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News Seth MacFarlane’s The Orville

They set it up earlier by talking about how it was engineered to thrive in literally any environment.
Yes. But where did it get one hundred years worth of sunlight and carbon dioxide? ...And presumably water, but the "science" on thriving in literally any substance is pretty iffy to start with. ;)

It seemed to me that the jokes were halfhearted, as if what they really wanted to do was the Trek homage, but felt obligated to include the humor because of MacFarlane's reputation.
I couldn't help but feel that the jokes are only there to justify a "We're only parodying Star Trek, not ripping it off!" approach. SOme of the lighter humor worked okay for me, (the same kind of character based stuff regular Trek does) but the "gags" were so-so at best.
 
My wife, my son, and I just finished watching the premiere. All three of us had the same reaction.

That was much better than we expected. An excellent mix of humor and heart. It's like TNG, only everyone is a real person.

I don't know what show all those critics were watching. This was a wonderful debut, I'm just so impressed with how they struck the perfect tone.

I like super-strong girl, serious guy, and the new Trip and Reed guys (I'll learn their names eventually).

All the of us give it an A.

:techman:

The "critics" are either: paid for by CBS, don't like Star Trek, don't understand Star Trek, hate Seth for the sake of hating Seth....or a combination of two or more of those.
I've always made a point of never reading or listening to critics. If it seems remotely like something I would like, I'll give it a shot. Then what I think of it will determine if I keep watching.
I will definitely continue watching this show.

"He's drawn a lot of penises on a lot of things" I'm still giggling over that one. Could you imagine Picard delivering that line to Admiral Necheyev? Of course you couldn't, but that's OK.
 
I think the whole show is loaded with general Trek and TNG specific references, including obscure ones that we're going to keep finding.

And one great video game/anime reference. Bananas being aged in quantum time travel experiments from Steins;Gate. Which given how many anime references are in TNG shows just how deep the rabbit hole goes.
I felt it landed more in TMP and movie era at some points, particularly the sets....even some Kelvinverse corridor running.
 
I liked it. And for those of us who liked Star Trek V, it's about that level humourwise. Kirk needing a shower, that sort thing. And Babylon 5 was doing Penis jokes a loooong time ago, and The Orville is that same mutated Trek DNA.

Now....has anyone tweeted Seth a video of a green duck singing he wishes he could fly, or should I do it?
 
Well i saw this and it was not as bad as those first few reviews made it out to be, maybe going in with low expectations is the way to go, but as a tv show to waste a hour watching it was fine......but i am in the UK, so compared to what we have that passes for TV shows here in the UK, this show was a total gold mine. ;)

(Oh and i saw it on YT just by pure chance as it was all over YT on Monday morning, not there now though, so i assume they all go t taken down)
 
I don't know if it was already said but according to Hollywood Reporter, Nielsen ratings for the special preview of The Orville and Sunday Night Football have been delayed due to Hurricane Irma. Indeed, it seems that one of the company facilities is based in Florida. So, instead of giving truncated results, Nielsen chose not giving any.
I bet that lovers of conspiracies of all kinds would have much to complain/to say of this decision! <grin>

Anyway, while the medias didn't like the pilot, viewers seemed to have spent a good time... ‎in any case, in my case (I'm not a fan of science fiction, so, I wasn't expecting much, good or bad).
 
(I'm not a fan of science fiction, so, I wasn't expecting much, good or bad).
5d2Hd6R.gif


So, what, did you get lost and take a wrong turn onto a scifi forum one day and just decide to remain here?
 
Well, I assume that it'll be thirteen episodes and done and just intend to enjoy it as long as it's enjoyable.

And maybe that way I'll be pleasantly surprised. :D

I thought it was pretty tightly written - they accomplish a lot in 45 minutes, even allowing for the "introducing the crew" exposition scene and its like.

So many little things to like - the "combined with tardigrade DNA" was not even so much TOS-style shorthand skiffy rationalization (though it was a bit of that) as good old Gardner Fox Silver Age Comic Book Popular Science rationalization. Nicely silly, damn clever and played straight.

This is entirely speculation, but I think they may have cost themselves some goodwill with the reviewers by releasing the third episode of the series for review. In outline it does sound at best like a problematic, tone-deaf treatment of sensitive topics.

But hey, TNG's third story was "Code Of Honor." ;)
 
Honestly I enjoyed it. I didn't have super high expectations. I was expecting a light hearted show about a space ship and that's what I got. Is it the hest show ever? No. Am I looking forward to the next episode? YES!
 
"He's drawn a lot of penises on a lot of things" I'm still giggling over that one. Could you imagine Picard delivering that line to Admiral Necheyev? Of course you couldn't, but that's OK.
Actually, I am now picturing Picard reclining in his ready room chair holding a cup of tea and saying quite casually "Admiral, he's drawn a lot of penises on a lot of things" and it strangely enough works.
 
In outline it does sound at best like a problematic, tone-deaf treatment of sensitive topics.

Pretty much sums up all of MacFarlane's properties. Very funny, but cross the line into simplistic, and sometimes offensive, views of complicated problems.

But as wrong as the critics were on the first episode, I'll wait until I see the episode before crucifying MacFarlane.

I watched the pilot the second time this morning on Hulu. And I have to say, I enjoyed it more than the first time. Wife was at work and son at school, I wasn't chatting with them while watching and the lack of commercials on Hulu made the story seem more seamless.
 
Actually, I am now picturing Picard reclining in his ready room chair holding a cup of tea and saying quite casually "Admiral, he's drawn a lot of penises on a lot of things" and it strangely enough works.
Or in the scene from The Pegasus where he laughingly talks to Admiral Blackwell and then loses his smile when she sasses him.
 
Maybe Michael Burnham loses her shot at command because she draws penises on everything?

Now I'm interested.

Tell me that Lorca's appointment to Discovery was engineered by his unfaithful ex-wife and I'll watch the premiere on CBS broadcast instead of waiting an hour or two to get it on All-Access.
 
Actually, I am now picturing Picard reclining in his ready room chair holding a cup of tea and saying quite casually "Admiral, he's drawn a lot of penises on a lot of things" and it strangely enough works.

But who would Picard be referring to? Riker? LaForge?

This is where I agree that The Orville has more realistic people as characters. There's always one misfit like Malloy.

The closest I can think of in Star Trek would be Harry & Tom reprogramming Tuvok's holo programs.
 
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