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No. I don't mean the characters that have physically died on the show, nor the ones who's actors have not been able to continue playing the part because they died IRL; I mean the characters that just don't really have much of a reason to be on the show any more. For example- Connie and Eugene.

Sure, we all know and love them because we grew up with them. The problem is, they've grown up too much, and now lack the depth of a flawed character. The reason most of us enjoyed them before was because of the constant love/hate relationship they had with each other, and how they were constantly getting in huge fights and then working it out in the end. This type of flaw in a character is frustrating, but it's also one of the biggest things that makes that character so enduring. Would Sheldon Cooper be an interesting character if he ever figured out how to react to properly react to any social situation at all? Would anyone enjoy watching the Office if Dwight, Andy, or Michael actually learned what was suitable workplace behaviour? Would Hannah Montana ever have anything interesting happen in her life if she didn't consistently make horrible decisions and then lie about them to people to avoid anyone getting hurt, and then eventually reveal to them that she's secretly a super star, and that makes everything ok? NO. The beauty of the story is in the struggle!

What I'm finding in the relationship between Eugene and Connie lately is that they don't have that struggle anymore, or at least, not that much. They've matured, which is how it should be in a Christian community. But in real life, people never fully mature where they just stop making mistakes. But it seems that they have to a large extent overcome too many of their struggles and are now just sort of sitting around in the show, existing because if they didn't, the show wouldn't have any of it's original cast.

I think to properly "bring them back to life", the writing team needs to put them through some serious fire and flames so they have something to struggle with again. Eugene needs to have a kid or something that he'd never be able to handle comfortably. As far as Connie- I'm not even sure. There's so much that's already happened to her, it's hard to imagine putting her through some other faith threatening situation, or having her fall in love with yet another guy who isn't right for her. That could be it, though. Maybe she should run into a guy that really is right for her, and she can struggle with it for a few seasons because she's afraid of getting hurt again, only to eventually push him away and find out that she really does love him, and then has to go off an pursue him and find out that- OH NO- he's now dating some other girl. Now she's got to try to win him back... Never mind. Off topic.

But seriously, what ideas do you have to bring some of the characters that don't serve much of a purpose on the show anymore back to life? Do you totally disagree with me on this and think I'm just a cynical jerk?

Cynical Jerk.

I don't think they've gotten to the point they don't serve a purpose on the show anymore. I certainly don't think they are 'dead characters'. It's okay to have some lulls in character growth while we focus on that of other characters. But I do think they should be thrown some major curves in the near future, just to see how they deal with them. It's true that in real life we always have some growing to do, partly because there's always a new situation we haven't dealt with yet that we haven't had the chance to learn from. Real life is dynamic, never stable, even if we live in a small town.

That said, Eugene and Katrina have been going through some minor bump in the road by not being able to have kids. What would be interesting to deal with is if they decided to adopt.

And Connie--

Aaron Wiley wrote: Maybe she should run into a guy that really is right for her, and she can struggle with it for a few seasons because she's afraid of getting hurt again, only to eventually push him away and find out that she really does love him, and then has to go off an pursue him and find out that- OH NO- he's now dating some other girl. Now she's got to try to win him back... Never mind. Off topic.

That guy should be Jason. And they should eventually get married.
{btw, for some reason I almost typed 'adventurally' instead of eventually- but that too is off topic. )

well, when something is dead to make it alive, all you need to do is add life (duh, huh)
we should just run them into a wall! at a very high speed!
make something big again, (even though I don't like the big long series)

Or, for those who don't like the pain induced by running into a wall, simply bringing the characters back as if they'd never disappeared works. If it did the job with Joanne in Album 56, it would work with others. But if you think about it, if the Odyssey team wanted these characters to make a return, they probably would have by now. But with Odyssey, you never know.....

Aaron Wiley wrote:No. I don't mean the characters that have physically died on the show, nor the ones who's actors have not been able to continue playing the part because they died IRL; I mean the characters that just don't really have much of a reason to be on the show any more. For example- Connie and Eugene.

Sure, we all know and love them because we grew up with them. The problem is, they've grown up too much, and now lack the depth of a flawed character. The reason most of us enjoyed them before was because of the constant love/hate relationship they had with each other, and how they were constantly getting in huge fights and then working it out in the end. This type of flaw in a character is frustrating, but it's also one of the biggest things that makes that character so enduring. Would Sheldon Cooper be an interesting character if he ever figured out how to react to properly react to any social situation at all? Would anyone enjoy watching the Office if Dwight, Andy, or Michael actually learned what was suitable workplace behaviour? Would Hannah Montana ever have anything interesting happen in her life if she didn't consistently make horrible decisions and then lie about them to people to avoid anyone getting hurt, and then eventually reveal to them that she's secretly a super star, and that makes everything ok? NO. The beauty of the story is in the struggle!

