Happy 20th for Adventures in Odyssey
by
Steve Watters
on Nov 30, 2007 at 12:09 PM
Any past or current Adventures in Odyssey fans out there? If so, you may have already heard that this month is AIO's 20th birthday. If you go to http://www.whitsend.org/20/ you can join in on the brithday celebration. While you're there, you can sign up for The 12 Days of Christmas iPod Giveaway, where 36 winners will receive an iPod pre-loaded with over 80 hours of Adventures in Odyssey and Radio Theatre audio dramas.
I was surprised to read in an email this morning that those 20 years of Odyssey have vaulted the show to the brink of setting a world record. In March 2008, when Adventures in Odyssey airs its recently-recorded 634th episode, it will become the longest-running weekly drama with a consistent cast of characters. That will push AIO past the classic TV western Gunsmoke, which ended with 633 episodes.
Do you have any birthday greetings we can pass on to the Odyssey team?
1. Loris had the following to say on Nov 30 at 1:02 PM:
Call me a heretic, but I never liked it. But then, I didn't really grow up with it.
2. Katie had the following to say on Nov 30 at 1:15 PM:
I have birthday greetings--please do pass them along!
3. Toniette had the following to say on Nov 30 at 1:17 PM:
Happy Birthday Odyssey!
I am still a current fan, as I listen to the broadcast via internet every day at work... the best half hour of my day!
4. Christine had the following to say on Nov 30 at 1:31 PM:
I loved Odyssey as a kid - when I cleaned my room on Saturday mornings, I always listened to it. I'm glad that it's still around for kids today.
5. Rebekah had the following to say on Nov 30 at 1:34 PM:
I loved (and still love AIO)!
The story of Elijah on Mount Carmel was a turning point in my life b/c I was shocked that RObin didn't just bow down to Baal (they were threatening her life). That made me think about the value of my faith and about martyrdom.
6. DannieA had the following to say on Nov 30 at 1:37 PM:
I loved Odyssey growing up....however I've noticed that some characters have not aged...(i.e. Connie???)
Happy B-day though
7. EmilyC had the following to say on Nov 30 at 1:50 PM:
AIO! Wow, that brings back memories. When I was little, my siblings and I would all huddle around a stereo speaker at our house in Atlanta and listen to the stories. We even had some of the tapes...wonder they are...
Happy Birthday AIO! Congratulations on 20 years of radio programming!
Does anyone know, is Whit still alive?
8. Will H. had the following to say on Nov 30 at 1:55 PM:
Growing up I loved listening to Odyssey! Several months ago I was staying with friends who have some younger siblings who started quoting that one episode where Cryin’ Bryan Dern goes on a Polka marathon, I think it is from the mid-nineties...It had been at least 9-10 years since I heard that episode and yet I could still quote it along with them. Just goes to show we remember more than we think from our childhood and I am glad I had Odyssey to listen to growing up.
9. Laura_mh had the following to say on Nov 30 at 2:07 PM:
Loris, I don't care for it either. But considering all the bad stuff on the airwaves these days, I think it's great they have been on for so long.
10. Matt had the following to say on Nov 30 at 2:07 PM:
I've been an Adventures in Odyssey listener and fan for 15 years. Tell the crew thank you for their ministry and that they've blessed my life. May God give you another 20 years!
11. Martha had the following to say on Nov 30 at 3:05 PM:
I loved Odyssey growing up!!! Just a few weeks ago my parents were having a yard sale, and I saw the old AIO cassette sets in it -- I definitely marched over there and confiscated a few of my favorites to keep.
Thanks, Adventures in Odyssey, and have a happy Birthday!
12. Jessica had the following to say on Nov 30 at 3:29 PM:
So, I may be in my mid-20's, but Odyssey CDs are on my Christmas list. I told them to start at the beginning and go forward. :) I hope they understand that this is a standing request.
13. Jade had the following to say on Nov 30 at 3:54 PM:
Here's another fan who grew up listening to Odyssey. I always hoped Eugene and Connie would end up together (did they? I'm a little behind the times....) and I cried when the original Wit died.
14. Elizabeth had the following to say on Nov 30 at 5:13 PM:
Huge fan over here...I've listened for probably 10 years. I recently went through a "classic Odyssey" phase where listened to a bunch of old episodes with people like Robyn and Issac...good times.
Happy birthday, Odyssey!
15. Anna had the following to say on Nov 30 at 5:17 PM:
I LOVE Odyssey! I still listen to it, and my sisters and I quote from it... even though I'm 21. I definitely grew up on it. :) Happy birthday to AIO!
16. Jenny had the following to say on Nov 30 at 7:09 PM:
I grew up listening to AIO every day with my brothers and sisters. We loved to laugh along with the stories and then quote them later. On Saturdays sometimes we'd listen to an episode three times in a row by switching between the different Christian radio stations. I think my favorite stories were the Barclay adventures and a lot of the old mysteries. I still keep up on Odyssey by listening online. They're just wholesome and fun with good messages. Happy Birthday, Odyssey!
