The AIO Fan's Life

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You've Probably Guessed It, But. .

. .but I'm going to no longer update this blog. It's time to move on to bigger and grander things, like writing books, competing in the NaNoWriMo, searching for PopTarts, and the like. Oh, and pretty soon college.

To be honest, I'm a bit sad. I've been blogging for quite a few years, and I'm definitely going to miss making fun of Emily and Buck, and ranting about Penny or Wooton, or being snarky. It's been fun. 

BUT.

It's not over!

Some of you have doubtless been following or reading on my other blog, Josh the Normal. I'll be posting there at least twice a month starting next year. And I'm still around in the Interwebz elsewhere. I'm always around. Just like Big Brother. 

So to everyone who's been with me since 2009, muchas gracias! Thank you for not hating (and for hating), and for coming back even when I bashed your favorite characters. For putting up with my awkward immaturity in my earlier years (and who's to say it's completely gone now, EH?). For coming back even when I took forever in responding. I thank you.

And let it never be said that I ended something on a serious note, because. .

. . .

. . .

I just lost the Game. And so did you.

--Marvin 

Groundhog Jay

Because I feel so nice. .I'm actually gonna review Groundhog Jay. Feel special, random person who's reading this.

Okay, so before I start this, I just wanna say--why are all these inventions coming back in overkill? We've had Matthew's 2-episode adventure in the Imagination Station,  Emily's really short adventure in the IS, and Barret's 3-part adventure in the Room of Coincedences--er, Consequences. Why? Everything comes in huge doses nowadays. First we get a bunch of new characters--and always the same ones, for the most part--and now a huge amount of some of Whit's inventions, which, for the most part, haven't been used on the air since Album 50. BUT WHY NOW?

Anyways. So we begin with Barrett and Priscilla--who sounds like a typical teenage girl who doesn't like talking a lot. Meh. As usual, Jay is my favorite character--quite possibly out of ALL the characters since the relaunch. "Tata, cheerio, and all that." Awesome. 

So, Jay sets them off onto an adventure to goodness knows where (how does Priscilla know he's started it if she doesn't "do it"? Hmm?)--and they wind up outside of Whit's End. Not somewhere with King Arthur. Boo. 

"Open Sesame!" Jay goes, quickly deciding that he doesn't wanna stick around. But why not try going to the RoC again? And take an adventure? And see what happens? In fact, if I were them, why not talk to Whit and tell them that this was an adventure that they were in?! Wouldn't it be cool?! Er. Harry With the Slightly Distracting Unibrow apparently knows Jay from somewhere, somehow, and is mad with him, so he takes him out to have a "discussion". .when everything resets. Whaa?
 
So Priscilla is a smartie and figures out that this is supposed to happen when everything repeats, and quickly figures out that Jay is actually supposed to be Barrett. But in comes Harry With the Slightly Distracting Unibrow. Again. Yay. QUICK YOU GUYS FIGURE IT OUT.  And then. .the program resets. Again. Oh, joy. 

Once again. They're at the start. Jay, who's getting annoyed, demands that Priscilla figure out the solution. Together, they try to put the pieces together. Harry is upset about something that Barrett called him about, so Jay runs as fast as he can. Connie doesn't spill the soda floats this time, so is that a sign? So Priscilla decides that something's happening at the moment they arrive, so they need to do something. .and it resets again. *sigh*

So now it's what, time #4? Jay vows to make sure that Harry With the Slightly Distracting Unibrow will RUE THE DAY! *loved the reference* So Priscilla says they should go out the front door as opposed to the back door. .and see Harry-bruzer. Why does Jay know bushes, though? He likes to sneak around? They listen to the conversation Harry has with his little brother, and so they follow the little kid for more clues. .involving presents =o So they follow the kid, and Jay is impressed that Priscilla has a secret side. .and they listen in on the conversation Mikey has with the store clerk. More info is gleaned about this. .stolen present *blinks* But what decision is Barrett supposed to make? 

As they keep following Mikey, Jay suddenly decides to quit ("Every action has an opposite fraction," he says), and he runs from Harry the Barbarian. .into the bushes. Again. And they see Harry. .with Jay. WHAT? Mikey comes out, and the real Jay critiques the RoC Jay on his manly looks. But then we find out what the surprise is! It's a bike! And right here, I think I've figured out what Barrett wants to do. He wants to give Harry money to get a new bike for Mikey. Maybe? *is still listening* The real Jay gets ready to see RoC Jay get beaten. .not. The real Jay goes out and demands that Harry lets go of the RoC Jay--who the real Jay calls Mr. America--and grab him, the real one (but not too tight, mind you.)  The real Jay tells Harry to threaten to pound him. .and they reset. 

