Odyssey Geek

It’s the penultimate recording session of Austin and Michael’s reviews for Paws and Tales: Season 1! That means episode 24 (If the Tooth Be Known) and episode 25 (The Grecian Urn) are up for discussion. The good and the bad of both episodes are brought up by the hosts, along with ponderings about dealing with stage fright, Ned’s continued misbehavior, and what in the world is powdered glibet?!?

It’s the album everyone’s been talking about and now it’s being reviewed on the podcast! Album 73: 28 Hours, that is. Christopher Green joins the podcast again to talk with Austin about this jaw dropping storyline. Missing parental warnings, the end of The Chairman’s silence, odd job interview questions, and shipping Jason & Jillian are all up for discussion. Plus, Christopher shares several Adventures in Odyssey conspiracy theories about which characters are aware they're in an audio drama.

The episodes reviewed include:

Austin and Michael are nearly done reviewing Season 1 of Paws and Tales. In this podcast, they review episode 23 (Plans In The Breaking) and episode 24 (The Scarlet Stain). The two hosts discuss the plot and theme of each episode, along with talking about Austin's special memory of episode 23, coincidences vs. God incidents, a red angry beaver, and the return of Timothy Owl.

Austin is joined by David Hilder again, this time for a ranked list. What is it about? That’s a 3-18-99! Well, not really. It's a discussion of their top 10 favorite Adventures in Odyssey mysteries! There are some unique choices in episodes and a first-time event for a ranked list on the podcast. The two Odyssey fans have a lot to say, including whether or not Harlow Doyle was an early version of Jillian, which episode is a counterweight to Castles and Caldrons, and the strengths of mysteries as audio dramas.

Austin is way behind on reviewing Adventures in Odyssey albums. In this BONUS, Austin shares the reason for the delay and how and when you can hear his review of Album 72: The Long Road Home. Plus, get a preview of the next full-length episode of Odyssey Geek!

Austin and Michael are back to review episode 21 (The Hullabaloo At Hunker Hill) and episode 22 (A Pirate's Life) of Paws and Tales. Dream tropes, weasel kidneys, Michael's headcanon for Captain Teastain's rule book, and more are up for discussion. Plus, Austin shares some more news about the new Paws and Tales episodes, including some of the returning cast members!

PAWS AND TALES IS GOING TO GET NEW EPISODES! You read that right. Austin and Michael talk about this major news and what they hope will happen in those episodes. Plus, they review episode 19 (Staci's Dilemma) & episode 20 (Blinded By The Sight). They discuss PAT's first "split episode," if vagueness is better when it comes to CJ's sin, the Slade surprise, and if a song from one of these episodes is from a modern time period in Wildwood.

Austin is doing something different this year for Christmas. Listen to this BONUS to find out all about this special project!

Listen to Austin's new audio drama

Two new guest hosts, Benjamin & Bethany Burnett, join Austin to talk about what each of them think are the funniest episodes of Adventures in Odyssey. They share their top 5 lists, plus some honorable mentions. Some choices cause surprises and all bring up a lot of fun memories. Discussion about the lack of lutefisk in audio drama and a t-shirt design brainstorming session somehow happens as well. Get ready to relive the most humorous moments in Odyssey!

Austin and Michael continue their trek though Paws and Tales with this new BONUS episode. This time, they review episode 17 (A Conscious Effort) and episode 18 (Tiffany Cometh). You can look forward to hearing discussion on how hard it is to say "conscience," Timothy Owl's weird reappearance, Miss Harbor's actions towards the Rocklers, and GOOZ GETS A SOLO!!! Plus, Austin reads some feedback from listeners about their thoughts on Austin and Michael's Beyond AIO reviews.

It's time to talk about more Paws and Tales! In this episode, Austin and Michael review episode 14 (The Great Go-Cart Race) and episode 16 (Hold the Anchovies). You'll hear their discussion about the physics of out of control washtubs, cherry pie vs. peach cobbler, whether or not Gooz was being mean-spirited, and more!

No more laughing! At least, not while listening to another Try Not to Laugh challenge. Can you make it all the way through without even chuckling at these funny AIO moments?

Extra kudos to you if you can remember which episodes all these clips are from!

It's the album everyone's talking about and now that includes Austin. It's time to review Album 71: A Slippery Slope! 

All 6 episodes are up for discussion:

There's a lot of deep content to talk about, including the gray areas of the Rydell Saga, group projects with Jay, the real meaning of Olivia's fall from faith, and how to smell sunsets.

