We all know that AIO has had quite a few unreleased/pulled from the air episodes, like Pamela has a Problem, You Go To School Where?, etc. But I was reading from Jave Griffin's Facebook (he played Jimmy Barclay) today and he was discussing how his kids were currently playing D&D, despite him starring in the anti D&D episode in AIO. He was talking about how he felt almost guilty for participating in that type of propaganda.

He went on to say he's glad one episode in particular never got released - an episode none of the writers ever talk about. Apparently, it was centered around Jimmy Barclay discovering the existence of gay people.

How do you guys think this episode went? why would they decide not to release it on an unreleased album somewhere?

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Did they even produce it?

As far as the plot, it's hard to speculate without having any information, but I'd guess judging by "Pamela has a Problem", another episode roughly from that time period, that it was probably not unlike a miniature "Ties That Bind". The characters in "Problem" are very careful to avoid mentioning a few things by name or going into detail, and I expect this would be much the same. Maybe characters kissing or something like that, but I think it would probably be mostly about Jimmy's reaction and the explanation.

As far as why it never got released back in the day, that isn't very hard to guess. Paul McCusker & co. have been in the business long enough and had enough feedback over the years about other episodes that they ought to understand their base. They had everything to lose and nothing to gain bringing this up. I don't think I'm off base speculating that conservative parents, especially back in the 80s and 90s, just didn't want to hear about it, or want their kids to hear about it either. When AIO did address it 20+ years later (in a completely different social climate, in which chances are the kids already know about it) we got "Ties That Bind", which handles the subject with surgical gloves, and is very vague, leaving more than enough room for the parents' discretion in what they tell their children.

As for why it hasn't been released recently, they probably don't release many episodes that were never aired (or possibly even produced), and in any case "Ties That Bind" can be assumed to represent their definitive position on this issue, with so much time in between then and now to figure out how to cover it the way they want.

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A classic never goes out of style.

I don't remember when but I do remember hearing the writers mention after the TTB was released, that they had at least planned on covering the homosexual topic in an earlier episode.

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"Let me get this straight. I bet all those non-friends of yours try to embarrass you about your love for that stuff, right? So, you almost feel like you have to hide your treasures away and can only take them out in secret on rainy days when your mom goes to the store to get more liver and nobody is around to berate your sensitive spirit. Is that what you’re saying?" -Jay Smouse

I'm guessing the episode was "One-in-Ten." See AIOWiki: http://www.aiowiki.com/wiki/Unreleased_episodes#.E2.80.9CLost.E2.80.9D_episodes

Which I would say was the best way to do it. You're not criticizing it, are you?

It was so vague that I couldn't tell that it was about homosexuality

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... WusLanuXPk

Phil Lollar talks about the episode One in Ten starting around 4:30 in, so early on. he says they wrote it, recorded it, but never aired because they felt they were going to far.

Paul McCusker also talks about it in a podcast interview after The ties that bind. He also says TTTB had to be through the sensibilities of a child, and you cant give too much , or it will plant images in their mind that shouldnt be there (which is why they have never mentioned porn.)

My record reviewing things speaks for itself in that regard: if I wanted to criticize it, you would know.

More seriously, I'm committed to the principles FotF expressed in the album and thought it was fine, a good way to tactfully address a sensitive issue. The point I was making is that this was the approach the writers took after they had good reason to believe probably most of the people in their audience would be acquainted with the subject. Given that, it isn't a stretch to guess that they wouldn't be inclined to talk about it at all 20 years earlier.

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A classic never goes out of style.