Thanks to Jay's smartness AND good looks, they're back in Whit's End. Jay takes the sodas from Connie, sets them down, and then tells Priscilla everything. He and Vance saw Mikey's bike, and Vance decides to take it. .well, Jay does. So why does Barrett take the adventure?  And then Jay realizes! He tells Harry-bruzer/the Barbarian that the kid named Jay Smouse took it. .and that he's sorry. Again, really. JAY HAS A HEART. Between that little escapade with the old woman in Album. .54? And this? And his worrying over Uncle Wally? Jay's good. 

And so the adventure comes to an end! At last! And Barrett tells Jay everything. .but really? This was the best way to go around it? Sneaking to make sure Jay does what's right? Blah. 

Still, I'm glad we had an episode with Jay, although the point seemed kinda. .meh. Do the right thing. We have a lot of episodes about doing the right thing, but at least it was done in a more creative way. And so I give this episode a 7/10. 

Au revoir,
Marvin




Of Episodes and Blogs, and the Like

Okie days. First thing. General thoughts over the episodes I've missed, no? Which aren't. .that many, actually =P

Child's Play--I heard the first half at Christian's house, and didn't finish it until far later =P However! It was nice to see Eugene and Katrina with kids for an extended period of time. It added some. .depth to them. Especially after what happened in "To Mend and Repair." I really do hope at some point they decide to have kids, although Eugene is slightly more. .scary as a parent. 

Something Old, Something New--I heard this episode when I was in New York, but only the first one. Since I already knew what was going to happen and was positively annoyed, I had no desire to hear any more of Mitch. In fact, I didn't listen to part 2 until September, quite some time after Christian gave me Album 56. Honestly. .it was just meh. Frankly, anything with Wooton and Penny is, for starters. And then Emily. And then Mitch. Yes, the whole thing about regrets was okay, but really? Why drag Mitch in just to have him tell the world he's getting married? Why wouldn't he have kept in contact before? Then there's the end, where Whit talks to Connie. I didn't like it. I'm never going to get used to Andre, but whenever he's discussing something that he, the actor wasn't around for, it feels. .wrong. Whatever. 

Thus ends Album 55. 56 started just recently. .and while the premiere was great, the next 2 episodes were. .not so great. 

The Perfect Church--Finally! The Imagination Station! Just like what Kelly did during her adventure. The door thing is interesting, although it seems we jump quickly through time now. It's great to hear from actors who we don't normally hear from, and it was very realistic. The Pentecost scene was so. .real. It was almost as if I was actually there. From healing the lame man to the discussions the characters had, it had a lot of depth and meaning to it. But for some
reason, the 2nd episode didn't have the same feel as the 1st. There was a lot more talking, and everything seemed to jump around in time, and the scenes moved quickly. The only part which I actually somewhat liked was the end with Stephen.

Great Expecations—Okay. Emily. EVERYTHING WAS GOING SO WELL BEFORE THIS D: As soon as she walks in, she sounds. .giggly. Like Buck’s around again. Then again, that’s Emily. I’m so glad to hear from Joanne, but if they’ve been in town, why haven’t they ever been around? It’s what really annoys me about the relaunch. We had all these characters—Marvin, Tamika, Grady, Mandy, Trent, Kelly, and some of the older ones like Jimmy, Curt, Jack, Lucy, and Jared, but just like that they’re gone. All their work. .and we don’t hear from them? Not even one? instead, we’re overrun with the Parkers and Jones and the occasional friend practically every episode, and it makes me wonder if anyone ELSE visits Whit’s End now. Anyways. The Imagination Station adventure was in no way a classic for me. I disliked it. First, it was too short, and secondly, the scenes jumped around so quickly, and was so disjointed it made little to no sense at all. There was no connection, and because of the time before and after the adventure, there was so little time dedicated to the actual adventure it felt like we were missing out. Ultimately, I felt as if there was nothing gained, and other than hearing Joanne again (and hearing Whit’s gonna take flying lessons. .), that was it. Also, I feel something needs to be done about Whit. They can’t freeze him in time permanently. He’s younger already, and, assuming he fought in World War II at the age of 20, by now he’d be. .far older than he is =P More like, 90.

Now. A quick look at Odyssey in general. Album 51 and 52 were, for the most part, pretty bad. There were a few good episodes here and there, but generally, nothing redeeming. Then 53. It was okay. I’m glad the mystery didn’t center around Matthew and Emily, but at the same time. .well, if any of you have read my 1,000+ word reviews on those, you know my feelings. 54 and 55 definitely were far better, but there’s always a feeling of. .longing. For things to return to how they were. They never will, obviously, but with all the new characters, what can we expect? It also seems more targeted at younger kids now, something it didn’t do as heavily before. I do hope that there’s some change. Somehow. Maybe. =P

SECOND SUBJECT OF CONCERN.

