The Odyssey

Definition #1: An extended wandering or journey

Definition #2: An ancient Greek epic poem, written by Homer, about the wanderings of Odysseus (the hero of the poem, king of Ithaca and one of the Greek leaders in the Trojan War) during the ten years after the fall of Troy 

Definition #3: Illya Woloshyn's (as  Jay Ziegler) quest for his Father in another dimension. 

Jay, after falling out of a treehouse, is in a coma. His mother and friends tend to him in this world (also called "Upworld"). His coma has allowed him to simultaneously be in another world, another dimension, a "Lord of the Flies" type of fantasy earth where older people (over the age of 15) do not exist, and older kids rule by fear, mysticism and force. Jay moves through this "Downworld" ("Upworld" is our world) looking for information about his Father disappearance several years earlier. He is on an Odyssey, to find what happened to his Father before he leaves his coma and/or Downworld is left behind

And with that little gem we begin our discussion of "The Odyssey", a Canadian young adult half-hour TV show which completed 39 episodes between 1991 and 1995. 

The Odyssey has a lot going for it. A charismatic cast, challenging stories, lotta-work-put-into-them sets, imaginative costumes, and themes that are both universal and relevant to all people. You don't even have to be 13 years old to enjoy it. The elements just come together so well. Makes you wonder why Sci-Fi hasn't advertised it more. The show makes you think and holds your attention. Rare these days. 

Why Is The Odyssey So Special?

This show distinguishes itself by breaking all the rules. Filled with lush visuals and complex ideas, it is the classical anti-show, created more for the love of storytelling than the bottom line. It will be a sleeper hit, akin to Star Trek, by all definition: misunderstood and ignored at first, then carelessly mainstreamed and abruptly canceled by TV marketeers, followed by what we hope will be a long backchannel life supported by loyal fans. The Odyssey will need to ferment like fine wine before its true genius is realized. 

Unlike the transparent formulaic crap that has become kids' television, The Odyssey trusts its 12-15 year old viewers to ponder hard topics: ethics and loyalty, duty and mission, bravery and courage, freedom and government, relationships, making decisions, superscientific possibilities, mystery and puzzles, and heartache and loss. However, plenty of humor for the thinking person in injected; this show lampoons all that is adult: business, family, government, and is confident enough 
even to make fun of itself. 

Illya Woloshyn plays Jay, a shy and unhappy boy who is on the cusp of early adulthood. Through an accident, Jay is transported into an alternative world that will become the training ground for his adolescence. We care what happens to him because we ourselves have navigated or are navigating this course: would we do the right thing, like Jay, or would we punk out, and compromise our soul? That question is faced in every episode by this extremely talented (And we mean talented. This is a guy who can sing, play the violin and focus when he acts. He is not your typical TV performer.) actor whose low profile and quiet demeanor is as mysterious as the show itself. 

Jay's search for his Father is symbolic not only to all the members of The Realm of the Citadel but also to world humans now live in, particularly the one-parent family. In America for example, forty percent of children will go to sleep tonight without their father in the house. Jay must reach his adulthood in the hardest way possible: caught up in a strange world he does not understand, with no father to help him. He is the noble hero, full of hurt and rage .... and goodness and questions. We find that his heart beats inside all of us too, that we must take control of our lives and make good decisions, regardless of our past.