Welcome to Stop>Drop>Watch, an LRM feature where we recommend recent or current TV shows (and movies) you may have missed, stopped watching, or simply want to try out. With DVRs, streaming services, and on-demand it’s easier than ever to discover new stuff, but the amount of content makes it hard to choose what to watch. We’re here to help!
FOX’s The Orville
Created by Seth MacFarlane, The Orville is a homage to the Star Trek franchise which MacFarlane is a huge fan of. As you may know, MacFarlane unsuccessfully pitched himself to lead a Star Trek series, leading him to spawn The Orville. Watching the show, you are able to see the many connections to the source material and other takes on the series like Galaxy Quest. Though this series is a bit reference-heavy, it is done tastefully and rarely is forced, making The Orville capable of standing on its own.
At its core, The Orville is a science fiction comedy oriented around Captain Ed Mercer’s (Seth MacFarlane) appointment of his own ship, The Orville, in the Planetary Union. With a diverse cast of different species, the interplay between characters gives the show a futuristic feel. The show gets personal when Mercer’s ex-wife, Kelly Grayson, is appointed as Commander of the ship working as the second in command. The Orville is lifted by the talented roster of actors which have great chemistry allowing for interesting character relationships to form. Blending comedy and drama from the wide cast of characters leads the show to be reminiscent of Roddenberry’s series.
Why Should you watch it?
If you are like many other Star Trek fans you may be disappointed with the latest installment in the franchise, Discovery. What fans are discovering about it is that it is (in this writer’s opinion) SJW trash that is ruining the long-running franchise which many have fallen in love with. While Star Trek has always been a healthy place to discuss current events and social issues it never really pushed an agenda until Discovery. Luckily, fans have been able to turn to The Orville which reverts back to the original plot points of Star Trek. The series has played it safe in terms of topics focusing more on the personal connections of the crew. This may change in the second season of the series but given the outrage towards Discovery, I doubt MacFarlane will insert the agenda of show creators in The Orville.
There are many reasons Discovery has been panned be it the plot or the appearance of the Klingons but the inability to watch the show is the biggest drawback. CBS deciding to push Discovery to its monthly charge streaming service, CBS All Access, has left sci-fi fans looking for alternatives. Given that The Orville is the closest show to Star Trek around there is a natural migration to MacFarlane’s series. The ability to watch The Orville on basic cable television, FOX, allows for the availability of the show to be watched by the mass public.
I do have to point out that the series had a rocky start in the first few episodes of Season One being a bit too joke heavy. However, this worked itself out as the series progressed figuring out what worked and what didn’t which shows that the writing team is aware of the issues of the series and has the wherewithal to change it. This rocky start may be the reason professional critics have written this series off opposed to the fanbase that loves this show. Although, professional critics rarely are able to fairly critique the sci-fi genre because the critics that understand the genre thoroughly are far and few between.
Who will this appeal to?
If you are a fan of MacFarlane, you will definitely enjoy The Orville as it has his unique brand of comedy. While MacFarlane’s other work like Family Guy may be on the decline, more on that later, his new science fiction-based show is just turning on the thrusters. This could be attributed due to the show creator actually enjoying the work rather than being contractually forced to keep pumping out a long-running series. This series is also a first for MacFarlane as it is his first crack at creating a live-action television series as well as being his first to star in one.
Finding great shows in the science fiction genre that revolve around space is getting harder and harder with the genre currently focusing more on AI and technological dystopias. Luckily, MacFarlane’s new series revitalizes Roddenberry’s masterpiece as The Orville, which is written as a love letter to the original Star Trek series. There are countless references to Star Trek, for example, Lieutenant Commander Bortus’ design based on a Klingon. Penny Johnson Jerald who plays Dr. Claire Finn, Orville’s doctor, also has extensive connections with Star Trek working on The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. All Trekkers should give this show a chance before the new season begins to test out the series for their self.
What’s Next?
Season 2 is scheduled for December 30, which will be a two-hour premiere which will likely be a four-episode arc. Information about the series’ next season has been kept under lock and key by FOX. This is in stark contrast to the first season in which the information was flying off the set. However, it appears that Halston Sage’s Lieutenant Alara Kitan will be leaving the crew in the second season. It’s not clear where the next season will lead but it will likely be expanding the world off of the events of the previous season.
Future interaction with the Krill, The Orville’s equivalent of the Klingons, is assuredly in the cards. With the number of social topics left to be explored by the series, it has many paths it can take. A 13th episode of the first season was postponed to the second season which focuses on the episode “About a Girl.” “About a Girl” focuses around gender swapping and the freedom of personal choice. December seems pretty far from now though catching up on the series will prepare new viewers for the upcoming season. This week at San Diego Comic-Con a trailer for the second season showing the direction for the upcoming series.
https://youtu.be/lavy7qZ1aoo
For those looking to get into this series, the show airs every Friday on Fox at 9 PM EST. It might be easier to keep up with the show via online streaming on FOX’s website or with Hulu.
Let us know your thoughts. What are your opinions about FOX’s science fiction series The Orville?
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