What I'm finding in the relationship between Eugene and Connie lately is that they don't have that struggle anymore, or at least, not that much. They've matured, which is how it should be in a Christian community. But in real life, people never fully mature where they just stop making mistakes. But it seems that they have to a large extent overcome too many of their struggles and are now just sort of sitting around in the show, existing because if they didn't, the show wouldn't have any of it's original cast.

I think to properly "bring them back to life", the writing team needs to put them through some serious fire and flames so they have something to struggle with again. Eugene needs to have a kid or something that he'd never be able to handle comfortably. As far as Connie- I'm not even sure. There's so much that's already happened to her, it's hard to imagine putting her through some other faith threatening situation, or having her fall in love with yet another guy who isn't right for her. That could be it, though. Maybe she should run into a guy that really is right for her, and she can struggle with it for a few seasons because she's afraid of getting hurt again, only to eventually push him away and find out that she really does love him, and then has to go off an pursue him and find out that- OH NO- he's now dating some other girl. Now she's got to try to win him back... Never mind. Off topic.

But seriously, what ideas do you have to bring some of the characters that don't serve much of a purpose on the show anymore back to life? Do you totally disagree with me on this and think I'm just a cynical jerk?

I think it would be weird for Eugene to have a kid. I'm only ten and I'm not allowed to watch The Office (my dad does). And I don't like Eugene and Connie because the fight all the time. I don't think Connie should date again and get married. I guess I'm one of those people who can't stand changes. And that's pretty much it.

well, Eugene can't have a kid, so the opportunity for adopting is open, quite possible, and as I am repeating, I think planed.
Odyssey hasn't had an adopted kid yet, (I don't think Xavier counts) and they do like to bring in new things.
I am sure they will do it some time, if not in the near future, they will sometime.
I can't stand change either.

P.s. Please don't quote whole posts, it hurts my eyes, and my liver.

Nate, remember the Mulligans? They took in those two African-American girls, Giselle (I think) and whatever her name was. Not so much adoption, but foster care. We had the Mulligans do it, and then the Washingtons took in Xavier, so if we dealt with the issue so soon again, I wouldn't be happy.

The Old Judge wrote:Nate, remember the Mulligans? They took in those two African-American girls, Giselle (I think) and whatever her name was. Not so much adoption, but foster care. We had the Mulligans do it, and then the Washingtons took in Xavier, so if we dealt with the issue so soon again, I wouldn't be happy.

Don't forget that the Washingtons also took in Kelly.

I think I am open to the idea of Eugene and Katrina taking in a foster child, even though it would change Eugene...Change can help you change, and that can be a good thing.

I DON'T remeber "Kelly" huh, well, why would you not be "Happy" about it? It's not that big of a deal.
I agree with GG, it is a good idea, it will change Eugene and Katrina, and would also bring a reason to bring more of them into AIO.

I think the AIO team needs a new look on the show. I conclude they use the Doctor Who method. Keep Whit living forever....throw Connie and Eugene away, and bring in some new teenage kids to work at Whit's End. And when those teenagers get old...send them away...in with the new!....and keep doing this till AIO is finally over and they can think of a NEW IDEA !!!!! FOR A SHOW

You make it sound like you DON'T LIKE AIO! *gasp*

Aaron, I found this fascinating a long time ago when you first posted it. In the end though, well written as this is, it's not really a problem that Connie and Eugene change little, if at all, of late. It's a pity Connie was out of the spotlight for so long. I'm glad Life Expectancies came along and shook her life up. Still, Odyssey isn't a novel. In a novel, the characters need to change. The point is that all the major characters are challenged and transformed. Instead, AIO is a series, and like any series, change isn't the point. Winnie the Pooh never changes, the muppets never change, nor Duncans in Good Luck Charley.
The episodes are individual snapshots of their life, meant to work well in isolation. Obviously, if the characters changed, or were thrown into a huge character arc, from episode to episode, season to season, this wouldn't work.
On the other hand, all that considered, there's a ton of change in AIO. Connie found out Mitch is marrying another woman, for crying out loud! She also met Penny, plus Eugene has become a Christian, gotten married, as well as discover he can't have children.
How much change can a couple of people take!?
so yes, you're a cynical jerk. Well, no not really. But you are wrong. Nyah, nyah nyah.