Breaking Point

#473: “Breaking Point”

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Paired with

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Airdate

June 2, 2001

Last aired

November 8, 2023 ↓

• November 8, 2023
  
• October 2, 2020
  
• October 18, 2017
  
• December 17, 2014
  
• April 20, 2012
  
• November 4, 2009
  
• May 22, 2007
  
• February 22, 2005
  
• March 19, 2003
  
• November 3, 2001
  
• June 2, 2001
  

Original Release Date

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Date Recorded

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Recorded at

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Album

36: Danger Signals

Album

36: Danger Signals ↓

• 36: Danger Signals
• Novacom Saga

Cassette No.

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Intro

Normal

Intros

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• Character (Whit)
• Previews

Wraps

Narration

Wraps

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• Narration
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Theme

Trust

Genre

Novacom Saga

Scripture

Proverbs 16:9

⁹In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

Songs Included

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Inventions Used

Imagination Station

Featured Charity

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Short Used

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Spanish Name

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Spanish Airdate

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Previous title

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Host

Chris Anthony

Written by

Marshal Younger

Directed by

Marshal Younger

Produced by

Rob Jorgensen
Bob Hoose
Marshal Younger

Executive Producer

Paul McCusker

Post-Production by

Rob Jorgensen

Production Assistant

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Engineered by

Rob Jorgensen

Music by

John Campbell

Songs by

Unknown

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Other websites

Official Site
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Promo

Sample

Welcoming Wooton

Breaking Point

Shining Armor, Part 1

“Breaking Point” is episode #473 of the Adventures in Odyssey audio series. It was written and directed by Marshal Younger, and originally aired on June 2, 2001.

Summary

As construction on the new Whit's End nears completion, Whit finds his time stretched to the limit.

Plot

It's just not going to work out... Whit can't figure out how to manage his schedule and fit in everything that he's supposed to do. Not only that, his workers can't find enough time for Whit's End, either. Connie's busy at the Timothy Center, Jack's busy at the Antique shop, Eugene's still busy at the college, and Nick is starting a band. Whit decides to call Wooton, even though he doesn't have a lot of experience.

At the Connellsville Whit's End, Whit is working on the new Imagination Station and Mary Hopkins introduces a friend, Barry Muntz, who seems to be an expert in everything (and we do mean everything). Mary says he could help Whit with the Imagination Station, but Whit says he doesn't want anyone else looking at the Imagination Station plans.

Back at Whit's End, chaos reigns. Kids are getting hit with pretzel rods, birthday parties are noisy, trains are flying off tracks and seven-year-old baseball players are taking the place by storm. Whit gets a call from a desperate Nick who seems to have a bucket stuck on his head. Mary urges Whit to let someone help him.

Wooton shows up for work at Whit's End the next day and just after Nick leaves, Wooton and Liz hear screaming upstairs. Alex is trapped in the Imagination Station and Wooton doesn't know how to turn it off. They can't get through to Whit, so Wooton gets a rock from the Jacob display and smashes the glass. Alex is shaken, but not hurt. That night, Whit stops by Alex's house to see if he's all right. Alex's dad says that he's fine, but he's concerned about Whit's End. Things seem to be falling through the cracks without Whit there. After saying goodbye to Mr. Jefferson, Whit takes out his cell phone and gives Mary a call. He's ready to talk about letting Barry help with the Imagination Station.

The next day, Wooton is upset about what happened, but Nick and Whit tell him that it isn't his fault.

A few days later, Whit shows up at the Connellsville Whit's End. Mary says Barry is finished with the Station, but when Whit takes a look, some of the inner circuitry is missing. The plans are gone, too. Barry has stolen Whit's plans for the Station! At the police station, Mary apologizes to Whit and wonders how Barry could have betrayed her. The detective says that Barry was just an alias and that he was involved in stealing company secrets.

At Whit's End, Whit tells Nick something he didn't tell Mary. He left out a key component of the Station as a precaution. The Station won't work without it.

At an unknown airport, Barry hands the plans over to a mysterious figure. The other man tells Barry he must leave the country for a while. Barry is confused, but the man insists that he must not come back. Just as Barry is about to walk away, the man gives him a final warning: "And by the way, Mr. Muntz...these plans better work."

Discussion Questions

1. Why didn't Whit want to give the plans to Barry?
2. Was Whit doing anything wrong by trying to do everything himself?
   • What do you think he should have done?
3. In Exodus 18, Jethro told Moses that he needed people to help him do the work so he wasn't doing it all himself. Read the story for yourself. Are there any situations in your life where you need to get some trustworthy people to help you do the work?

Cast

Heard in episode

Role	Voice Actor
Alex Jefferson	Travis Tedford
Automated Attendant	Matt Hurwitz
Barry Muntz	Corey Burton
"Mr. X"	Jess Harnell
Mr. Jefferson	Matt Hurwitz
John Whittaker	Paul Herlinger
Little League Coach	Bob Hoose
Liz Horton	Lauren Schaffel
Mary Hopkins	Natalie O'Hare
Nick Mulligan	Chris Castile
Police Officer	Unknown
Wooton Bassett	Jess Harnell

Mentioned in episode

Character	Mentioned By
Connie Kendall	Nick Mulligan
Jack Allen	John Whittaker
Joanne Allen	Nick Mulligan
Eugene Meltsner	John Whittaker
Rachel Jefferson	Wooton Bassett
Jana Whittaker-Dowd	Wooton Bassett

Notes

Trivia

• Mr. Charles is first heard in this episode, even though his name isn't used. Fans referred to the mysterious character only as "Mr. X" — a name given to him by the writers.
• In this episode's opening scene, Nick mentions Wooton's help at Whit's End in the previous episode, #472: “Welcoming Wooton”.
• Whit explains to Mary in this episode that he's had problems with people misusing the Imagination Station in the past. This may be a reference to the Blackgaard virus in #424 – #425: “Blackgaard's Revenge” — and, if the video series is to be considered canon, the efforts of Fred J. Faustus to turn it into the "Manipulation Station" in The Knight Travellers.
• This episode marks the second instance of Whit visiting a child's home to speak with and apologize to his or her father regarding an incident at the shop. The first was in #265: “War of the Words” with Mr. Thomas, Henry's father.
• This episode takes place away from Odyssey: Episodes That Take Place Away from Odyssey

Reviews

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Quotes

Automated Attendant: To receive information about one of our products, press 1. To receive one of our informational products, press 2. To inform us that you have not received one of our products, press 3.
Nick Mulligan: What?
Automated Attendant: To be better informed and/or receive and/or produce one of our productive and/or informational products, press 5 and/or 6. To speak to someone in English, press 7.
Nick Mulligan: Finally.

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Nick Mulligan: Uh, Whit, do you have any idea how to get a bucket off of somebody's head?
John Whittaker: A bucket?
Nick Mulligan: Yeah, like the ones that those chocolate sprinkles come in?
John Whittaker: Who has a bucket on their head?
Nick Mulligan: Well, that's not really important.
John Whittaker: Nick... do you have a bucket on your head?