THE ORVILLE S2, E7: "DEFLECTORS"

[CorporalCaptain]

This was a great episode.

From the way the ending scenes were structured, I suspect that the genius inventor's story, including Talla's involvement in it, is not over.

I agree with those who think that Szohr was outstanding here. She was basically the lead of the episode. I also think that Szohr's been great all along.

 

[KennyB]

I did enjoy the episode, and liked the twist (murder).....did not see that coming! I would like to get to some other crew member stories though........this has been the season of the Moclans so far.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

They seem to be angling toward the Moclan either being expelled from the Union or breaking away because their values are not compatible

I thought that the battle drill and shield test could be foreshadowing that and military conflict with the Moclans, especially since the Moclans snuck in a torpedo contrary to the pre-approved exercise plan.

 

[KennyB]

I thought that the battle drill and shield test could be foreshadowing that and military conflict with the Moclans, especially since the Moclans snuck in a torpedo contrary to the pre-approved exercise plan.

I thought when he needed her security codes he was going to do something sneaky..........but I was way off--LOL

 

[CorporalCaptain]

I thought when he needed her security codes he was going to do something sneaky..........but I was way off--LOL

Me too, but that's worth mentioning because maybe he did use her security codes after all, either to do his thing in the "holodeck" or to hijack the shuttle's cloak, or both. He did more in the "holodeck" than create a fake image that Isaac could unscramble; he also had to cover his tracks, which they never uncovered.

 

[Skipper]

Not really true, except for TOS. I would say any of the series from TNG on could have done it, if they had the balls.

I may not be so well versed in the of American tv history, but I don't remember so many progressive tv shows from the 80s... (except for the odd "very special episode")

 

[Nakita Akita]

Everyone is pretty harsh about Klyden.
I looked at Klyden as someone with some issues, not someone that that his spouse should dump.
Maybe Bortus loves Klyden and sees him as a flawed person but can still love him despite what others can't see.
Instead of instant Snap solution of Bortus dumping Klyden I think it shows deeper caring of a truly loving person that Bortus stays with Klyden.
Klyden isn't a bad person he did what their laws tell him he should.

 

[The Realist]

I may not be so well versed in the of American tv history, but I don't remember so many progressive tv shows from the 80s... (except for the odd "very special episode")

But remember, we're talking about the franchise that has been patting itself on the back for 50 years for its cutting-edge daring in showing an interracial kiss. David Gerrold wanted to portray a gay male couple on Enterprise in TNG's first season, and many fans who were active at the time (myself included) thought the show should lead the way in advancing gay rights. Instead the franchise ducked and dodged the subject for decades, ending up being pretty much the last show to finally get on board. Pathetic.

 

[DonIago]

Everyone is pretty harsh about Klyden.
I looked at Klyden as someone with some issues, not someone that that his spouse should dump.
Maybe Bortus loves Klyden and sees him as a flawed person but can still love him despite what others can't see.
Instead of instant Snap solution of Bortus dumping Klyden I think it shows deeper caring of a truly loving person that Bortus stays with Klyden.
Klyden isn't a bad person he did what their laws tell him he should.

I'll grant that what Klyden did was perfectly acceptable and perhaps encouraged by the morals of Moclan society, but it's also been established that Bortus isn't a model Moclan. It was obvious that Bortus had trouble with Klyden's (unilateral) decision, and I could see that leading to at least a temporary separation.

You would think Klyden might have at least told Bortus what he was going to do before he went ahead and did it, if there really was trust in their relationship.

Granted Klyden may have trust issues with Bortus after earlier events this season, but he did basically just arrange for Bortus's ex-boyfriend to be imprisoned.

 

[DonIago]

It isn't a matter of being helpful, or a "damsel in distress," someone on his ship is behaving out of line.

It's not a captain's job to get involved in everyone's personal disputes, especially when his intervention hasn't been requested. Kelly's situation wasn't jeopardizing the ship.

If "behaving out of line" was the only criterion for Ed getting involved, how many times would Gordon have been disciplined?

Hell, they addressed this in this episode, when Talia told Ed and Kelly that her personal life wasn't any of their business, and they pointed out that she was right up to the point where it affected the ship's welfare.

 

[Nakita Akita]

I'll grant that what Klyden did was perfectly acceptable and perhaps encouraged by the morals of Moclan society, but it's also been established that Bortus isn't a model Moclan. It was obvious that Bortus had trouble with Klyden's (unilateral) decision, and I could see that leading to at least a temporary separation.

You would think Klyden might have at least told Bortus what he was going to do before he went ahead and did it, if there really was trust in their relationship.

Granted Klyden may have trust issues with Bortus after earlier events this season, but he did basically just arrange for Bortus's ex-boyfriend to be imprisoned.

