Episode
Reviewed:
Grandma's Visit
(662)
Writers: Bob Hoose
Director: Bob Hoose
Sound Designer:
Christopher Diehl
Music:
John Campbell
Theme: The importance of family
Original
Airdate: 4/24/10
Rating (out of 5):
Episode
Summary
The Parker family is in for a bumpy ride. It all
starts when their grandmother (or
Abuelita) comes to tell them that their Aunt Rosalita has decide
to elope...next week...in Odyssey...at their house! Then
relative after relative arrives to stay with the family. Where
will the chaos end?
The Review
It always makes me
wonder when someone reviews an Adventures in Odyssey episode and
claims that it is too mature for the 8 to 12 target audience. I read one or
two reviews which expressed concerns that
Grandma's Visit
was a little too mature for kids to be listening to. I would beg to differ
in that AIO caters to a much larger audience than just the 8 to 12 year-olds
range. I mean, we've seen a variety of topics addressed on the show. Take
Pamela Has a Problem, for
instance. The episode presents the story of a girl who is considering having
an abortion. Consider also that
Castles & Cauldrons addresses the occult.
The Mortal Coil questions life after death.
The Mysterious Stranger focuses on the consequences of greed, attempted
murder, and deception. The
Case of the Secret Room also focuses on the darkness of murder and lies.
A Name, Not a Number is a story of espionage and spies.
The Perfect Witness focuses on the kidnapping of one of Odyssey's
recurring kid characters.
A Touch of Healing is also very mature and is very adult-friendly.
Likewise,
A Question About Tasha is very mature for the intended audience.
And how about
The Right Choice? If I'm remembering correctly, if someone who didn't
know about Adventures in Odyssey turned their dial to this episode,
they would have no idea that it is geared for kids.
The Other Woman,
For Whom the Wedding Bells Toll,
The Painting,
The Triangle,
Plan B: Missing in Action,
The Black Veil,
Living in the Gray, and
A New Era could also be considered too mature for the target age group
for AIO.
Sufficed
to say, the Odyssey team isn't afraid to go where they can reach as many
audiences as possible without compromising the show's impact, themes, and
lessons. And I would venture to say that the topic of eloping is much more of a
side note than anything in
Grandma's Visit.
The episode is set in a very humorous context, which entertains younger
listeners and appeals to older listeners as well, who appreciate the small
details that would pass by younger listeners.
Speaking
of the small details, this episode is full of them and indicates that writer Bob
Hoose spent some time thinking through everything as he wrote. Details such as
the scene when David Parker cries out in the background because of a spider, or
Lucia's cell phone ringtone (it could be argued that the cell phone
sound effect was Christopher Diehl's influence). Also, David Parker's reference
to the episode Clutter when he mentions they could turn on the sprinklers
to get the mariachi band to go away. The devil is in the details, and they work
wonders at defining episodes and giving them personality.
I
especially noticed that
Grandma's Visit
is full of Spanish heritage, with Spanish dialogue sprinkled throughout the
episode. In previous episodes, a translator was always present to let listeners
know what someone is saying. This episode only reveals what needs to be
translated, and it feels very normal. The rich heritage and authenticity of the
Spanish dialogue makes things feel more natural. It didn't feel like a Spanish
language lesson for the listeners.
On the
other hand, actor Andre Stojka still needs to bring his voice to a lower
register to sound more like both Hal Smith (Whit #1) and Paul Herlinger (Whit
#2). A certain level of choppiness is there as well, which the first two actors
didn't use in their speech. It's good to see he's trying out new ice cream
concoctions as well. And boy, the menu items at Whit's End get fancier and
fancier as the series continues.
John
Campbell pulled through again with a unique score for this episode, with superb
sound design by Christopher Diehl. As always, combining Odyssey's many talented
writers, directors, sound designers, and musician astounds us fans.
Rating
Overall, this
episode delivers a very unique, humorous story that will be enjoyed by fans
for years to come. With its querky humor and eccentric Lucia, or Abuelita
(voiced by actress Lucki Weeting),
Grandma's Visit
easily earns 4 and 1/2 out of 5 stars.
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