635: Accidental Dilemma, Part 2

Reviews!

Archived reviews of Adventures in Odyssey episodes!

How many stars do you give this episode?

5 stars: Most excellent!
23
47%
4 stars: Very good.
19
39%
3 stars: Average, just average.
7
14%
2 stars: Well, I don't know..
0
No votes
1 star: *shudder* :(
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 49

User avatar
underdogfan710
Pilgrim
Posts: 274
Joined: February 2006

Post by underdogfan710 »

Gee...I really dunno what to say about this episode. I liked the first part a lot, but the second part was...confusing, to say the least. Whit sent an anonymous call to Rusty Gordon telling him Jason was a secret agent? Don't they realize how much danger they were putting themselves in? Did they not PREPARE for the idea that someone like Grady could have gotten themselves involved and gotten hurt? Or is Odyssey so sure that everything will turn out okay that the writers decide not to even have the characters worry about it? ](*,)

So, was the whole thing planned by Whit and Jason to lure The Whisperer out of hiding? How much of it went according to plan? Did Tasha know? (Probably not, but the ending really threw me off... :-s )

And last of all, I frankly am getting sick and tired of Odyssey having characters "die" and then - BING! - they're not dead after all. Sort of trivializes a very big thing, doesn't it? (Has anyone ever died in Odyssey and STAYED dead in the last, say, five years? I don't think so.)

Overall, the first part gets a 5; the second part gets a 2. I'm going to be nice and give the whole thing a 3. Here's hoping the rest of the season is just as thrilling but makes more sense! \:D/
God promises a safe landing, not smooth passage.

:shocking: + :jester: = :mad:
User avatar
AioMan
Catspaw Rocks!
Posts: 996
Joined: July 2005
Location: The Imagination Station, Whit's End, Mcallister Park, Odyssey, Ohio, United States, North America

Post by AioMan »

Pacha wrote:Personally, I think if he ever comes back now the power of this episode will be lessened.

And on that note, while this was an incredible episode, it's also a sad day. We're having to say goodbye to one of my personal favorite characters. As I said last week (it seems as if I've been using this phrase a lot in this review) Jason has always been a lot of fun, and has been of the more unique, interesting, and developed main characters we've had on the show. It's disappointing he won't be around anymore, but the ending, given the episode, works well and I'm satisfied with it.
Are you sure it was written to write him off the show? At the end he says, "As if you can keep me away!" It would seem that they aren't done with Jason yet. Anyway, just my opinion.

I'd give it 5 stars. It was very nicely paced, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Image
Whit: The Best is yet to come. (from "A Prayer for George Barclay" and "Gone.....")

Eugene: Impossible! Prepositions are not words that I end sentences with! (from "Poor Loser")

Arthur Dent: Operation: Thinktank will enslave the human race. Would you like a muffin? (from "Box of Miracles")
User avatar
Taq
A great mapmaker
Posts: 2848
Joined: April 2005

Post by Taq »

underdogfan710 wrote:Gee...I really dunno what to say about this episode. I liked the first part a lot, but the second part was...confusing, to say the least. Whit sent an anonymous call to Rusty Gordon telling him Jason was a secret agent? Don't they realize how much danger they were putting themselves in? Did they not PREPARE for the idea that someone like Grady could have gotten themselves involved and gotten hurt? Or is Odyssey so sure that everything will turn out okay that the writers decide not to even have the characters worry about it? ](*,)

So, was the whole thing planned by Whit and Jason to lure The Whisperer out of hiding? How much of it went according to plan? Did Tasha know? (Probably not, but the ending really threw me off... :-s )
As I understood it:
1. No, Whit didn't send the call. Whit found out that an anonymous person tipped off Rusty.
2. No, luring The Whisperer out of hiding was not part of the plan. The plan, which encompassed getting rid of The Whisperer, was formed only after The Whisperer came to Odyssey.
User avatar
Trent DeWhite
Former Mayor
Posts: 11659
Joined: April 2005
Location: Canada
Contact:

Post by Trent DeWhite »