Odyssey blogs.

Can you guess what I’m gonna say?

There’s too many. Now, I am NOT saying all the new blogs are supposed to close down. That wouldn’t be fair. But at the same time, I’ve looked around all the various blogs on my Kindle, and there seem to be so many I can’t tell one from the other! The only one I really visit is the Odyssey Scoop and The Voice of Odyssey, and I also go to Old Judge’s on occasion since it’s the only other one that really sticks out. But when there are so many blogs that all practically write the same thing the other ones are doing, what’s the difference? And before you say I’m being a hypocrite, I’ve wondered if I was doing it xD In fact, I’ve considered closing this down. .but for now, I won’t. There’s this one blog I stumbled over that had lots of fan-drawn art, I believe. That’s different. Something unlike the other blogs. It stood out to me. If the other blogs found something that set them apart, it would make them more. .unique. interesting. Instead of reporting the new devotional Odyssey’s bringing out, just like the other 39 blogs are doing. Does anyone understand? =P

FINAL SUBJECT OF CONCERN.

The Official Podcast.

. . .

I think I’ll save that for another day, since everyone probably hates me for what I already said.

Marvin

Hey peeps.

That's right. I'M BACK. AND I'M HERE TO STAY. 

However, I feel too lazy to review any episodes right now. In fact, I haven't even heard  Great Expectations yet. NaNoWriMo is starting soon, and so is school, and there's plenty of housework, so we'll see how things work.

But I'm not going anywhere now ;)

Marvin  

Yes, I Still Live. .

. .is anyone still around? *brushes off dust and turns on a light*

Good. This thing still works. I remembered my password. .

Yep. I'm alive.

The last few months have been  quite busy, and it's only now things have slowed down. .but I won't be blogging, still :P I just thought I'd post for the few people who actually still check *coughs* But! I got to see Christian again last week (it seems much longer. .) before we left, which was pretty cool, since we didn't think it would work out.

I also have been listening to the Album 55 episodes again (since I didn't review them, nor plan to), but I will say Odyssey is definitely better than the earlier albums. .except for Whit. I don't think I'll ever get used to Andre Stojka. Ever.

*vanishes to the beaches again*

Marvin 

And it's finally here. .

Hey gaise.
I leave tomorrow. Today's our last full day here. We've been busy all day long, and I was ready to go to bed at 4 p.m. This last week has been one of the busiest ever, second only to the week before camp. We're all tired, stressed, and cranky =P Anyways, we leave for the airport around 6 our time, and the flight takes off at 10:15 p.m., which is 6:15 ET. It's a direct flight with United Airlines to Chicago, with a technical stop at Washington DC. After that, we're in Missouri. .we arrive Tuesday afternoon, I think. On Wednesday I meet with an internet friend. .and on May 4 I arrive at Christian's house.
Here is the thread you can keep updated (at least, when I do update.) 
So if anyone could pray, it'd be appreciated. Thanks guys! 
Marvin 

Hiatus! Sort of. .

So for now. .my blog will be on hiatus. You may go ahead and cry now. 

Or not.

I will, for those of you who are curious enough, post again to give you a link to which I will ocassionaly post what's going on as I travel. I'll probably update sometime when I'm at Christian's house, and who knows when?

Also, I've added a Blog Archive thing on the side, so you can search by months :P Hope you're happy Christian.

That's all for now, folks.

Marvin 

[Insert snarky/clever title which I don't want to make up]

I have returned. Again. With a bucketload of reviews. Okay, maybe not. I have no idea how long my resolve is going to last. So, what better way then to just get started?

I listened to 3 episodes from Album 54 last week--I've only heard a few of them--and I thought I'd give my thoughts. (Get it? Laugh.)

Unbecoming Jay--This was an episode I couldn't decide if I hated/liked it. First, Cindy. I KNOW I didn't like her. Jay also got on my nerves, and I really don't like Barrett and Priscilla. The ongoing romantic saga between is. .blech. I don't like it. I wish they'd stay just friends. I *did* like the plot, however, but another thing I don't like is Mr. Whitaker. Yes, I said it. I don't like Andre Stojka as Whit. I might write a short post about that, but I doubt I'll have the time. Ultimately. .it was not a good episode, except for the ending scene. 

