Bethany's Imaginary Friend

#428b: “Bethany's Imaginary Friend”

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Paired with

#428a: “The Eternal Birthday”

Airdate

October 30, 1999

Last aired

September 14, 2023 ↓

• September 14, 2023
  
• August 7, 2020
  
• August 23, 2017
  
• October 16, 2014
  
• February 22, 2012
  
• September 10, 2009
  
• March 27, 2007
  
• December 3, 2004
  
• January 22, 2003
  
• May 2, 2001
  
• October 30, 1999
  

Original Release Date

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Date Recorded

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Recorded at

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Album

33: Virtual Realities

Album

33: Virtual Realities ↓

• 33: Virtual Realities

Cassette No.

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Intro

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Intros

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• Previews
• Narration

Wraps

Narration

Wraps

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• Narration
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Theme

Imagination

Genre

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Scripture

Matthew 6:28-29

²⁸"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

Songs Included

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Inventions Used

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Featured Charity

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Short Used

History Moment: All Saints' Day
And You Think You've Got Problems - Daniel

Spanish Name

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Previous title

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Host

Chris Anthony

Written by

Lissa Halls Johnson

Directed by

Phil Lollar

Produced by

Rob Jorgensen
Phil Lollar

Executive Producer

Al Janssen

Post-Production by

Rob Jorgensen

Production Assistant

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Engineered by

Rob Jorgensen

Music by

John Campbell

Songs by

Unknown

Purchase episode

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Other websites

Official Site
AIOHQ
Odyssey Library
Odyssey Scoop
Soda Fountain

Promo

Sample

The Eternal Birthday

Bethany's Imaginary Friend

The YAK Problem

“Bethany's Imaginary Friend” is episode #428b of the Adventures in Odyssey audio series. It was written by Lissa Halls Johnson, and originally aired on October 30, 1999.

Summary

Bethany Shepard gets an 'imaginary friend' and it bothers Aubrey.

Plot

This episode opens with Bethany imploring Aubrey to come help with an emergency. Aubrey is upset when she finds that the emergency is that Bethany's imaginary friend, Belinda is supposedly trapped under a log. After a few more annoying incidents, Aubrey calls a family meeting to talk about the nuisance of Bethany's imaginary friend. Her mother agrees and there are several extra chairs because they were having a tea party for the other imaginary guests, including Alex, Cornelius, and later, Bliebel from the Planet Glork. Bliebel was Aubrey's imaginary friend from several years before, and that reminded Aubrey she had had her imaginary friends also. Aubrey's parents explained that Tom and Connie had assured them that imaginary friends were not a big deal, because God has a great imagination, and God has made kids with big imaginations too. From now on, Aubrey will be a little more patient with her sister...or maybe not.

Discussion Questions

1. Bethany has an active imagination. When is imagination a good thing?
   • When is it a bad thing?
   • Who gave us an imagination?
   • Why is imagination important?

Cast

Heard in episode

Role	Voice Actor
Aubrey Shepard	Danielle Judovits
Ben Shepard	Jerry Houser
Bethany Shepard	Sara Pilgreen
Connie Kendall	Katie Leigh
Ellen Shepard	Carolyn Hennesy

Mentioned in episode

Character	Mentioned By
Tom Riley	Ellen Shepard

Notes

VERSION DIFFERENCE: ^[view] In the original airing of this episode, a shorty titled History Moment: All Saints' Day was heard between it and its pair, The Eternal Birthday. This shorty has since been pulled from the daily schedule, and another shorty titled And You Think You've Got Problems?: Daniel airs in its place.

Trivia

• This was the first episode to have two short "mini-episodes" in one. It was also the first episode to have Chris introduce both episodes during the opening tune. Also, it was the first episode in a very long time where Chris said "Don't go away" and "And now, back to Adventures in Odyssey".
• In various merchandise and packaging, the second half of this episode is referred to as "Imaginary Friend," or "Bethany's Imaginary Friend."
• In the wrap-up, Chris calls the second episode "The Imaginary Friend."
• Belinda is referred to as "Belinda darling".

Reviews

• The Odyssey Scoop: Read

Quotes

Aubrey Shepard: You've all been abducted by space aliens, right?

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Ellen Shepard: Come on in, Blieble... Connie, Blieble is from the planet Glork. He and Aubrey used to fly all over the galaxy together.
Connie Kendall: Oh, you're from Glork. Well, that explains the yellow spots.
Aubrey Shepard: Purple... purple spots, and green antenna. I remember. We used to have so much fun together.

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Aubrey Shepard: No. This has to stop!
Ellen Shepard: Oh, Aubrey!
Aubrey Shepard: But Mom, Belinda almost sat on Blieble. She can't have every chair!