Third Degree
Proverbs 27:17
“Third Degree” is episode #276 of the Adventures in Odyssey audio series. It was written by Marshal Younger, and originally aired on August 6, 1994.
Summary
In Colorado, Eugene meets a group of people who are just like him. Bernard is not so fortunate; he fights a traffic ticket in court.
Plot
Next stop, Colorado. Bernard and Eugene are truckin’ down the highway at a turtle’s pace, as Bernard’s truck doesn’t handle high altitudes well. Suddenly, they hear a siren behind them. A policeman pulls them over and tickets them for going too slowly! Bernard concludes it’s a scam. He decides to fight it in the Municipal Court of Oak Park.
While setting up the court date, Bernard and Eugene become acquainted with a young man named Bryant Jennings. Bryant talks a lot like Eugene. In fact, most of the people in Oak Park talk like Eugene. This is especially obvious when Bernard and Eugene attend a party that night at Bryant’s house. Bernard feels out of place among all the intellectuals. But he doesn’t mind using their smarts. They all help Bernard prepare his defense for traffic court. Unfortunately, when he appears in court, his mind is full of too much information. Bernard gets flustered. He ends up in contempt of court and gets thrown in jail for 72 hours!
Meanwhile, Bryant likes having Eugene around town. Bryant gets his uncle, who runs a computer company, to offer Eugene a job in the programming department. Eugene is tempted to stay, especially when an inmate convinces Bernard to fight the system and remain in jail beyond his three-day sentence. But Bernard realizes that would be a big mistake, and Eugene realizes that he doesn’t want to live permanently among people who are just like him. Bernard pays his fines, and the two of them continue their trip to San Diego.
Discussion Questions
- Do you think Bernard handled his court appearance in the best way?
- Why or why not?
- Why did Eugene ultimately decide not to stay in Oak Park?
- What are the benefits of befriending people who are different from you?
- What is good about having friends who are similar to you?
Cast
Notes
VERSION DIFFERENCE: [view] In previous versions, as Eugene and Bryant Jennings are talking about various court cases, Bernard's line "Can I go now?" was originally extended to "Can I go now or do you two want to get married first?". The line was probably removed due to the recent legalization of gay marriage in the United States. While Focus on the Family probably didn't remove it due to concerns about offending someone, it was probably removed in order to avoid drawing attention to the issue.
- Trivia
- This episode takes place away from Odyssey: Episodes That Take Place Away from Odyssey
- This is the first episode to feature Eugene introducing the show during the opening theme.
- This episode is based on the idea that if Bernard is annoyed by one Eugene, then it will be humorous for him to be placed in a room filled with Eugenes.
- It is interesting to note that Gary Reed, who here plays Bryant Jennings, also provides the voice for Brandon Teller, Eugene's rival for Katrina Shanks' heart in #484: “Plan B, Part 1: Missing in Action”.
- The name "Bryant Jennings" is most likely based on the famous 19th to 20th-century American orator William Jennings Bryan.
Quotes
Elizabeth: My name is Elizabeth.
Bernard Walton: Oh, hi, how're you doing?
Elizabeth: How am I? Well, contrary to all of the negative factors that have been impressed upon me in the previous six to seven days, I feel rather energetic, if not vigorous! How are you?
Bernard Walton: Excuse me, I...need some air. <walks away> Okay, Bernard, now what? You're in a room full of Eugenes! Maybe I can just sit in a corner somewhere and they'll leave me alone.
Bernard Walton: Give a man a hammer, and he goes power-crazy!
Bernard Walton: The what? What'd he say? These new fangled houses can't just have living rooms anymore.
Eugene Meltsner: I'd be hard pressed to think of any place I would rather have been tonight.
Bernard Walton: I can think of a couple. Prison. Antarctica.
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