The Amazing Loser--Okay, this was better than the last. .except we had Barrett and Priscilla. Again. Characters feel overused on the show. It's always Whit and Connie and Wooton and Eugene, and for the kids, it's Matthew and Jay and Barrett and Priscilla, with the occasional appearance of other characters. It also didn't help that although there were other kids in the scavenger hunt we only stayed with those same 4 characters. What I DO like is the constant tension between Barrett and Jay. The little girl made me melt, even if she was lying =P I'm a sucker for little kids. *cough* MOVING ON. As for the end with Whit. .as I said, I really don't like him. There's something about him that's just completely different and doesn't make him Whit. Also, I wish that Barrett and Priscilla hadn't won, because those who do the good stuff almost always--in stories at least--get the happy ending. Ah, well.

You're Two Kind--VALERIE. OH NO. HIDE. She sounds most annoying. .and annoys me. We need fewer of these types of girls on the show and more of our original characters. Whatever happened to them? And huzzah for other kid characters! It was good to hear from Ryan, and I really enjoyed that half of the episode. Brad sounds like a character they should have around more, even though he doesn't seem as if he's a Christian. As for Katrina and Connie's little 'scheme', it kind of bugs me. They're basically doing something sneaky to get someone else to confess. .which was the same thing Whit did in the the maltball episode. What he did was wrong, too. Sure, the kids had done wrong, but Whit had no right to go hide them to 'force them to confess', and then act as if he had no idea what had happened to them. So, that was an average episode.

Next up, the conclusion to The Labyrinth. I don't want to write a full-out review of that because I've already spent a lot of time on the above three. I'm just going to sum it up *very* quickly. I knew Mycroft would make the right decision, and ultimately, as it all built up, I finished chewing all my fingernails--and up to now, they haven't quite grown again; one of my fingers is purple after getting into an accident with the bread machine. The whole capture scene with Dale and Ann was ruined by Ann, who reminded me far too much of Wooton in the Green Ring Conspiracy. We do NOT need this now. No. No. No. I do hope we hear from Sew again--she has more potential than Valerie Swanson or Cindy would. And finally, the conclusion. I'd read about what Billings would do, so it was no surprise when it happened. It was MUCH better than him secretly working for Mr. Grote and just pulling this off, and to be honest, I kind of actually wanted him to get rid of Grote that way. The whole scene was one of the best scenes ever, and when Jason told Billings to get ready to shoot him, I almost hoped it would happen. Now, in NO way do I not like Jason, but so far, few major characters have ever died on the show, and at the moment, only Karen comes to mind. Mitch doesn't count, either. Having a character like Jason die on the show would be. .interesting in Odyssey. Anyways, we never did find out how Jason stopped Billings, which was good/bad. If they'd done it, it probably would have been something lame. Then again, I somehow wished that they had told us what had happened. Then comes the final scene, and the possibility of Jason settling down seems actually. .possible. I'm not sure, though. He said he wanted to that in the Novacom saga, but he also said in The Decision he couldn't stay in Odyssey for good. In Malachi's Message he felt restless. Then comes the part about praying. Will he quite ever learn? The same thing happened in the Blackgaard Saga, and he mentioned it in the Novacom Saga. Also, AIO always puts more emphasis on prayer, which is good, but they always stop there. There's so much more than just praying. Jason asked Sue if she prayed, and what if she said yes? Would that imply she were a Christian? I know people who pray but aren't saved. There's more to it than just that. Regardless, without having the new Whit, and few characters, an epic plot, British accents, and an amazing ending, this episode gets a 9.5/10 stars.

You probably are all bored with me, but there is one more episode to review. .today's. I was one of the first people to listen to it as I listened to it early morning our time, which was still. .before midnight, California time :P 

So Eugene's busy again. .reminds me of the days after Katrina left. When Whit told Connie the news that we've all been dying to know, I felt. .normal. For two reasons. One, I'd figured it out, and two, there wasn't enough emotion from Whit, nor was the scene continued there. It wasn't as effective as it could have been. However, when Katrina was watching the real time fishing. .there it became real. She sounded different, she didn't want to go out. .that was what made it real. Then Mrs. Kramer. .I like her. We should hear more of her in the upcoming days. The book club was just a bad scene. What was the point? Have something realistic, actually. And then Whit and Eugene had their talk, and some sense was knocked into him. Right at the end, when he sort of broke down, I was glad. As in, that it happened. It made the whole thing more serious. We rarely ever spend much time on Eugene's emotions, so that was quite possibly one of the best parts. Now, don't forget Barrett and Priscilla. Again. *sigh* Why did they make it a big deal to read the announcements? *anxious* and I do hope Priscilla actually just got nervous, and that she does know the Pledge. That's like, knowing your name. Like she said =P The scene with Connie and Priscilla was deep enough so that it showed us that it's not all fun with those two. I did wish, however, the episode was only on those two, but I suppose this was done to make it not too. .serious? However, by far the best scene was the very last one. It was nice to actually listen to Katrina and Eugene have some. .quality time, and his being an answer to prayer. It was a very good episode, and I'll give it an 8/10, mainly lowered due to the Barrett and Priscilla part.

