The Orville Season Two - Thoughts?

Aeson · Jan 5, 2019

Hasn't been part of Seth MacFarlane's work from the beginning? The Family Guy has touched on a number topics others may have stayed away from.

Dannyalcatraz · Jan 5, 2019

Yes, but that show is waaaaay more over the top, and seldom mixes comedic and the dramatic- or even tragic- as effectively as this show.

Umbran · Jan 5, 2019

Dannyalcatraz said:
Yes, but that show is waaaaay more over the top, and seldom mixes comedic and the dramatic- or even tragic- as effectively as this show.

I haven't watched the most recent episode yet.

I have to say, I feel strange liking this show. In general, i have not been a fan of Seth McFarlane's comedy. It has always seemed too crude and juvenile, and in the past to me it seemed to have sexist leanings that put me off.

But then he goes and gets the new Cosmos made....

And he comes up with The Orville... while there's still a lot of crude humor, I am okay with that, because there's otherwise a lot more balance. Either someone (maybe Brannon Braga*) has some mitigating influence, or the dude has just *learned* some things. I don't actually doubt the latter, given that the show often centers on how *his character* learns how to be a better person.

It is almost like McFarlane said, "Hey, what if we did Star Trek, but instead of the main characters started as absolute paragons like Kirk and Spock, we had them be like the people who watch the show, and they grow over time?"

* Who, for whatever flaws he has as a producer, is still perhaps one of the most experienced on the planet for this kind of show.

Dannyalcatraz · Jan 5, 2019

I think you nailed it with that last sentence. Hell- that might have been the pitch!

Legatus Legionis · Jan 7, 2019

Dannyalcatraz · Jan 7, 2019

I think everyone hates STDs.

*whiper*

What?

*whiper*

Oh, nevermind!

Orius · Jan 11, 2019

Robert Picardo and John Billingsley as guest stars in the same episode? Sure, why not!

Pretty good episode too, particularly the dream sequence and the gift.

Richards · Jan 11, 2019

That was actually a very well-done episode, although I was dreading it more and more the more I saw of it. With rumors that Alara was going to leave this season, when I saw it was an Alara-themed episode I started to worry that this might be it; when I saw it was called "Home" I was convinced it was; and when she walked into Capt Mercer's office there at the end after they had found a way for her to stay with the ship I was all "Aw crap - she's going to resign her commission!" Dang it - she was my favorite character on the show.

So now I'm left hoping the actress had an opportunity to go star in a movie or something and will be back later after that's over with - they did leave the door open for Alara to return, after all. I guess we'll see.

But at least she got to go out on a high note, because this was a really good episode. So I wonder if Patrick Warburton's going to be a permanent replacement as the new security officer? (I also wonder how he puts that shirt-with-a-hole-in-it on if his second esophagus is actually permanently attached to his stomach, because I didn't see any flaps or anything.)

Johnathan

Nutation · Jan 11, 2019

A fairly standard alienated daughter story done pretty well. They should have put a little more thought into the visuals. Xelayan architecture shouldn't have thin vertical hoops. The buildings should be squat or at least solid towers. Square-cube law is a thing. I also would have put fishing weights in the hems of the actors' clothing to make the fabric move differently.

We did see Alara's foot thump solidly on the floor at one point, and there were a few other similar visuals, so they tried. Sorry to see Alara go also; she was a favorite.