THE ORVILLE S1, E11 "NEW DIMENSIONS"

[Mojochi]

You can't just move a navigator straight over to chief engineer without extensive training, eduction and experience.

Isn't that exactly what they did with Geordi to some degree? He had no specific engineering experience to my knowledge. As cadets & junior officers they learned all kinds of stuff about ship function & command protocol. I'm going to go ahead & assume in both cases that general training in astrodynamics is part of standard academy stuff for them. The captains, XOs, bridge officers, like Ro Laren & even some non-coms like Chief O'Brien understand a great deal of starship engine stuff. They're the astronauts really, not like botanists or medical & extemporaneous science personnel. Factor that in with having extreme aptitude for tech wizardry, like is being claimed about Lamarr & I don't see a problem with it technically... Managerially? maybe you run into some snags

 

[RJDiogenes]

Well, I'm glad they gave LaMarr a bit of an overhaul. Aside from the awkward humor in the first few episodes, the biggest problem with the show was the bad stereotyping on this character. Going from one extreme to the other may have been overkill-- it's hard to believe that he would have kept up the charade when he was being sent to the brain-frying electric chair on "Majority Rules" world-- but at least it's an improvement. A nice touch was his comment about how easy it is to alienate people by being intelligent.

Interesting that Grayson has confirmed that they live in a moneyless society, and furthermore that the new currency is reputation. I wonder if they'll come back to this, because I don't think they've really thought through the implications of a post-scarcity society-- or if it's even possible to think through the implications of a post-scarcity society. Given the behavior of the idle rich and spoiled Millennials, et al, I don't think it would be a very nice place. If reputation is truly their society's currency, then bad behavior would be a bad investment and poverty would be ostracization-- which is not only not borne out by the behavior we've seen from the people in this show, but is pretty close to what we saw in "Majority Rules."

The 2D universe was very cool and I literally cheered when Mercer mentioned Flatland-- my Uncle Mike gave me his copy of that book when I was in grade school and it played a big part in stretching my little mind. I've got at least a couple of copies of it around here somewhere. The depiction of the Flatverse was fascinating, kind of combination of Flatland, an 80s video game, and an old-school circuit board. One thing this allegedly silly show does really well (most of the time) is embody that sense of wonder that is intrinsic to real SF. The view of the infinite plane of 2D space disappearing into the distance out the cafeteria's windows was amazing. I hope they revisit this concept at some point.

And in the world of ongoing plot threads, Grayson accidentally let it slip that she had put in a good word for Mercer with the Admiral-- he was understandably upset, but thought it through and it all came to a nice conclusion, once again demonstrating the maturity of the writing that underlies the inconsistent comedy. On the other hand, I was disappointed in the interactions between Finn and Yaphit-- I wondered if this episode might have been filmed before "Cupid's Dagger" and broadcast out of order, but apparently that is not the case. Hopefully they will at some point follow up on their "encounter."

 

[YellowSubmarine]

I'm disappointed they didn't communicate with the flatlanders, or cause a VOY: In a Blink of an Eye kind of ruckus. Other than that, that was good.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Guess an Orville episode that doesn't feel like a direct remix of specific Star Trek episodes is a win.

I don't like that they wanted to make John head of a department solely based on his intelligence. Like they pulled a Wesley, gave a coveted position that other people worked really hard for solely based on natural talent.

Also, if we point out that the comm guy comes into consideration for chief engineering right toward the first/season season break, never seen that in Star Trek. At least he's not blind.

 

[Forbin]

"Whinny" rhymes with "win." It's the sound a horse makes.

"Whiny" rhymes with "wine." It's what people are when they whine.

The I takes on the short I sound when the N is doubled.

Just sayin'.

 

[The Wormhole]

Isn't that exactly what they did with Geordi to some degree? He had no specific engineering experience to my knowledge.

That wasn't really much better there. But we kind of just accepted it since it was part of the re-tooling that went on with TNG for its second year.

I wondered if this episode might have been filmed before "Cupid's Dagger" and broadcast out of order, but apparently that is not the case. Hopefully they will at some point follow up on their "encounter."

I thought it was very clear this episode takes place after Cupid's Arrow. After all, when Yaphit shows up in sickbay, Claire is very pissed and irritated as opposed to pre-Cupid's Arrow where she didn't have as short a fuse with him. Besides, in terms of the greater plot, how could this have been before Cupid's Arrow if Chief Newton was in Cupid's Arrow, but leaves the ship here?

 

[Bad Thoughts]

That wasn't really much better there. But we kind of just accepted it since it was part of the re-tooling that went on with TNG for its second year.

