10. A Most Intriguing Progression
Eugene's journey over the years.
By David Hilder | March 9, 2013
Eugene's journey over the years.
By David Hilder | March 9, 2013
The Adventures in Odyssey producers have said that the reason they have decided to keep Eugene and Katrina from having children is because having a baby would fundamentally transform the nature of the character of Eugene, a major change they and the audience may not be prepared for. The Eugene Meltsner we know is not a father. A father hopefully wouldn’t rig a cash register with electricity or almost get arrested after defying airport security and madly running out onto an airplane runway. Presumably, as a father Eugene would need to become more mature, down-to-earth and kid friendly. But what better place to learn parenting skills than working at Whit’s End? It’s a place full of kids in need of more adult role models. Maybe Eugene’s training still requires a longer process to take place but that shouldn’t exclude the possibility of fatherhood altogether in the future. Eugene has always been on a journey during his time on AIO and abruptly cutting off his progression as a character at this point isn’t the best option.
The Eugene we know today is not the same Eugene who first appeared on the show in 1988. That’s clear enough. When Eugene Meltsner first arrived at Whit’s End his first action was to insult Mr. Whittaker’s decision to have a bell above the front door for its inefficiency, causing Whit to believe Eugene might be a salesman. And with all the unnecessary and in-depth details Eugene gave about whatever particular topic was being discussed, it would be logical to think he might be selling something. He was selling his knowledge and subconsciously trying to show off his ability. He became obsessed with upgrading the technology at the shop, which resulted in a much more impersonal experience for the customers. This seemed to fit well with his personality at the time, which was very impersonal and business-like. He considered his computers to be his closest friends because he spoke their language. Whit explains to him that Whit’s End is about people, not automations, machines or inventions. When Whit tells him that he’s been missing his heart, Eugene misunderstands this and says his body wouldn’t survive without his heart. He was obviously less understanding of others and less experienced back then.
Intellectual and technological pursuits were Eugene’s main focus at the time. Having started college at an early age, he must have learned to devout most of his time to studying efficiently and probably being very efficient in most areas of his life. Ironically, his quest to absorb facts, use upper level vocabulary, and correct the grammar mistakes of others made his conversations at Whit’s End very inefficient to say the least. But as time went on, Eugene slowly became more sensitive, relatable, personal, and human. He was deeply influenced by Connie and Whit’s Christian faith and through a long and difficult struggle he eventually accepted Jesus as his own savior. He found his own faith, the place where the mind and heart could finally unite.
But his growth as a character didn’t stop there. He continued to mature in his Christian faith and his tenuous relationship with Katrina resumed with a newfound sense of purpose, even if it did have its ups and downs along the way. In Album 29, shortly after we heard Katrina complementing how good Eugene was with kids while he was playing catch with Hans Holstein, Fred Holstein’s grandson, this new Eugene found the strength to admit his feelings to Katrina even before she had the chance to reaffirm her love for him. He later says, “I’ve much to learn about relationships. I realized that after our last encounter. But I hope I have matured and will continue maturing in ways that will make me a suitable companion.” As things progressed, their relationship became more serious and genuine and then they became engaged to be married. They still had problems, doubts and conflict, but they kept moving forward. In Album 32 Eugene not only sought advice from Connie, Jack and Joanne, but from the angel Malachi. Eugene was experiencing change during this instance as well, especially after Katrina encouraged him to be more aggressive like her father. Near the end of that episode, Eugene brazenly entered the group conversation to say that “from a strictly rational point of view, the proof did not weigh in [Malachi’s] favor that he was definitely, absolutely, beyond a shadow of a doubt and incontrovertibly an actual angel.” But this may have just been a lapse in Eugene’s judgment because of his want to appear more aggressive in public, coupled with a display of his high vocabulary and unmatched logic. This is basically proved by Connie’s immediate retort. She says “that’s not what you said in the kitchen,” pointing out the discrepancy between Eugene’s genuine feelings and his tough-sounding statement to the group. But luckily he didn’t stay trying to act aggressively; he moved on in his life and rejected the notion that being a father means being overly aggressive.
Eugene and Katrina’s marriage was overshadowed by both the death of Katrina’s father and the whole Novacom Saga. Eugene was probably helped through his previous experiences in the cutthroat world of archaeology to deal with the evil company that wanted to use his research to take over world and enslave the human race. Novacom was clearly dangerous, having gone so far as to murder Justine Baker and Armitage Shanks. Having a child may change a person, but I think the stress Eugene was under trying to protect his valuable research while on the run from Novacom would significantly change him as a person as well. Eugene as a character has had a history of changing and developing throughout the show.