17. bob had the following to say on Nov 30 at 7:43 PM:
Congrats to them! 20 years, wow, almost as old as me.
I loved listening them as a kid, and still have dozens of the tapes. I even recorded them onto my computer so I can play them without having to dig a tape deck out of a closet somewhere.
18. Emily had the following to say on Nov 30 at 8:47 PM:
Happy Birthday, Adventures in Odyssey! I have listened to Odyssey for probably 15 years, maybe more. My siblings and I used to listen to Odyssey tapes while playing Legos. Mr. Whitaker, Tom, Connie, Eugene, Lucy, and the Barclays are like an extension of my own family. Though I only catch the show now and then on the radio nowadays, my younger siblings still listen regularly. Some of my favorite Scriptures are ones I heard Mr. Whitaker read on broadcasts, such as the passage about death being swallowed up in victory. His voice is so comforting. Many episodes have made a big impact on my life. Historical events and Bible stories came alive, and Scriptural truths sunk deep into my heart. I look forward to sharing Adventures in Odyssey with my own children someday.
19. catherine m.a. had the following to say on Nov 30 at 8:59 PM:
Connie and Eugene? I always hoped that I would be the one to marry Eugene.
And I love that episode with the 24-hour polka station! "I think my contact lens has become a permanent part of my left eyeball."
And how about Darkness Before Dawn? That is my all-time favourite set of episodes.
Odyssey Rules. I am 23 and I still listen to them regularly.
20. Elisabeth had the following to say on Nov 30 at 10:36 PM:
My family didn't have a TV so we grew up with AIO as our entertainment. We love it and still quote different episodes to this day. The episode about the story of Esther is classic. Happy Birthday Odyssey!
21. Laur had the following to say on Nov 30 at 11:21 PM:
YAY ODYSSEY! i love it!!!!
my favorite episodes were the cross of cortes, vbs blues, a name not a number, and the whole showdown with dr. blackgaard sets.
keep up the good work y'all!
22. Kathleen had the following to say on Nov 30 at 11:24 PM:
I've been listening to Odyssey since it began 20 years ago. I own 38 albums and still listen nearly every day. Awesome show!
23. Michelle had the following to say on Dec 1 at 2:53 AM:
I loved Odyssey! My absolute all time favorite episode is KYDS Radio and the line, "the highs will be in the lows of the uppers." Another favorite is when, as they're walking to Wonder World in the forest, Digger Digwillough (I think) asks Jimmy how he can suddenly walk so much more quietly on the leaves, and Jimmy replies, "sound effects!" Absolutely classic.
24. Kyle had the following to say on Dec 1 at 8:14 AM:
Wow this brings back so many memories. Listening to Odyssey was a daily ritual for me and my brother and sister. Remember the series when Dr. Blackard tried to take over Whit's End? And just the other day I was remembering the Imagination Station. How cool would that be?!
25. Charles H. had the following to say on Dec 1 at 8:46 AM:
I didn't like AiO at first, but it really grew on me. I loved the innocence of the characters, and how it had a positive message without hitting me over the head with it (a la Inspector Gadget's "The moral of the story is...")
26. Matthew had the following to say on Dec 1 at 11:12 AM:
Oh Adventures in Odyssey. Our family listened to the tapes every night and even violated many of the love-one-another lessons from the show in our arguments over who got to listen to certain tapes! It jumped the shark a few too many times (c'mon, mind control?!), but it was always amazingly well-written and the characters still hold a special place in my heart. Happy 20th!
27. Rob R. :o) had the following to say on Dec 1 at 12:08 PM:
I absolutely love AIO!! I am 32 years old and I listen to the show pretty much every day. When I miss an episode I'll go back in the archives and catch up! I so love how the stories are morally and spiritually sound. There have been moments where I laugh and cry. HAPPY BIRTHDAY AIO!!!!
28. Thomas had the following to say on Dec 1 at 12:24 PM:
Are you serious 634 episodes? I occasionally here bits of the show while I'm driving and there is nothing else I care to listen to. However, I thought they were all reruns! I wonder if the show has a planned series end date or will it just continue to be produced until the cast get tired of it?
29. Carrie had the following to say on Dec 1 at 12:56 PM:
My parents aren't Christians and I became a Christian when I was 15. I didn't hear about Adventures in Odyssey until I was about 17 -- the year my church did an "Adventures in Odyssey" VBS. One of the coordinators gave me one or two sets of tapes so I could become familiar with it. At 17, I was eating it up!! It was great. I haven't listened to it too much since that summer, but I enjoyed getting introduced to the characters.
So, thank you for sharing your gifts Adventures in Odyssey people. It is a wonderful ministry.
30. Christy had the following to say on Dec 1 at 4:20 PM:
I love AIO. Some of my most favorite childhood memories are of listening to AIO with my sisters. The Barclays will always have a special place in my heart....and the episodes where they go to Hawaii on vacation with the Rathbones are some of my favorite!
