Fixing Current Day Odyssey

[Bren]

At this point, I'm starting to turn against the AIO product to some extent. For me it has started with album 60 so read the spoiler at your own risk.

it seems like Kathy is struggling to write for Wooton and Penny. Paul was doing great with them as a couple but I'm not as thrilled with Kathy writing for them. The Wise family was just strange in my opinion. Nathan did a great job with who is looking into Penny with the episode he wrote. So far I'm not impressed with the 2 parter

I would have Phil write for Whit and also guide the other writers. Phil is the one person who knows what Odyssey is really supposed to be like. But he needs others to see his point of view.

How would you fix your complaints with AIO?

[Lizzy88]

I would definitely have Paul McCusker come back. WHAT HAPPENED THERE AIO???????

[SirWhit]

Bring Phil Lollar and Paul McCusker back. Hurry up with the Wooton and Penny relationship, FOCUS ON MORE KIDS THAT DON'T HAVE THE LAST NAME PARKER, and stahp replacing voice actors every two episodes ;_;

[Pianoman]

Don't do any more "God's Not Dead" episodes or albums... where there are waaaayyy to many plot lines.

Even though nostalgia is fine, I'd almost wish Odyssey (for the most part) would just forget the past... I thought album 51 would just "restart" with a few continuity between albums, but not much. And that's how it seemed to start out. And then they brought back Jack and Joanne and Hand Up, and it basically caused more continuity problems then it solved. I would just prefer them to make their own stories, instead of bringing back some random old character because the fans want it.

I agree... the Parkers have been used way to much lately.

[snubs]

I agree... the Parkers have been used way to much lately.

And now that they just keep replacing Matthew and Camilla, the Parkers could be in the show forever. -_- I liked it when families/characters grew (not necessarily in age) and faded out, and then new families/characters were introduced seamlessly.

[Pound Foolish]

And now that they just keep replacing Matthew and Camilla, the Parkers could be in the show forever. -_- I liked it when families/characters grew (not necessarily in age) and faded out, and then new families/characters were introduced seamlessly.

Ah, yes. Like Robyn, who was around for 11, 12-episode albums. Or like Mandy, with 20 albums. Then there's the Barclays, with, oh, 24 albums. Ah, the good ol' days when characters didn't stick around.

Keep in mind, the once in a long while a character vanished was nearly always because the voices grew too old. Not for creative reasons, and fans never liked it, the writers just weren't in the business of replacements. Now though, the Parkers are the majority of the kid characters! (Emily, Barrett and Jay are the only non-Parkers.) So you can't really just get rid of them when one of them ages, they'd be short five characters. This is an inevitable result of developing each of the characters in a large family, the large family Odyssians asked for for years. Of course a large family has creative drawbacks, but it's nice to finally see one. Personally, I prefer having a handful of characters developed and getting to know their lives intimately to having a number of characters who just hang around and never really catch on, like Oscar, Cody Carper, Zachary, Heather, etc.
(That being said, come back Riley, return to us, Cindy!)

Don't do any more "God's Not Dead" episodes or albums... where there are waaaayyy to many plot lines.

True, they shouldn't do more. But the ones they've done so far are warranted. Many of the plotlines in them began all the way back in GRC, so yeah, high time we got some wrap-up.

Now, this isn't to say the show is currently flawless. I just don't think you guys are hitting on very good flaws.

[snubs]

And now that they just keep replacing Matthew and Camilla, the Parkers could be in the show forever. -_- I liked it when families/characters grew (not necessarily in age) and faded out, and then new families/characters were introduced seamlessly.

Ah, yes. Like Robyn, who was around for 11, 12-episode albums. Or like Mandy, with 20 albums. Then there's the Barclays, with, oh, 24 albums. Ah, the good ol' days when characters didn't stick around.

Keep in mind, the once in a long while a character vanished was nearly always because the voices grew too old. Not for creative reasons, and fans never liked it, the writers just weren't in the business of replacements. Now though, the Parkers are the majority of the kid characters! (Emily, Barrett and Jay are the only non-Parkers.) So you can't really just get rid of them when one of them ages, they'd be short five characters. This is an inevitable result of developing each of the characters in a large family, the large family Odyssians asked for for years. Of course a large family has creative drawbacks, but it's nice to finally see one. Personally, I prefer having a handful of characters developed and getting to know their lives intimately to having a number of characters who just hang around and never really catch on, like Oscar, Cody Carper, Zachary, Heather, etc.
(That being said, come back Riley, return to us, Cindy!)

Yeah, I realize most all the characters/families that left the show were because actors got too old. But, in my opinion, that worked out great for the show. Because it forced new characters and families to come in, along with more stories and life lessons.

I wished the Barclays disappeared a lot sooner than they did. I also never really cared that characters faded out, because new characters were introduced so smoothly I hardly noticed.