Well. That was certainly a long post. Kudos if you read it all. And I looked through it, and I don't think there was anything funny, so I apologize xP 

Marvin

I'M LATE I KNOW BUT HERE IT IS!

Okay peoples.

I haven't reviewed any of the last 3 episodes, I know. IN MY DEFENSE. .I'm busy. Yes, I know, that's lame. But I am. I'm considering shutting this down. .until the end of October :P At the moment, I have an abortion paper to edit and prepare for a presentation next month, a video presentation to work on, and a story to finish edit. Not to mention housework and school. That, and the fact that I'm very sick. 

BUT TO BE NICE. I shall hastily rush through reviewing the episode. .not that many of you even care that I do/do not review them, anyways xD

Okay. I listened to Episode 1 when it came out. .and the last 2 today. And to sum them all up, they're totally awesome. Why? IT TAKES PLACE IN FREAKING LONDON, FOLKS. That's ENGLAND. HOME OF DOCTOR WHO! *dies* Every time I watch a Dr. Who episode, I feel compelled to walk around the house talking in a British accent. AND WE HAD FISH AND CHIPS! *dies again* FISH AND CHIPS! Ahem. 

So besides it being in England. .we have Jason! And no Penny/Wooton/Whit/Eugene/Connie! Seriously, they've become the major characters of the show, and it's quite annoying. It was nice to have only Jason, and a brand new host of memorable characters: Sew, Agent Billings, Mycroft, Mr. Grote, and all the others. And of course, we can't forget Dale and Ann. 

Let's talk about Dale and Ann really quickly. To be frank, I disliked Ann for the most part. She sounded far too young to be Dale's wife, more like his daughter. Also, she seemed to be that. .comical character. Seriously, AIO? Seriously? Wooton's enough. In the middle of danger, we don't need another Wooton-ripoff! After a dangerous escapade, she's all "OMGSH THAT WAS TOTALLY AWESOME LETS DO THAT AGAIN ROFL!!" (I exaggerated. A little.) For example, when Dale and Jason had their talk, she interrupts, "I still can't believe Reggie Finger's a real name." Now, I'm like, "QUIET, WOMAN! GO BACK INTO THE KITCHEN AND MAKE ME MY SAMMICH."

Now, to the actual adventure itself. Yes, London. Instant epic points. The MI5? More epic points. Awesome accents that sound FAR better than the annoying Jacques? UBER MEGA AWESOME POINTS. So we open up with Agent Billings and. .the other agent *goes to check who it was* ah, yes, Agent Florin are talking. I find it quite nice that we have little back story and jump into the adventure quickly. .with a bunch of weird names. The Grinder? Reggie Fingers? I instantly liked Reggie Fingers because of his sense of. .sarcasm and his weird name. And then we meet Sue. She. .wasn't a character I liked that much, but her wit for such a young age made her. .a dimensional character. 

*fast forwards now rapidly*

Jason calls Whit. .but nothing ever came out of that. Interesting. And then we're introduced to Dale and Ann. .and BOY, has it been a long time. I only wished we could have had Melanie and Robyn after all this time. Dale and Sue end up going to the hotel to retrieve the suitcase. .and there's some lying, as expected. We keep dealing with this theme so much that it's almost. .repetitive. That was basically GRC, and now this again. All "the labyrinth". ENOUGH OF IT ALREADY. 

Sue fits in a suitcase? Seriously? That's a little. .impossible. I mean, no matter how small. .I don't really think that's possible. And of course, we have a good old fashioned chase. .and we jump into the next episode.

Hmm, we had a previously segment. I like. But it was far too long, peoples :P WE DON'T NEED AN ENTIRE RECAP! Then we see what's in the briefcase. .along with smart remarks from Ann and Sue -_- Nice stuff, though. .and then the Alamo. Most interesting. It was a little predictable that Jason would ask Ann to hide it somewhere that he wouldn't know as that's what they always do =P

Then we had the auction scene, which was quite reminscient to the GRC scene, along with the one with Wooton and Victoria. For once Ann played a useful role and gave Jason some information, so she's better than Wooton, just by that. SORRY, WOOTON. OR NOT. The conversation Jason had with Lord Brownlow was an interesting one, especially after Jason had to untie the poor driver at the end. I immediately felt suspicious of the Lord, and for hopefully obvious reasons. The US President? Niiiice. Now, I was just thinking, because this is fictional and all, how does this relate to real life? I mean, President Obama never went over there. .and nothing like this ever happened, so how far to the edge of fiction does Odyssey push it all? 

