(5 / 5)
What is rare for me is a return to the past, of the television kind anyway. Those who know me are aware of my rewatch of Twin Peaks, after David Lynch’s passing. That is the true exception.
Through rough, AI looking videos on YouTube I had the seismic shock of nostalgic flight. From this, I can proudly say I do remember The Odyssey and it is easily one of the finer shows made for kids television, so much so that adults can easily find a way in as well.
It would have been either Nickelodeon or Channel 4 that I watched it. What I do remember most are the opening credits and the impactful, defining moment of the story. Yet, have I engaged in the Mandela Effect…I am sure the show was called Coma? This leads into the story…
Made in Canada from CBC Television, the success of the series had to an impressive three seasons, though not all plot threads were wrapped up as expected. Created by Paul Vitols and Warren Easton, I do wonder if there was any inspiration from Twin Peaks, The Odyssey would have just been aired as the cult show was losing its main allure.
The premise is layered, especially for its main audience. Jay, an 11-year old boy is keen to join a local tree-fort club, the lead of which is Keith. Jay brings his late father’s precious telescope as an offering into the club. Things get murky with bullying, Donna, Jay’s disabled friend tries to keep things cool. In a desperate attempt to leave, Jay uses ropes to slide down to the ground. This gives way and he falls in epic fashion only then to have a might thump on a stone. For most of the next two seasons, Jay is in a coma, yet another realm is revealed as he appears to create stories in his head about The Tower and its surroundings. No adults live in this land and children appropriate numerous adult jobs and cultures. The show is fantasy, yet is still rooted in reality, as the event mirror in both worlds. The show never had the intent to speak down to children and this is one of its best assets.
I’m now aware I cannot speak of the show with out a dreadful sense of tragedy. Both male and female leads have passed both extremely young, Illya Woloshyn in 2023 and Ashley Rogers back in 2007. Their deaths have led to some unsavoury fake news about what caused this and I must write with care here. Watching them grow up so fast over there three seasons is touching, but it was still a hard watch. Woloshyn had promise growing up into the dashing main character, yet at times his acting didn’t quite gel with the script. Other times he seems to really get it, his obsession with his apparently dead father (I won’t spoil too much here) and general teenage angst are absorbing. Im amazed just how much a show from the early 90s sucked me in like this.
I don’t recall watching till the end back in the day, but what we do get at the finale is a fine wrap up that could have expanded on the dynamic between children becoming grownups and adults respecting this. Many 90s tropes are here: the music…good lord the fashion! Though dated in may respects, the story still holds. A remake, which has apparently been in the discussions would not rival this rawness and clever sense of theatre. Ashley Rogers as both Donna and Alpha, was such a great young actress, who found praise also in the film Now and Then. Her sensibleness grounds Jay in both roles and her bookish persona is very charming. The trio is completed by Tony Sampson, best known later as Eddy in Ed, Eddy, n Eddy (fans of the show will know I’ve spelt this right), the bully who becomes friends with Jay. As the third season goes on Sampson changes with clear weight loss and the gruff traits of the role are still their. His fashion choices might just be the most “radical”.
What must be of note is the fact that a young Ryan Reynolds is in the fold, playing Macro and Lee. Dressed up like a fascist, even in this early role you can see he’s having fun, no doubt all the cast must have found this eventful. Macro is the make shift right hand man to Brad (again won’t spoil here) and no doubt had acting lessons from an early age. Even his line “My poochy needs me…” could easily be from Deadpool. Andrea Nemeth as Medea and singer Sierra Jones, is fine casting, an actress who didn’t go on to do much else, yet really shines here. Her on-again-off-again pairing with Finger and Mic from a rebellious Mark Hildreath is also funny for its frustrated puppy love murmurings. Finger’s later doomsday plot is also absorbing.
Also surprising that a compassionate Janet Hodgkinson as Jay’s mum, Val didn’t do a huge amount of work either. In season three she is not seen for a few episodes, yet her vast efforts are to make sure her son comes out of his coma. There appears to be some rather dated methods of aiding someone in that condition: do we really think a bag of ice and loud noises could wake someone from a coma? It almost reeks of cult, the care facility Jay is sent to.
How does Jay know of this other realm when he is awake? Will he find his father in either place? Many questions arise. Broad themes are tackled and the troubles of being a young person are never belittled. I just adore this show for such a gentle and fine handling of the children. This is easily watched on YouTube, those who binge might be a little shocked with the darker edge of the third season, arguably the best.
A treat down memory lane, well worth the trip.