Odyssey Crossing Some Lines?

Odyssey has always done a good job at keeping most things family oriented. However there are some moments that I wonder if they got really close to crossing some lines.


EX: The Search for Whit Part 1: Jason is attempting to fix the answering machine and has the line; "Come on operate you worthless hunk of *answering machine beeps.

Problem: While this quote is humorous, it strongly implies the use of bad language. I will note that this is the one time that this has happened, and if anything it's simply a reference to societies usage of beeping bad language. However, this line has bugged me recently in part because Jason Whittaker said it. While he's kind of a rougher type I don't imagine him to be the type that would throw bad language around at something as frivolous as an answering machine not working properly.

EX:
David Parker: And who here remembers the goldfish?
Olivia, Matthew and Camilla: Oh! Spankie and Lester!
David Parker: Dead within six weeks.
Matthew Parker: I think they had a suicide pact.

Problem: Society makes a habit of laughing at things that aren't necessarily funny. Everyone has their own story, and even mentioning suicide can step on people's toes. I realize that it was just fish. But honestly, that's not something I'd want my kids thinking is ok to joke about even pertaining to fish. Maybe the real issue is that suicide is a real problem, and I've been/know others who've been effected by those who have committed suicide. In this case the comment wasn't that bad per se, but the truth is it still bugs me to the point I don't listen to For the Birds very often.

EX:
Olivia Parker: Black pudding?!
Charlotte Maria: Oh, yes, it's a delicious blood sausage!
Matthew Parker: I didn't know English people were cannibals! No wonder George Washington threw you out of the country!

Problem: This one is closely associated with the previous issue. While I don't know of any cannibals the fact of the matter is the practice is still looked down upon. The statement in itself is ridiculous. Maybe I'm more conservative than most of society today... But that's where I stand. It feels like things are brought up and laughed at, even though they aren't really that funny. Sure it gets some laughs, but why even go that route? Cannibals was mentioned in a different episode too, A Mission for Jimmy. But the difference is, Jimmy had a misconception of the people Missionaries preach to, and he got redirected in his thinking. Matthew on the other hand did not get redirected.

What do you think about these points? Are there any other times when Odyssey has come close to crossing the line? Where would you draw the line?

You just made the point of why I don't listen to Odyssey anymore. (Yes, I know I'm a part of two AIO forums, but it's true.) I know that our culture has a ton of problems, but I think that Christians don't realize how important the small details are. Jokes and sarcasm are taken too lightly, and used too often.

The first example of Jason is disappointing. As you implied, Jason does strike me as the type who would be careful in such things.

In the third example, Matthew as quite outspoken, not to mention rude. Even if it was in such an environment where it was both evident of the joke, and taken lightly by the other, I wouldn't want my kids continually listening to such things. It maybe realistic, and funny for older people, but little kids really aren't going to know the difference of when it would be okay for such a comment, and when not.

When you listen to album one, you'll notice a difference between those episodes, and the latest ones. Not quite as realistic or variety of people/sound effects (etc.), but you'll also notice that none of the kids get away with doing something wrong, such as being rude. Even the smallest things are continually corrected, which is very important.

Call me conservative, strict in thinking, old-fashioned, or even nuts, but seriously believe that those things are very important. My mom never allowed me to fight, argue, or even make jokes that were unfair to my siblings. Never allowed to be rude, speak behind their backs, or tell something that might be embarrassing (with explanation every time of why we should be considerate of others). None of us were ever allowed to even raise our voice when we were mad. "Yelling at my sibling" is a strange concept to me. Was my mom nuts? No! I have a relationship with my siblings that I see multiple Christian families lacking. It's the little things that count!

Really, the biggest problems I've found are those two from albums 51 and 52. 53-56 hasn't had any issues that I've noticed.

The big thing is, Odyssey doesn't do that very often. So when they do it's pretty noticeable. However, I sort of wonder if it those examples really bugged parents as much as it bugged me. Maybe it's not as big o an issue now a days, even though it should be...

My family and I have some theological issues with the Green Ring Conspiracy. I can't name the episode, partly because they don't have names and because I haven't listened to it in awhile. Anyways, Katrina goes to the carnival and tries to get Buck to come with her. The problem, we have is that Katrina keeps reassuring Buck that he has a good heart. This clearly contradicts the episode Promises, Promise in which Whit was trying to try to get Connie to see that people are wicked. I mean, if everyone has a good heart what was the whole point of Jesus coming and dying on the cross. I'm not trying to pick on Odyssey. We have listened to Odyssey many years.