Klyden didn't seem to plan what he was going to do.
He saw the skinny girl and Moclan man go into the simulator room.
He certainly couldn't have foreknowledge that they were going to go into the Sim-room.
Also, I'm pretty sure a lot of people decide stuff spur of the moment.
To me this episode makes the Bortus/Klyden relationship all that more believable. It's not a perfect relationship.
There is no such thing.
If the writers have Bortus dump Klyden over this I think that would just be cheap writing.

 

[Finn]

But people have dumped their SO over less....

 

[Nakita Akita]

But people have dumped their SO over less....

Shallow people.
I think Bortus is deeper than this.

 

[DonIago]

I guess that would at least make him deeper than Kelly, who seemed to dump Cassius rather arbitrarily.

But again, Klyden just ruined the life of someone Bortus at least cared about once upon a time, and didn't even talk to Bortus about it first.

I don't see how a lack of planning is any excuse; Klyden knew how this would play out. This isn't like any number of episodes where Our Heroes Discover They Accidentally Did a Bad Thing(tm).

Though given what we already know about the Moclans, I wonder whether this means Bortus is going to end up stabbing Klyden.

 

[ISS-Magnum]

I looked at Klyden as someone with some issues, not someone that that his spouse should dump.

This.

Klyden is a terrible person at this point, but it's not like he committed mass genocide, carpet-bombed entire planet or killed 300 members if his own crew (sorry, wrong franchise...)

He is still redeemable. Bortus can help him; Ed, Kelly and the rest of the gang can help him and bring to the Light side of the Force.

 

[Nakita Akita]

I guess that would at least make him deeper than Kelly, who seemed to dump Cassius rather arbitrarily.

But again, Klyden just ruined the life of someone Bortus at least cared about once upon a time, and didn't even talk to Bortus about it first.

I don't see how a lack of planning is any excuse; Klyden knew how this would play out. This isn't like any number of episodes where Our Heroes Discover They Accidentally Did a Bad Thing(tm).

Though given what we already know about the Moclans, I wonder whether this means Bortus is going to end up stabbing Klyden.

Klyden reported someone that was breaking the law.
Heroin is legal to shoot up in Vancouver Canada.
So if someone in Lone Tree Arkansas is shooting heroin should everyone look the other way?

I'm sure Klyden has issues. I think he probably had extra 'dislike' for Moclan Man of the week, guy, he was the ex of his husband.
I also think that Klyden has issues about being arbitrarily sex changed. It's possible that Klyden still harbors "female" feelings/emotions/thoughts.
I think everyone wants to hate Klyden but to me the episode showed Klyeden as a whole person, not just Bortus' husband.

 

[Amaris]

Klyden reported someone that was breaking the law.
Heroin is legal to shoot up in Vancouver Canada.
So if someone in Lone Tree Arkansas is shooting heroin should everyone look the other way?

I'm sure Klyden has issues. I think he probably had extra 'dislike' for Moclan Man of the week, guy, he was the ex of his husband.
I also think that Klyden has issues about being arbitrarily sex changed. It's possible that Klyden still harbors "female" feelings/emotions/thoughts.
I think everyone wants to hate Klyden but to me the episode showed Klyeden as a whole person, not just Bortus' husband.

This. I believe Klyden is redeemable as well. I think he's driven his trauma of what happened to him as a child so deep that he acts purely from conviction and denial. He has to enforce the laws of his culture, or else he's not being a real Moclan. It's why we sometimes find that homophobes who mock gay people also tend to harbor those same feelings deep down, and it terrifies them. They're certainly misguided, and should not be allowed to harm others, but they're not unredeemable.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Klyden didn't seem to plan what he was going to do.
He saw the skinny girl and Moclan man go into the simulator room.

Klyden was stalking them.

 

[DonIago]

I'm not saying he's not irredeemable (lord knows I'm a GoT fan, so I know all about people who do terrible things not beying beyond redemption). And I'm well aware that Klyden acted as a "proper" Moclan should.

But relationships aren't predicated simply on your mate being redeemable and acting in a manner consistent with how they've been raised to believe. Relationships are about being able to look someone in the eyes, and I didn't quite get the sense that Bortas could look Klyden in the eyes after that.

They're also about trust, and I don't think Klyden trusts Bortas...and frankly now I don't think Bortas trusts Klyden either.

 

[UssGlenn]

Talia told Ed and Kelly that her personal life wasn't any of their business, and they pointed out that she was right up to the point where it affected the ship's welfare.

It annoyed me that Talia didn't point out that she's been in a "relationship" for all of 5 minutes at that point. Not enough time to assess impact on the ship, let alone tell anyone.

He saw the skinny girl and Moclan man go into the simulator room.
He certainly couldn't have foreknowledge that they were going to go into the Sim-room.

Klyden was stalking them.

I'm still not sure how he figured it out. He didn't see anything remotely suspicious.