Episode 21 reviewed

Okay, here's my review for "Returning to Oz" episode 21.

This is one of the best episodes, if not the best, that Aaron Pacentine has put together. Not because I'm on it, but because the many people Aaron interview in this one 64 minute episode are able to present a well-rounded scope on Oz in general. (Though not too much about the books is spoken, or Wicked.)

After regular introductions, Aaron announces that this is Travis Black's first episode. In fact, you may notice that Aaron even mentions that this is episode 18, though you believed it was 21. No, you haven't been lied to, this is the 21st episode. Aaron used the unreleased version of episode 18 to "frame" this one.

Producer Aaron Schultz takes time to talk about Emma Ridley, the actress who so beautifully played Ozma in Disney's Return to Oz. Some of this information is also on Aaron Schultz's website: WaltDisneysReturnToOz.com. I'd suggest reading it as well as listening to this part.

Then we Ease On Down The Road to Yours Truly, who pauses and says "um" a LOT near the beginning. Later on, I get over it. I should sound better in any possible future episodes that I may appear in. We'll see.

Anyhoo, Aaron and Jared Davis (me) talk about a variety of subjects, including the two most Popular Oz movies of all time, their scores, the Dorothy & Ozma Productions website, the Oz screenplays that I'm working on with Sam Antony Milazzo (though I didn't mention him, sorry, Sam!), the title Return to Oz had in Italy, the movie The Tramps & The Wizard of Oroz from Brazil, and the Russian Adventures in the Emerald City series.

Next we move on to Derrick Davis (as far as I know, no relation, though I wouldn't mind), who has many comments on Disney's Return to Oz.

Travis Black closes the show with his story of actually seeing a pair of Ruby Slippers used in MGM's The Wizard of Oz.

Enjoyable music is used to transition between the interviews.

All in all, a very solid episode, well worth the time it takes to download it... except now, you don't have to do that anymore! Episode 21 is hosted in eight parts on ZShare.net, and when you click on the link to a certain episode, it will open a page where the file will actually play, thanks to Flash technology. You can also follow links to download each part. (Note: on the final downloading page for each part, Internet Explorer 7 will block the download, but right-click on the "please click here to start it now" link and selecting "Save Target As..." will let you download it.) It has also been announced that all future episode will be released this way.

While using the new feature to listen to each part may be preferable to some, I reccomend downloading them, so you can play all eight parts without having to load the next part.

So what are you waiting for? Go listen to (or download) it!