I always had an issue with the episode "My Favourite Thing", because the kids run amok around a restaurant disturbing everyone and making a huge scene and all they get is a slap on the wrist.

Orangie... WHIT. NEVER. HINTED. THAT. PEOPLE. ARE. WICKED.
Whit would never do that. Quite the contrary, he said, "there's hope, lots of it. You're just looking in the wrong place. You've got to look deep down, way down into your soul. That's where the changing has to start."
That's one of the finest Odyssey lines ever, and it clearly shows that potential good lies in our soul, that we are good when we stay true to our soul. True to our heart. True to our nature.
Not in spite of it.
As to My Favorite Thing, Marvin was doing homework, and Tamika was selflessly acting on her moral convictions. Oh horror. They should have been grounded.
Actually, Ed Washington was a bit harsher than was necessarily warranted, given neither of them did anything wrong.
silly fact: I like to imagine the flying sparks between Marvin and the waiter escalating into a martial arts fight with Marvin donning a table cloth as superhero getup, to the Karate kid theme.
@ Sunshine So, how's the latest Barney season?

Pound Foolish wrote:
As to My Favorite Thing, Marvin was doing homework, and Tamika was selflessly acting on her moral convictions. Oh horror. They should have been grounded.
Actually, Ed Washington was a bit harsher than was necessarily warranted, given neither of them did anything wrong.

You're kidding right? Tamika shouldn't have taken the lobster out of the tank. She caused chaos in the restaurant and it got them kicked out of the restaurant. You could argue that she was doing the wrong thing for the right reason, but she still should have known better. Plus Ed wasn't even that harsh, I thought the way Elaine and Ed handled it was very appropriate. They said "they'd discuss the punishment later". This was an action that they certainly didn't want to happen again, so punishment is an obvious route. The only thing wrong with Marvin's behavior was not listening to the waiter.

I guess it always annoyed me just because my parents are super strict, and I would have been immediately punished. Brutally.

SUNNY YOU DON'T LISTEN TO AIO??!!!!!

Jason wrote:

Pound Foolish wrote:
As to My Favorite Thing, Marvin was doing homework, and Tamika was selflessly acting on her moral convictions. Oh horror. They should have been grounded.
Actually, Ed Washington was a bit harsher than was necessarily warranted, given neither of them did anything wrong.

You're kidding right? Tamika shouldn't have taken the lobster out of the tank. She caused chaos in the restaurant and it got them kicked out of the restaurant. You could argue that she was doing the wrong thing for the right reason, but she still should have known better. Plus Ed wasn't even that harsh, I thought the way Elaine and Ed handled it was very appropriate. They said "they'd discuss the punishment later". This was an action that they certainly didn't want to happen again, so punishment is an obvious route. The only thing wrong with Marvin's behavior was not listening to the waiter.

ok, haven't heard that episode in al ong time, but from what I remember it was done really over the top. occasionally aio does episodes that are just really zany and you shouldn't try to compare it to"real life". Like back in some of the eps about the Rathbones and stuff, its basically a sitcom parody or something.

But that's not bad it's just funny.

I know that many people have had a problem with stuff like that. While I don't mind it as much as many people do, I mostly just think, "What is happening with Odyssey?"

The one that really got me was in Grandma's Visit, when Camilla mentioned that she hadn't used the bathroom for a week, and that Matthew didn't want to know. Bathroom humor, Odyssey? Seriously? I enjoy reading PluggedIn (well, most of the time, but that's a whole 'nother story) and I know that if that episode were a movie, PluggedIn would have flagged that joke and mentioned that it was unnecessary. PluggedIn and FOTF, therefore AIO, are closely affiliated. So why let that joke go through?

https://2img.net/h/i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l554/Campbell_County/Fall/yellow.png

AudPod wrote:I know that many people have had a problem with stuff like that. While I don't mind it as much as many people do, I mostly just think, "What is happening with Odyssey?"

The one that really got me was in Grandma's Visit, when Camilla mentioned that she hadn't used the bathroom for a week, and that Matthew didn't want to know. Bathroom humor, Odyssey? Seriously? I enjoy reading PluggedIn (well, most of the time, but that's a whole 'nother story) and I know that if that episode were a movie, PluggedIn would have flagged that joke and mentioned that it was unnecessary. PluggedIn and FOTF, therefore AIO, are closely affiliated. So why let that joke go through?

 umm that's not bad that part is funny! guys why are you finding problems with aio it's a christian show! go find problems with other shows that are actually bad!

Amarinda wrote:

AudPod wrote:I know that many people have had a problem with stuff like that. While I don't mind it as much as many people do, I mostly just think, "What is happening with Odyssey?"

