The Orville - Season 1 (1 Viewer)

[Joseph Bolus]

I, also, liked the second ep better than the first.

It was sort of a “mash-up” of a couple of ST:TOS stories (“Squire of Gothos” and “The Menagerie”); but the interwoven humor was done a little better and the subplot with “Worf” hatching an egg was .... unique.

It stays on my DVR list (now adjusted for Thursday).

 

[Josh Steinberg]

They're two for two with me.

On one hand, I can recognize that the show is highly derivative of Trek, especially TNG.

On the other hand, I'm too delighted to care.

 

[JohnS]

Anyone else would love to have the Orville come across a Nathon Fillion ship?

 

[Matt Hough]

Anyone else would love to have the Orville come across a Nathon Fillion ship?

That would be great and funny.

A reminder: a new episode airs tonight at 9 p.m.

 

[Malcolm R]

Anyone else would love to have the Orville come across a Nathon Fillion ship?

That would be great and funny.

That would be hilarious if the Orville somehow crossed paths with Serenity and we had a couple of Firefly cameos. Both are Fox series, so it should be do-able.

The series are set 100 years apart (Orville, 2417; Firefly, 2517), but they could easily do some kind of time travel/wormhole type of thing, or some kind of mishap with the time accelerator technology from the first episode.

 

[David Weicker]

Well, a crossover would require an alternate universe. In the prior show, a major point is that there are No Alien species. Humans are alone in the 'verse

 

[Greg.K]

Don't think we need a crossover but cameos from Firefly cast would be fun.

 

[Bryan^H]

Other than Seth MacFarlane, I don't know of the writers they have in store for this series.
I would love to see Ben Edlund write an episode or two.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Don't think we need a crossover but cameos from Firefly cast would be fun.

I agree - I'd be cool with a cameo from the cast, but I don't want to see a fusing of those universes. Frankly, the Firefly universe is a dark, oppressive place with almost everyone struggling for survival at all times. Seth MacFarlane has made a point about how he's doing this show because he wants an optimistic future, and I think once Firefly enters the picture, it's not an optimistic world anymore.

However, we've seen that 21st century TV exists in this world -- if there was a desire for Firefly cast members to appear as if they were in Firefly, the crew could watch a "long lost episode" that paralleled whatever the conflict of the week was.

 

[Carabimero]

On one hand, I can recognize that the show is highly derivative of Trek, especially TNG.

For me, that's where the humor comes from: a chance to see all these funny things happening on Star Trek!

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I love that about this. It makes sense, both for the personality of the character and the prestige of the ship and mission, that Captain Picard was going to run a tight ship and that all on board would be career professionals at the top of their game. But it also makes sense that in a world as big as the one we see in TNG, that not every ship would be run like Enterprise-D, and that there'd be some weird and wacky stuff going on, and ships that weren't run in the same way.

Even though this isn't in the Star Trek world, it's not hard for me to believe that this kind of humor could exist there too.

 

[Matt Hough]

Whoa! A much heavier episode than the space adventures of the previous two programs. And frankly, I was torn throughout the episode about the varying stances people were taking: judging one culture by another's mores versus gender prejudices and opinions. The writing wasn't complex enough to really delve deeply into the many issues advanced during the hour, but it certainly kept me thinking and I had no idea how the program was going to end this week.

 

[Blimpoy06]

I sat down to watch the first two episodes of The Orville tonight. I liked most of what i saw, but I don't know if I will last the whole season. I honestly believe I would like it more if the humor was toned down or removed all together. It tends to slow the stories down or take you out of them all together. The second show improved once the heavy handed exposition of the first episode was over. Others have compared the second episode to "The Cage". I felt it was more like "The Eye of the Beholder" from the Animated Star Trek.

 

[Carabimero]

It gets better every week. Many people criticized TNG, VOY and ENT for being pretentious, or stiff, or for having a layer of artificiality. I like The Orville because, frankly, it doesn't take itself too seriously.

 

[Blimpoy06]

I can enjoy the humor if the show is presented seriously, even if the characters aren't. I would site Stargate SG1 as an example of a good tone for this. Colonel O'Neil was very flippant and sarcastic in certain situations and professional when the situation needed it. I don't think The Orville has managed to capture that right balance for me just yet.

 

[Bryan^H]

"About a Girl" was the best yet. I laughed a lot(I like that the green slime is voiced by Norm McDonald) and the story was very good.

 

[Joseph Bolus]

I just viewed “About a Girl” and agree that it was the best episode to date. For the first time I (almost) felt like I was viewing a very well produced ST:TNG episode.
Of course, Captain Picard would never say “You’ve been a dick all day. Shut the hell up!” To a legal representative of an alien species during a tribunal hearing. I have to say, though, that under the presented circumstances, I had to applaud the line!

This series has really come out of left field. I was expecting this to be “Galaxy Quest” on TV, but it’s actually a full blown “dramedy” with outstanding production values set to a very recognizable established SCI-FI genre that has been dormant on TV for far too long.

“Star Trek: Discovery” premiers on CBS Sunday and will then go to a paid streaming service. Given that we already know that the series is aiming to be “gritty” and will play fast and loose with established Star Trek cannon, it’s starting to appear that “The Orville” has to be considered that shows’ worse nightmare!

 

[Bryan^H]

I just viewed “About a Girl” and agree that it was the best episode to date. For the first time I (almost) felt like I was viewing a very well produced ST:TNG episode.
Of course, Captain Picard would never say “You’ve been a dick all day. Shut the hell up!” To a legal representative of an alien species during a tribunal hearing. I have to say, though, that under the presented circumstances, I had to applaud the line!

This series has really come out of left field. I was expecting this to be “Galaxy Quest” on TV, but it’s actually a full blown “dramedy” with outstanding production values set to a very recognizable established SCI-FI genre that has been dormant on TV for far too long.

“Star Trek: Discovery” premiers on CBS Sunday and will then go to a paid streaming service. Given that we already know that the series is aiming to be “gritty” and will play fast and loose with established Star Trek cannon, it’s starting to appear that “The Orville” has to be considered that shows’ worse nightmare!

I agree. I didn't expect this at all. It is a dramedy, and actually isn't far off in the number of laughs from a lighter TNG episode(most of the time a Data's expense). The Orville is well written, great production values, and the acting is very decent.
Before I started watching this,
If someone told me that "The Orville" would be my favorite show...better than anything I have seen in a while I would have said they are crazy. But it is. Must see TV as far as I'm concerned.

Regarding Star Trek Discovery, I'm not looking forward to it. I don't think it will be good, but if the odd chance that it is another great show I'll be shocked. And If both shows are consistently fine programs, sci-fi fans will be very happy.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I like that it's TNG if they talked like real people instead of highly evolved 24th century consummate professionals.

 

[Todd H]

Looking back I almost didn't even give this show a chance due to the critic's reviews. I'm glad I did. Bring on the next episode.