It's a very unique installment of Beyond AIO! Austin and Michael continue their trek through Paws and Tales with reviews of episode 12 (The Honey Buzz Principle) and episode 13 (Snake Oil). Disgusting food combinations, examples of excellent story structure, matters of the heart, bee jokes, and many more topics come up during their discussion. 

Make sure to listen to the entire episode for all the fun Easter eggs!

Beware Andromeda! Christopher Green returns to the podcast to join Austin for another fun discussion. This time, the two AIO fans talk about the beloved story arc, the Novacom Saga. The two share about their first memories of hearing the saga and the most memorable moments from it. The discussion also includes talk about loose ends from the plot, the saga's appeal to older audiences, the good and evil of technology, how the saga inspired them, and much more!

Austin & Michael are reviewing Paws and Tales again! This time, episode 10 (The Lighthouse) and episode 11 (A Race Against Time) are under the microscope. There's a lot to talk about when it comes to the Good Samaritan, canned wings, and false dilemmas. Along the way, you'll find discussion of Adventures in Odyssey (guess which saga) and Down Gilead Lane that will make things more interesting

Austin shares some deleted audio from an upcoming episode of Beyond AIO. In it, Austin and Michael LaFaver discuss another audio drama called Down Gilead Lane. This was recorded while Michael was listening to the series for the first time. It was also a precursor to a DGL review podcast that he would start later.

It's roundtable discussion time! Josh Rodriguez joins Austin for the first time on Odyssey Geek, along with longtime guest host Michael LaFaver, to talk about some controversial subjects. Are modern episodes better or worse than older episodes? How does our different entry points to Adventures in Odyssey reflect our opinions? How does the AIO Club alter fans' perceptions? It's your chance to hear the experiences from three different people who first listened to Odyssey during three different eras.

Austin and Michael are back to talking about Paws and Tales! This time, episodes 8 & 9  A Closer Look & God with the Wind are under the microscope. Along the way, the two hosts discuss Gooz's caper, apologetics, the first mention of Shadow Valley, and the best way to eat graham crackers.

The podcast has hit a milestone and it's time to celebrate! Listen to find out the most-listened to episodes, a preview of future episodes, and a special opportunity for Odyssey Geek fans.

Austin does a speed run this time to review all 12 episodes from Season 8 of the AIO Club. Along the way, he addresses the topics of the limitations of remote recording, unique story concepts, and which episodes should have had a parental warning on them.

Episodes reviewed include:

Austin & Michael are back to conclude their review of The Dreamer's Tomb from Jonathan Park. This includes the episodes:

The two wrap up this series (album?) with some discussion on hot air balloons in audio drama, dangerous water buffalos, and the importance of character development. Of course, there's also some references to the Rydell Saga.

Ryan Matlock is back, and his wife Hannah is making her first appearance on Odyssey Geek! The two of them join forces with Austin to share what each of their top 5 favorite Adventures in Odyssey albums are. Surprises are in store but also discussion of the era of cassette tapes, BEAVRS as a digital assistant, and the best clothes to wear to Chick-fil-a. Plus, Ryan and Hannah talk about which audio dramas their baby might have heard while in the womb. 

After a long hiatus, Beyond AIO is back! This time, Austin & Michael take a break from reviewing Paws and Tales and review a different series. The two team up to talk about the first series (album?) of The New Adventures of Jonathan Park called The Dreamer's Tomb. In this first part of their conversation, they review:

Austin grew up with the original version of Jonathan Park and Michael has no history with it. Both of them give their perspectives on this fresh start for Jonathan Park and discuss library etiquette, mummified scorpions, and if a villain can be too obvious.

Ben Kempf returns to the podcast! This time, he joins Austin for some holiday fun as they each share their top 10 favorite AIO Christmas episodes. Some are predictable but some are quite surprising! Along the way,  they discuss if a recent story arc all takes place at Christmastime, the possibilities of angels in Odyssey before Malachi, and the reason why some Christmas specials just don't work well.

This is Austin's tribute to the amazing actor known as Will Ryan. Recorded on 11/23/21

At long last, Austin returns to finish up his review of Album 70: Finding a Way with his thoughts on the last 3 episodes:

Austin talks about the usage of humor & heart, the power of music, and the unexpected offer given to Emily Jones.

