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This two-part Bassett family episode released a bit ago. How did everyone like it?

For myself, I enjoyed hearing from Wellington again! I liked that we got to hear more about his and Wooton's childhood together and their relationship with their father. I also enjoy hearing Winston Bassett again! It is fun to see the Bassett family dynamics.

If we want to think about Odyssey Time (a subject I refuse to invest myself into ), I am wondering when ordering airline tickets online first became a thing. Wellington does it as a child, so maybe that gives a clue to when Odyssey is currently taking place or a clue to how old the characters are. Anyway, just thought I'd throw that out there for those who enjoy examining these sorts of things. I myself will sit back and watch. I have other areas of interest.

I do wish that we had heard from Wellington's family in these episodes. His wife is mentioned. But what about his daughter, Talia Bassett from "For the Fun of It"? She gets no mention (unless I forgot) and you would think that the police would have questioned her. Very much a missed opportunity. Maybe at some point in the future we will get to hear from her.

Overall, I think that this was a fine two-part episode! I need to listen again, but for now I would say I enjoyed it!

Anyone else have any thoughts? Let's discuss!

Polehaus53 wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 11, 2026 4:58 pm

If we want to think about Odyssey Time (a subject I refuse to invest myself into ), I am wondering when ordering airline tickets online first became a thing.

That's a pity; it is one of my primary courses of study in AIO.

Unfortunately, these episodes don't really give us a clue as much as cause problems to work through. We already knew Wooton's age range. In the past, he has been depicted as older than Connie. His song ideas for Tamika in "Odyssey Sings" are understood as being about himself, so he is reasonably assumed to be 'a man in his 30s', at a time when Connie was likely mid-20s or late-20s. Connie was born in 1973, so Wooton would have been born sometime before then.

The first online ticket sales was said to be 1994. Even if Wooton were as young as Connie, it would be only 1985 when he was 12. In reality we know it's sometime before then, probably the early 80s or maybe late 70s. We tend to assume that the AIO timeline is a little more advanced than our own, especially the closer you get to the 'present day', but this is really stretching it.

The thing that allows us to work through this is that Mr. Bassett is, and was, rich, and he's someone who likes to be able to work wherever he is. If we assume he set up an office near or in their cabin, he could have had an early computer and printer, and perhaps even teletype. Wellington potentially could have purchased the ticket through an agent (probably whoever arranged travel for his father and/or his father's company), so long as that agent could be reached by telegraph or early computer networking.

The logistics of all of this, now, are considerable. Wellington would have to be able to figure out how to use the computer and printer (if he didn't know already), and to make a plausible-looking letter of consent, and to get the computer to actually print it and have it look decent, before forging his parents' signatures. He would also have to be able to arrange the travel plan without tipping anyone off that it was not authorized, without his father finding out about it until after it was too late. When he decided not to go through with it, he would have had to be able to call it off, also without his father finding out about it. All these things would have been tricky enough if you could just 'go and purchase tickets online' using 90s electronics. With '80s technology, it isn't impossible, but it underscores Wellington's blindness to his ability. His escape plan was likely harder to execute than qualifying for the private school.

Polehaus53 wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 11, 2026 4:58 pm

But what about his daughter, Talia Bassett from "For the Fun of It"? She gets no mention (unless I forgot) and you would think that the police would have questioned her.

By now she might be in some elite college or academy herself, and maybe off their immediate radar. The police didn't question Wooton until after he was already there. Perhaps they'd presume that, if his wife or father didn't know, his daughter wouldn't either, which seems reasonable.

Polehaus53 wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 11, 2026 4:58 pm

How did everyone like it?

I thought it was an excellent two-parter - but what else do we expect from Abigail Geiger?

It's fair to say Mr. Bassett has mellowed out a bit since he wound down a phone call by saying that there's a 'short person here bothering me'. The cause for this seems to be that his perspective has changed since his mother died, a plausible and regrettably far too real occurrence. It's better to reconcile with God and family late than never at all, but it's sad that it seems like this often only happens after the mother (or father) who has spent all those years praying for someone dies and isn't around to see it.

After many years estrangement, things seem to finally be on the mend; I'm looking forward to hearing more along these lines.