Up to this point, I wasn't all that impressed with the episodes. .besides the accents :P It still seemed somewhat childish, but it took a turn starting with the toxic chemical spills. SOUND THE ALARM! IT'S TIME! Jason initiates the Alamo, and one of the best scenes (second only to the next-to-last scene of Episode 3) happens right there. The Alamo ended in tragedy. .just like this could. And Jason agrees. I died right then. .and chewed more fingernails. (As I type this, all my fingernails are gone :P I ate them all *coughs*) 

And he's off to the hospital, and once more Sue saves the day. .I do wonder what had happened before in the hospital, though. Nothing good though. And then, BOO! Agent Billings! AW YEAH. WE HAVE A SCUFFLE! #winner There was none of this in GRC. .we really need this :P And then we learn all about Koflax. .which reminds me just a little bit about Ruku. Everything starts to fall in place now, and the climax (sort of) begins. Billings leaves, Sue comes up to Jason and tells him she's sorry. Now, in retrospect, I wonder. She said she was sorry, twice here. Could it be that she began to feel guilty when she saw him then and apologized later? *shrugs*

Now for the final scene of this episode! We finally meet *drum roll* MISTERRRRR GRRROOTTEEEEE. And to be frank. .he didn't impress me much :P His first line was okay, but after that. .he was *not* that impressive. His voice just tuned me off. I WILL give him credit because he kept his cool despite everything Jason said--smart cookie, that Jason. And then the conclusion: Use whatever methods you need to get the truth. My goodness. EPIC WIN. This got better and better. .

Okay. That ended up being long. And there's another episode. BUT WORK CALLS. SO! If at least someone says something, I shall try to write the conclusion. I know, it wasn't sarcastic, really. .but I HAVE REASON, OKAY? 

To end this all off, here is some of the background music I was listening to while working:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKqjz8ZHU6c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Scjl7wi1BS4

Yes, foreign music. There was Danish, Dutch, and Japanese as well. ENJOY.

Marvin

 

The Deep End

The final episode summaries for Album 55 have been revealed! Something Old, Something New I and II are the last two.

Penny brainstorms ways to promote Connie's wedding planning business and one of her schemes dramatically backfires. Meanwhile, Matthew and Emily investigate a woman who may be trying to scam Jacque Henri.

So Penny again? I can't say I'm that excited about her, but I'll manage. And Jacque Henri. .I'll be frank. He annoys me. With his over-exaggerated French accent, he gets on my nerves. I know native French people, and they sound nothing like him. 

Anyway! I just realized we have a 4-parter, 2 3-parters, and one 2-parter episode, leaving us with only 2 normal length episodes. That will be most interesting. I'm anxious to listen to The Labyrinth. I haven't listened to the first episode, but I already know who comes back. Yes, I spoiled it. On purpose. 

The episodes are now available for download, but like many, I'll be waiting =P I can keep my self-control, and I really don't have that much of an urge to listen to it (which is not to say that I wouldn't take it if someone gave it to me!)

Now, The Hunger Games movies, on the other hand. . .

Yes, MAINE, this was for you :P (I also downloaded a movie shot of Peeta, and it's my wallpaper xD) 

Marvin

 