I also kind of liked the side characters that they didn't really develop.

I just think the Parkers are in it entirely too much. I don't mind if they stay on the show for a long time, but please could we bring in another family and/or characters? Even if they are just side characters. So that we could finally listen to something other than the Parkers. By the way, I feel the same about Wooton (and some of the other characters)... It seems like I always know to expect the same few characters in every episode, Wooton, Penny, Connie, Eugene, Whit. And the story usually follows that same core group (creating a never ending arc). It's making Odyssey seem very small. There's a lot fewer kids and adults these days.

Not saying I don't like these characters.. because they are some of my favorites, it just seems a little redundant.

[Pound Foolish]

But, in my opinion, that worked out great for the show. Because it forced new characters and families to come in, along with more stories and life lessons.

Sure, which was nice. But while the characters coming in was seamless, it was rarely seamless when the character left. It was usually, "Well, this character's voice has changed, let's show him our *evil chuckle* secret basement." Also, so far as new stories and life lessons, the Parkers still have those. They haven't really gone stale, the writers still think of plenty to do with them.

I also kind of liked the side characters that they didn't really develop.

Lots of people do, and I kind of do... I have mixed feelings. It was always nice to see them and the large cast made aio feel busier. But they sort of make the show cluttered. We had characters we actually needed, and characters certain writers used but otherwise never showed up. Sometimes an episode made me wonder, "Why are you here instead of someone we actually care about?" It just seemed like they had more than they really needed and now they have only characters they actually use and fewer failed experiments. Also, remember, most fans aren't all that old. How many do you think actually could name Courtney or Sam Yawnson or Oscar? Not most of them. The cast is just too big to remember them all especially if you're little or not an obsessive Odyssian.

I just think the Parkers are in it entirely too much. I don't mind if they stay on the show for a long time, but please could we bring in another family and/or characters?

Keep in mind, you're probably also tired of them partially because they haven't used Barrett or Emily or Jay at all recently! It's just the Parker kids. And yeah, true, that's gotten too repetitive and needs to stop. Give me Emily. I suppose a new kid wouldn't hurt either. Preferably just one though. When you think about it, six major kid characters is a lot. They actually have a big cast already.

[snubs]

But, in my opinion, that worked out great for the show. Because it forced new characters and families to come in, along with more stories and life lessons.

Sure, which was nice. But while the characters coming in was seamless, it was rarely seamless when the character left. It was usually, "Well, this character's voice has changed, let's show him our *evil chuckle* secret basement."

I didn't feel that way. After several episodes or album I would be like, huh.. this character isn't in it anymore/they just disappeared. But I wasn't worked up about it.

Also, so far as new stories and life lessons, the Parkers still have those. They haven't really gone stale, the writers still think of plenty to do with them.

It still makes it seem repetitive because it's the same family.

I also kind of liked the side characters that they didn't really develop.

Lots of people do, and I kind of do... I have mixed feelings. It was always nice to see them and the large cast made aio feel busier. But they sort of make the show cluttered. We had characters we actually needed, and characters certain writers used but otherwise never showed up. Sometimes an episode made me wonder, "Why are you here instead of someone we actually care about?" It just seemed like they had more than they really needed and now they have only characters they actually use and fewer failed experiments. Also, remember, most fans aren't all that old. How many do you think actually could name Courtney or Sam Yawnson or Oscar? Not most of them. The cast is just too big to remember them all especially if you're little or not an obsessive Odyssian.

I can't say I feel the same sentiment. However, only once or twice I did wonder the same thing about using one character over another. But again, it didn't bother me. I can say though, that I wasn't a huge fan of the Julie/Heather phase.

I just think the Parkers are in it entirely too much. I don't mind if they stay on the show for a long time, but please could we bring in another family and/or characters?

Keep in mind, you're probably also tired of them partially because they haven't used Barrett or Emily or Jay at all recently! It's just the Parker kids. And yeah, true, that's gotten too repetitive and needs to stop. Give me Emily. I suppose a new kid wouldn't hurt either. Preferably just one though. When you think about it, six major kid characters is a lot. They actually have a big cast already.

I'm not a big fan of Emily (or even Olivia), and was never too excited about Jay.. I also didn't like Camilla at first. She's all right now.

[SirWhit]

Six major kid characters?

• Matthew
  Camilla
  Olivia
  Buck

Looks like four to me. Sure, we have Emily and Jay, but they only show up maybe once per album, whereas the parkers are in like, every episode ever.

[Pound Foolish]

I'd admit that's what it's like at least the last couple of albums, though not for the majority of albums since the relaunch. If you count the last two six pack albums as one though, that's not even true. Emily and Jay were in a number of episodes in Ties That Bind. And if, at your suggestion, we're counting Buck as a kid, that's seven.