31. Megan had the following to say on Dec 1 at 7:10 PM:
Yay for AIO!! I grew up on it and I'm glad it's still around. Happy 20th!!!
32. Colette had the following to say on Dec 2 at 2:07 AM:
Happy Birthday, Adventures in Oddysey!
My brothers and I grew up on AIO and still listen to the tapes occasionally when we clean house and whatnot. I had a secret crush on Jimmy Barclay when I was a kid. (Is it okay to admit that now that I'm a grown-up???)
:)
33. Andrew R. (aka Canadian Boy) had the following to say on Dec 2 at 10:02 AM:
The writing for AIO is absolutely amazing. It's so funny, while still having great messages, and yet never being too preachy.
Man, I'd love to win that iPod- just for all the radio dramas!
34. Eldon had the following to say on Dec 2 at 5:36 PM:
Twenty years of AiO?? wow, can't believe it has been around so long! I remember it growing up (while I didn't listen that much), read the books when I was young, and still listen today (listened to one on the way to church this morning!). I can't wait to get my kids listening to it (once they're old enough)
35. RJEllie had the following to say on Dec 2 at 5:53 PM:
I'm 20, and I still love it. I think I first heard it when I was around 9; the lone Christian station in our town would play it every weekday at 5, and I was there every chance I got....even when I had to stay at my mom's work late. Her boss would let me pull his radio out into the secretary's area after she went home and listen.
I had definite Eugene potential - I was (okay, am) a bit on the, shall we say, geeky side? And Connie was just so cool - my other role model, as I fantasized what a teenage me might be like.
On a different note....I really wanted a real-life Whit. He just seemed to care for people so much and seemed easy to talk to, and he paid attention to everyone, even the quiet/weird ones.
Happy birthday, AiO!
36. Justin had the following to say on Dec 2 at 9:57 PM:
I've listened to AIO since I was 4, so I guess that makes me a 17-year listener. Some of my favorite memories involve listening to AIO tapes while building LEGOs. I couldn't have LEGOs without AIO, it just didn't seem right.
I remember hearing the episode "Where Is Thy Sting?" just a few days after my grandfather passed away. I was very close to him, and that episode still sticks in my mind whenever I think about him.
When/if I ever have children, I plan on introducing them to AIO. I sincerely hope that Focus is still producing these shows when/if that time comes.
Happy Birthday AIO!
Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to go try to find that "Where Is Thy Sting?" tape I have around here somewhere...
37. Marc had the following to say on Dec 3 at 3:09 PM:
I remember, back in the 1990s, my family knew people who worked at FOTF. Consequently, I was given a free volume of AIO cassette tapes. As a child, they were awesome. Perhaps my favorite episode is "I Want My B-TV", where (either intentionally or unintentionally0 the writers of AIO snuck in a little bit of satire about regular TV.
38. Abby had the following to say on Dec 4 at 12:32 AM:
So I'm pretty sure I listened to so many AIO series growing up that I memorized the PO Box number for Focus on the Family that Chris read at the end of each tape! And yes I listened to them on tape set! My parents still have about 20!
39. Andrew R. (aka Canadian Boy) had the following to say on Dec 5 at 9:05 AM:
Might I add, in addition to being hilarious, some episodes were really gripping- several of the cliffhangers just blew me away!
40. Anna had the following to say on Dec 5 at 5:45 PM:
Happy Birthday Odyssey!
I've listened to AIO for as long as I can remember on car trips and vacations. I'm now 21 and I know for a fact that my brother, sister, and I will be getting new episodes for christmas. The show has traveled the world with me as cassettes, CD's, and now on my MP3 player. In fact they'll be going to Egypt with me for Christmas.
I loved how they teach Bible stories. My brother (a year older than me) and I were never allowed to be on the same bible team at church because we'd get all the answers right and communicate in "Odyssey speak" about episodes or characters to make sure we had the right answer before shouting it out.
41. Elisa had the following to say on Dec 11 at 2:19 PM:
Happy Birthday, Adventures in Odyssey! I've grown up with Odyssey and have listened to it for over 12 years. I've listened to almost of all the 629 episodes that have aired. I have loved how the characters deal with the same issues I'm going through. God has definitely used Odyssey to speak to me.
42. Jess Feller had the following to say on Dec 13 at 10:18 AM:
Adventures in Odyssey was my TV growing up. I will never forget the episode where Eugene became a Christian. It convicted me enough that I began walking with the Lord on a daily basis. In my twenties, I still love the creativity and depth of Odyssey. Happy birthday!!
43. Teeya had the following to say on May 26 at 7:23 PM:
Hey, I LOVE!!!!!! Listening to it i can't amagine living without your show! I've been trying to figure out how to get #50 I have ever single volume made! I can't wait till the next one comes out, i don't know if it is or not though. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!