The Orville

[politicallefty]

Who watches it? I know some of you do, but I couldn't find an official topic for the show here.

I loved the first the season, but felt that the current season got off to a bit of a slow start. I have to say it's been getting a lot better. Obviously the production values are much higher this season, but I mean the overall the writing has seriously improved. The show seems to do best when it focuses on the plot rather than some of the forced humour in some of the episodes. I think the down to Earth dialogue is part of what makes the show work well. They're regular people, talking like regular people and doing what regular people do.

With that said, the most recent episode: WOW. Oh. My. God. Right? If you haven't seen it, stop reading. (Seriously.) This past episode just blew everything out of the water. I've been reading reviews left and right since I watched it and this episode brings me back to the best of the Star Trek two-parters. If it isn't plainly obvious that Seth MacFarlane is a huge TNG fan, I don't know what show you've been watching. And if you didn't like this episode, you're watching the wrong genre. I think this episode definitely had a strong The Best of Both Worlds vibe with the cliffhanger ending. It built from something more mundane into what appears to be an existential crisis. I hope the payout is strong, because I almost always enjoy the first part of a two-parter.

[dead0man]

why did the Kaylons all have eyes when Isaac very clearly explained earlier in the series that he only has eyes so humans feel more comfortable around him?

why were there guard rails on some of their steps?

why did they go to the trouble of half ass hiding (so poorly a child from an "inferior" species found them in about 5 minutes of not looking for them) their "creators" and not just, ya know, do something less stupid with them?

(we nit pick what we love)

I did like it though, certainly better than the early episodes this season.

[politicallefty]

Haha, it's a sci-fi show with sci-fi oriented fans. We're the type that'll nitpick everything.

why did the Kaylons all have eyes when Isaac very clearly explained earlier in the series that he only has eyes so humans feel more comfortable around him?

I had the same thought at first. I'm sure there's an underlying reason. Isaac is still blue, Kaylon Primary is red, and the rest appear to be orange. I have a feeling this will be explained.

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Maybe it's like the Borg in that a harmless organic does not warrant action until it poses a threat.


It seems to me like Isaac was reprogrammed in some way upon reactivation. Obviously, one can draw conclusions from there. I'm very much looking forward to the next episode, probably more so than any so far. I do think these are the kinds of episodes the show needs to run if it's going to be truly successful.

Fwiw, these are the tentative episode titles for the final five episodes of the season (after this week):

S2E10 - Blood Patriots
S2E11 - Lasting Impressions
S2E12 - Sanctuary
S2E13 - Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
S2E14 - The Road Not Taken

I wouldn't rule out some seriously massive implications.

[dead0man]

I'm very much looking forward to the next episode, probably more so than any so far.

100%  I've very curious as to where they go with this.  Obviously they're not going to "blow up Earth" or have anything super tragic happen, probably some Chekov's Gun we missed in the first part will save the day, but it's sure was a great set up.

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they certainly need one or two like this per season, you couldn't do something this "big" every week though, that would get tiring for the fans.  But they can't fall in the "villain of the week" rut so many shows fall into, especially long running SciFi type shows.

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Groundhog Day episode?

[Tender Branson]

I really enjoy watching it !

A lot better than Discovery and I just saw the last episode today. It really combined a lot of TNG and DS9 material and I already knew something was up when the Admiral said at the beginning of the episode: „Kaylon Prime is out of our communication range. You are on your own out there.“

Can‘t wait for „Identity II“ ...

[Boobs]

I like the show. The episode with Kelly and the multidimensional orbit planet was one of the best.

Sometimes I think the social messages of the show are bit too hamfisted but TV sci-fi is always like that I believe.

[politicallefty]

they certainly need one or two like this per season, you couldn't do something this "big" every week though, that would get tiring for the fans.  But they can't fall in the "villain of the week" rut so many shows fall into, especially long running SciFi type shows.

Yeah, I agree. In TNG, the two-parters were some of the strongest episodes of each season. I'm actually kind of surprised they didn't save this kind of episode for a season finale cliffhanger. I wasn't just referring to this episode though. I thought the Moclan episode from the week before was really good too, very powerful storytelling, albeit not subtle in its point. It was a bit of misdirection if you think about it. You had the sense of growing tension between the disparate values between Earth culture and Moclan culture.

My only issue was that I thought the season got off to a slow start, namely the first two episodes. I don't think this show would do well to follow a pure serialized model. I think the TNG model works better for this show: "villain of the week"/"spatial anomaly of the week", a few strong character development episodes "ship in a bottle", and maybe two strong two-parters that deal with overarching themes or existential crises.

I like the show. The episode with Kelly and the multidimensional orbit planet was one of the best.

Sometimes I think the social messages of the show are bit too hamfisted but TV sci-fi is always like that I believe.

On the first point, yeah, that was a great ending for the first season. It had the pure Trekkian spirit of optimism and exploration, while also dealing with the profound implications of their actions. I think along with About a Girl and Majority Rule, the best of the first season.

