posted
3 episodes into The Orville season 2. I've heard the second episode was actually from season 1.
The 3rd episode featured a meeting of doctors as it guest starred both Phlox and the EMH.
I love the humor, although MacFarlane said this season would have less of it. I hope not too much less though. It's what sets it apart from serious sci-fi shows.
-------------------- I'm slightly annoyed at Hobbes' rather rude decision to be much more attractive than me though. That's just rude. - PsyLiam, Oct 27, 2005.
Registered: May 1999
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posted
I thought episode 3 was great. I know a lot of people were turned off by the comedy elements of the show early on. I admit, at the beginning, I felt like they weren't getting quite the right balance. A lot of the jokes felt kind of forced into the show. But this week's episode had a B-story that was played for laughs that was literally only two scenes. Otherwise, the whole thing may as well have been a Trek episode.
I think anyone who's a fan of '90s-era Trek who wrote off The Orville because it had to much Seth MacFarlane-style humor in it should check out this episode and see how they feel about it. I don't know what the humor level will be like in the rest of the season, but this episode really highlights how well the show can handle its dramatic aspects.
Plus, in addition to Picardo and Billingsley, it's got Catherine O'Hara and Patrick Warburton as guest stars.
Registered: Mar 1999
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I’m definitely enjoying it. I’m just worried that the more they dial back the humor, the more it’s going to be a Star Trek rip-off instead of a fun homage. It already feels like Voyager but with more humor... (seriously, tell me the opening credit flybys and establishing scenes don’t feel exactly like Voyager).
The Orville is a deliberately retro-style show. I like the characters, and the stories are generally enjoyable, but I don’t think I’m getting anything new out of it, or anything I can’t get by watching some good old TNG or TOS.
But I still very much appreciate the effort to create a purely optimistic-themed story in the vein of Star Trek. Hopefully The Orville’s success will inspire Kurtzman and his writers to consider more optimistic storylines too...
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
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posted
The show's humor is the only escape route it has from being taken seriously, at which point it would fail because of the contrived problems and obvious but unpursued solutions.
For instance, the visit to high-grav Xaleya (sp?) featured shuttles going down with two crew and a single anti-grav spacesuit. The shuttle itself had a standoff anti-grav field that kept gravity comfortable within and outside the rear door.
Naturally a problem developed with the suit, so instead of moving the shuttle (like, park on him) or extending the field, the other unsuited person just had to stand helplessly.
It's bad writing.
-------------------- . . . ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.
posted
Been enjoying the last few episodes. Yeah, less of the season 1 humor but still not taking itself too seriously.
-------------------- I'm slightly annoyed at Hobbes' rather rude decision to be much more attractive than me though. That's just rude. - PsyLiam, Oct 27, 2005.
Registered: May 1999
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posted
I feel like I'm the only one here watching this show. The recent 2-parter is definitely worth watching.
-------------------- I'm slightly annoyed at Hobbes' rather rude decision to be much more attractive than me though. That's just rude. - PsyLiam, Oct 27, 2005.
Registered: May 1999
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The two parter was quite good, and I really like the “surprise” about Isaac, though as with many classic cliffhangers, the resolution was a bit rushed and not quite up to my hopes/expectations. Maybe it’s because the second part called attention to the big plot hole but never satisfactorily explained why the crew was kept alive. “Help us kill everyone on Earth and we’ll wait a couple days to kill you” is a really weak justification IMO.
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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Yeah, and, as long as we're spoiling the episode (but, just in case, here's the warning that I'm about to spoil the ending, so stop reading if you haven't watched it yet), it was pretty obvious even within the first episode that it was going to end with Isaac turning out to care about the crew after all and going against his people to save the day.
Registered: Mar 1999
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I'm watching, still, but conflicted about it. The first part of the two-parter was edge-of-your-seat, Best of Both Worlds stuff.
The second part? Meh. No surprises, lots of trope-y stuff.
BoBW Pt.2 was at least a bit surprising, at the time, and other two-part edge-of-your-seat Treks have, broadly speaking, tried to avoid pat answers to the problem posed by the first part. With the exception of the Avis Ex Machina, if you will, and the peaceful departure of same, it was fairly pat stuff from the recycle bin.
I feel like Macfarlane is giving too much slack to Braga and Bormanis . . . they're doing some of their laziest, sloppiest, most phoned-in work right now, and although it’s still mostly better than Discovery's writing that’s hardly high praise.
-------------------- . . . ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.
posted
The main thing I'm getting out of this right now is that a proper DS9 remaster would be utterly faptastic. The shots of the ship dropping down to Isaac's world, not to mention the pew-pew of the second part, were amazeballs.
-------------------- . . . ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.
posted
Really the only justification for keeping the crew alive was to have cooperation from the captain who the Kaylons needed.
The ending felt a little rushed. Almost like it could have used a part 3.
Even with the humor cut down Gordon's Top Gun reference was awesome.
-------------------- I'm slightly annoyed at Hobbes' rather rude decision to be much more attractive than me though. That's just rude. - PsyLiam, Oct 27, 2005.
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What I'm wondering is if Gordon intentionally let Orrin blow himself up? Seems like he could've just as easily put the blood bomb in the airlock and ejected it instead of wasting a shuttle.
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Registered: Mar 1999
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Okay, I didn’t realize there was anyone out there who thought Voyager’s “Fair Haven” was a good episode...
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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This week's episode has Troi guest starring. I've lost count of how many Trek alums have been involved with this series on and off camera.
To me makes it more Star Trek than what's passing for Star Trek: SJW Edition.
My only real complaint is more on Fox for putting in so many breaks. My guess is since there's only 11 episodes they had to stretch it out to April sweeps. I'm still waiting to hear if it'll get a 3rd season.
-------------------- I'm slightly annoyed at Hobbes' rather rude decision to be much more attractive than me though. That's just rude. - PsyLiam, Oct 27, 2005.
Registered: May 1999
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