced by Will Ryan (1988-2000, 2005-present)
- Katrina Shanks-Meltsner, voiced by Pamela Hayden and Audrey Wasilewski
- Bernard Walton (character), voiced by Dave Madden
- Tom Riley voiced by Walker Edmiston (1987 - 2007)
- Jack Allen, voiced by Alan Young
- Jason Whittaker, voiced by Townsend Coleman
- Bart Rathbone, voiced by Walker Edmiston (1987-2007)
- Wooton Bassett, voiced by Jess Harnell
- Rodney Rathbone, voiced by Steve Burns
- Dr. Regis Blackgaard, Edwin's twin brother, voiced by Earl Boen.
- Edwin Blackgaard, Regis's twin brother, also voiced by Earl Boen.
- Chris, the show's announcer, voiced by Chris Anthony
Special show types
In addition to normal shows, which involve characters in the Odyssey fictional universe, a few other formats are frequently used (in, perhaps, 10% of episodes). These divergent formats are usually connected to Odyssey by such devices as inventions of John Avery Whittaker, for instance.
BTV
BTV is a television show in Odyssey that is hosted by Bernard Walton. BTV episodes consist of several different segments that focus on a common topic. Usually the topics deal with Biblical topics with a few extra historical and scientific tibits thrown in.
KYDS Kids Radio
Kids Radio is a radio station run out of Whit's End. While it doesn't necessarily broadcast continually, it has been used to tell many stories. A few of the broadcasted shows have included The Twilife Zone (a parody of The Twilight Zone, an idea which started much earlier through normal characters' dream sequences and turned into a Kids Radio program), The Jimmy Barclay Show, Candid Conversations with Connie, "Ask Mitch", (later changed to "Ask Doctor Wise") and O.T. Action News.
The Imagination Station
The Imagination Station is undoubtedly the most often-used plot device, outside of the major characters and "Whit's End"/Odyssey as a whole, in AIO. Indeed, it is almost a character itself, having evolved throughout the AIO storyline and playing a major role in most AIO plot arcs. The Imagination Station is one of John Avery Whittaker's inventions. People can use the station to experience historical and biblical events in a seemingly more-immersive version of virtual reality. The general concept is similar in many respects to the Star Trek holodeck. The station is typically used for educational and for other productive reasons; however, on one occasion the fictional corporation Novacom attempted to exploit its technology to enslave the entire world. In the video series episode "The Knight Travellers", the Imagination Station is used by the villain as a mind-control device, redesigned as the "Manipulation Station".
The Room of Consequence
The "Room of Consequence", another of Whit's inventions, was introduced in episode #236, "Into Temptation". The idea is that just as the Imagination Station allows individuals to step into the past, the Room of Consequence allows them to see a possible future, usually extrapolated from the decisions the person is making in the present. Unlike the Imagination Station, the Room of Consequence does not appear to allow for significant interaction with the future environment.
The Room of Consequence plays a much smaller role in AIO than the Imagination Station, with only ten episodes including it to date.
The Transmuter
The Transmuter is another one of John Avery Whittaker's inventions. Just as The Imagination Station allows a person to experience the past, and The Room of Consequence allows a person to see a possible future, the Transmuter allows a person to experience the present from another person's point of view. This lets you experience events from a perspective you normally wouldn't be able to see. It debuted in episode #419, "Another Man's Shoes". The Transmuter is described as bearing a resemblance to the weight scales in a doctor's office.
Related products
Film series
The Adventures in Odyssey video series were a total of seventeen animated direct-to-video films, all approximately 30 minutes long. The only characters in common with the radio series through 11 videos were John Avery Whittaker and Eugene Meltsner, although in video 12, Connie Kendall made an appearance. All of the videos have Dylan Taylor as their central character.
- Classic video series
- 1) The Knight Travellers
- 2) Flight to the Finish
- 3) A Fine Feathered Frenzy
- 4) Shadow of a Doubt
- 5) Star Quest
- 6) Once Upon an Avalanche
- 7) Electric Christmas
- 8) Go West, Young Man
- 9) Someone to Watch Over Me
- 10) In Harm's Way
- 11) A Twist in Time
- 12) A Stranger Among Us
- 13) Baby Daze
- New video series
- 1) The Last Days of Eugene Meltsner
- 2) Escape from the Forbidden Matrix
- 3) Caves of Qumran
- 4) Race to Freedom
Book series
Focus on the Family has released several different fictional book series based on Adventures in Odyssey.
Original series
- Strange Journey Back
- High Flyer With a Flat Tire
- The Secret Cave of Robinwood
- Behind the Locked Door
- Lights Out at Camp What-A-Nut
- The King's Quest
- Danger Lies Ahead
- Point of No Return
- Dark Passage
- Freedom Run
- The Stranger's Message
- A Carnival of Secrets
Passages Series
- Darien's Rise
- Arin's Judgement
- Annison's Risk
- Glennall's Betrayal
- Draven's Defiance
- Fendar's Legacy
Mysteries in Odyssey
- The Case of the Mysterious Message
- The Mystery of the Hooded Horsemen
Criticisms
Officer David Harley
Officer Harley made his first appearance in the third AIO episode, "Lights Out at Whit's End." His final appearance was on a 2 part arc called "The Return of Harley" in 1989.
