835 & 836: David and Absalom

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Pianoman
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835 & 836: David and Absalom

Post by Pianoman »

What are your thoughts on the first part of the new two parter? I really enjoyed it. I've read the story a few times, and remember hearing about it at church a few times, but it's not that popular of a story and it's great Odyssey is doing it. The Tamara part was handle nicely I suppose.... I wondered how that'd work. It's interesting to have siblings in the IS, not sure if that's happened before? IDK. The only thing that was awful was Olivia's crushing, which felt very unrealistic and immature and plain... fake. The premise of the episode was interesting, although it felt very rushed how the kids just stated their problem and Whit just "boom"ed them into the IS. But I guess they needed time for the adventure. ALSO THE MUSIC THOUGH. They changed the theme and I was pretty upset, but I'm assuming it's just a special theme for the episodes. The music sounded very dramatic and movie-esque and interesting, and I see it's because there's a new composer for these episodes. That's why it sounded so different.

So this was a random ramble, but what were your thoughts?
Last edited by Pianoman on Mon Jan 22, 2018 8:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Parakeet
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Post by Parakeet »

Well first off:
When they started their adventure, there wasn't a "Whoaaaaa" which really annoyed me.

Pretty much everything you said I agree with...

I wonder why Olivia is the one involved with all the crush stuff; first Sir Buddy's Snowy Day, now this.

Anywho, that's pretty much it. Guess we have to wait till Wednesday for part 2.
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Pianoman
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Post by Pianoman »

I like part 1 a lot better. The second part is good, but the action is just kind of... Lame, and there were too many confusing names and places. Sure, it's nice it's Biblical and reading off all the information given there, but it's still kinda... Confusing. =p Also, the previously on segment want particularly useful, although the only reason i state this is that I forgot the exact ending of part 1 and didn't really get any help from the recap. The scene with Olivia and David about his past was really good, and i liked Chris's wrap up too. I found the beginning of part 2, especially Olivia's sudden change, kinda confusing. Especially since it had never been said before Absalom wanted to be a Judge. I feel like their were a lot of things that were cut. Two lines made by Matthew bothered me... "Look at that" at the well and "My hands are tied, literally" during the battle that bothered me. The delivery didn't feel natural, and perhaps it's just because Matthew's voice goes up at those points which didn't seem normal. I was never on the Zach fanbus, so i don't really mind the second Matthew, but those lines bugged me. =p His "Prince Hair" jab was nice though.

The story itself has so many other interesting lessons in it other than "heroes" that it is a bit of lame of a moral to choose to emphasise in the episode. However, maybe using "heroes" as only a tacked on thing gave the story more time to teach the lessons itself without pointing then exactly out. Lessons and questions on parental discipline and duties, the result of sins, how to handle disagreements and theological issues, law versus grace and when to draw the line, all came to mind during this two parter, and i think AIO did a great job bringing them out of the Biblical story even if they didn't flesh out the questions.

Also, relistening to part 1, i absolutely love the music. The new theme is different, but actually really good; interesting and catchy. Even the first time i was listening to it, i wanted to right away learn it on the piano.
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Post by MonkeyDude »

I thought it was really good compared to some of the other episodes recently.
Isaiah the Ox wrote:. The premise of the episode was interesting, although it felt very rushed how the kids just stated their problem and Whit just "boom"ed them into the IS.
I totally agree.
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Post by KODY 105 »

This episode, part 1, broadcast 2021-12-20.
David and Absalom
I remember the Sunday night sermons covering 2 Kings over a decade ago. It was covering David and his successors, so people like Absalom. The Bible describes David as a man after God's own heart. And it makes me want to cry to hear how things have gone... sideways in David's old age. I realize a grown man is responsible for his own choices, but the father still probably would have had opportunities to influence those decisions by guiding the grown man in the past.
I remember how this story will go. I wonder how much will directly transpire for the child characters.

Oh, and children! I'm glad it's a story about the kids. For some reason the kids felt less annoying than their full potential! I always remember being impressed about Absalom's hair. I forget what 200 shekels is in weight, but I'm guessing it's a lot. I also wonder why he wouldn't just cut his hair more often.

Oh, but back to the frame story. Any Imagination Station story with David is a winner. It's hard to go wrong when sharing a narrative from the Bible.

Tune in next time to read the rest of my review. 4/5

Reacting to other reviews:
I thought the music sounded a little different, at the beginning. Eh. I think I prefer the original stuff of course, but whatever. The story is the important part, not music.

And I did think the over-the-top crushing was way too overt. I realize it was meant to indicate Absalom's appeal, which was definitely mentioned in the Bible.

[edit]
Part 2, of course, broadcast on 2021-12-21.
Haha, I had forgotten about Ahithophel (sp?). I remember that being the most interesting thing from the Sunday night messages over a decade ago. He did give good advice to Absalom, but God let the good advice go to waste. Ahithophel had his own beef with David, iirc, probably unbeknownst to David. But David's spy had successfully turned Absalom away from the good advice.

I know it's fiction, but that reminds me of Merlin in the Arthurian legends. He always gave good and truthful advice to Arthur, who ignored it every time. (Amusingly, Merlin also gets stuck in a wall of rock for minor and non-political reasons; he was a creep and one of his apprentice women traps him in a wall/cave.)

So Absalom dies. I had forgotten the part that Joab had a hard time drumming up a man to execute Absalom. It sounds like it would be extremely hard to do the right thing in this situation: disobey an order, because the king didn't want anybody hurting his son.

Oh, and the kids! Uh, something about hero worship. Yeah, that is a weird lesson to draw out of this, I guess. I mean, nobody's perfect, and this narrative shows that for sure on all sides.
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