Spoilers The Orville: New Horizons Season 3 Discussion

By the way, when Kelly says that work and learning new skills is admired but not working or not doing anything with your life is frowned upon, it seems to imply that there is an unspoken (or perhaps not unspoken) social or peer pressure in the Union. Basically, people in the Union will likely feel pressure to do something in order to avoid society looking down on them. Furthermore, Kelly mentions that reputation has taken the place of physical currency. So it is likely that the person who is seen as lazy would have a low reputation. They would be the equivalent of a poor person. The Union would not let them starve or go homeless but they might lose access to nicer things while the person with a higher reputation because they work hard and seek new skills would have more "open doors" in life.

 

A few solid laugh out loud moments. Issac casually agreeing it would be more than appropriate for his entire race to rock on up to the wedding was hilarious.

The Orville is a curious mix when it comes to tone. But somehow, they make it work with a very charming, talented cast. It's never been a show I've taken too seriously, even when it's chosen to go the more serious route. I'm ready to take it more seriously now (in terms of attention; not a suggestion to strip away the comedy). It would be disappointing to see it finish here. But if that's all she wrote, it's a good spot to leave it.

 

Essentially this. If you live in a society where money as we know it has no real value because we've moved beyond it (fingers crossed), there has to be something to establish credibility, to establish confidence in trade. Someone's reputation would honestly be an excellent way to do it. You couldn't lie and cheat your way into starvation and homelessness, but you won't be able to reach quite as far, either.

I also think it could have helped that Kelly emphasized that unlike our current system, a person can rest, can take vacations, can enjoy life, it's just they can't contribute nothing and expect to get everything handed to them. It goes back to her explaining to Lysella that the Union isn't a utopia, because such a system still requires effort put in by a majority of people, but the fruits of that labor is shared amongst everyone, which is why so many people live far, far better lives compared to Lysella's homeworld: essentially, in her world, hyper-individualism is key, and people only come together to bring harm to others, whereas in the Union, group effort is the key, and individuals are responsible for their own negative actions.

So the idea of laziness in the universe of The Orville is more in tune with lack of contribution, the belief that one is owed everything without contributing to the whole in some form or fashion (whether it be art, science, etc.,) whereas, sadly, laziness in our world means not working yourself to death in a hyper-individualistic environment. In our world, CEOs are seen as paragons of work and its virtues, whereas in Seth's world, CEOs would likely meet the definition of lazy, as they contribute little but reap the benefits of thousands or millions of other laborers at the cost of those laborers lives and livelihoods.

 

Social credit credits here we come.

 

In the system presented by the Orville? Sure. In the system we live in now? It would be abused and exploited immediately.

 

I was referring to the Orville. I have no comment on our current system in relation to fictional worlds.

 

I assumed if you chose to be lazy you'd at least get a (small) place to live. Like there's no homelessness. You'd probably get access to the bare minimum, a bed, entertainment and a matter synthesizer.

 

If you go to a fancy restaurant you can likely even get a table maybe but it will be one next to the bathrooms or kitchen instead of one of the better ones.

 

I did note that in The Orville it was the replicator which Changed Everything whereas in Trek it was the warp drive.

Their entire society depends upon laziness being "frowned upon" enough for everyone to be encouraged to do something with their lives and that is in no way plausible.

 

Excellent observation, I didn’t catch that one.

This raises the question of how “work” and “Not Doing Anything” are culturally conceptualized, which may not be as clear cut as one would believe.

A few weeks ago I was talking about UBI with some friends, and how some people believe that it could give people more free time to pursue other things they’ve always wanted too (art, painting, writing, learning a musical instrument, etc.,), to which someone replied “why should we pay people to stay home and do nothing all day?”.

Regardless of whether UBI is a viable policy or not (I’m still on the fence), a lot of people have a very narrow definition of what constitutes as “work” and would be quick to judge other people as lazy freeloaders, a stigma that would inevitably damage reputations.

I like to think the Union is probably more enlightened than some of my meathead friends though lol.

 

That sounds exactly like what we have now in most social democracies. I grew up around families in council housing who never worked and never intend to.

 

All joking aside.
It was a very good episode.
This season felt like torture porn towards the end with every episode laying on the emotion very heavily plus some actual torture. So I think having an almost epilogue episode was a good choice.

 

We literally live in a society where numbers based on faith decide who lives and who dies.

 

That would need it's own very long, and very contentious thread.

 

It's been ages since I watched the Mark Twain episode, but I feel like the speech was basically taken from Troy's explanation to Twain about how society functions without capitalism. At the very least, if it's not from that particular episode, I remember it being from one of many of Star Trek's monologues about how the 24th century is better than our savage 20th century anyway.

 

finally watched ep10. It was totally a series finale, right down to the cameo by an original cast member trope. But it ends in a way that if that S4 renewal comes they can pick up where they left off. I mean, we gotta find out what happens to Ed’s daughter right.

the episode itself was good but a tad bit too long. Klyden overly praising Bortus was great. The sandwich return, the Alara return, Claire dressing down Lamar. All so good.

here’s hoping for a S4. If not, we can wait 20 years and get The Orville: The Next Generation.

 

I agree that this was a great way to end the series, but I hope that it gets renewed. I would love to see what happens with Ed's daughter and the Krill. Overall this season, after starting with a couple of shaky episodes, really surpassed any expectations I had going in. I thought the redemption of the Kaylon was really well done and I loved how they just sent their entire population to attend Isaac's wedding. I loved how the sandwich showed up again in a moment that worked with the scene but wasn't really integral to the plot in any way. Bortus and Klyden were hilarious throughout.

 

https://tvline.com/2022/08/06/the-orville-season-4-renewal-chances-disney-plus-viewing/

• Seth thinks Orville's renewal chances are about 50/50
• Orville being on Disney+ from Aug. 10 might help in that regard
• Cast is no longer under contract. Seth thinks "the actors are the easy part.”
  
• Seth is busy, but would try to find time: "How do I work it into everything else that’s now going on?,” “I will say that I get as emotionally invested in the show as any of the fans, so I will find a way to do it if there is a Season 4.”