Episode Reviewed: The
Unraveling (495)
Writer:
Bob Hoose
& Kathy Wierenga
Production
Engineer: Bob
Luttrell
Original
Airdate: 6/8/02
Rating
(Out of 5 cones): 
|
The
Unraveling
Episode
Summary: Connie goes to
Maine to talk to Mitch's sister; the kids of Odyssey investigate
buying trends.
Theme:
Fighting for what's right PARENTAL
WARNING: Due to the intensity of several scenes in this show, it
isn't recommended for younger children. Recommended maturity level:
Ages 8 and up.
|
In general,
The
Unraveling was a very
good episode. The episode kept me on edge the entire course of the show. I
was pleased to hear from Rachel Mitchell. She tied up a few loose ends and
clarified some things brought up in the past.
Unfortunately,
as I always do, I must critique this episode. My main problem with this
episode is the fact that Mandy had a homework assignment that conveniently
ties in with the Novacom Saga. Mandy's teacher just happens to assign a
project in which Mandy must research buying trends in Odyssey. Such a
convenient way to cover the part of the show that would otherwise be hard to
do. The buying trends idea was a good one. This was Novacom's way of seeing
if their method of mind control was actually working, and a few weeks' worth
of tests helped them to understand that they had created a good experiment.
However, I do think it was cheesy that Odyssey citizens chose to buy
birdhouses. Why birdhouses? Couldn't they buy something else?
The scene that
Cal Jordan, Alex Jefferson, and Mandy Straussberg meet up with Rodney
Rathbone, I think, was cheesy as well. Rodney Rathbone (the actor at least)
overplayed his part and it began to get on my nerves. Rodney Rathbone didn't
used to use such a high, fake pitch in the past. Why does he have to start
now?
Robert
Mitchell with his King - the grave of Robert Mitchell
I really
appreciated what Connie read on Mitch's gravestone. It almost tempts me to
have that written on my grave when I die! I'm not kidding! Somehow I
knew that Mitch wasn't dead at the beginning of the episode (Connie said
that Rachel was taking Mitch's death surprisingly well). I was even more
convinced when Rachel Mitchell said:
My
brother is a chronic overachiever... Was.
The word
"was" was a dead giveaway to the listeners. Naturally, I wasn't
surprised at the end of the episode when Connie caught Rachel talking to
AREM on the internet, and Rachel had to tell the truth that Mitch was alive.
I was pleased with the storyline, but I wished that they wouldn't have given
any hints that he was alive until the end of the episode when they actually
reveal it. Although I was pleased with Mitch's being alive, I wasn't pleased
with the realization that this goes on in soap operas all the time. One day
a woman's boyfriend is dead, then a month later he magically appears once
again. Most of the time the woman has a new beau by then (and that creates
problems for the guy who magically appeared again), but we'll leave that out
for now. I'm just hoping that AIO isn't out of ideas and not resorting to
overused ideas from SOAP OPERAS no less!
The recorded
cell phone call from Justine Baker was very well done. Now I can see why
The
Unraveling has a
parental warning.
I give
The
Unraveling 4
and 1/2 out of 5 cones. This episode was well-planned, and the
sound design was very intriguing.
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