They're two different shows, on two different networks, with two different premises. Nobody ever claims there's only room for one cop show on TV - hell, last I checked there were three different shows called "NCIS"! Why do The Orville and TRIBBLE have to be in "competition"?
You tell me @Jonsills?
There are already enough comparisons with Trek and TNG not just here but in reviews elsewhere, also the general setting and premise that the show is using humor and drama to fuel the understanding on the human condition in a space opera setting, with ships, uniforms, aliens, rules and regulations. Trek has all these but humor is used from time to time.
T6 Miranda Hero Ship FTW. Been around since Dec 2010 on STO and bought LTS in Apr 2013 for STO.
I liked it sure pilots are never great i honestly cant think of any pilot episode id say i loved including any star trek series.
im looking forward to seeing more and at the end of the day reviews dont matter its the viewing figures.
Remember https://youtu.be/_6KX7RUpLmU
I know we consider the early seasons of TNG and DS9 as a bit rough, and the critique of TOS was not nice.
But I will notice one difference:
1) The aired pilot for TOS was the Salt Vampire episode. It might look poor by today's standards, but it raised the question if it was okay to wipe out a species if its members had to kill other people to survive. This is actually an interesting moral and ethical dilemma posed in sci-fi clothing.
2) The pilot for TNG introduced us to Q. The acting was still stiff, the effects not up to today's standards. But Q challenged humanity's place in the universe, it required us to prove that maybe we're worth having around. Also a strong moral and ethical question in a sci-fi guise.
3) The pilot for DS9 introduced us to the wormhole aliens that had a different perception of time then we do - a powerful sci-fi theme, and it used it to make the main character (Sisko) realize that he had been stuck in his life and that he needed to move on, accept a new position. It is a powerful personal dilemma hidden beneath the sci-fi.
4) The pilot for VOY forced the crew to choose between a safe passage home or to save a bunch of innocent strangers. Also another moral dilemma within all the sci-fi.
Orville's pilot didn't do any of that kind, really. The closest to a "dilemma" was whether the Captain would keep its ex-wife as XO, but that seems pretty shallow compared to what previous TNG shows had to offer.
I think it overall really scratches the Star Trek itch based on aesthetics, but does it really scratch its central themes and strengths?
Star Trek Online Advancement: You start with lowbie gear, you end with Lobi gear.
I liked it sure pilots are never great i honestly cant think of any pilot episode id say i loved including any star trek series.
im looking forward to seeing more and at the end of the day reviews dont matter its the viewing figures.
Remember https://youtu.be/_6KX7RUpLmU
I know we consider the early seasons of TNG and DS9 as a bit rough, and the critique of TOS was not nice.
But I will notice one difference:
1) The aired pilot for TOS was the Salt Vampire episode. It might look poor by today's standards, but it raised the question if it was okay to wipe out a species if its members had to kill other people to survive. This is actually an interesting moral and ethical dilemma posed in sci-fi clothing.
2) The pilot for TNG introduced us to Q. The acting was still stiff, the effects not up to today's standards. But Q challenged humanity's place in the universe, it required us to prove that maybe we're worth having around. Also a strong moral and ethical question in a sci-fi guise.
3) The pilot for DS9 introduced us to the wormhole aliens that had a different perception of time then we do - a powerful sci-fi theme, and it used it to make the main character (Sisko) realize that he had been stuck in his life and that he needed to move on, accept a new position. It is a powerful personal dilemma hidden beneath the sci-fi.
4) The pilot for VOY forced the crew to choose between a safe passage home or to save a bunch of innocent strangers. Also another moral dilemma within all the sci-fi.
Orville's pilot didn't do any of that kind, really. The closest to a "dilemma" was whether the Captain would keep its ex-wife as XO, but that seems pretty shallow compared to what previous TNG shows had to offer.