Thankfully, after a short experience with amnesia, Eugene was again back in Odyssey with his friends. But again, Eugene didn’t settle for a life of stagnation. He developed the organization Hand Up to help others and then was quickly launched into a search for his missing father, Leonard. When they found each other, Eugene was again in a stressful situation, having only short talks with Leonard in unusual locations and with the knowledge hanging over them that Dalton Kearn was still out there hoping to imprison Eugene’s father again. During this time, Eugene eventually met his younger brother, Everett, and then helped his father Leonard become a Christian. Soon afterward, Leonard decided to go back to Africa as a missionary with Everett. At that moment in his life, Eugene remarked that he felt like a “pleased father.” He was like a “father from ancient times watching his son leave on a journey across the ocean.” This isn’t the first time Eugene has mused about being a father. In Album 45 he said if he were a father he would have to “equip [his] children with homing devices.”
In the past, Eugene was always in a state of change. He was always moving towards some kind of goal, either an inevitable or planned goal or an unforeseen progression. Whether it was in his relationship with God, Katrina, Novacom, or Leonard, it’s hard to imagine a time when Eugene has just “been.” Instead, Eugene is always “becoming.” As time goes by, Eugene changes. That’s why so many fans naturally thought the next step would be for Eugene and Katrina to have kids.
But, after the producers made it clear that Eugene’s character would need to go through a lot of changes to become a father, the news broke in Album 55 that due to medical issues, the Meltsners would not be able to have children at all. Despite this unfortunate situation, I did think the episode To Mend or Repair was a very nice look at Eugene and Katrina interacting with each other. And while I think the decision to not allow them to have kids for now does provide an opportunity for drama, I do not think this should necessarily be the end of it. If we’re not prepared for Eugene and Katrina to have kids right now, then at least a process could begin where they look into adoption. If the Meltsners do decide to adopt, coming to that decision will take time and will be much more meaningful if it’s properly thought out. And hopefully by then not only will Eugene be ready to be a father, but we will finally be ready for his character to advance into the next stage of his life.
The idea for the character of Eugene was suggested by a listener. A girl wrote in to suggest the writers create someone just like her dad, who was a genius but was always losing his keys. The idea for Eugene was based off a father. Eugene isn’t losing his keys anymore, but he is still a genius. And his brilliance doesn’t have to diminish as he grows older. He can still be a father who also happens to be a genius. He can be someone who doesn’t accidentally overwhelm people with his endless stream of knowledge during every conversation or have as many over-the-top reactions to things as he used to, such as not sleeping or showering for days after losing to Bernard at chess or endlessly bickering with Connie over the smallest things. That responsibility to be overly goofy can pass on to other characters like Wooton. Change is a natural part of life and since Eugene has been changing ever since he appeared on Adventures in Odyssey, it makes sense that he would continue to mature in his relationships and as a character in general.
If there’s anything holding Eugene back, it would probably be the attachment listeners have formed to his character and the nostalgia we feel about him. We love the Eugene of the good old days. But at some point we need to realize that yes, he may be a fictional character, but that doesn’t mean Eugene should become a totally and unrealistically stagnant character. We have to be ready for Eugene to change because eventually he may receive a call to something more, a call that brings him a step forward into some form of fatherhood. Time may go by a lot slower in Odyssey, but it shouldn’t be ignored indefinitely. Whatever Eugene experiences in the future will have an impact on who he is, whether it’s adopting children or something else.
The Eugene we know today is not the same Eugene who first appeared on the show in 1988. That’s clear enough. When Eugene Meltsner first arrived at Whit’s End his first action was to insult Mr. Whittaker’s decision to have a bell above the front door for its inefficiency, causing Whit to believe Eugene might be a salesman. And with all the unnecessary and in-depth details Eugene gave about whatever particular topic was being discussed, it would be logical to think he might be selling something. He was selling his knowledge and subconsciously trying to show off his ability. He became obsessed with upgrading the technology at the shop, which resulted in a much more impersonal experience for the customers. This seemed to fit well with his personality at the time, which was very impersonal and business-like. He considered his computers to be his closest friends because he spoke their language. Whit explains to him that Whit’s End is about people, not automations, machines or inventions. When Whit tells him that he’s been missing his heart, Eugene misunderstands this and says his body wouldn’t survive without his heart. He was obviously less understanding of others and less experienced back then.
Intellectual and technological pursuits were Eugene’s main focus at the time. Having started college at an early age, he must have learned to devout most of his time to studying efficiently and probably being very efficient in most areas of his life. Ironically, his quest to absorb facts, use upper level vocabulary, and correct the grammar mistakes of others made his conversations at Whit’s End very inefficient to say the least. But as time went on, Eugene slowly became more sensitive, relatable, personal, and human. He was deeply influenced by Connie and Whit’s Christian faith and through a long and difficult struggle he eventually accepted Jesus as his own savior. He found his own faith, the place where the mind and heart could finally unite.