[Tender Branson]

The last episode ("Identity: Part II") was a masterpiece.

The battle scenes reminded me of the good old DS9 Dominion War battles.

[dead0man]

yep, that was well done.  I like what they did and I like where they're going with it.


(still, plenty to nitpick! )

[Sirius_]

Don't know if I'm allowed to spoil

[dead0man]

Don't know if I'm allowed to spoil

It's been two days, go for it.  If you don't want spoilers, you shouldn't be in a thread right after a new show aired.

[Tender Branson]

The last episode was another (romantic) masterpiece, also starring Tuvok, an Apple Iphone and cigarettes.

[Sirius_]

Don't know if I'm allowed to spoil

It's been two days, go for it.  If you don't want spoilers, you shouldn't be in a thread right after a new show aired.

Oof forgot about that.
Anyway I thought they were going to let Issac die and eventually replace all the characters. I guess not.

[dead0man]

The last episode was another (romantic) masterpiece, also starring Tuvok, an Apple Iphone and cigarettes.

I think it was the first Bortus/Klyden heavy episode I liked.  The cig B plot jokes were funking hilarious.  The Gordon and hologram girl friend (like Geordi had with Leah Brahams in TNG) A plot was done very well too.

The way the first season ended and the second season started had me very concerned with where Seth was taking this, but these last 4 or so episodes have been very good.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Still watching season 1 with the boys.

They love it.

It has some funny moments.

[Tender Branson]

The last episode was another (romantic) masterpiece, also starring Tuvok, an Apple Iphone and cigarettes.

I think it was the first Bortus/Klyden heavy episode I liked.  The cig B plot jokes were funking hilarious.  The Gordon and hologram girl friend (like Geordi had with Leah Brahams in TNG) A plot was done very well too.

The way the first season ended and the second season started had me very concerned with where Seth was taking this, but these last 4 or so episodes have been very good.

Leah Brahms.

It‘s also similar to „Hollow Pursuits“ feat. Reginald Barkley in TNG.

[Boobs]

Dolly Parton plot point was fantastic

[dead0man]

Dolly Parton plot point was fantastic

that part was fun, but I hope that was the last Moclan episode for awhile.

[fluffypanther19]

Dolly Parton plot point was fantastic

absolutely

[Sirius_]

Well uh... that's... a problem. She said it would work damnit!

[politicallefty]

Haha, I actually forgot about this topic and I was the one who created it.

I've been really impressed actually. They got off to a slow start this season, but it feels like the show is really finding its comfort zone. I swear if they cancel this, I'm never watching another new FOX show again.

(I haven't watched tonight's episode yet.)

Dolly Parton plot point was fantastic

that part was fun, but I hope that was the last Moclan episode for awhile.

Agreed. I think it's been obvious that an episode like that was coming and it was very good, but yeah, time to move onto other species and other issues. If you didn't notice, btw, Marina Sirtis (Deanna Troi from TNG) played the teacher in that episode and Jonathan Frakes (Will Riker from TNG) directed it. I think it's clear that this show wants to heavily emulate '90s Trek in so many ways (also the best Trek in my view).

[Tender Branson]

The last episode ("Tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow.") was a bit weird, in many ways.

But at least it made you think about your own personality and how your younger self would think about you now and if you have achieved most of what you thought you would once when younger.

Also, time travel is a fu**ing mess.

[Sirius_]

The last episode ("Tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow.") was a bit weird, in many ways.

But at least it made you think about your own personality and how your younger self would think about you now and if you have achieved most of what you thought you would once when younger.

Also, time travel is a fu**ing mess.

Just when I had thought their time travel might make some sense, nope!

[Tender Branson]

The last episode ("Tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow.") was a bit weird, in many ways.

But at least it made you think about your own personality and how your younger self would think about you now and if you have achieved most of what you thought you would once when younger.

Also, time travel is a fu**ing mess.

Just when I had thought their time travel might make some sense, nope!

If you watch the last episode of Season 2, you will find out if the time travelling made sense or not ...

Anyway, that last episode was really good again, even though Kelly's display of her boobs distracted me the whole time. She's quite hot, but you don't have to present it like this ... it was far "worse" than anything we have seen from Seven of Nine for example. Or maybe I have just become a prude ?

[dead0man]

Anyway, that last episode was really good again, even though Kelly's display of her boobs distracted me the whole time. She's quite hot, but you don't have to present it like this ... it was far "worse" than anything we have seen from Seven of Nine for example. Or maybe I have just become a prude ?

yeah.. that was distracting.

Just when I had thought their time travel might make some sense, nope!

yeah, that sh**t was corny and I said to my wife the same thing I always say, "why do they even bother with time travel?  It's SciFi, there is an ENDLESS supply of story ideas (sure, I'll bitch about many of them too ), why does every god danged show have to do this crap?"