I think it overall really scratches the Star Trek itch based on aesthetics, but does it really scratch its central themes and strengths?
its supposed to be a comedy so its not going to have the same drama that star trek gave i doubt it will go into any moral and ethical dilemmas on the series as its supposed to be light hearted i was pointing out that critics can no nothing so the slamming of orville by them means little if fan like it just like they did with star trek
"It appears we have lost our sex appeal, captain."- Tuvok
In point of fact, Nick, Seth McFarlane has stated that this is not intended to be a comedy - he wants a dramedy at most, but what he was really after was the way TNG would leaven their rather serious plots with incidental humor. He's still figuring out how incidental humor works, it would seem (the Arbor Day line would qualify, as would distracting the Krill captain by dragooning him into being a couples counselor), but I have to give him this - he's trying.
OTOH, Orville and TRIBBLE are sufficiently different that I don't really see why we can't watch both. At this point, that's my plan. (Plans may change after the TRIBBLE pilot airs - so far things look good, but trailers do lie, so...)
Oh, and NCIS is almost infinitely superior to CSI, if only because it doesn't arm its lab technicians and send them out to do field investigations and interviews.
The Critics Must Be Crazy: Seth MacFarlane's 'The Orville' Captures The Spirit Of 'Star Trek'
The reviews have landed, and the consensus is grim: TV critics don't like Seth MacFarlane's new sci-fi show, The Orville. The comedic homage to Star Trek from the creator of Family Guy debuts tonight on Fox, and frankly...the critics must be crazy. I've seen the first three episodes of The Orville, and I think it's great.
Of course, this is largely because I enjoy Seth MacFarlane's humor. There's just something about it that always seems to click with me, which means I tend to like his movies even when they're being roundly panned by most critics. I don't always love MacFarlane's movies, but even the ones I don't love like A Million Ways To Die In The West can still be funny. You just can't take them too seriously.
But I genuinely like The Orville, and I'm fairly lonely in that opinion. Most critics apparently do not, and the show is getting a rather lousy 25% "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Critics Must Be Crazy
"MacFarlane never seems comfortable leading the charge with a phaser in hand, and comes off more like a man cosplaying a space captain than an actual, believable one," writes Trent Moore of Paste Magazine.
"The jokes are not specific enough to Star Trek, or even the sci-fi genre, to make the series a smart parody like the 1999 film Galaxy Quest," writes USA Today's Kelly Lawler. "The Orville simply has no point of view, other than reverence for Star Trek. There are moments of The Orville that seem truly inspired, such as its third episode, which uses its sci-fi setting to (literally) put gender stereotypes on trial. But the episode doesn't follow through or say anything unique.
"Instead, The Orville feels like a series that sounded good on paper — “Star Trek with Seth MacFarlane!” — but lost its way in the execution. The end result is more confusing than entertaining, and, with a genuine Star Trek series hitting CBS All Access later this month, feels unnecessary. "
The True Spirit Of Star Trek
I can't say whether it's a show that I'll end up loving in the end, but its first three episodes are charming. I watched these as screeners courtesy of Fox, and not all the special effects had been finished, so it was a little odd at times seeing placeholder graphics, but I was still able to get a good sense of what the show is about.
As many critics have pointed out, this isn't a spoof of Star Trek. It's not exactly an homage either. The best way I can describe it is that MacFarlane wanted to make a Star Trek show that recalls that franchise's earlier days, back before it became an action blockbuster film series and before the TV shows started becoming dark and grim and edgy. MacFarlane is making his own version of the original Star Trek, and he is a new Captain Kirk. All the optimism and sincerity and lightheartedness of that show is here, and in many ways it's kind of wonderful. I'm honestly surprised something like this exists.
The quotation above, from USA Today's Kelly Lawler, includes a reference to the upcoming Star Trek Discovery show, which she argues makes The Orville "unnecessary." But Discovery looks like yet another action-packed, edgy entry in the Trek catalog. Nothing, in other words, like the original Star Trek or The Orville whatsoever. I also think it's unfair to compare The Orville to Galaxy Quest. That was a film, for one thing, not an hour-long episode TV series. It was also a spoof that poked fun at the fandom and the idea of celebrity and nerd culture. This is something entirely different, though I'm not entirely sure what it is yet either. Three episodes isn't enough to know, quite frankly.
