Return to Gilead

Five hosts on a Return to Gilead episode. Woah. Michael LaFaver and Ryan Matlock are joined by Michael’s three best friends: Jack Cashion (returning guest), Rayah Smith (AIO Audio News co-host), and Allie Barrett (cover artist and AIOWiki Podcast co-host) to review the special episode that kicks off Era 3 of Beyond Gilead, episode 110 (S-12), “The Hope That Heals.” Stay tuned for a lively discussi...

Era 2 of Return to Gilead ends with Michael and Ryan’s conclusions on “Mayor May Not” and Justin’s departure, along with a look back at John Fornof’s episodes from the last two seasons of Beyond Gilead. Our site: https://returntogilead.com Credits Hosts: Michael LaFaver and Ryan Matlock Editing and music arrangement: Michael LaFaver Music post-production: Ryan Matlock and Israel Ownbey Cover artwo...

We’ve reached the end of an era (Era 2, to be exact) and the final two episodes in Season 8 of Beyond Gilead, 108 and 109 (8-11 and 8-12), “Mayor May Not.” Avid hosts Ryan and Michael begin with a few critiques of the finale, discussing unfortunate version differences, John and Mary’s delayed reaction to Justin’s needs, another Abraham parallel, and a Biblical look at spiritual attacks. Plus, a vo...

The Timberlines’ mysteries continue with Michael and Ryan’s return to Keys for Kids’ adaptation of Red Rock Mysteries, “Stolen Secrets, Part 1.” Non-theories from Michael and consternation from Ryan are the main reactions the two futuristic hosts have to John Fornof’s debut on the Return to Gilead Sunday Special! Our site: https://returntogilead.com Credits Hosts: Michael LaFaver and Ryan Matlock...

Things are getting more tense in Coleraine as the mayoral races progress, and Michael and Ryan are here to break it down in this review of episode 107 (8-10) of Beyond Gilead, “A Steady Up.” The Brobdingnagian Gileadites discuss Monica’s lies by omission, the beginning of a series of callbacks for Justin, and how John Fornof delivers an excellent representation of discerning God’s will. Plus, some...

The story is over. Ryan and Michael close out the final part in the review of the Mr. Key Series with Ryan’s conclusions on Mr. Key’s flashbacks, Michael’s observations about the relationship between Tim, John, and Mary, and both hosts’ insights into the grief process. Our site: https://returntogilead.com Credits Hosts: Michael LaFaver and Ryan Matlock Editing and music arrangement: Michael LaFave...

Mr. Key is back... for two final episodes. Michael and Ryan jump back into the Mr. Key Series with a discussion of John Fornof’s story preferences, the symmetry and contrasts of Mr. Key and Tom Richter, and the start of Ryan’s case for God working through Alzheimer’s. Our site: https://returntogilead.com Credits Hosts: Michael LaFaver and Ryan Matlock Editing and music arrangement: Michael LaFaver...

The Return to Gilead Sunday Special has returned to the Sunday Special... as a book club?? As a “bonus special episode,” Ryan and Michael dive into the original version of “Haunted Waters,” by Jerry Jenkins and Chris Fabry, along with the hybrid audiobook adapted by Chris Fabry for Oasis Audio. How does the Keys for Kids version hold up against the originals? Find out in this lengthy discussion! O...

There was a lot of content from the last two reviews that just couldn’t make it into the main episodes due to time constraints. But that doesn’t mean you don’t get to hear it! Tune in to listen to a whole episode’s worth of discussion from the “Christmas Heirlooms” reviewers about yet another Gilead timeline theory, followed by an extended discussion from “It’s the Little Things” about the Richter...

We continue the interruption of the Mr. Key Series to remind the audience of the Coleraine mayoral race... with a review of an episode of Beyond Gilead in which seemingly nothing happens, 104 (8-7), “It’s the Little Things.” Ryan and Michael break down the mysterious missing themes and points of the scenes in this episode, the implications behind scripture used for a resolution, and a fun moment o...

Finally, a Return to Gilead Christmas special released at Christmastime! Michael and Ryan take a break from the Mr. Key Series to invite Austin Peachey and Jack Cashion back to the podcast to review episode 103 (S-11) of Beyond Gilead, “Christmas Heirlooms.” The four-member review squad talks small casts, mixed feelings, parents as main characters, the Morrisons’ history of busyness, and immersive...

The long review of Mr. Key’s four-part series on Beyond Gilead continues with a pivotal second part. Ryan and Michael dive deep into the backstory of Mr. Key and his history with Tom Richter, Elsie Key, and Timmy Morrison. Plus, the two hosts discuss more excellent writing by John Fornof about Alzheimer’s and a new entry into the “Was Grace Right?” retcons. Our site: https://returntogilead.com Cre...

