#927. Adventures in Odyssey.
(For some reason, I don’t have a lot of memories of the show “Adventures in Odyssey.” He-man, GI Joe, Transformers? I could talk about those all day, but when it comes to Focus on the Family’s wildly popular radio drama, I got nothing. Fortunately, Jonathan Friday is here with a guest post. I promise that is not me writing under a pseudonym but actually a real live person checking in with a guest post. Enjoy.)
Stuff Christians Like: Adventures in Odyssey
Parents around the world have found twenty years of Focus on the Family’s radio drama to be thrilling entertainment – or at least, a welcome distraction on long car rides! And if you’re a Millennial whose parents really loved you, every Christmas brought packages just slightly larger than VHS clamshells, each containing six sparkling new cassette tapes!
But for some of us, Odyssey obsession goes too far. Here’s the definitive, seven-point list for knowing you’ve listened to one too many of the 700 episodes.
1. When the Holy Spirit convicts you, he sounds just like John Avery Whittaker.
Aslan, Neo, and Optimus Prime can all step down. When I look for divine qualities in fictional characters, I turn to the man who, if he was any more holy, could turn water into chocolate sodas. And when God speaks to me, sometimes I’d swear he has a mustache.
2. You think that all of Colorado has one zip code.
Watch, I’m a mind reader. I say, “Colorado Springs, Colorado….” You say? “…80995.” Amazing, huh?
3. You can tell which “Whit” is which.
Speaking of Whit, you’re only a true Odyssey fan if you can instantly tell which of the three voice actors is playing the character in any given episode. You’re really obsessed if you know that the original also played the drunk on Andy Griffith. (Did I ruin anyone’s childhood with that factoid?)
4. You’ve been to Whit’s End.
If you visit Focus on the Family’s headquarters, you’ll find an ice cream shop that, if you sorta squint, could almost pretend to be the real thing. Until they ring up your total. Somehow, Whit never charged for all those sundaes.
5. You know Odyssey’s real location.
Until recently, I didn’t realize how serious a hobby this can be. The Odyssey writers aren’t always real hot on consistency (with 700 episodes, who can blame ‘em?) so diehard online fans run in circles trying to pin down the exact location. And if you can believe a town so near to Chicago also borders a mountain range, I have some oceanfront property in Oklahoma to sell you….
6. You have no idea what your first crush looked like.
Whether it was Connie, Chris, Mandy, or poor Lucy What’s-Her-Name, let’s face it – you would never actually recognize your favorite actress if she walked right by you. (But that voice!)
7. Your kids don’t play “pretend” – they play “Imagination Station.”
It’s the ultimate plot device – a machine that no one understands. So far, we’ve established it can do your homework, take you back in time, resurrect killed-off characters, heal people, and even take you on a personal tour of H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks. Can it also cure Bieber Fever? We can only hope.
Well, that’s my list. But I know there are others here who know their Cunninghams from their Schultzes. What defines a true Adventures in Odyssey lover?
Did you ever listen to Adventures in Odyssey?