The one that really got me was in Grandma's Visit, when Camilla mentioned that she hadn't used the bathroom for a week, and that Matthew didn't want to know. Bathroom humor, Odyssey? Seriously? I enjoy reading PluggedIn (well, most of the time, but that's a whole 'nother story) and I know that if that episode were a movie, PluggedIn would have flagged that joke and mentioned that it was unnecessary. PluggedIn and FOTF, therefore AIO, are closely affiliated. So why let that joke go through?

 umm that's not bad that part is funny! guys why are you finding problems with aio it's a christian show! go find problems with other shows that are actually bad!

It may be a Christian show, but even Christian shows can have non-Christian things in them. And sure, AIO isn't bad. But I find that the more it progresses, the more the bad things from the bad shows are slipping in to AIO. It's not thrown into our face 24/7. It's tiny bits that they think we won't notice. Not that AIO is doing all of this on purpose; they probably just didn't see anything wrong with it in today's society. And that's just it. In today's society, all of this is perceived as normal. It's everywhere anyway, so why not just put the bathroom humor in AIO too? But that's what I usually like about AIO. That it ignores all of that stuff and continues producing a great show. And sure, it's still a great show; that we can all agree. But it's not as...pure, I guess, as it used to be. 
Maybe I'm being too dramatic over a couple of instances, but that's just what I think.

Audpod wrote:today's society

This phrase is amusing, because it generally signals a rant with little truth in it.
Yes, AIO has become grown and changed with the world around it. But the fact that anyone would react even in the slightest to something as small as characters just mentioning going to the bathroom is nothing but a monument to how incredibly clean AIO is and always has been and always will be.

Pound Foolish wrote:

Audpod wrote:today's society

This phrase is amusing, because it generally signals a rant with little truth in it.
Yes, AIO has become grown and changed with the world around it. But the fact that anyone would react even in the slightest to something as small as characters just mentioning going to the bathroom is nothing but a monument to how incredibly clean AIO is and always has been and always will be.

 That's what I like about AIO. That even the smallest little thing can pop up and us fans will react to it. But it's the truth, isn't it? The today's society thing, that is. Most movies and TV shows have bathroom humor. I, having younger brothers, really don't mind it much anymore. It was just the biggest of the small little things AIO has said, to me, I guess. And it seems like many people do find a lot of fault with it, so I just wrote something. Lol. It's really pretty impressive that AIO has gone this long without something like this happening. Not that it's that big.

Hmm... Now that's a little clearer. Potty humor is bearable, even funny rarely (you either love or hate those moments in Brave and Wreck it Ralph, for instance. Because those movies are overall so clean the super-unclean parts, though mostly not entirely gratuitous, stick out like a sore thumb.)
By and large though, it's just something we put up with.
In any case, it's hard to call this "potty humor." Just mentioning a bathroom in a somewhat amusing way is potty humor? Seriously? Is a movie that mentions **x pornographic?

I noticed people tend to pick out errors in Odyssey alot more than other shows since it is a Christian show. Cut them some slack they a have made hundred of episodes and are still going well. People complain more about the small problems in Odyssey than the big problem in other movies etc.

Ah PF and Blitz thank you for those lasts comments you said I heartily agree with you!!! thank you! *claps*
@ Audrey, because there is nothing wrong with it nothing nad i is coming into aio. like PF said just mentioning a bathroom is potty humor?!! NO WAY! 
AIO IS AWESOME AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT!

Thor's Hammer wrote:I noticed people tend to pick out errors in Odyssey alot more than other shows since it is a Christian show. Cut them some slack they a have made hundred of episodes and are still going well. People complain more about the small problems in Odyssey than the big problem in other movies etc.

 Well, As a Christian show Odyssey needs (and wants) to know the things that some people are offended by. After all, the Bible has a pretty harsh warning for those who cause others to stumble in their walk with Christ.

Yeah, I agree that we should hold AIO to higher standards because it's a Christian show. All those little things are important, after all.

hmm I was thinking I went threw this time when I was younger when I though basicely everything was bad and I would go to hell. like I though aio was bad and now i think seriously I was one messed up kid. I thought my inocent books were bad. and you guys are kinda making me think of how i was and i know i annoyed my sisters and I was being ridiculous so i think you guys should quit finding prblems wiht aio my life wasn't that great when i was always worring that I was going to hell because of listinging to aio trust me you guys don't want that. actually my life was terrible i was ALWAYS worring!

 and Sko I don't think we need to worry about them mentioning a bathroom seriously christians use the bathroom! imagine if we all went to hell because we used the bathroom or because someone said the had to use the bathroom!