The Orville. Anyone loving it?

The humor varies so wildly for me that it just doesn't always stick. When it lands it lands solidly. But, things like the "cum shot" or Yapphit's various romantic overtures, or drug humor just are not for me.

Again, when it's good, it's good.But, yeah...

 

From what I understand, McFarlane's original intent was to make a serious Star Trek-like show, but Fox wanted a bunch of silly jokes like his animated shows and Galaxy Quest, and wouldn't approve the show unless he catered to their wishes. Hence, the nonstop dumb joke-fest that was the obviously network-executive-produced commercials that I saw.

But Fox network executives are a bunch of pea-brained morons, so McFarlane added just the right amount of humor to make sure the show wasn't just a dumb parody of TNG but rather a serious sci-fi show that occasionally happened to have some 'funny' bits interspersed.

 

Actually, that wasn't so bad. They reused that "joke" again in a later episode. For some reason I was expecting something worse. But I can see why you wouldn't continue watching.
Interesting that the Rob Lowe's character originally spoke in some alien squawk.

 

Wait, he wanted it to be serious? While I originally didn't like the humorous aspects, I feel like they're necessary to provide some balance and in order not to make this feel merely like a TNG-clone, and now I enjoy the humor. It doesn't always get a chuckle out of me, but it's like a non-laughing type of funny. Like Zoolander or Napoleon Dynamite. "Avis...we try harder."
I also thought the parody aspect was the only thing saving them from getting sued by CBS/Paramount.

 

And that second episode was uncomfortably rapey.

 

I'm still mad about what happened to Claire. The pervy co-worker who doesn't get the hint and is sexually harassing her gets to have sex with her, while unbeknownst to him, she's under the influence of an alien drug/pheromone.
Kelly's infidelity is no longer a choice she made but instead an example of her being the victim of a rape.
I get that they were opening up the possibility that Kelly truly loves Ed and that she would never purposely cheat on him but damn...what a messed up message.
Awww, isn't it romantic, she never REALLY cheated on Ed, she was just raped by Darulio.
Definitely one of the worst episodes.
Considering that the show tries to emulate TNG and go for these progressive storylines, isn't it more complex to show two romantic partners working through a previous infidelity, than chalking it up to "The Naked Now"/rape?

And considering that the characters get so outraged about backwards-ass Moclan society, they don't get outraged over Darulio's actions???

 

Darulio was unconsciously giving off pheromones that make people highly aroused, which is a normal biological process of his species, and he doesn't seem to be aware it was happening. From his perspective, he and everyone he had sex with was in their right mind, but extremely horny. And everyone he had sex with gave enthusiastic consent.

You can say this is an example of Darulio failing to be aware of alien perspectives on sex, but to say it was rape is a stretch.

 

CBS can’t sue Fox over The Orville, because it’s not a Star Trek show. It has no characters, ships, or anything overtly trademark-ey from Star Trek (or at least nothing so close that it skirts the line into ‘actual’ Star Trek territory.) Just like Paramount couldn’t sue PTEN over Babylon 5 just because it was a show about a crew of a space station.

 

But later on, when further asked about why their marriage went wrong, they chalked it up to possibly being the result of Darulio's alien influence, not that Kelly was just hornier than usual.

That's the same thing as Moclan society. It's not genital mutilation, it's corrective surgery.

I do get that it can be interpreted the way you're saying it. Just like that episode when the extremely hot metamorph was digging Picard. Yeah, it wasn't that she had no agency, metamorphs, male and female just happen to derive actual physical /mental pleasure from making their mates happy. If they were to bond with their mate but then be separated, they would experience some kind of physical pain, or something like that.
I liked Jansen as Kamala, I liked that Picard got a a hottie that wasn't playing him for a fool like Vash, but it ends up being a highly sketchy, indulgence in male-fantasy. Oh, this drop dead gorgeous finds me irresistible just merely because I'm the only guy around? And if she stays around me long enough she'll be virtually incapable of leaving me? And her only source of happiness is to make me happy? Alright!
Sorry to go off on a rant, but holy crap, Picard's romances have been depicted do poorly.
Anyway, this is an example of The Orville doing some TNG-mash-ups and taking them further, in this case for the worse.
"Naked Now" + "The Perfect Mate." I suppose if it was a commentary criticizing the episode I might look at it differently, but considering these are characters we follow regularly and considering that the show treats issues of religious intolerance and gender/sexuality bigotry seriously, it doesn't make sense to treat rape lightly in order criticize or parody a couple of problematic TNG episodes.