Of course, the reason many critics hate The Orville is MacFarlane himself, who has a brand of humor that often rubs people the wrong way. Or maybe he's just one of those guys that critics love to hate. Either way, I dig MacFarlane's work and he's in fine form with The Orville.
Of course, he's also massively toned down from his raunchier outings. This is neither Family Guy nor Ted. There's some off-color humor, but it's never (so far at least) particularly offensive, or at least its offensiveness pales in comparison to many of his other works. Still, it's distinctly MacFarlane, so it's not going to be appealing to everyone. (No, I don't think my fellow critics are crazy for not liking something, but I do think the consensus is a bit...wonky.)
So What Is 'The Orville?' Exactly?
MacFarlane plays Ed Mercer, who's given command of The Orville. This is The Enterprise, basically, though it doesn't look like it on the outside. Inside you'd be forgiven for mixing up the two. Even the outfits feel right at home:
Each episode includes some sort of wacky space adventure. The first introduces us to the crew and the ship and then sends our heroes on their maiden voyage. Things go awry and they have to work together to save the day. Oh, and we learn that the ship's XO is Mercer's ex-wife, Kelly Grayson (Adrianne Palicki) who he despises.
The domestic goings on of these two and the rest of the crew make up a good chunk of the show. Indeed, even in the misadventures our heroes fumble through, the mundane troubles of day-to-day life---marriage, family, career---rear their ugly heads. In the second episode, when Mercer and Grayson are captured by an advanced alien species who collect various other species to put in their zoo, the pair's cell is an exact replica of their old apartment. They're forced to hash out some old memories, old wounds.
The third episode deals with even weightier themes. I won't spoil it, but it tackles gender norms, transgender issues and, basically, the circumcision debate. It's surprisingly thoughtful and thought-provoking, though still largely quite silly.
Meanwhile, the optimism and techno-utopia of Star Trek shines through. There's the awesome, immersive VR games we've seen in past Trek outings. At one point, the pilot, Gordon Malloy (Scott Grimes) is fighting an ogre and Mercer just walks right into the simulation. In another instance they have a shootout with Mexican banditos. Then there are the little magical anything generators. Just plug in what you want (bourbon, a cheeseburger, etc.) and it magically appears. I want one of those. That's my idea of a future utopia.
In any case, I've really enjoyed The Orville. It's not a perfect show. Some of the jokes do fall flat. But I love its spirit. I love that someone is actually trying to make a Star Trek show that isn't just filled with explosions, space battles and gritty action. You should check it out and make up your own mind. Maybe you'll hate it, but maybe not. It's fun and kind of sweet and I'm happy it's a thing, however weird and unexpected it might be.
If this show finds its footing I can see this being a good show in the same vein as MASH. It gave me that kind of vibe when I watched it.
No way. Not even close.
I agree with Valor.... not even close to MASH.
Edit...thinking on this a bit...it is closer to "Batman" from the 60's with Adam West and Burt Ward.
Maybe, the other show from the 60's also: "The Wild Wild West" with Robert Conrad.
Post edited by where2r1 on
"Spend your life doing strange things with weird people." -- UNK
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” -- Benjamin Franklin
I have to disagree with that reviewer on one point - I dislike McFarlane's alleged "humor". What I expect from him is pretty much what we got from the helmsman; I was pleasantly surprised not to find that whole mess oozing from everyone's pores.
I did, however, enjoy the show for what it is - it's not really an homage to TNG, but it could be thought of as being inspired by it. It's kind of like Roddenberry's world if it were inhabited by real human beings, rather than the improbable paragons he populated his future with.
I have to disagree with that reviewer on one point - I dislike McFarlane's alleged "humor". What I expect from him is pretty much what we got from the helmsman; I was pleasantly surprised not to find that whole mess oozing from everyone's pores.