Episode Twelve, Part One

Here's the first part of my review. Brownie points for whoever reads it all xD

Episode Twelve

You know, it's kind of hard to believe we're here at the end. This is my third time right here, but it's still like...wow. You know, we're finally here. It took a few months for it to air online, and it took me about a week to listen to it all, but this whole thing probably took less than a week for it to happen to the Odyssey guys. Nonetheless, it's time to wrap up most of our loose ends: what will happen to Jason, where Connie, Penny, and Wooton will go, how Polehaus and Whit will stop the bad guys, what will become of Buck and Katrina, and everything else all here. And so...let's begin.So we start off with a rather exciting music prelude for the episode, which I think helps the listeners get ready for what is going to take place in the clincher episode of the latest saga. It begins with Don Polehaus screaming at poor Martin. Over twenty miles of chasing  trucks and nothing found? Well, we do know that something else is afoot, even if we aren't sure. Polehaus, though, is completely ballistic and demands that all the drivers be arrested and each truck disassembled piece by piece. See, Polehaus? I told you, prepare for the worst. But no, he's overconfident-which, that whole popcorn as victory scene seemed so fake-and now he's totally let down. Told you so! Now, he goes to try to see what Whit found. Quickly, Eugene, Whit, and Polehaus get together on a group conference call to see what there is to tell...which isn't much. Eugene asks if the old Ross compound was searched, which is their best bet. After all, quite a bit of the evidence is pointing that way. Matthew and Emily's information seems to prove that there's a fifth compound. All their work actually is helpful. It almost seems too easy, though, that everything they found points in the right direction: an underground bunker, which we know is where our trio was kept, and where it could possibly be hidden. If there were some false information included, or at least something which wouldn't quite help them, it would have made this more realistic. But, no, everything leads right where it needs to. So off they are to the Ross compound to raid the place. HUZZAH! OFF TO THE BAD GUYS! Well, actually not. Nothing but hay bales. Yay, Polehaus. Seriously, kid-er, detective. Tone down on all the know-it-all stuff. You would think after ALL THIS he would learn. Sometimes, I wonder who knows better. Or maybe he's just too cocky. But then Whit sees the raspberry soda, the Winnie the Pooh blanket...now who would that be? A little kid, of course. I mean, no SENSIBLE grown up would use that kind of blanket or make that kind of mess, now would they? Oh wait. I forgot something. We're talking about Wooton here, who obviously has NO BRAINS and can't even add two and two without making some smart remark. YES, WOOTON WAS KIDNAPPED. If they told me to pay ransom money for Wooton, do you think I would? Good heavens no. Let him go ahead and die. He'll go eating all the way down. Blah. Polehaus, though, is stressed because not only is this a kidnapping situation, but also there's the money. So where was Penny and Connie and Wooton taken to? We know it's not by roads, but where? Whit, however, has only one more hope. And it had better work, or everything is finished for.*more epic music*Finally, Monty gets what he's probably been waiting for. Well, I was, at least. He now goes into the nurse and he has the full authority to come in the room. The nurse goes away, and I can't help but think that she sounds like a whiny little kid saying, "You bet I'm gonna tell Mommy!" as she stomps off. Then Monty turns to Dirk and threatens him with the Stiletto. Thankfully, Odyssey makes all the clashes between these guys very...mild. I can't imagine what it would be like if they said whatever they wanted to. We'd prolly here a few...choice words coming out. Then again, this is kid's-friendly...Finally, Dirk decides to spill. And we find out some more. After the history...And then we figure out the numbers are. Numbers of freight cars attatched to a private train.The news quickly gets around to the good gang really fast. Matthew and Emily quickly put their heads together and-amazingly fast for kids younger than me, not to say I'm old or anything :P-figure out everything just like that. It's kinda way too fast to see that the lines on the map could mean this or that. It's just...well, Odyssey stuff. We immediately go back to Dirk and Monty. The whole plan was ingenious. I mean, come on. Taking separate freight cars and trains on non-used railroads to smuggle millions of counterfeit dollars around the country? That's....genius. Nobody would ever find it. Finally, the nurse comes in at a not-crucial time for a change, and Monty leaves, once again threatening Dirk about remembering everything. Does he like to threaten Dirk? Hmm...Once again, epic Skint music before we go to Skint and Buck. Finally, we see "the good hear that Buck has" start to come out a little bit more, as he wonders about Wooton and Penny and Connie and if they'll be okay. True, he might be a little soft...but he's still a criminal down there, a sinner like us all. Katrina only says that he has such a good heart. But, he's still on the shady and gray side, Katrina... And really, Buck. After all you've seen of Skint, and he says there's just one more loose end to tie up, don't you think that that loose end could be potentially something dangerous? I mean, come on. You would have learned by now! However, he trusts Skint and is off to do something we're all sure is going to cause a lot more trouble. Oh, Buck.No, no, no, it's Wooton again! *covers ears* Connie, naturally, is panicking. Wooton, on the other hand, merely says they're making good time. Thanks, Wooton! ._. Connie keeps looking for a way out of here, and Wooton doesn't care at all. Naturally. Penny, though, is moping about the biggest criminal in the world who was actually the same guy she had a crush on. Finally we have a little moral of sorts in the scene. Connie says that we should put our trust in God and the Bible and the Holy Spirit, which will help us discern between right and wrong. Now would have been a good time for her to mention that the only way it can