I think this confusion speaks to the ambiguity surrounding this episode. All the pieces were there for people to figure out what happened, but it probably could have been explained a little bit better. Sarah and I discussed this several times throughout our review of Accidental Dilemma II. What actually transpired was part of an elaborate scheme to draw out the Whisperer after he had escaped. Whit sent an anonymous call to Rusty, tipping him off about Jason's status. Whit and Jason knew Rusty would put it on his blog and that the Whisperer would find out about it. They also knew the Whisperer would seek out Jason and that's why Jason went to Trickle Lake. This is where it gets a bit fuzzy. We don't know if they knew about the Whisperer's desire for Applesauce. Regardless of when they discovered his true motivation, they used it against him by making him thinking it still existed. Still with me? ;) In the end, it was all one super complicated and risky bluff that they hoped would result in the Whisperer's imprisonment.

The end. :thud:
Image
Check out our interview with Paul McCusker, author and director of Darien's Rise!
User avatar
J-man
I like Cookies
I like Cookies
Posts: 15347
Joined: April 2005
Location: Probably in front of a computer.
Contact:

Post by J-man »

But how do we know that Whit sent the anonymous call to Rusty?
I guess I can understand how it would be a big scheme to catch the Whisperer, but I didn't think there was enough evidence to come to that conclusion. It makes sense, but.. I dunno. It sounded to me like it was a plan for just in case something like this did happen.


..I'm confusing myself. :anxious:
Image
...I hate marquees.
User avatar
Trent DeWhite
Former Mayor
Posts: 11659
Joined: April 2005
Location: Canada
Contact:

Post by Trent DeWhite »

We know because Jason asked Whit if they could trace the call back to them. Thus, we can infer that one of those two made the initial call to Rusty.
Image
Check out our interview with Paul McCusker, author and director of Darien's Rise!
User avatar
J-man
I like Cookies
I like Cookies
Posts: 15347
Joined: April 2005
Location: Probably in front of a computer.
Contact:

Post by J-man »

Ah, ok. I wonder how many people actually got it.. :-k Because that's pretty complicated.
Image
...I hate marquees.
User avatar
Trent DeWhite
Former Mayor
Posts: 11659
Joined: April 2005
Location: Canada
Contact:

Post by Trent DeWhite »

Well, I certainly didn't get it until Sarah and I were recording our podcast... have a listen and see if it makes any sense. ;)
Image
Check out our interview with Paul McCusker, author and director of Darien's Rise!
User avatar
Mrs Jason Whittaker
Classic
Posts: 648
Joined: March 2008
Location: Mitchell, SD

Post by Mrs Jason Whittaker »

Taq wrote: As I understood it:
1. No, Whit didn't send the call. Whit found out that an anonymous person tipped off Rusty.
2. No, luring The Whisperer out of hiding was not part of the plan. The plan, which encompassed getting rid of The Whisperer, was formed only after The Whisperer came to Odyssey.
There's a scene in the first part of the show where the sidekick tells the Whisperer "Some guy blabbed on his blog that Jason's a secret agent." and the Whisperer's response was that they would have to start their plan sooner. From my understanding, Jason knew the Whisperer had escaped prison and would eventually come for him because he was the one who had put him behind bars. He and Whit planned the sceme to bring him to them on their timing rather than his. That's why Whit placed the anonymous call--to set off the plan.
"Your days, at the most, cannot be long. It would be best to use them for the glory of God and the benefit of your generation."
-William Booth
User avatar
Storm
Catspaw Rocks!
Posts: 769
Joined: February 2008
Location: Somewhere

Post by Storm »

I thought this episode was very predictable, if you can see a theme is going through the season. The writers are copying their earlier ideas. Did anyone notice this was very much like "The Last Adventure of the Summer"? By my opinion, this season has not had much give to it. The episodes although starting bad haven't gotten much better, oh well
Image

1 Timothy 4:12
Do Hard Things
User avatar
Taq
A great mapmaker
Posts: 2848
Joined: April 2005

Post by Taq »

Hmm, it seems I misunderstood the plot. I'll give the episode another listen soon.
Samitude
Pilgrim
Posts: 255
Joined: November 2005
Location: North Carolina

