Whit's Flop

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001: Whit's Flop
Season 1987
Album 01: The Adventure Begins
Aired November 21, 1987
Written by Phil Lollar
Directed by Phil Lollar and Steve Harris
Produced by Unknown
Sound Design by Bob Luttrell
Music by Unknown
Prev: A Simple Addition (FP)
Next: The Life of the Party

[edit] General information

Theme: The importance of failure

Scripture: Romans 8:28 See more with this reference

[edit] Summary

Davey Holcomb learns that failure is important when Whit shows him how to turn a failure into a great success.

[edit] Plot

Davey Holcomb is a walking disaster. It seems everything he touches or attempts ends up in failure. At a Little League baseball game, Davey strikes out three times, knocks over the portable backstop, runs into his own second baseman, and causes the entire team to trip over him when he bends down to tie his shoe. After the game, the team goes to Whit's End to commiserate about their loss. There, Davey meets Whit, who shows him around. As they talk, Whit learns that Davey is interested in inventing things. Whit suggests Davey try out the Inventor's Corner, but Davey is afraid he'll fail again. So Whit asks Davey to help him bring out a new display called "Whit's Flop." It's an invention Whit couldn't get to work. Davey tries to fix it and nearly succeeds, but then he accidentally breaks off a lever on the machine.

Davey runs out, dejected. Whit follows to lure him back inside, telling Davey that he must fix what he has broken. So Davey returns, and he and Whit work on the flop together, creating a new invention. They unveil it later that afternoon. But when Davey proudly turns it on, it shorts out and nearly blows up. He leaves again, feeling sorry for himself.

A short time later, Whit finds Davey and offers him a piece of freshly-made pizza. They talk, and Davey learns that the machine fizzled out because of a short in the wiring at Whit's End, not because of anything Davey did. The machine, a convection oven, works wonderfully and is a big hit with the kids. Davey has succeeded-without even knowing it! Whit explains that this is an example of how "God works all things together for good."

[edit] Discussion Questions

  1. Why did Whit say failing is important?
  2. How long should you keep trying to do something at which you've failed?
  3. List some ways God has worked things out for good in your life.

[edit] Cast

Characters Actors
Amanda (a) Dana Howerton
Davey Holcomb Christopher Lewis
John Whittaker Hal Smith
Ralph (a) Chad Reisser
Tom Riley Walker Edmiston

[edit] Notes

[edit] Trivia

  • Whit's Flop was the first episode of Adventures in Odyssey ever aired. At the time the show was called "Odyssey USA".
  • This is the only episode to involve Davey until much later in "Stars in Our Eyes."
  • This episode as well as "A Member of the Family" are the only episodes where the Odyssey Coyotes have a combined boys-and-girls team.
  • Amanda refers to Whit by his nickname in this episode. This is a rare occurrence; very few times have we seen a child calling Mr. Whittaker "Whit".

[edit] Goofs

  • When Davey tells Whit about the backstop falling over, Whit says, "That was just a coincidence." However, it is established in all subsequent episodes that Whit doesn't "believe anything is a coincidence."
  • The Complete Guide lists Phil Lollar as "Sally's father," in this show. There's no Sally that we know of and Phil himself only appears in the background while Davey is talking to Tom.

[edit] Quotes

[edit] Reviews

  • Review by: Chandler [1]
  • Review by: Nathan Hoobler [2]

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