FOX & MacFarlane's The Orville

[keg in kc]

I finally watched it today. It's pretty much the McDonald's version of Star Trek. Light, harmless, written for the masses, not particularly fulfilling in any way. Safe. I'm not sure how they've avoided a lawsuit from Paramount, so much is just blatently ripped-off from various Trek iterations. That's not to say it's bad, per se - it's okay for what it is. I'll keep watching, but at the same time wouldn't care all that much if it got canceled. I definitely don't see any long-term value to it, it's not something that's going to generate any cultural impact or nostalgia. Not in its current form, at least. As far as a thumbs-up or -down, I can't really generate much more than a shrug.

[crayzkirk]

Second episode was better than the first. I'm sure the failed relationship will remain as a main theme. Nice to have the show concentrate on developing a different character. Also got the end of the Donkey game and had to watch the on Demand version will all the commercials.

Thursday might be better, at least gives me an option other than the pitiful NFL game.

They could have gone a little skimpier on the outfit as well...

[unlurking]

Ugh. Episode 3 was a preachy crapfest.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by unlurking

Ugh. Episode 3 was a preachy crapfest.

The original Star Trek was like that, too.

Race relations were a huge aspect of TOS.

[unlurking]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

The original Star Trek was like that, too.

Race relations were a huge aspect of TOS.

Not this bad. At least not the way I remember it, although it has been many years since I watched TOS.

This episode felt more like really bad fan fic. The jokes were flat too. Worst episode so far.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by unlurking

Not this bad. At least not the way I remember it, although it has been many years since I watched TOS.

This episode felt more like really bad fan fic. The jokes were flat too. Worst episode so far.

I think it was actually considerably worse, in terms of societal issues..

At a time when there were race riots and people fighting for Civil Rights, Star Trek was the first television show in history to show an interracial kiss between a Caucasian and an African-American women, when alien overlords "forced" Kirk to kiss Uhura. It sent shockwaves across the nation.

In another episode, the remaining two survivors of a planetary war were picked up by the Enterprise, hell bent on killing each other due to their race. While the characters looked identical at a glance, it turned out that one was black on the right side and white on the left, while his enemy was white on the right side and black on the left.

Those are just two, off the top of my head.

[unlurking]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I think it was actually considerably worse, in terms of societal issues..

At a time when there were race riots and people fighting for Civil Rights, Star Trek was the first television show in history to show an interracial kiss between a Caucasian and an African-American women, when alien overlords "forced" Kirk to kiss Uhura. It sent shockwaves across the nation.

In another episode, the remaining two survivors of a planetary war were picked up by the Enterprise, hell bent on killing each other due to their race. While the characters looked identical at a glance, it turned out that one was black on the right side and white on the left, while his enemy was white on the right side and black on the left.

Those are just two, off the top of my head.

I watched TOS in the late 70's early 80's. The original air dates were before my time. So very well could be that the black and white episodes (I actually enjoyed both of those) were "tense" during their time and I just can't appreciate it. To me, the worst episode was Spock and the hippies.

The premise of the last Orville episode was just over the top with absurdity though. Just horribly stupid. I don't think anyone who watches it will have an "oooh, that's so taboo" thought. It's not like this society is forcing sex changes on babies. Heck, the biggest controversy in my mind was circumcision, and they just glossed right over that.

At least Star Trek was edgy for it's time period. No idea where this would be considered edgy and not absurd.

[kjwood75nro]

Originally Posted by unlurking

Ugh. Episode 3 was a preachy crapfest.

Well, it IS a Seth MacFarlane production.

[Mosbonian]

Watched all 3 episodes....and was more "meh". I think Episode 3 turned it from "i'll give it more time to develop" to "meh" for me.

And I am old enough to know how edgy the original was. I enjoyed watching the original when I was young more because of the fact that it was about the possibilities in space. (OTOH I absolutely loathed Lost in Space)

I will admit to going in with a bias because I am not a fan of McFarlane....

[JD10367]

So the last two episodes have been much more serious sci-fi and it's clear that SM really wants to make this a Trek-lite. But I don't mind because IMO it's really not that bad. The SM humor is toned-down and only here and there. The effects are actually really good (way better than most of the Trek stuff). This last story about the eco-ship was something that could easily have been written by one of the great mid-20th-century sci-fi writers, and I loved the Liam Neeson cameo. Will the show last? Probably not. But it's probably better than what the first season of that pay-per-view Trek series is going to be.

[BigRedChief]

Up against Scandal and Will and Grace? Doesn't bode well for the ratings.

[unlurking]

Please just stop with the pickle joke. I don't know if that's supposed to be Seth's version of "he's dead jim", but it really is annoying. Malloy, again, best character in the episode. Still on the fence about the show.

[DaneMcCloud]

I liked last night's episode and the direction they're taking.

To me, it totally felt like Star Trek and I loved that Captain Ed, despite his feelings, made the best choice for his galaxy.

That was some cold-blooded Captain Kirk/Shatner shit and I loved it.

[MTG#10]

Keeps getting better, glad I didnt give up after the pilot.

[Bowser]

That was a really good episode. I legit laughed when Malloy came hopping out without his leg.

The only thing that they should have done different was have Adrianne Palicki and Charlize Theron settle their differences in a bikini clad oil match.