"The Orville". A Seth McFarlane Space Adventure on Fox

I'm midway through this week's episode.

Isaac has been one of the characters I really like on the show, and he has been outstanding so far. The way he reacts to everything with no emotion is awesome...very Spock-ish. Like when he offered to vaporize the kids, when he told the one maybe he wasn't as intellectually stunted as he thought, and then when he destroyed the game...all of those moments were great.


I also also like how Dr Finn mentioned that her translator must be broken because in her language safe means something different. It explains how every race speaks English and is able to communicate.

...and, just finished it.

The "story" Isaac told the kids was too much, I was cracking up!!!

I like Dr Finn's resourcefulness in the episode...don't get between Mama Bear and her cubs!!!

Finally, I liked that they planted a tiny bit of a romantic seed between Dr Finn and Isaac, it could provide for interesting stories going forward.

As a side note, I'm a big fan of them not having transporters to "beam" people around. I like that they have to physically take shuttles down to other planets and ships and suchh. I'm not sure why, but it just seems like it's more accurate as to what a few hundred years in the future will actually be like to me.

This show is is quickly becoming my only real "Must Watch" of the week. Everything else I see is on the DVR and get around to watching it, but this I look forward to watching the first chance I get.
 
Last edited:
Good episode. Reminded me a lot of how TNG would do character focused episodes from time to time.
I was wondering when the Doc would get more screen time.

Next week's episode looks action packed. They are pacing these out perfectly.
 
Good episode. Reminded me a lot of how TNG would do character focused episodes from time to time.
I was wondering when the Doc would get more screen time.

Next week's episode looks action packed. They are pacing these out perfectly.

Actually, TNG almost always did character based episodes. It was kind of like the Brady Bunch where after the cold open you'd know who it was going to be about. They broke it up with the bigger mission episodes, but even those were done with a close character POV.

To me, thats what made TNG stand out. The mission was always the B story. Focus on a character came first, an the mission unfolded via their POV usually. DS9 did less of this, but they moved into a more serialized storytelling that made them unique. VOY and ENT though-- they flipped the dynamic. It was always about the mission and the characters reacting to it, instead of being about the characters reacting to the mission.

Orville has this down I think, and it's why it feels like it has heart.

This episode was great. My only complaint was that I didn't get that the Dr's rescuer was enough of a threat to warrant her killing him. He could have been a little more mean or creepy to sell that.

But a space gloryhole joke... makes up for everything.
 
This episode was great. My only complaint was that I didn't get that the Dr's rescuer was enough of a threat to warrant her killing him. He could have been a little more mean or creepy to sell that.

Yah, that part needed more explanation. For all we knew he really was trying to help her, but she just stabs him in the gut.
Who was that guy? What were those buildings? Why was he there? Were there others like him? He was obviously afraid of the people outside, too.
How do we know he wasn't a good guy? He gave her food, even though food was scarce. He even went back to the wreckage to get her med-kit.
But she just sticks a knife in him.
 
Actually, TNG almost always did character based episodes. It was kind of like the Brady Bunch where after the cold open you'd know who it was going to be about. They broke it up with the bigger mission episodes, but even those were done with a close character POV.

To me, thats what made TNG stand out. The mission was always the B story. Focus on a character came first, an the mission unfolded via their POV usually. DS9 did less of this, but they moved into a more serialized storytelling that made them unique. VOY and ENT though-- they flipped the dynamic. It was always about the mission and the characters reacting to it, instead of being about the characters reacting to the mission.

Orville has this down I think, and it's why it feels like it has heart.

This episode was great. My only complaint was that I didn't get that the Dr's rescuer was enough of a threat to warrant her killing him. He could have been a little more mean or creepy to sell that.

But a space gloryhole joke... makes up for everything.

Yah, that part needed more explanation. For all we knew he really was trying to help her, but she just stabs him in the gut.
Who was that guy? What were those buildings? Why was he there? Were there others like him? He was obviously afraid of the people outside, too.
How do we know he wasn't a good guy? He gave her food, even though food was scarce. He even went back to the wreckage to get her med-kit.
But she just sticks a knife in him.

I agree with you guys. I didn't get much of a "threat" vibe from him. I mean, sure, he was keeping her locked up, but it didn't seem like he was mistreating her in any way OTHER than that.