But his growth as a character didn’t stop there. He continued to mature in his Christian faith and his tenuous relationship with Katrina resumed with a newfound sense of purpose, even if it did have its ups and downs along the way. In Album 29, shortly after we heard Katrina complementing how good Eugene was with kids while he was playing catch with Hans Holstein, Fred Holstein’s grandson, this new Eugene found the strength to admit his feelings to Katrina even before she had the chance to reaffirm her love for him. He later says, “I’ve much to learn about relationships. I realized that after our last encounter. But I hope I have matured and will continue maturing in ways that will make me a suitable companion.” As things progressed, their relationship became more serious and genuine and then they became engaged to be married. They still had problems, doubts and conflict, but they kept moving forward. In Album 32 Eugene not only sought advice from Connie, Jack and Joanne, but from the angel Malachi. Eugene was experiencing change during this instance as well, especially after Katrina encouraged him to be more aggressive like her father. Near the end of that episode, Eugene brazenly entered the group conversation to say that “from a strictly rational point of view, the proof did not weigh in [Malachi’s] favor that he was definitely, absolutely, beyond a shadow of a doubt and incontrovertibly an actual angel.” But this may have just been a lapse in Eugene’s judgment because of his want to appear more aggressive in public, coupled with a display of his high vocabulary and unmatched logic. This is basically proved by Connie’s immediate retort. She says “that’s not what you said in the kitchen,” pointing out the discrepancy between Eugene’s genuine feelings and his tough-sounding statement to the group. But luckily he didn’t stay trying to act aggressively; he moved on in his life and rejected the notion that being a father means being overly aggressive.
Eugene and Katrina’s marriage was overshadowed by both the death of Katrina’s father and the whole Novacom Saga. Eugene was probably helped through his previous experiences in the cutthroat world of archaeology to deal with the evil company that wanted to use his research to take over world and enslave the human race. Novacom was clearly dangerous, having gone so far as to murder Justine Baker and Armitage Shanks. Having a child may change a person, but I think the stress Eugene was under trying to protect his valuable research while on the run from Novacom would significantly change him as a person as well. Eugene as a character has had a history of changing and developing throughout the show.
Thankfully, after a short experience with amnesia, Eugene was again back in Odyssey with his friends. But again, Eugene didn’t settle for a life of stagnation. He developed the organization Hand Up to help others and then was quickly launched into a search for his missing father, Leonard. When they found each other, Eugene was again in a stressful situation, having only short talks with Leonard in unusual locations and with the knowledge hanging over them that Dalton Kearn was still out there hoping to imprison Eugene’s father again. During this time, Eugene eventually met his younger brother, Everett, and then helped his father Leonard become a Christian. Soon afterward, Leonard decided to go back to Africa as a missionary with Everett. At that moment in his life, Eugene remarked that he felt like a “pleased father.” He was like a “father from ancient times watching his son leave on a journey across the ocean.” This isn’t the first time Eugene has mused about being a father. In Album 45 he said if he were a father he would have to “equip [his] children with homing devices.”
In the past, Eugene was always in a state of change. He was always moving towards some kind of goal, either an inevitable or planned goal or an unforeseen progression. Whether it was in his relationship with God, Katrina, Novacom, or Leonard, it’s hard to imagine a time when Eugene has just “been.” Instead, Eugene is always “becoming.” As time goes by, Eugene changes. That’s why so many fans naturally thought the next step would be for Eugene and Katrina to have kids.
But, after the producers made it clear that Eugene’s character would need to go through a lot of changes to become a father, the news broke in Album 55 that due to medical issues, the Meltsners would not be able to have children at all. Despite this unfortunate situation, I did think the episode To Mend or Repair was a very nice look at Eugene and Katrina interacting with each other. And while I think the decision to not allow them to have kids for now does provide an opportunity for drama, I do not think this should necessarily be the end of it. If we’re not prepared for Eugene and Katrina to have kids right now, then at least a process could begin where they look into adoption. If the Meltsners do decide to adopt, coming to that decision will take time and will be much more meaningful if it’s properly thought out. And hopefully by then not only will Eugene be ready to be a father, but we will finally be ready for his character to advance into the next stage of his life.
The idea for the character of Eugene was suggested by a listener. A girl wrote in to suggest the writers create someone just like her dad, who was a genius but was always losing his keys. The idea for Eugene was based off a father. Eugene isn’t losing his keys anymore, but he is still a genius. And his brilliance doesn’t have to diminish as he grows older. He can still be a father who also happens to be a genius. He can be someone who doesn’t accidentally overwhelm people with his endless stream of knowledge during every conversation or have as many over-the-top reactions to things as he used to, such as not sleeping or showering for days after losing to Bernard at chess or endlessly bickering with Connie over the smallest things. That responsibility to be overly goofy can pass on to other characters like Wooton. Change is a natural part of life and since Eugene has been changing ever since he appeared on Adventures in Odyssey, it makes sense that he would continue to mature in his relationships and as a character in general.
If there’s anything holding Eugene back, it would probably be the attachment listeners have formed to his character and the nostalgia we feel about him. We love the Eugene of the good old days. But at some point we need to realize that yes, he may be a fictional character, but that doesn’t mean Eugene should become a totally and unrealistically stagnant character. We have to be ready for Eugene to change because eventually he may receive a call to something more, a call that brings him a step forward into some form of fatherhood. Time may go by a lot slower in Odyssey, but it shouldn’t be ignored indefinitely. Whatever Eugene experiences in the future will have an impact on who he is, whether it’s adopting children or something else.
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