I did, however, enjoy the show for what it is - it's not really an homage to TNG, but it could be thought of as being inspired by it. It's kind of like Roddenberry's world if it were inhabited by real human beings, rather than the improbable paragons he populated his future with.
Well... starting with DS9 we started to see a more mixed bag group. I mean Sisko himself started out as a bit of a mess because of Wolf 359, and he wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty. Then in Voyager we had half the crew being Maquis. Enterprise showed us inexperienced deep space explorers.
A normie goes "Oh, what's this?"
An otaku goes "UwU, what's this?"
A furry goes "OwO, what's this?"
A werewolf goes "Awoo, what's this?"
"It's nothing personal, I just don't feel like I've gotten to know a person until I've sniffed their crotch." "We said 'no' to Mr. Curiosity. We're not home. Curiosity is not welcome, it is not to be invited in. Curiosity...is bad. It gets you in trouble, it gets you killed, and more importantly...it makes you poor!"
Passion and Serenity are one.
I gain power by understanding both.
In the chaos of their battle, I bring order.
I am a shadow, darkness born from light.
The Force is united within me.
I think the big disconnect that the professional critics are having with The Orville is that it isn't trying to tear down its inspiration. MacFarlane likes classic Star Trek and they can't seem to wrap their head around that.
For industry experts the 2009 relaunch of the Star Trek franchise was supposed to tear down and throw away the baggage of the franchise that nerd culture loves, and replace it was mainstream violence and self-loathing. That is why there were so many gasps of horror when they heard that Star Trek Beyond was going to be more like old Trek.
Now they have an homage to classic Trek that seems to hit just the right notes with the "nerd" community. It is the entertainment industries worst fear, the unkillable zombie known as Star Trek has become infectious and is spawning new Intellectual Properties. If it isn't quarantined now it might cause a new golden age for science fiction.
----
We are only a couple days removed from the premiere and I find myself wanting to gorge myself on all the trivia and minutia of this new world. I haven't really felt this way about a sci-fi universe in quite a while, it is quite refreshing to have a world that is so familiar yet new and unknown at the same time.
I think the big disconnect that the professional critics are having with The Orville is that it isn't trying to tear down its inspiration. MacFarlane likes classic Star Trek and they can't seem to wrap their head around that.
For industry experts the 2009 relaunch of the Star Trek franchise was supposed to tear down and throw away the baggage of the franchise that nerd culture loves, and replace it was mainstream violence and self-loathing. That is why there were so many gasps of horror when they heard that Star Trek Beyond was going to be more like old Trek.
Now they have an homage to classic Trek that seems to hit just the right notes with the "nerd" community. It is the entertainment industries worst fear, the unkillable zombie known as Star Trek has become infectious and is spawning new Intellectual Properties. If it isn't quarantined now it might cause a new golden age for science fiction.
----
We are only a couple days removed from the premiere and I find myself wanting to gorge myself on all the trivia and minutia of this new world. I haven't really felt this way about a sci-fi universe in quite a while, it is quite refreshing to have a world that is so familiar yet new and unknown at the same time.
Did not enjoy it whatsoever although I had high hopes for it and really tried to.
TNG, DS9, ENT, VOY all convey a certain type of message, and are all special in their own fairly unique ways while preserving the integrity of Star Trek.
Perhaps it's my strong dislike for most types of comedy as a genre but Orville felt completely hollow and uninspired. I cannot relate to any of the characters, the entire episode felt completely dull, and it lacked the magic captured by serious science fiction - worse, it felt like an insult to it.
That said, it still captured more of an 'authentic' (in terms of what I've come to like about the franchise) Star Trek feel than JJ Trek and Discovery trailer.
That's just my personal view and opinion. Not trying to pick an argument or ruin anyone else's viewing pleasure.
