The Orville

[politicallefty]

Good news! Fox renewed the show for season 3.

[Tender Branson]

Good news! Fox renewed the show for season 3.

Awesome !

FOX is much better than CBS in this regard (except for FOX News).

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

OK so did anyone else feel like that season premier wasn't funny at all? Like it's not like it tried to be funny but failed...it just didn't even try. Holy sh**t that was depressing. Unlike any Seth MacFarlane work I've ever seen.

[dead0man]

We're rewatching the entire series again before we watch the new season.


The first season has some REALLY bad episodes.  The Doctor's kids are so funking annoying!

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

We're rewatching the entire series again before we watch the new season.


The first season has some REALLY bad episodes.  The Doctor's kids are so funking annoying!

I'm not saying it's a bad episode like the filler ones you're rewatching it just seems so tonally out of place. Like for another example Ed is barely in it and he doesn't say any jokes or do anything funny or Seth MacFarlane-esque for the scenes he is.

Without giving out big spoilers, the episode revolves around Issac and how the crew (especially a new character who I get the impression will be part of the main cast now) react to him now and are unwilling to forgive him.

[Boobs]

First episode was a little bland. Second one was more enjoyable.

[politicallefty]

It's crazy how long it's been.

We're rewatching the entire series again before we watch the new season.


The first season has some REALLY bad episodes.  The Doctor's kids are so funking annoying!

I'm not saying it's a bad episode like the filler ones you're rewatching it just seems so tonally out of place. Like for another example Ed is barely in it and he doesn't say any jokes or do anything funny or Seth MacFarlane-esque for the scenes he is.

Without giving out big spoilers, the episode revolves around Issac and how the crew (especially a new character who I get the impression will be part of the main cast now) react to him now and are unwilling to forgive him.

I think from a comedy standpoint, season 2 sort of buffed away some of the rough edges of season 1. This is just the beginning of season 3, so it's hard to say where things are going. (I never even updated the topic to mention that it moved from FOX to Hulu, although I do definitely consider that a good thing.) I do think the intent with this season, as well as the last, is for something closer to hard sci-fi and less with the in-your-face slapstick. That's probably a better recipe for a longer lasting series, provided they keep the main characters true to the first two seasons (though with plenty of room for future development, of course).

[Badger]

Watch the first two or two and a half episodes and lost interest sometime ago. Started watching again and I am completely hooked. Power watching deep into second season now and it's the best show I've seen in a long time. Dictating this wild the one episode where the doctor, Claire, is talking with the commander, Kelly Grayson, that she is developing feelings for the Android, Isaac. So cool

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Watch the first two or two and a half episodes and lost interest sometime ago. Started watching again and I am completely hot. Power watching deep into second season now and it's the best show I've seen in a long time. Dictating this wild the one episode where the doctor, Claire, is talking with the commander, Kelly Grayson, that she is developing feelings for the Android, Isaac. So cool

So if you're in season 1 be aware that it's pretty hit or miss. You can tell which episodes were rushed and written as filler. Season 2 almost everyone agrees is better, it's much more serious and has some very interesting twists.

[Badger]

Watch the first two or two and a half episodes and lost interest sometime ago. Started watching again and I am completely hot. Power watching deep into second season now and it's the best show I've seen in a long time. Dictating this wild the one episode where the doctor, Claire, is talking with the commander, Kelly Grayson, that she is developing feelings for the Android, Isaac. So cool

So if you're in season 1 be aware that it's pretty hit or miss. You can tell which episodes were rushed and written as filler. Season 2 almost everyone agrees is better, it's much more serious and has some very interesting twists.

Almost finished with season 2. I actually like season one a lot other than the first couple episodes.

[politicallefty]

Watch the first two or two and a half episodes and lost interest sometime ago. Started watching again and I am completely hot. Power watching deep into second season now and it's the best show I've seen in a long time. Dictating this wild the one episode where the doctor, Claire, is talking with the commander, Kelly Grayson, that she is developing feelings for the Android, Isaac. So cool

So if you're in season 1 be aware that it's pretty hit or miss. You can tell which episodes were rushed and written as filler. Season 2 almost everyone agrees is better, it's much more serious and has some very interesting twists.

Almost finished with season 2. I actually like season one a lot other than the first couple episodes.

I actually have to agree with that, apart from the Kaylon two-parter and the last two episodes of season 2. Season 1 definitely did have some rough edges on the comedy aspect, but was otherwise pretty strong. I did think season 2 was a tad too Bortus-heavy.

