News Seth MacFarlane’s The Orville

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by Kai "the spy", Aug 27, 2016.

  1. tharpdevenport

    tharpdevenport Admiral Admiral

    In the future we still have hot glue guns. That's like flash bangs still being used in the future of "Serenity". Yup, glue technology doesn't progress any further once you reach hot glue guns.
     
  2. The Nth Doctor

    The Nth Doctor Infinite Possibilities... Premium Member

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    Hell, even the U.S. Navy uniforms has pockets...but then they yell at you for resting your hands in them. I would love to see that happen in this show. :lol:
     
  3. UssGlenn

    UssGlenn Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    They definitely laid the groundwork for some of the upcoming episodes this season in the pilot. We know there is going to be one revolving around Bortas's species single sex status, and one dealing with Alara being very young for her responsibilities, perhaps there will commentary on affirmative action in that episode?

    By the way, What are Bortas's responsibilities on the ship? As second officer we see him take command when Ed and Kelly are off ship but what does he do the rest of the time?
     
  4. KirkusOveractus

    KirkusOveractus Commodore Commodore

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    Some of the humor, as far as timing, reminds me a little of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. There would be some dangerous moments, with one of them making a quip to break the tension or just an off-the-wall line that comes from nowhere. One is Mercer asking Alara to open the "jar of pickles", she breaks it down and he says, "I loosened it for you."

    That is right out of those classic 60's shows where you'd have the banter that would diffuse a situation from getting way too serious.
     
  5. mos6507

    mos6507 Commodore Commodore

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    Saying something is this in that is actually a sign of originality as everything is a remix.

    What's Star Trek if not Horatio Hornblower in space or wagon train to the stars?

    The problem is that The Orville is Star Trek in space. It doesn't add anything significantly original. Not only is it Star Trek but it has very close analogues down to the character level with the android being like Data and Bortus being Worf. So it has a decidedly cover-version or knock-off feel to it, just as much as the new "serial number free" Renegades. Then add in crewmembers who worked on Trek and you really are skirting close to the line.

    The fact that the prime demographic of The Orville is disaffected Trek fans who will tune into that rather than Discovery, and that Seth is playing up the tonal differences, is a clear signal that Fox wants to position the show as an alternate slant on Star Trek, not dissimilar to Axanar's proclamation that it was the "one true Trek".

    The only thing IP holders care about is the bottom line. If they feel that another company is undercutting their IP by producing a thinly veiled knock-off then I'd say they have a case. Similarity is not simply a matter of terminology. That's why so much of Axanar's litigation pointed out the Vulcan ears and what not. It's the entire package.

    Do I want to see Fox get sued? Not really, but if they do, I will not be rushing to their defense because they simply did not try hard enough to create something that people would treat as its own IP rather than very thinly disguised Trek. If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, it's a duck! A rose by any other name is a rose.

    [​IMG]
     
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  6. The Nth Doctor

    The Nth Doctor Infinite Possibilities... Premium Member

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    I assume he's the tactical officer based on his position on the bridge, but I could be wrong. He was only introduced as the second officer which really isn't a thing.
     
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  7. Starfury

    Starfury Captain Captain

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    I bet we'll see another Derek "Typical, it's a Derek" :D :D
     
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  8. 137th Gebirg

    137th Gebirg Admiral Premium Member

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    Some things have probably already reached their evolutionary apex. Glue guns...seat belts...Velcro...

    To be serious, look at battery technology - they've remained generally unchanged in size, composition and output for decades - nearly over a half-century, in fact. If battery tech followed the same evolutionary curve as computer storage or processing advancements, we'd be powering whole cities off a single battery the size of a redwood tree seed! Sure there have been some advancements (rechargeable batteries were interesting), but none have really become a part of mass-market production and distribution - certainly not affordably, anyway.

    Totally unsurprising that some things would survive hundreds of years into the future if they're useful and nothing else comes along to legitimize replacing them entirely. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

    IIRC, Scotty was considered "second officer" in TOS (and Sulu the third), although I don't remember if there was actual dialog to that effect.
     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2017
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  9. Cake

    Cake Captain Captain

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    There are so many crime and hospital series and they often have a similar take on the genre. Their owners are still not suing each other all the time. Just because there are some similarities between Star Trek and The Orville, doesn't mean that the later has infringed any IP rights.
     
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  10. Romulan_spy

    Romulan_spy Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I will grant you that your description of Seaquest as "star trek underwater" was pretty apt. Maybe it is just that story telling has certain common tropes, but there were definitely episodes of Seaquest that were very similar to Star Trek.
     
  11. dahj

    dahj Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Deadpan. :borg:
     
  12. 137th Gebirg

    137th Gebirg Admiral Premium Member

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    ...With a bedpan.

    Once a year. :D
     
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  13. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Premium Member

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    I think the prime audience is space adventure fans, which there is an incredible lack of in the market. I know that I'm not disaffected. There is room for two space adventures in my life.
     
  14. Romulan_spy

    Romulan_spy Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Agreed. As I stated before, I think Discovery and Orville are very different shows that are not muturally exclusive in their appeal. Discovery looks to be a serious, dark, exciting drama while Orville is a light hearted, fun show. If you want "serious Star Trek" watch Discovery and if you want "fun Star Trek", watch Orville. It's actually kinda perfect.
     
  15. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Premium Member

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    People who are space adventure fans should be rooting for both The Orville and Discovery to succeed. It means there is a market for them and other companies are more likely to produce their own shows.
     
  16. dahj

    dahj Vice Admiral Admiral

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    If there can be what, twentyish? superhero shows on simultaneously, I'm sure a few spacey shows won't hurt each other much...
     
  17. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Were you aware of who was making it?

    Bioshock was made by the same people who made Systemshock 2.

    I find it really hard to believe that this would have made it past the development stage if there was even a chance that this was going to be sued. It was developed very much out in the open, and never hid what it was. I find it very, very hard to believe that CBS didn't know about it, and I'm pretty sure they would have put a stop to it long before it made it to air if they had a problem with it.

    What about The Expanse and Killjoys?
    I plan on watching both and I hope to enjoy Discovery at least as much as I did The Orville.
     
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  18. Romulan_spy

    Romulan_spy Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I know some of the critics accuse Orville of "not knowing what it wants to be". I am not sure what that really means. There are plenty of shows that combine different elements like humor and drama. Stargate SG1 combined fun, campy moments with some very emotional serious moments (for example: Jacob's death). Futurama combined humor with some serious emotional moments (for ex: Fry's dog waiting for him). It is certainly possible to have both.
     
  19. Amaris

    Amaris Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Indeed. I'm looking forward to Discovery, but Orville is already on my "now I have to watch this every week" list.
     
  20. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Premium Member

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    I ran out of steam on The Expanse, and have never seen Killjoys.