I have heard the producer is a real Star Trek fan and I wish he was allowed to just make a serious sci-fi show if not a real follow-up of Enterprise series, but those shadowy controllers and greedy ferengi couldn't tolerate the hidden messages of authentic ST and other quality films and I could care less, I'm off that train.
Devs: Provide the option to Turn OFF full screen flashes from enemy ship explosions
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If this show finds its footing I can see this being a good show in the same vein as MASH. It gave me that kind of vibe when I watched it.
No way. Not even close.
I agree with Valor.... not even close to MASH.
Edit...thinking on this a bit...it is closer to "Batman" from the 60's with Adam West and Burt Ward.
Maybe, the other show from the 60's also: "The Wild Wild West" with Robert Conrad.
I think it shares more in common with The Voyage Home, tone-wise, or Message in a Bottle. I agree that the premiere wasn't as good as The Man Trap (which the critics didn't like at the time, remember) but, as for the others, they all had the luxury of working with two hours. There's a lot of setting up that you need to do for the first episode, particularly in SciFi, and especially in a new universe.
The heart of Trek has always been the arguments, either the crew just sitting around a table, or the Captain reasoning with an alien. For me, The Orville has everything I wanted in look & feel, but if it doesn't get to that last part eventually, I'd be disappointed.
I enjoyed seeing near Trek on TV. Some of the jokes fell flat, but otherwise the plot was very Trekish except for the ending, that was great and the guy washing the windows. I wasn't walking into this as the savior of Trek or Discovery's competition, but rather I am going to be entertained and I was just that.
My impression after watching part of the pilot on Hulu (had to go to bed, I'll finish today) is pretty much what advance reviews said. It's trying too hard to be serious TNG for the fourth time, and at the same time have toilet and sitcom humor, and seems to have zero comprehension of how poorly these two things go together.
"Great War! / And I cannot take more! / Great tour! / I keep on marching on / I play the great score / There will be no encore / Great War! / The War to End All Wars"
— Sabaton, "Great War"
My impression after watching part of the pilot on Hulu (had to go to bed, I'll finish today) is pretty much what advance reviews said. It's trying too hard to be serious TNG for the fourth time, and at the same time have toilet and sitcom humor, and seems to have zero comprehension of how poorly these two things go together.
Dunno, Red Dwarf went on for a long time, and it's a sci-fi comedy. o.o
> @smokebailey said: > Dunno, Red Dwarf went on for a long time, and it's a sci-fi comedy. o.o
You're not reading me. Red Dwarf stuck to being a Britcom in space. The Orville is coming off as schizophrenic to me, trying to simultaneously be a semi-serious sci-fi drama and a juvenile frat house comedy.
"Great War! / And I cannot take more! / Great tour! / I keep on marching on / I play the great score / There will be no encore / Great War! / The War to End All Wars"
— Sabaton, "Great War"
While it wasn't a home run, it was a double (sticking to the baseball motif). And the only real comparison will be Orville vs Discovery. I have a feeling that Orville will win in that contest. You have the comedic homage vs the re-re-boot. The re-re-boot being 'real' Trek is going to have a harder time living up to fan expectations of what real Trek should be. And from what little I've seen of Discovery, I have no excitement about it. They've just strayed too far away from what Trek is/was/should be, imo.
Thanks for the grammar policing there, valoreah. I'm using re-boot as my descriptive cause of the forum's language filter won't allow me to use the real word I want.
> @smokebailey said:
> Dunno, Red Dwarf went on for a long time, and it's a sci-fi comedy. o.o
You're not reading me. Red Dwarf stuck to being a Britcom in space. The Orville is coming off as schizophrenic to me, trying to simultaneously be a semi-serious sci-fi drama and a juvenile frat house comedy.
Comments
You tell me @Jonsills?
There are already enough comparisons with Trek and TNG not just here but in reviews elsewhere, also the general setting and premise that the show is using humor and drama to fuel the understanding on the human condition in a space opera setting, with ships, uniforms, aliens, rules and regulations. Trek has all these but humor is used from time to time.
