Orville: New Horizons (Spoilers)

Rabulias · Aug 4, 2022

Episode 10 is a solid series finale if it needs to be, but it doesn't close doors so if they get renewed for season 4 (please, Hulu, please!), they have plenty of interesting space (pardon the pun) to explore.

My (failed) prediction of something with Teleya and Anaya for this episode did not come to pass, and that remains territory for season 4, or (if not a full season) maybe a movie or two every now and then (please, Hulu, please!).

Lycella's part of the story felt like The Orville in its zone doing good social commentary. Another good message to end on if they must, but I hope we get more (please, Hulu, please!).

Edited to add: In addition to Lycella, there is another special surprise guest this episode:

Gordon's time-traveling sandwich!

Seriously, it was nice to see Alara again, and her appearance adds to the series wrap-up feel.

Stalker0 · Aug 4, 2022

Yay Alara! Cool to see her make a cameo, though I think Keyali has fit in very well now a days, I do miss Alara on occasion.

A solid episode. The comedy was spot on, and I think showcased the balance the Orville found in the last few seasons. In season 1, it was too much "fart joke" style, very crude, and very "forced". Whereas I think the humor later on was more in the mindset of "crewmates being comfortable and relaxed with each other". These are people that work together and live together, and so you pull down some social barriers naturally in that kind of setting which creates natural humor and comedy, and I think that is where Orville found a really nice pocket.

The "Prime Directive" commentary was a solid one, if completely predictable. Did anyone think L'sea wasn't going to try and steal technology? Still it's a nice play having one of the "poor people" giving commentary on the prime directive, no matter how justified it seems to the Union....it will never seem fair to those having to live through it. But the simulator run at the end did a great job showing just how bad it can go when you mess it up, and I think sold the point home very well.

All in all it was a nice humorous wrapup to a very series and heavy season. May the 4th (season) be with them!

Ryujin · Aug 4, 2022

Stalker0 said:
Yay Alara! Cool to see her make a cameo, though I think Keyali has fit in very well now a days, I do miss Alara on occasion.

A solid episode. The comedy was spot on, and I think showcased the balance the Orville found in the last few seasons. In season 1, it was too much "fart joke" style, very crude, and very "forced". Whereas I think the humor later on was more in the mindset of "crewmates being comfortable and relaxed with each other". These are people that work together and live together, and so you pull down some social barriers naturally in that kind of setting which creates natural humor and comedy, and I think that is where Orville found a really nice pocket.

The "Prime Directive" commentary was a solid one, if completely predictable. Did anyone think L'sea wasn't going to try and steal technology? Still it's a nice play having one of the "poor people" giving commentary on the prime directive, no matter how justified it seems to the Union....it will never seem fair to those having to live through it. But the simulator run at the end did a great job showing just how bad it can go when you mess it up, and I think sold the point home very well.

All in all it was a nice humorous wrapup to a very series and heavy season. May the 4th (season) be with them!

It was definitely nice to see a more humour heavy episode again, now that they've found the right tone. Still pulling for another season, though the past few years have been a disappointment in that area.

Shades of Eternity · Aug 4, 2022

Yes, we like good scifi and we got an embarressment of riches right now.

Janx · Aug 5, 2022

Overall, we liked the new season.

Things we've noticed:
darn near every episode had a song. like a whole song performance. That was kinda weird. This is not a talent show.

the pacing was very meandering, especially the pre-intro starts. Way too much wandering around and not drilling into what the ep is about (We're picking up a passenger from Season 1!). Star Treks of old nailed this pacing down for a 45 minute ep. The problem is less about the time limit, and more about the feel of not getting to the point.

For this last ep, the A and B plot did not align/complement/mirror each other. TNG usually did a good job of this (ex. Brothers. the ep where these 2 kids get in trouble AND Lore gets data in trouble).

What I assume is the B plot, interfering with primitive cultures was predictable, and oddly enough too much Telling, rather than Showing.

A big deal was made about the holodeck instead of Movies. And what we get is you can visit other places. Not actualy story telling (interactive movies). That would have shifted the needle for Lcea(sp?). Because A, she needs a career, and holo-novelist could have been it. B, the solution to her problem was being told in a presentation that if we give primitives tech, the mess it up. Imagine if they'd set the simulator up to take her back home and SHOW what happens. Lcea racing to try to counter each step her people took to misuse the tech she'd brought.

Even if she knew it was a simulation, like a game player, she'd still see how she couldn't make it work out as the game modeled jerks being jerks with new toys.

Even the very point told to her, that the people have to change first, could be discovered/realized by Lcea as she tried that move instead.

What we got was simply folks who knew better telling her the answer in different ways, including a scare video.

Just a missed opportunity.

CapnZapp · Aug 5, 2022

My thoughts on the season:

They appear uninterested in the core draw of the show, exploring new worlds and going where no man has gone before.

Almost every episode this season has been what other shows would call a special episode focused on a particular crew member. That's normally fine, except here... that wasn't the special sauce used to spice up the regular show, here it was... all we got.

Combine this with America's culture war forcing every show to take Big Stands and make Profound Commentary, that simply isn't necessary* for those of us that doesn't live in a society threatened by MAGA morons, and...

It just felt like work, and not enough fun.

*) I simply don't need my entertainment preaching to me that, say, homosexuality is uncontroversial, or that caring for the poor is a basic expression of empathy. I know that already.

CapnZapp · Aug 5, 2022

I don't mind crude jokes. While I appreciate the nod to Lamarr being a stud (and thinking like a jock) I far prefer the way he handled his conquests in S1 (Ensign Turco) to the boringly mature story involving Kayali

At least "I'll eat you with a glass of grape juice" was so specific it was fun.

delericho · Aug 5, 2022

I thoroughly enjoyed the season. The final episode was really not what I expected, but I mostly enjoyed that too (not so keen on the Prime Directive plot, but never mind).

The only thing is that I'm suddenly not so sure I want another season - although it would be a shame to see it go, that episode would make for a really great series finale, so maybe best to let it go rather than risk a decline in quality?