happen is if we accept Christ. But she skips over that, and instead of letting Wooton say something with a moral, what happens? He switches the subject. One more thing to dislike Wooton for. Come on, really. I have lost all respect for Wooton whatsoever. If I ever liked him, I take it back. He has no sunk down to a level below Amber, Barrett, Olivia, and every character I hate, even Nelson. *stops before ranting* And then, he oh-so calmly says that there's a way out, and he doesn't even sound excited about it. REALLY? But, we find the Stilletto! For Jason to wake up like that and be able to keep his accent means that I'm gonna give him kudos. I mean, when I wake up, and I have a fake accent I'm trying to keep running..I don't manage to if I just woke up. But, that's really good. Wooton jokes again about the whole ticket thing, so I'll avoid making a comment about it. Connie, however, realizes that the Stiletto is someone familiar. That shows she stills knows Jason no matter where he is. He then gives Connie a hint about the plates we heard about awhile back, and then tells them to get off the train. Or brace themselves. Naturally, that sounds like something Jason would say before he did it. He's off to...stop the train. Go, Jason! And...literally, he runs away. And...on top of the train. That's just like Jason....a nice nostalgic like feeling even here. Back to Mr. Polehaus the Cocky, who's once again dumbfounded when they don't find any of the trains when the group arrives there. I'll skip my normal rant right here, so I won't ramble again. Promise. However, Whit has everything under control, as he just pushes his cellphone and calls his detective agency. I kinda find it weird how he's acting here. "Oh, let ME find out by calling me agency. They know everything, ya know?" Anyways, Eugene, Matthew, and Emily trace the path...and where do you think it leads? To Haggler's Junk Yard. Now this I find interesting. This is kind of where everything really kicked off, now it looks like major stuff can happen here with the train headed there and all. And of course, if it passes through there without being stopped, the money goes all around the country, and who knows what happens after that? I'd feel kind of helpless if it had come to that and would want to give up, because I'd feel like no matter what I'd done, it still had failed. Why keep on? However, Whit tells Eugene to keep on praying because things are getting more dangerous. And yeah, when all is screwed up, the best person to turn to is God. No matter how bad things are. We can't ever forget it.Yet another phone call is made, this time by Eugene to Wally and Jay. They hear the train is coming, but they don't know where the rails are. That is kinda freaky, you know, not knowing where a train could possibly pass by? Then Eugene says he's never stopped a train before. Possible "In Harm's Way", the video? Of course, there is the excuse that he didn't help, or that the video time isn't relevant to the audio, which is more canon...However, Matthew and Emily put their brains to good use (not that it hasn't been for the last several minutes) and see that the tracks lead in two different ways. And then Wally divulges that there's a track which goes through the shed. Everything kind of quickly tumbles in place. But, there's no time to really think about what's going to happen. I really wouldn't have been able to have made a decision this fast. Eugene told Wally that no matter what, stopping the train was the utmost priority. But he had to think of what would happen to the others. Jeez, that would be a tough situation. However, Matthew's work with the train oh so many episodes ago finally plays its role. I told you something would happen with it! Emily giggles about it-seems she's forgotten Buck-and is glad that he knows about it. Boy, she shifts opinions really fast. Nontehelss, he tells Wally and Jay what to do, and they're off. But I loved Jay's remark here about Matthew not being a man. Jay for the win! But yeah, save the remark for later? Time is ticking out-go pull the switch! Okay, so we go back to the train. That first guy who talks is Jess Harnell, who reminds me of Mortimer from Matthew's ride in the Inspiration Station. The second one reminds me off Dave from the Slow Walk Down Gilead Lane Podcast doing a voice. I re-listened to it, and it surely sounds like it. Conspiracy, possibly? *knows it's Phil Lollar, still* And if not-sue me. I'm weird. I think that's been stated quite a few times. But anyway, all these voices sound so fake right here, that when the two guys and Jason start squabbling, it feels like the epitome of sitting in a room with people who can't act :/ I mean, they come off as just so...weird. But anyways, the three guys are all trying to either keep the train running or stop it, and it almost comes off as hilarious. In fact, if it weren't for the music interlude, I highly doubt I would have remembered it's actually something dangerous going on here.We don't go too far away, just right over to Wally and Jay. I think Jay's finally realized the importance of this situation. After all, he yells for Wally to hurry up. C'mon, Jay, give him a hand! This scene feels a lot like Exit from the Novacom Saga, as they're trying to stop something right before it goes global/country-wide, and the train keeps coming closer. Jay finally sees that he needs to help Wally if they want to stop the train, even if he thinks he doesn't need to. The train comes closer, and it's pretty dramatic...as this is the climax of sorts. And hurrah, they get it down! *little dance* Then there's the...moment of silence. *whispers* Hey guys...the train is coming this way. Oh right, they realize. RUUUNN FOR IT! And so they do. Back on the train, the guys are still fighting, when one of them realizes that they're going off the track. It's kinda...a weird moment as one of them says they don't have orders to stop, and the other doesn't care. Really. Do you think I'd take instructions on that? I'd just stop! And then...it looks like the train is going to crash. It's a breath-taking moment, as we here the train smash through the shed for several seconds, and then absolute silence. Now this is where the episode should have ended. What a cliffhanger!

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