I forgot to mention in my previous post that I was reminded of Norm Macdonald's passing in the first episode this season. I think they said before that he had finished all of his work for this season. I've really enjoyed Yaphit as a character in the show, a completely different species and one of the most able members of the crew. RIP Norm.

If the show gets another season, they certainly can't keep Yaphit, but they can evolve his character if they wanted to. They've already explained how his species reproduces through mitosis, which could be an interesting twist. No one could ever replace Norm Macdonald. Therefore, it only makes sense that Yaphit will split into two new people.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

That last episode was very good although it felt more like from a Twilight Zone series than a Star Trek parody. Also not much humor again.

[politicallefty]

Latest episode was quite exceptional (and clearly showing off a higher budget). Even though the episode was written quite awhile ago, it did have some majorly topical elements.

Spoiler alert! Click Show to show the content.

Show

You do have to sort of suspend belief a bit to have a foreign delegation show up for a major treaty signing on the night of an election. The episode doesn't really work without that particularly plot element though. Otherwise, definitely a great episode.

[dead0man]

OK so did anyone else feel like that season premier wasn't funny at all? Like it's not like it tried to be funny but failed...it just didn't even try. Holy sh**t that was depressing. Unlike any Seth MacFarlane work I've ever seen.

just saw it tonight and I agree, not one joke.  It wasn't bad, they showed off the new effects team, introduced a new character and a new toy.

I was expecting a more "epic" opener though.  Because of the fewer number of shows with more run time each situation.  The first ep was long, but it certainly didn't need to be.  Hell, they could have told the exact story in twenty something minutes.  And there really wasn't even a B plot.

I just went to see who wrote the episode, expecting it to be anyone but Seth, but holy hell, there it is.  I have to believe 'cause I'm looking right at it.  Directed too.  He wrote (and directed) the episode you just watched as well.  Eps 2 and 4 were written by veteran Star Trek writers and 3 was written by long time Seth associated Cherry Extremelylonglastname.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

OK so did anyone else feel like that season premier wasn't funny at all? Like it's not like it tried to be funny but failed...it just didn't even try. Holy sh**t that was depressing. Unlike any Seth MacFarlane work I've ever seen.

just saw it tonight and I agree, not one joke.  It wasn't bad, they showed off the new effects team, introduced a new character and a new toy.

I was expecting a more "epic" opener though.  Because of the fewer number of shows with more run time each situation.  The first ep was long, but it certainly didn't need to be.  Hell, they could have told the exact story in twenty something minutes.  And there really wasn't even a B plot.

I just went to see who wrote the episode, expecting it to be anyone but Seth, but holy hell, there it is.  I have to believe 'cause I'm looking right at it.  Directed too.  He wrote (and directed) the episode you just watched as well.  Eps 2 and 4 were written by veteran Star Trek writers and 3 was written by long time Seth associated Cherry Extremelylonglastname.

Cherry Chevapravatdumrong! She's a genius, SHE WROTE SNEAKERS O'TOOLE!

[dead0man]

This show is WAY less fun.  It's still fine and we'll keep watching but sheesh, can we get a little of the silly back?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

There were some good jokes in that last one. Although I've noticed about half the jokes now stem from "Isaac doesn't understand human interaction."

Overall last episode was good but I kind of figured out how the entire plot would unfold early on.

[Middle-aged Europe]

I see that some people are still mistaking this show for a comedy, parody, or whatever.

That was The Orville's concept back in Season 1 which by now probably counts as a case of "Early Installment Weirdness" (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EarlyInstallmentWeirdness). In other words, I think you can stop looking for "jokes".

It's obvious that the series has become a fully fledged TNG clone and that was perhaps MacFarlane's plan from the start. And it's a good TNG clone, actually. Better than Voyager anyway IMO.

[politicallefty]

I see that some people are still mistaking this show for a comedy, parody, or whatever.

That was The Orville's concept back in Season 1 which by now probably counts as a case of "Early Installment Weirdness" (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EarlyInstallmentWeirdness). In other words, I think you can stop looking for "jokes".

It's obvious that the series has become a fully fledged TNG clone and that was perhaps MacFarlane's plan from the start. And it's a good TNG clone, actually. Better than Voyager anyway IMO.

I've thought that from the start. Seth MacFarlane definitely wants to be a starship captain. There's still a lot of levity, but it's better enmeshed with the characters and plots. If there's one thing I've noticed, it's that most sci-fi of this type tends to take a couple seasons to really start hitting it's stride with great episodes. I think this show is firing on all cylinders right now.