Been around since Dec 2010 on STO and bought LTS in Apr 2013 for STO.
But I will notice one difference:
1) The aired pilot for TOS was the Salt Vampire episode. It might look poor by today's standards, but it raised the question if it was okay to wipe out a species if its members had to kill other people to survive. This is actually an interesting moral and ethical dilemma posed in sci-fi clothing.
2) The pilot for TNG introduced us to Q. The acting was still stiff, the effects not up to today's standards. But Q challenged humanity's place in the universe, it required us to prove that maybe we're worth having around. Also a strong moral and ethical question in a sci-fi guise.
3) The pilot for DS9 introduced us to the wormhole aliens that had a different perception of time then we do - a powerful sci-fi theme, and it used it to make the main character (Sisko) realize that he had been stuck in his life and that he needed to move on, accept a new position. It is a powerful personal dilemma hidden beneath the sci-fi.
4) The pilot for VOY forced the crew to choose between a safe passage home or to save a bunch of innocent strangers. Also another moral dilemma within all the sci-fi.
Orville's pilot didn't do any of that kind, really. The closest to a "dilemma" was whether the Captain would keep its ex-wife as XO, but that seems pretty shallow compared to what previous TNG shows had to offer.
I think it overall really scratches the Star Trek itch based on aesthetics, but does it really scratch its central themes and strengths?
"It appears we have lost our sex appeal, captain."- Tuvok
OTOH, Orville and TRIBBLE are sufficiently different that I don't really see why we can't watch both. At this point, that's my plan. (Plans may change after the TRIBBLE pilot airs - so far things look good, but trailers do lie, so...)
Oh, and NCIS is almost infinitely superior to CSI, if only because it doesn't arm its lab technicians and send them out to do field investigations and interviews.
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The reviews have landed, and the consensus is grim: TV critics don't like Seth MacFarlane's new sci-fi show, The Orville. The comedic homage to Star Trek from the creator of Family Guy debuts tonight on Fox, and frankly...the critics must be crazy. I've seen the first three episodes of The Orville, and I think it's great.
Of course, this is largely because I enjoy Seth MacFarlane's humor. There's just something about it that always seems to click with me, which means I tend to like his movies even when they're being roundly panned by most critics. I don't always love MacFarlane's movies, but even the ones I don't love like A Million Ways To Die In The West can still be funny. You just can't take them too seriously.
But I genuinely like The Orville, and I'm fairly lonely in that opinion. Most critics apparently do not, and the show is getting a rather lousy 25% "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Critics Must Be Crazy
"MacFarlane never seems comfortable leading the charge with a phaser in hand, and comes off more like a man cosplaying a space captain than an actual, believable one," writes Trent Moore of Paste Magazine.
"The jokes are not specific enough to Star Trek, or even the sci-fi genre, to make the series a smart parody like the 1999 film Galaxy Quest," writes USA Today's Kelly Lawler. "The Orville simply has no point of view, other than reverence for Star Trek. There are moments of The Orville that seem truly inspired, such as its third episode, which uses its sci-fi setting to (literally) put gender stereotypes on trial. But the episode doesn't follow through or say anything unique.
"Instead, The Orville feels like a series that sounded good on paper — “Star Trek with Seth MacFarlane!” — but lost its way in the execution. The end result is more confusing than entertaining, and, with a genuine Star Trek series hitting CBS All Access later this month, feels unnecessary. "
The True Spirit Of Star Trek
I can't say whether it's a show that I'll end up loving in the end, but its first three episodes are charming. I watched these as screeners courtesy of Fox, and not all the special effects had been finished, so it was a little odd at times seeing placeholder graphics, but I was still able to get a good sense of what the show is about.