Officer Harley was a local Police Officer that was not too bright but had a good heart and good intentions. His appearance on the show caused some negative responses from parents, who thought that his persona would send the wrong message about real police officers. Although the Adventures in Odyssey team did not agree with the negative feedback, they eventually decided to drop his character from future shows. Will Ryan, who voiced Officer Harley, was then given a new main character (Eugene Meltsner). Soon thereafter, a strikingly similar character named Harlow Doyle was introduced, though being that he was a private investigator rather than a uniformed officer, his bumbling antics could bring humor to the series without casting the police in a bad light.
Only three episodes that include Officer Harley are still re-aired unedited or included in updated album releases. The majority of Officer Harley's shows were later re-recorded and released in 1990 with new episode titles and different characters. The rest of his shows were slightly edited to remove him, or permanently pulled from future broadcasts.
Edited Episodes
Various episodes have been edited for inclusion on tapes, CDs, and re-broadcasts, and there have been complaints. The most well known edits occurred in the Harley episodes, but there have been additional changes over the years. Almost all of the approximately first hundred episodes have had their introductions and closings partially re-recorded or completely removed. Most of these changes occurred when the daily Adventures in Odyssey broadcast began in the early 90s. Since the old episodes would be re-broadcast periodically on this show, they were updated to match the newer episodes of the time, but this led to a shorter running time for many early episodes. The unedited episodes have not been available for over a decade, and recent releases such as the "Lost Episodes" continue to use edited versions.
Music
Music used in Adventures in Odyssey has been a vital part of the show since its beginning. Most all music for the show has been composed by John Campbell, who has composed music for over 500 episodes.[5]
Eugene Sings!
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Eugene Sings! is a musical album, from Tyndale House[6] and Focus on the Family. It features songs written and sung by Will Ryan, voicing Eugene Meltsner from Adventures in Odyssey.
Track listing
- Have You Ever Been to Odyssey? (2:50)
- My Dog Has Fleas! (1:39)
- I Just Met a Girl Named Katrina (1:23)
- Prestidigitation Number One for Tenor Ukulele (0:50)
- Love One Another (1:54)
- The Moonlight a Tuba and You (5:06)
- I'll Never Sneeze Again (2:41)
- The 21st Century Model T Syncopators Attend a Spelling Bee (1:18)
- The Only Thing Missing is You (2:54)
- Lift Up Your Heads! (3:10)
- Play Me a Ukulele Tune (1:54)
- A Very Short Song (0:16)
- Variations on a Familiar Theme (0:38)
- Pulchra Nympha Tu! (2:43)
- Fleebo the Dog Presented at Court (The My Dog Has Fleas Mazurka) (0:41)
- O-D-Y-double S-E-Y! (1:42)
- The Rose of Antelope Valley (4:24)
BONUS TRACK (Merged into track 17): Them Birds, Them Bees (4:24)
Eugene Sings! Christmas
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Eugene Sings! Christmas is a Christmas album from Tyndale House and Focus on the Family. It features songs performed by Will Ryan, voicing Eugene Meltsner from Adventures in Odyssey.
Track listing
- Merry Christmas! (2:38)
- The North Pole Hit Parade (2:11)
- Adeste Fidelis (2:38)
- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (3:11)
- Jingle Jangle Jungle (3:14)
- The Only Day of Christmas (1:29)
- The Fa-la-la Cha-cha-cha (1:04)
- Yuletide Fantasia (1:47)
- To the Sound of Angel Voices (3:01)
- Dona Nobis Pacem (2:13)
- Out with the Old Year! (2:26)
- Season Felicitations! (2:42)
- I Went and Told It on the Mountain (3:56)
- Merry Christmas! (Reprise) (4:40)
- I Wish I Could Yodel for Christmas (2:41)
- Christmas on the Way (2:29)
- Lo, the Prince of Peace (4:52)
BONUS TRACK (merged into Track 17): Gladly the Bear (4:52)
Computer games
To date, Adventures in Odyssey has released three computer games, which were created by Digital Praise, who have also created games such as Guitar Praise and Dance Praise. The games were titled Adventures in Odyssey and the Sword of the Spirit, Adventures in Odyssey and the Treasure of the Incas,[citation needed] and Adventures in Odyssey and the Great Escape.[7] They have also created DVD TV game titled Answer That!.[citation needed]
See also
- List of Adventures in Odyssey episodes
- List of Adventures in Odyssey characters
- List of Adventures in Odyssey sagas
- Odyssey (fictional town)
- Whit's End
- Christian video games
References
- ^ Cummings, Betsy (March 2, 2006). "Praise the Lord and Pass the Joystick". The New York Times. Retrieved January 4, 2009.
- ^ "The History of Adventures in Odyssey". WhitsEnd.org. Retrieved January 5, 2008.
- ^ Deutsch, Ken (December 12, 2008). "'Radio Theatre': Tales With a Message". RadioWorld.com. Retrieved January 4, 2008.
- ^ "Walker Edmiston, 81; voice artist, puppeteer was host of early L.A. children's TV show". Los Angeles Times. February 27, 2007. Retrieved January 5, 2008.
- ^ "John Campbell - Composer Credits". JohnCampbellMusic.com. Retrieved January 4, 2008.
- ^ "Eugene Sings!". Tyndale House. Retrieved January 4, 2008.
- ^ "Christians Code Heavenly Games". Wired News. August 4, 2005. Retrieved January 4, 2008.
Further reading
- Adventures in Odyssey: The Official Guide : ISBN 1589974751
- The Complete Guide to Adventures in Odyssey :ISBN 156179466X