Post by Samitude »

I really liked these two stories. The only thing I think could have been better is if awhile back they would have had the original "Whisperer" story. Then we could have had more background to help us out. We then would have been used to this guy already and would be looking forward to the funny things he does.
User avatar
Taq
A great mapmaker
Posts: 2848
Joined: April 2005

Post by Taq »

So I haven't relistened to the episode, but I did listen to the UAIO Podcast. Sarah, your explanation makes sense. I didn't, however, think the plot was that easy to figure out. :noway: I'm kicking down my rating a little for lack of clarity. I don't think the plot was evident to the reasonable listener. Maybe I'm not reasonable. ;)

I still think Accidental Dilemma is a great 2-parter. Again, I loved hearing from Jason and really appreciated how Grady and Carson were involved.
User avatar
JD
Cheese Wiz Rules
Cheese Wiz Rules
Posts: 2745
Joined: April 2008
Location: That white van right outside your house. Watching your every move. There's a camera behind you
Contact:

Post by JD »

I loved how Jason was ably to pretend to die so easily but so smoothly :bolt:
Image
Save Eugene in the character competition!
Dave
Classic
Posts: 656
Joined: April 2005
Contact:

Post by Dave »

Great episode! Definitely one of my favorites from recent years. The show really emmotionally involved me. The lack of clarity is the only bad thing about this two-parter. 5/5.
User avatar
Crazy 4 Pugs
My posts are revolutionary
Posts: 391
Joined: July 2006

Post by Crazy 4 Pugs »

I really liked it. I actually thought Jason was dead. In a way, it might have good if he really had died. It seems like nothing serious and permanent happens in Odyssey anymore. That being said, I'm glad he's still alive. I doubt he's been permanently written out of the show, but I think maybe it'll be a while before he appears in any more episodes.
Um, I guess this is where I'm supposed to say something funny or interesting.
Chandler

Post by Chandler »

I thought this was a great show! Instead of the writers trying to cook up another serious villain they gave us a clever throwback to villains of the 40s and 50s. Lots of great humor and Jason was in top form. Whit did well also. The human interest story with Grady and his dad was nice. Even the new voice of Tasha was pleasant! Great two-parter, quirky and fun! \:D/
User avatar
aiofan_19
Found
Posts: 305
Joined: April 2009
Location: anywhere my laptop is

Post by aiofan_19 »

I loved this episode! I cried when Jason was "blown up". I truly thought he was dead. I could believe the writers "killed" Jason off the show. I was so happy when I heard his voice again and knew he was still alive! After this episode, I realized how close I have become to these characters.
User avatar
Catspaw
Care Bear Admin
Care Bear Admin
Posts: 30438
Joined: April 2005
Location: Canada
Gender:

Post by Catspaw »

I just relistened to this episode the other day and really enjoyed it! :D Aiofan_19, it is interesting to see how attached we are to our wonderful AIO characters, isn't it? \:D/
Image
User avatar
Ingress Neverwhere
Resident Perditorian
Posts: 362
Joined: March 2009
Location: on the Shining Isle of Anniera

Post by Ingress Neverwhere »

aiofan_19 wrote:I loved this episode! I cried when Jason was "blown up". I truly thought he was dead. I could believe the writers "killed" Jason off the show. I was so happy when I heard his voice again and knew he was still alive! After this episode, I realized how close I have become to these characters.
I know what you mean; it felt almost like a literal punch to the gut. And the reunion between Whit and Jason was bittersweet, because it was obvious that Jason wasn't going to be returning to Odyssey for quite a while.

(let's just hope that when he does return, they don't recycle the amnesia plotline from Eugene's homecoming! ;))

And I may be wrong about this, but when Tasha told Connie about telling Whit to go off on a vacation to grieve properly by himself...I wonder if maybe she was hinting to Connie that Jason was really alive after all?

-Kim
Image
The Bible that is falling apart belongs to the person who isn't.

But nobody else is gonna put it right for me,
Nobody but me is gonna change my story!
Sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty!
Post Reply