That said...if someone had me locked in a room and wouldn't let me out, supposedly for my own safety, I'd get pretty stabby, too.
 
Actually, TNG almost always did character based episodes.

True and that was the recipe for success.

I guess I meant more sole character focused. as in the entire episode is 90% 1 or 2 people.
"Thine own self" or "The inner light" as prime examples.

But ya does this show have a heart.
 
I agree with you guys. I didn't get much of a "threat" vibe from him. I mean, sure, he was keeping her locked up, but it didn't seem like he was mistreating her in any way OTHER than that.

That said...if someone had me locked in a room and wouldn't let me out, supposedly for my own safety, I'd get pretty stabby, too.
This I agree with. We never really found out what Drogen's intentions were towards Dr. Finn--he may have been sincerely trying to protect her. Then again, was it really necessary to hold her captive in a locked room in order to achieve that goal? We'll never know, and neither will Dr. Finn. But under the same circumstances I think most (if not all) of us would do whatever we had to to get out of that room and regain our freedom, even if that wasn't actually in our best interests. And she had the added incentive of needing to find and care for her sons, so I think her actions could be justifiable. Sucks for Drogen, but she really had no choice.
 
So, for those who are saying that the "rescuer" didn't seem like a big enough threat to warrant being stabbed: I'd like to point out that you are all dudes.

As a woman, there is nothing that the Doctor did that I would do any different in her place. She was being held captive with little to no explanation of why. She had two children out there that she didn't know if they were alive or dead, and she had no idea if the guardian who was looking after them was still functional. She did what she had to do to get away from a guy who had made absolutely no attempt to clarify his intentions toward her so she could find her kids and her crew mate.
 
So, for those who are saying that the "rescuer" didn't seem like a big enough threat to warrant being stabbed: I'd like to point out that you are all dudes.

As a woman, there is nothing that the Doctor did that I would do any different in her place. She was being held captive with little to no explanation of why. She had two children out there that she didn't know if they were alive or dead, and she had no idea if the guardian who was looking after them was still functional. She did what she had to do to get away from a guy who had made absolutely no attempt to clarify his intentions toward her so she could find her kids and her crew mate.

I think thats a major overreaction. What you don’t understand is that sometimes to protect— yeeeah, just kidding. I’m not about to mansplain. You’re making a very good point.
 
So, for those who are saying that the "rescuer" didn't seem like a big enough threat to warrant being stabbed: I'd like to point out that you are all dudes.

As a woman, there is nothing that the Doctor did that I would do any different in her place. She was being held captive with little to no explanation of why. She had two children out there that she didn't know if they were alive or dead, and she had no idea if the guardian who was looking after them was still functional. She did what she had to do to get away from a guy who had made absolutely no attempt to clarify his intentions toward her so she could find her kids and her crew mate.


Thats a great point.

Seeing as as the show hasn't been afraid to go into current social issues/events, I wonder if this was a way to illustrate how women sometimes are made to feel unsafe when they shouldn't be having to deal with things that make them feel that way at all. We've all read news stories about dudes being creepy, and how women shouldn't have to put up with it. Maybe this was a way of showing that it's okay for a woman to take extreme steps to get herself out of a dangerous situation.
 
Re: "The Orville". A Seth McFarlane Star Trek Parody on Fox

Thats a great point.

Seeing as as the show hasn't been afraid to go into current social issues/events, I wonder if this was a way to illustrate how women sometimes are made to feel unsafe when they shouldn't be having to deal with things that make them feel that way at all. We've all read news stories about dudes being creepy, and how women shouldn't have to put up with it. Maybe this was a way of showing that it's okay for a woman to take extreme steps to get herself out of a dangerous situation.

It would not surprise me. Seth McFarland has been consistent about calling out people who have recently been outed as sex offenders of some stripe (ie, his swipe at Weinstein during the Oscars, and numerous examples in Family Guy). It would seem consistent for him to do something like that.
 
FYI All of you, Drogen was played by Brian Thompson, an actor with a HUGE Trek Pedigree, look him up. Also he did tell Stallone's Cobra "I Want your eyes PIG!!!" My only othe complaint...Give Isaac a second blaster so he can go all Ang Lee and double fist it.
 

Your message may be considered spam for the following reasons:

If you wish to reply despite these issues, check the box below before replying.
Be aware that malicious compliance may result in more severe penalties.
Back
Top