A four-parter begins... Michael and Ryan settle in for a review of the four episodes in the “Mr. Key Series” of Season 8 of Beyond Gilead, 101 and 102 (8-5 and 8-6), “Days Gone By” and 105 and 106 (8-8 and 8-9), “God Had a Plan.” It’s a slow start to the huge review as the two hosts talk spoilers (for both Gilead and Woodgrove, apparently), the prevalent flashback scenes in the later two episodes,...

Today, we celebrate the release of the 100th episode of Return to Gilead... with Ryan getting mugged. Meanwhile, Ryan and Michael’s review of “Trouble in the Jungle” continues with Ryan’s complete teardown of the character of Tom and his “brash” behavior, along with ways to workshop the story, differences between active and passive characters, a few unclear plot resolutions, and a spotlight of exc...

It’s a more positive spin on a mixed-bag of a two-parter in this first part of Michael and Ryan’s review of episodes 99 and 100 (8-3 and 8-4) of Beyond Gilead, “Trouble in the Jungle.” There’s not much time for festivities upon reaching episode 100, but in the meantime, the audio drama critics bring out the positives in production quality, some good lines of dialogue, subtleties in showing the sto...

The discussion on discerning God’s will continues in Ryan and Michael’s review of John Fornof’s first episode of Beyond Gilead Season 8, episode 98 (8-2), “When Good Men Do Nothing.” Besides a packed discussion of another side of the issue from last episode, the hosts discuss Timmy (now Tim) Morrison’s powerful subplot and how it ties into and could have made better the main storyline of John Morr...

What does it mean to know God’s will? In this third and final part of Michael and Ryan’s review of the Season 7 finale and Season 8 premiere, Ryan takes time to unpack the question of how to tell our feelings apart from God’s voice... and whether He speaks to us in that way at all. Our site: https://returntogilead.com Credits Hosts: Michael LaFaver and Ryan Matlock Editing and music arrangement: M...

Dos Takos! Return to Gilead welcomes Chris Blair, the iconic voice of Michael Morrison, for a casual interview about his time on the show. Chris, Michael, and Ryan talk about how Chris got started on the show, different directing styles in the studio, funny moments with Roger Mueller, acting with a changing voice, similarities between character and actor, and more. Our site: https://returntogilead...

The season finale and premiere review continues with Ryan and Michael’s ongoing discussion of Brooke’s and Tom’s storylines in the “Return to Peru” trilogy. Under the microscope this installment are the version differences of “...I Will Follow,” how Tom resolves conflict with his non-believer wife, new sisterhood between Brooke and Maya, Brooke’s internal monologue, and misunderstanding conflict g...

It’s the end of “Haunted Waters,” and there’s plenty of spoilers to discuss in this fifth edition of the Return to Gilead Sunday Special, featuring Michael and Ryan’s review of Keys for Kids’ Red Rock Mysteries, “Haunted Waters, Part 4.” Plus, some feedback from Michael C! Our site: https://returntogilead.com Credits Hosts: Michael LaFaver and Ryan Matlock Editing and music arrangement: Michael La...

In a Return to Gilead first, Michael and Ryan are reviewing three episodes of Beyond Gilead across two seasons: 95 (7-11): “Where He Leads...”, 96 (7-12): “...I Will Follow,” and 97 (8-1): “A Time to Go and a Time to Stay.” In this first part of three, the two audio drama critics discuss the continuing connections between Brooke’s and Tom’s storylines, the first collaboration between John and Lori...

Does “Bridges” Promote Purity Culture? Find out in Jack’s (Michael’s roommate’s) second review, the second part of the hosts’ review of “The Journey,” by W. Mark Whitlock. After closing the discussion on the Passport to Purity product, the hosts bring up holdovers from the Whitlockverse, Brooke’s perplexing passersby perspective, and the vague implications of John and Mary’s story about... virgini...

He’s here!! Michael’s roommate Jack Cashion has finally caved to peer pressure and listened to audio drama... and for some incomprehensible reason, Michael gave him W. Mark Whitlock’s encore episodes of Beyond Gilead, episodes 93 and 94 (7-9 and 7-10), “The Journey.” Michael, Ryan, and Jack talk about these saved “lost” episodes (originally 7-4a, 7-5a, and 7-6a) and their many ties to the Passport...

Michael was right?? The Return to Gilead Sunday Special reaches the penultimate chapter in the first Keys for Kids’ Red Rock Mystery as Ryan and Michael review episode 3, “Haunted Waters, Part 3.” Our site: https://returntogilead.com Credits Hosts: Michael LaFaver and Ryan Matlock Editing and music arrangement: Michael LaFaver Cover artwork: Bethany Burnett The Return to Gilead Sunday Special is a...

A sugar-crashed Michael isn’t enough to stop Ryan’s hot takes on this review of Lori Twichell’s reunion of Brooke and Tom, episode 92 (7-8) of Beyond Gilead, “The Winds of Change.” This chat between the intrepid co-hosts focuses on this episode’s place as a jumping point, Tom’s new growth, Brooke’s reverse culture shock, and how applicable wineskins actually are. Our site: https://returntogilead.c...