As many critics have pointed out, this isn't a spoof of Star Trek. It's not exactly an homage either. The best way I can describe it is that MacFarlane wanted to make a Star Trek show that recalls that franchise's earlier days, back before it became an action blockbuster film series and before the TV shows started becoming dark and grim and edgy. MacFarlane is making his own version of the original Star Trek, and he is a new Captain Kirk. All the optimism and sincerity and lightheartedness of that show is here, and in many ways it's kind of wonderful. I'm honestly surprised something like this exists.
The quotation above, from USA Today's Kelly Lawler, includes a reference to the upcoming Star Trek Discovery show, which she argues makes The Orville "unnecessary." But Discovery looks like yet another action-packed, edgy entry in the Trek catalog. Nothing, in other words, like the original Star Trek or The Orville whatsoever. I also think it's unfair to compare The Orville to Galaxy Quest. That was a film, for one thing, not an hour-long episode TV series. It was also a spoof that poked fun at the fandom and the idea of celebrity and nerd culture. This is something entirely different, though I'm not entirely sure what it is yet either. Three episodes isn't enough to know, quite frankly.
Of course, the reason many critics hate The Orville is MacFarlane himself, who has a brand of humor that often rubs people the wrong way. Or maybe he's just one of those guys that critics love to hate. Either way, I dig MacFarlane's work and he's in fine form with The Orville.
Of course, he's also massively toned down from his raunchier outings. This is neither Family Guy nor Ted. There's some off-color humor, but it's never (so far at least) particularly offensive, or at least its offensiveness pales in comparison to many of his other works. Still, it's distinctly MacFarlane, so it's not going to be appealing to everyone. (No, I don't think my fellow critics are crazy for not liking something, but I do think the consensus is a bit...wonky.)
So What Is 'The Orville?' Exactly?
MacFarlane plays Ed Mercer, who's given command of The Orville. This is The Enterprise, basically, though it doesn't look like it on the outside. Inside you'd be forgiven for mixing up the two. Even the outfits feel right at home:
Each episode includes some sort of wacky space adventure. The first introduces us to the crew and the ship and then sends our heroes on their maiden voyage. Things go awry and they have to work together to save the day. Oh, and we learn that the ship's XO is Mercer's ex-wife, Kelly Grayson (Adrianne Palicki) who he despises.
The domestic goings on of these two and the rest of the crew make up a good chunk of the show. Indeed, even in the misadventures our heroes fumble through, the mundane troubles of day-to-day life---marriage, family, career---rear their ugly heads. In the second episode, when Mercer and Grayson are captured by an advanced alien species who collect various other species to put in their zoo, the pair's cell is an exact replica of their old apartment. They're forced to hash out some old memories, old wounds.
The third episode deals with even weightier themes. I won't spoil it, but it tackles gender norms, transgender issues and, basically, the circumcision debate. It's surprisingly thoughtful and thought-provoking, though still largely quite silly.
Meanwhile, the optimism and techno-utopia of Star Trek shines through. There's the awesome, immersive VR games we've seen in past Trek outings. At one point, the pilot, Gordon Malloy (Scott Grimes) is fighting an ogre and Mercer just walks right into the simulation. In another instance they have a shootout with Mexican banditos. Then there are the little magical anything generators. Just plug in what you want (bourbon, a cheeseburger, etc.) and it magically appears. I want one of those. That's my idea of a future utopia.
In any case, I've really enjoyed The Orville. It's not a perfect show. Some of the jokes do fall flat. But I love its spirit. I love that someone is actually trying to make a Star Trek show that isn't just filled with explosions, space battles and gritty action. You should check it out and make up your own mind. Maybe you'll hate it, but maybe not. It's fun and kind of sweet and I'm happy it's a thing, however weird and unexpected it might be.
source,
https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2017/09/10/the-critics-must-be-crazy-the-orville-is-a-delightful-homage-to-the-original-star-trek/
I agree with Valor.... not even close to MASH.
Edit...thinking on this a bit...it is closer to "Batman" from the 60's with Adam West and Burt Ward.
Maybe, the other show from the 60's also: "The Wild Wild West" with Robert Conrad.