 

Yeah, it lands very uncomfortably and the near shrug-like movements towards the impact of these pheromones is a line too close for me.

 

It varied mostly within the first season, but I think the 2nd season had it settle and it was a stronger season for it.

 

Again, this is very common in MacFarlane's writing. Family Guy is always offering scathing criticisms of religious intolerance (and religion in general) and matters of bigotry, but rape and sexual assault are regularly matters of jokes on the show. EG, serial rapist Quagmire has a standing order at the bar he frequents that if he's coming with a girl, the girl's drink is to have a roofie in it, everyone in the neighbourhood is aware Herbert is a pedophile but refuses to report him because he's so amusing. Quagmire has actually evolved into being the show's voice of reason, even to the point that he calls Brian Griffin out on his hypocritical bullshit. Brian, was the show's originally intended voice of reason and stands in as a representation of MacFarlane himself.

 

I will maybe try again but after the last Alara episode, the next episode felt extremely off and Patrick Warburton's elephant man character couldn't save it.

 

To be fair, that was the last episode he appeared in.

 

That's encouraging. Because...ugh.

 

I agree that Darulio's behavior was inappropriate, and is statement that "It's not a big deal" was offensive. I also agree that Seth MacFarlane's portrayal of those two rapist characters on Family Guy if offensive and in extremely bad taste. I agree his sense of humor is rule and inappropriate. Where I disagree is whether "rape" is the right word. I even agree that it'd be best if there were a law against Darulio's actions. I think his people are like Deltans, in that the universe would be better off if they took a vow of chastity when working with other species in an official capacity. I don't think his race's mating process when in heat is any more rape than the mating of Vulcans in Pon Farr or humans when they really like each other. But Darulio does not take seriously the fact that many races prefer to have a cooler head and to choose their partners carefully. He also doesn't pay attention to whether he is in heat, when he's perfectly able to notice the signs when he thinks it over.
I'm not familiar with The Perfect Mate, but it sounds like a terrible episode.

 

Family Guy is confusing, because the they try to have it both ways on some subjects.

Like There was the episode where Quagmire’s dad had a sex change. Quagmire started the episode confused and not understanding why, but by the end of the episode he accepts his parent’s choice,and loves her for who she is.
But then also have a side point where Brian is completely disgusted that he slept her with him puking over it.

 

What the hell? So Family Guy never faced harsh criticism for this? This seems kind of like South Park where we're only getting substantial criticisms decades later saying how questionable and socially irresponsible the content is/was.
In the era of #MeToo, #TimesUp and the calling out of rape culture, has Family Guy been cited?

Yeah, it may be hyperbole to call it the "rape episode." They're going by sex pheromones so within that context I get it. But I think the writers should be aware of the context and how audience perception as well, in addition to the show creator making light about rape of all things.

I'm not a prude and even I was repulsed at what happened to Claire. It wasn't funny at all to me, despite it not being Yaphit's fault.

 

To my knowledge, never. Indeed, the only time Seth MacFarlane has ever been criticized in the wake of MeToo was in 2017 when an issue was made about a joke he made at the 2013 Oscars when presenting the nominees for Best Lead Actress when he described them as "women who no longer have to pretend they're attracted to Harvey Weinstein to get work." He did apologize for that after the uproar.

But no, no one has ever made an issue about Family Guy. Indeed, there are many who still want Quagmire (the serial rapist) to have his own spin-off, despite the fact MacFarlane has made it clear that will never happen.

 

I don't mind the presence of humor, just sometimes it's a little crude, and sometimes they don't separate it out enough from the weighty moments.

I think Family Guy gets away with it because it's so ridiculous, the characters don't have enough of the feeling of realness to get emotionally invested enough to see consequence.

Also, I remember a rant Adam Corolla went at one of the roasts. Most of it was whiny reactionary anti-PC garbage, but he said one thing in the rant I think is worth repeating. "Comedy is OUR safe space!" Yeah, it kind of is, a place where you can say offensive things and anyone offended by them just doesn't have to listen.

That's one of the reasons shows like Family Guy and South Park get away with things that other shows couldn't, their audience has long since self-selected and nobody still watching is offended by that kind of thing.