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Lower Decks still pips the Orville for me but the last two episodes, particularly a Tail of two Topas, have really highlighted how strong the Orville is. And, for me, how they demonstrate the Star Trek message of IDIC and hope.
I respect your opinion, but I admit I have gone the other way. I am really enjoying New Horizons episodes. A Tale of Two Topas was excellent. As was Twice in a Lifetime and Electric Sheep.
Thought the Krill episodes were good. As was the Shore Leave-ish Mortality Paradox.
Indeed, if anything SNW seems the more apt show to compare Orville to these days given they're both live action episodic shows which serve as comfort food for Trek fans. And SNW is certainly doing it better as they've remembered to have fun and not take everything so damn seriously, whereas Orville in its third season is taking things a bit too seriously.
Watching ORV s3 now and it's impossible to compare to LD. They are nothing alike.
Having just finished watching SNW a few weeks ago though there are a lot of similarities between ORV and SNW. The fast talking quipy nature of the crew, the TOS/TNG style morality wrap up on every episode
Orville's third season so far represents a massive increase in quality. But it's also now so far removed from its origins as a more comedic take on ST that I no longer feel the comparison to Lower Decks is meaningful.
Both shows seemed to have started off as comiedies, but they also reduced their overtly comedic take on things and doing things more seriously in later Season 2.
LD may retain a bit more of its comedic elements going forward, but I wouldn't be surprised if it (like the Orville) started doing more serious stuff in its third season.
And there's a good chance we might see T'Linn from the Vulcan ship coming to the Cerritos, and with the group ending up having more interactions with their Klingon counterpart who became a captain (not as an equal lower decks, but more like a circumstantial pairing for now - unless something happens to him and he gets demoted and escapes to the Federation and ends up on the Cerritos as part of a larger plot).
LD may retain a bit more of its comedic elements going forward, but I wouldn't be surprised if it (like the Orville) started doing more serious stuff in its third season.
Both shows seemed to have started off as comiedies, but they also reduced their overtly comedic take on things and doing things more seriously in later Season 2.
Both shows seemed to have started off as comiedies, but they also reduced their overtly comedic take on things and doing things more seriously in later Season 2.
Perhaps, but LD did go with a more comprehensive storytelling route I suppose with the Pakleds and now the captain being taken into custody for being a lead suspect on blowing up a Pakled planet.
I don't mind LD retaining its comedy, but at the same time, its actually interesting to see if they will go with the more serious route in S3.
Perhaps, but LD did go with a more comprehensive storytelling route I suppose with the Pakleds and now the captain being taken into custody for being a lead suspect on blowing up a Pakled planet.
That's your proof of them being more serious? Mike McMahan has said that ending the season with Captain Freeman being arrested was meant to be a parody of 90s season ending cliffhangers.
Maybe parody isn't the exact right term, but basically he wanted to invoke the mix of frustration, dread and anticipation that seeing "To Be Continued" at the end of a season finale brought up in the 90s rather than make it a dramatic plot point. Ending the season with Freeman arrested was itself a meta joke rather than a dramatic plot point.
Indeed, the fact McMahan has made it clear in interviews he did after the season 2 finale aired that Freeman will be exonerated, and indeed the season 3 trailers also make this very clear, it's obvious they were never once trying to make us think there was a legitimate possibility she would be leaving.
Maybe parody isn't the exact right term, but basically he wanted to invoke the mix of frustration, dread and anticipation that seeing "To Be Continued" at the end of a season finale brought up in the 90s rather than make it a dramatic plot point. Ending the season with Freeman arrested was itself a meta joke rather than a dramatic plot point.
Indeed, the fact McMahan has made it clear in interviews he did after the season 2 finale aired that Freeman will be exonerated, and indeed the season 3 trailers also make this very clear, it's obvious they were never once trying to make us think there was a legitimate possibility she would be leaving.
It's funny actually how gullible (for lack of a better word) audiences were back then. There would be genuine dread over the fate of characters whereas these days it is taken for granted to an extent that they will get out of a situation it is more the excitement as to how.
It's funny actually how gullible (for lack of a better word) audiences were back then. There would be genuine dread over the fate of characters whereas these days it is taken for granted to an extent that they will get out of a situation it is more the excitement as to how.
I'm pretty sure we all knew the characters would somehow get out of the situation in a (hopefully) clever and dramatic way and were therefore excited to see how - even way back in the 90's.
I'm pretty sure we all knew the characters would somehow get out of the situation in a (hopefully) clever and dramatic way and were therefore excited to see how - even way back in the 90's.