It is more or less par for the course in TNG. Geordi can replace the engineer, Worf can replace Data, B'Elanna can leap ahead of Carey, etc. However, it goes deeper than that. TNG generally promotes the notion that anyone can solve complex issues with a little education and a tricorder. Picard can solve engineering and medical issues as well as pursue deep anthropological research. Beverly Crusher, conversing with the ship's computer, can understand theories of quantum physics. Troi can learn the complexities of a warp engine in a short course offered by Riker. It seldom happens that a Starfleet officer outright says they cannot understand something.

 

[Mr Awe]

While I could understand Ed feeling betrayed by the revelation and maybe giving Kelly attitude for the duration of the episode, to have him suddenly doubt his ability to do a job he's already done fine in for the past six months or so did seem kind of odd.

Agreed. If they had shown him having doubts throughout the season and being borderline competent, it would make more sense. But we saw no doubts and he's done a very competent job.

 

[ihno]

I wonder if Mercer calling it Doctor Who's phone booth was deliberate to show he was familiar but not a active fan of the show, or was it just a oversight of the writer.

I usually say "doctor who" too if there are people around, who might not know the show.

 

[Mudd]

Has anyone mentioned the wink at the audience with Gordon's musings about people watching them? I love the way that it starts off as a cute break-the-fourth-wall moment and then takes a weird left turn to Gordon's anxiety about his
masturbatory habits.

 

[Mudd]

I wonder if Mercer calling it Doctor Who's phone booth was deliberate to show he was familiar but not a active fan of the show, or was it just a oversight of the writer.

It might have been an acknowledgment that some Americans watching the show could be unfamiliar with Doctor Who and hence with a "police box". While those folks would be missing the full context that makes the reference entertaining, from "phone booth" they would at least get the idea that Ed's referring to a small enclosed space.

Although in the near future most folks will never have seen a phone booth either. They're becoming as obsolete as the conceit that Clark can hide his identity with eyeglasses.

 

[BillJ]

I think moving LaMarr to engineering may be a little too on the nose in replicating the dynamics of TNG.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

More likely that Americans of the future would be able to reference American culture of centuries past than the culture of other countries, though, at least generally speaking.

 

[Velocity]

Well, he kinda got the rug pulled out from under him, ego-wise. He was thinking that he got the job because his merits were recognized, only to find out it was almost nepotism. It took him a little while to process it, probably mostly because of the crisis, but he came around and was pretty decent about it. I really like that character.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I like moving LaMarr to engineering but I wish they'd done it in a way that didn't seem like inner circle favoritism. Sure, he's smart enough for the job but they could have just moved him to engineering and put him on fast track to a command role if he could prove himself.

And yes, odd that they'd do almost exactly the same thing as TNG considering how close they are to TNG in every single aspect of the show. I suppose Finn will be away for a season, then come back for season 3?

I suppose in 20 years, Orville: The Next Generation will have a Krill crewmember.

LaMarr's instant promotion over those who've worked hard for it for years seems like Wesley being given a bridge job, he's talented enough for the job but wasn't made to earn it because he is close to the inner circle.

Also a smaller criticism, it seems like a waste that they introduce this cool flatland concept and don't explore it any or make any attempt to observe or communicate with the natives.

On a smaller positive note, I like that they made one of the more alien looking crewmembers 'The boring one'. That's a departure from Star Trek because Trek likes to make the humans the boring ones.

 

[Trekker4747]

Yeah, it really does bite how Lamarr skirted around Yaphit, having been in Yaphit's, er, "shoes" in cases like that it sucks. They should've done more to show Yaphit himself wasn't ready or Lamarr had something over him. Hell, why did Yaphit even need to be next in line? Why couldn't the spot have just been open and no one qualified to fill it until Lamarr's past became known?

 

[Mojochi]

Yeah, it really does bite how Lamarr skirted around Yaphit, having been in Yaphit's, er, "shoes" in cases like that it sucks. They should've done more to show Yaphit himself wasn't ready or Lamarr had something over him. Hell, why did Yaphit even need to be next in line? Why couldn't the spot have just been open and no one qualified to fill it until Lamarr's past became known?

because they may use the conflict at some point

 

[CorporalCaptain]

LaMarr can go from LaHelm or LaNav to LaChief of engineering like La Forge, but I'm just not going to see that he's written in homage, unless he rolls under closing isolation doors, preferably after shouting about a coolant leak.

 

[BillJ]

LaMarr can go from LaHelm or LaNav to LaChief of engineering like La Forge, but I'm just not going to see that he's written in homage, unless he rolls under closing isolation doors, preferably after shouting about a coolant leak.

What about if him and Isaac become best buds?

 

[CorporalCaptain]

What about if him and Isaac become best buds?

That would help clear things up.