It's another compilation of funny lines from AIO! It's also another chance to see if you can keep from laughing while listening to it. Can you do it?

Album 70: Finding a Way made a big impact on the AIO community. Now, you can hear Austin's thoughts on it. In the first half of this review,  Austin reviews the first 3 episodes of the album:

Austin talks about Whit's handling of trauma, the return of cold opens, and the importance of being different than the world.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this review!

Austin and Michael review two more episodes of Paws and Tales. Episodes 6 & 7, Standing Alone & Correction Course, are the topic of discussion and what a discussion it is! One of these episodes is Michael's favorite and the other is his least favorite. Plus, the two hosts talk about the ethics of being a lawyer, kids misbehaving badly, Westerns, and zoos in Wildwood.

Austin and Michael continue their exploration of the Paws and Tales series. This time, they review the 4th and 5th episodes: High Noon and The Princess. Topics include reverb from the beaver, too much bobbing and weaving, and Steve Bridges' cameos. Also, get ready for deep theological discussions as the two hosts talk about prayer, how it's presented in the show, and how they approach prayer in their own lives.

An often forgotten series from Focus on the Family is making a comeback very soon! Listen in as Austin breaks down the news.

Austin and Ryan finish reviewing Season 7 of the AIO Club with their thoughts on The Martyr and the Rooster, The Forever Gift, & Teach a Man. The discussion leads them into talking about the lack of parental warnings, how to restore Wooton's character, and whether Jay's infatuation with Zoe is okay or not.

Austin and Michael are back to review the first holiday special from Paws and Tales, The Perfect Christmas Gift. Recorded in December 2020, the two talk about the similarities between the sickness in Wildwood & current events, the music of Tim Hosman, and whether or not this episode was prefect.

Ryan Matlock returns to the show and joins Austin in reviewing Badges of Honor & A Simple Reminder. Along they way, they discuss Buck's character development, Zoom calls in Odyssey, not-so-popular culture references, and much more!

The review series of Paws and Tales continues! Austin & Michael talk about the next two episodes: Grace to Hugh & To Have and Give Not. This includes musings on Miss Harbor's teaching (and singing) skills, comparing Gooze to Bridget Perkins, and some deep discussion on generous hearts & living in moderation.

Make sure you listen to the entire podcast episode to hear Michael's remix of the song The Scourge of Me!

At long last, you can now hear what Austin thinks of Album 69: Best Kept Secrets. Austin reviews all 6 episodes, including The Rydell Revelations, Parts 1-3, For a Song, & California Dreams, Parts 1-2. He dives into the gray areas of the Rydell Saga, the music and meanings of Jules' stories, and the shift in AIO's recent episodes.

Austin shares some seasons greetings and some updates about the podcast. Plus, hear what he's learned from all of the Christmas episodes of AIO. Can you tell which episode each lesson came from?

Merry Christmas!

Austin is back with a quick update on one of the reasons why he's been gone for awhile. He recently launched a new audio drama podcast! Listen to this special bonus feature to find out more about it. 

Lee Acim returns! This time, he teams up with Austin to review the Club episode Cars, Trains and Motorcycles. They discuss what some of their favorite lines were, the different types of comedy writing in Odyssey, and whether or not the characters remained true to form. Plus, hear the first Odyssey Geek blooper reel.

Another guest host visits Odyssey Geek! Ryan Matlock from the Odyssey ScoopCast & AIO Audio News joins Austin to review Out of Her Element. They talk about the relationship(?) between Renee & Horus, glue, Rubik's Cubes, and the free* food at Whit's End. And yes, there are puns, too.

Two major events happen in this episode. It's the longest episode to date and it contains the appearance of the first guest on the podcast! Lee Acim (Michael LaFaver) from AIO Audio News & the AIO Wiki Podcast joins Austin to discuss what they deem to be the most underrated episodes of AIO and why they should get more listens. Homeschooling, bags of flowers, and some guy named Ryan are all parts of this laid back conversation.

Happy April Fools' Day! Today is the 20th anniversary of the best prank from AIO: I Slap Floor. To celebrate, Austin recorded a commentary on the episode. It covers the aspects of Richard Maxwell faux return, the absence of Walter Shakespeare & Mayor Faye, a thinly veiled reference of the Strata-Flyer, and much more.

Grab your own copy of the episode and listen along!

So, what's this podcast all about? Here's a sneak peek at what you can expect in future episodes! First full episode coming soon!