AIO Thought of the Week: The way Whit says “homeschooler” in Opening Day is so funny and incredibly endearing. He says it like it’s from a foreign language and he’s not quite sure how it feels in his mouth.
You know now that I’m thinking about it, this could genuinely have been one of the first times Paul Herlinger said homeschooled. Hal Smith was Whit’s VA for both the brief mention in Rumor Has It (I don’t think they actually say the word in that one but close enough) and the very special homeschooling episode.
Episode References: 418 Opening Day, 29 Rumor Has It, 85 You Go To School Where?
Good evening! It’s time to recap what’s gone on in the Adventures in Odyssey community over the past few weeks.
What’s New in Odyssey?
Closing Time
Jules and Bridget are given a dead-of-night shift at a Whit’s End charity drive, which gives them a chance to have a few heart-to-hearts. Being Real has a positive rating from me, no spoilers. This is what one might call an experimental episode; the style, music (or lack thereof), and even wrappers are unique and likely indicative of a new style to come. It also holds a definitive record for episodes with the fewest characters; Jules and Bridget don’t even play any other characters in this episode. The drama will also serve as a springboard for Bridget’s upcoming salvation arc. Fitting; Bridget starts off the convo with Jules about salvation with an ironic “it’s like everyone’s getting saved around here!” Which, although in a different light, are the exact words I used when I listened to this episode. There are one or two mid-level spoilers that I won’t reveal, so go listen to this excellent episode now!
The Rest is Still…Rewritten
Last week, Adventures in Odyssey put up the cover of the final physical album and announced a release date. “Unwritten” will release one day before Adventures in Odyssey’s 38th anniversary, on November 20th. This is up to four weeks earlier than what we could expect from winter Club album releases in previous years. It was also replicated in the early summer album release. That sort of schedule is also an experimental taste of the future. We can certainly expect more fluid releases from 81 onward, as we’ve been promised. The album cover is pictured below:
Whit hasn’t been pictured on an album cover since The Best Is Yet to Come. He hasn’t been a prominently featured character since Album 67. This is the second cover of the Andre Stoijka era to show Whit drafting invention plans. We also see the recently saved characters outside the window, with Buck at an intentional distance behind the group, and Bridget curiously absent. Eugene is also present on a frame on Whit’s desk, meaning that although his actor has been unavailable since 2021, Eugene has appeared on more fronts than Whittaker in the past decade. This is an interesting starting point for a conversation about John Avery Whittaker’s role as the main character of this program. Nevertheless, it’s a bright and inviting cover, bringing a plethora of anticipation for the final CD collection of Adventures in Odyssey.
Conclusion
We’re glad you read this short edition of the Odyssey 33 and its pair of reviews. This winter, we’ll be bringing reviews, merch, and many bangers to close out this year! Stay tuned, and have a happy Thanksgiving!
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