The latest episode was really quite something. Before streaming, it would have definitely been a two-parter. Either way, it was bold and not afraid to push. I have to give serious credit to Seth's acting chops for this episode too. That cameo was also something else too.

[Middle-aged Europe]

A common theme this season seems to be that the Union loses its allies... first the Krill, now the Moclans. The underlying issue is: How much are you willing to compromise in order to keep the peace? An astonishingly timely question these days if you see it against the backdrop of relations with Russia or "problematic" NATO member Turkey. I have also gotten the feeling that they're setting up a finale in which the Union suddenly stands alone in the face of a re-emerged Kaylon threat, possibly leading to rushed efforts to reconstitute the alliance.

I've also noticed that they've gone the Stranger Things route and producing movie-length episodes now. I for one approve of that development since it enables to tell more epic stories.

I also appreciate the casting gag of having Bruce Boxleitner - who portrayed the President of the Interstellar Alliance on Babylon 5 twenty-five years ago - play the Union president now, albeit in heavy alien make-up this time around.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

So I think the whole plot about Bortus' daughter and the obvious subtext proves that Seth MacFarlane is not a transphobe despite being accused as such.

[Middle-aged Europe]

Well, this week's WHAM episode was quite something. I was right about the Kaylon, Krill, and Moclan storylines coming to a dramatic culmination - just not quite in the way that I had anticipated. They found a far more Star Trek-ian solution for it (the main battle itself certainly also had some shades of Star Wars to it though).

One episode still to go, although it is unclear how and with what they're possibly gonna top it at this point.

[politicallefty]

Well, this week's WHAM episode was quite something. I was right about the Kaylon, Krill, and Moclan storylines coming to a dramatic culmination - just not quite in the way that I had anticipated. They found a far more Star Trek-ian solution for it (the main battle itself certainly also had some shades of Star Wars to it though).

One episode still to go, although it is unclear how and with what they're possibly gonna top it at this point.

I definitely agree that that had to come to a reckoning point, but I have to say I was expecting it in the season finale (which I have yet to watch). It really has been an extraordinary season. Some people say season 3 was when TNG really started hitting the mark. Shows like these can mature so well. (When I watched season 4 of ENT, I was really left wanting more. I think it really started hitting its stride there, but unfortunately it was too late.)  I'll be very disappointed if they don't renew this for another season.

[Middle-aged Europe]

Well, this week's WHAM episode was quite something. I was right about the Kaylon, Krill, and Moclan storylines coming to a dramatic culmination - just not quite in the way that I had anticipated. They found a far more Star Trek-ian solution for it (the main battle itself certainly also had some shades of Star Wars to it though).

One episode still to go, although it is unclear how and with what they're possibly gonna top it at this point.

I definitely agree that that had to come to a reckoning point, but I have to say I was expecting it in the season finale (which I have yet to watch). It really has been an extraordinary season. Some people say season 3 was when TNG really started hitting the mark. Shows like these can mature so well. (When I watched season 4 of ENT, I was really left wanting more. I think it really started hitting its stride there, but unfortunately it was too late.)  I'll be very disappointed if they don't renew this for another season.

The season finale could almost be considered a bit of a letdown compared to the penultimate episode because it serves as more of a coda or epilogue. Still not a bad episode in itself, although a bit unexpectedly placed within the season.

[Boobs]

Well, this week's WHAM episode was quite something. I was right about the Kaylon, Krill, and Moclan storylines coming to a dramatic culmination - just not quite in the way that I had anticipated. They found a far more Star Trek-ian solution for it (the main battle itself certainly also had some shades of Star Wars to it though).

One episode still to go, although it is unclear how and with what they're possibly gonna top it at this point.

I definitely agree that that had to come to a reckoning point, but I have to say I was expecting it in the season finale (which I have yet to watch). It really has been an extraordinary season. Some people say season 3 was when TNG really started hitting the mark. Shows like these can mature so well. (When I watched season 4 of ENT, I was really left wanting more. I think it really started hitting its stride there, but unfortunately it was too late.)  I'll be very disappointed if they don't renew this for another season.

The season finale could almost be considered a bit of a letdown compared to the penultimate episode because it serves as more of a coda or epilogue. Still not a bad episode in itself, although a bit unexpectedly placed within the season.

I found it to be refreshing. It’s nice to see the characters you've grown to like have a relatively easy time rather than staring down yet another existential threat.