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 Episode
Reviewed: To Mend or
Repair
(706)
Writers: Marshal
Younger, Paul McCusker
Director: Bob Hoose
Sound Designer:
GAP Digital
Music: John Campbell
Theme: Being a friend
Original
Airdate: 3/24/12
Review Written by:
Ben Warren, Staff Writer
Rating (out of 5):
Episode
Summary
To distract her from some
devastating personal news, Eugene tries to keep
Katrina busy all the time. Meanwhile, Barrett
gives Priscilla a special honor -- reading the
pledge of allegiance on the morning
announcements.
The Review
One of the most anticipated moments of
Album 55 was finding out what precisely
Eugene and Katrina's "unsettling" news was. And now we know.
A few weeks ago, I briefly mentioned to someone that there was an online rumor
going around that Eugene and Katrina can't have kids together. I was curious to
know how the show was going to tackle such an issue. That person answered,
"Knowing Focus on the Family they'll probably have [Eugene and Katrina] see it
as a sign from God to adopt". I sighed, then agreed. This wasn't an attack
against Focus on the Family, mind you; the show has simply brought up the
subject of adoption countless times, from The Mulligan episodes, to
Clara, to
The Chosen One.
You see, many people believe that they can fill the void of being childless by
adopting. Some Christians may see it as a sign from God. Others may see it as a
way to bury their pain. However, adopting a child should not be for yourself.
The decision should be made by putting the needs of the potential child first.
Grieve properly, and only once you have, then begin to consider something
like adoption, if you truly believe it's the right thing to do.
I was pleasantly surprised, then, to find out that not only did Adventures in
Odyssey not even mention the word "adoption", or the idea that Eugene and
Katrina's predicament was somehow God's will, but instead chose to tackle issues
such as grief and friendship. As both Eugene and Barrett find out, being a good
friend means to be aware of the needs of others. And as the listener finds out,
we should place our grief in God's hands. Friendship, grief, and
infertility...it's a mishmash of themes and messages; however, having a
cornucopia of themes just makes this episode
all the more bountiful. I walked away reflecting on many things. Essentially,
To Mend or Repair
handles its issues terrifically, hitting just the right note in every scene.
Bob Hoose, who directed this episode,
really knew which direction to take the show in terms of tone. Many scenes
sounded softer, less rushed, and more in-tuned with the personalities of its
characters; Eugene, Whit, and Katrina sounded natural and performed their roles
quite well; Jay, Barrett, and Mrs. Kramer, piloting the show's lighter moments,
seemed conscious not to go too over-the-top with the comedy, noticeably aware of
the seriousness of the A-plot. Collaboratively written by
Marshall Younger and
Paul McCusker,
To Mend or Repair
finds the right balance between that moment to cry and that moment to laugh,
while rarely giving the impression that the different scenes don't fit together.
And while I would have preferred if the topic of infertility/miscarriage was
made the central focus of the episode--like death
The
Mortal Coil, abortion in
Pamela Has a Problem, or divorce in
Life, in the Third Person, I understand why this
decision was made. Imagine the discussion that must have gone on in the writer's
room. On the one hand, you could argue that splitting this episode into an
A-plot and B-plot diminishes the seriousness of Katrina and Eugene's
predicament; on the other, how many children ages 8-12 can truly relate to this
issue? Only a few teenagers and some adults, married or considering marriage,
can really appreciate the travesty of being unable to have children. Adding a
storyline about Barrett and Priscilla is not my personal preference, but it is
undoubtedly a logical one. It simply provides children with something relatable
to listen to.
Together, these stories don't merely give advice about friendship but
communicate that tragedy strikes us all at one point or another. Sometimes the
difficulty can be as tiny and short-lived as what Priscilla had to deal with
(she'll be over it by the next episode, certainly); other times it will be huge
like what Eugene and Katrina went through (no, this won't be the last time we'll
hear about it). Teaching children that things do eventually get better is
important, but teaching them how to deal with the hurt, what we should do to
help others, and, ultimately, Who we should draw our help from, is an
invaluable lesson to be learned.
Rating
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