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” -- Benjamin Franklin
I did, however, enjoy the show for what it is - it's not really an homage to TNG, but it could be thought of as being inspired by it. It's kind of like Roddenberry's world if it were inhabited by real human beings, rather than the improbable paragons he populated his future with.
Well... starting with DS9 we started to see a more mixed bag group. I mean Sisko himself started out as a bit of a mess because of Wolf 359, and he wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty. Then in Voyager we had half the crew being Maquis. Enterprise showed us inexperienced deep space explorers.
gene was dead and therefore couldn't lay his grubby mitts on any of the characters
#LegalizeAwoo
A normie goes "Oh, what's this?"
An otaku goes "UwU, what's this?"
A furry goes "OwO, what's this?"
A werewolf goes "Awoo, what's this?"
"It's nothing personal, I just don't feel like I've gotten to know a person until I've sniffed their crotch."
"We said 'no' to Mr. Curiosity. We're not home. Curiosity is not welcome, it is not to be invited in. Curiosity...is bad. It gets you in trouble, it gets you killed, and more importantly...it makes you poor!"
For industry experts the 2009 relaunch of the Star Trek franchise was supposed to tear down and throw away the baggage of the franchise that nerd culture loves, and replace it was mainstream violence and self-loathing. That is why there were so many gasps of horror when they heard that Star Trek Beyond was going to be more like old Trek.
Now they have an homage to classic Trek that seems to hit just the right notes with the "nerd" community. It is the entertainment industries worst fear, the unkillable zombie known as Star Trek has become infectious and is spawning new Intellectual Properties. If it isn't quarantined now it might cause a new golden age for science fiction.
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We are only a couple days removed from the premiere and I find myself wanting to gorge myself on all the trivia and minutia of this new world. I haven't really felt this way about a sci-fi universe in quite a while, it is quite refreshing to have a world that is so familiar yet new and unknown at the same time.
TNG, DS9, ENT, VOY all convey a certain type of message, and are all special in their own fairly unique ways while preserving the integrity of Star Trek.
Perhaps it's my strong dislike for most types of comedy as a genre but Orville felt completely hollow and uninspired. I cannot relate to any of the characters, the entire episode felt completely dull, and it lacked the magic captured by serious science fiction - worse, it felt like an insult to it.
That said, it still captured more of an 'authentic' (in terms of what I've come to like about the franchise) Star Trek feel than JJ Trek and Discovery trailer.
That's just my personal view and opinion. Not trying to pick an argument or ruin anyone else's viewing pleasure.
I have heard the producer is a real Star Trek fan and I wish he was allowed to just make a serious sci-fi show if not a real follow-up of Enterprise series, but those shadowy controllers and greedy ferengi couldn't tolerate the hidden messages of authentic ST and other quality films and I could care less, I'm off that train.
sounds nice
I think it shares more in common with The Voyage Home, tone-wise, or Message in a Bottle. I agree that the premiere wasn't as good as The Man Trap (which the critics didn't like at the time, remember) but, as for the others, they all had the luxury of working with two hours. There's a lot of setting up that you need to do for the first episode, particularly in SciFi, and especially in a new universe.
The heart of Trek has always been the arguments, either the crew just sitting around a table, or the Captain reasoning with an alien. For me, The Orville has everything I wanted in look & feel, but if it doesn't get to that last part eventually, I'd be disappointed.
Still, I consider this a strong first step.
— Sabaton, "Great War"
Check out https://unitedfederationofpla.net/s/
Dunno, Red Dwarf went on for a long time, and it's a sci-fi comedy. o.o
> Dunno, Red Dwarf went on for a long time, and it's a sci-fi comedy. o.o
You're not reading me. Red Dwarf stuck to being a Britcom in space. The Orville is coming off as schizophrenic to me, trying to simultaneously be a semi-serious sci-fi drama and a juvenile frat house comedy.
— Sabaton, "Great War"
Check out https://unitedfederationofpla.net/s/
And what's wrong with that?