I don't understand why Fox even bothers with science-fiction series when they clearly hate them.
THE ORVILLE S2, E14: "THE ROAD NOT TAKEN"
- Thread starter Mudd
- Start date
I don't understand why Fox even bothers with science-fiction series when they clearly hate them.
I found the episode to be lots of fun. Not to much character drama in it but just a nice hour of action pack adventure. Basically like the season 3 and 4 mirror universe stories on DS9 only with better special effects and way,way better music. The music was the best thing of all. Also I do kind of like the idea the whole world fell apart just because someone didn't get a second date. I'm kind of convinced the reason our whole real world of today is such a mess is because I never had the guts to ask Sara Dolezal out back in high school. If I did we would probably have flying cars and free health care right now!
Jason
Jason
Because until the Kaylon attacked everything was normal, life was fine. Then the Kaylon attacked and things went sideways and Kelly realized her decision must have had an impact and she began putting together the pieces. (Claire, the relationship with Isaac, etc.)
OK, was this intended to be parody of Star Trek, or Star Wars?
Because when the music was all Star Wars, the whole approach towards the outpost, including the bogeys, looked like the start of The Empire Strikes Back, guy sounded like a storm trooper, and the reunion felt like the start of A New Hope. I subconsciously rewrote the outpost planet as Yavin IV.*
* A bit of hard science trivia that's not widely known: You can have a dense jungle and snow on the same planet.
Because when the music was all Star Wars, the whole approach towards the outpost, including the bogeys, looked like the start of The Empire Strikes Back, guy sounded like a storm trooper, and the reunion felt like the start of A New Hope. I subconsciously rewrote the outpost planet as Yavin IV.*
* A bit of hard science trivia that's not widely known: You can have a dense jungle and snow on the same planet.
Normally this show borrows heavily from 24th century Star Trek, with a tad of 23rd century, but this episode felt like a pretty decent Star Wars story with a twist of time travel Trek.
So it seems fairly clear that there is one timeline on this show, and not alternate universes. Finn's disappearance all but confirms that.
But the episode unfortunately sets up a paradox. Of course we have to just ignore it but think about it.
One timeline. You can change it.
If the alternate timeline isn't created, then Finn can't go back in time and fix the timeline. It wouldn't accomplish the task. Once Kelly's memory wipe works, the original timeline where the memory wipe didn't work is restored, so who fixes the memory wipe?
So it seems fairly clear that there is one timeline on this show, and not alternate universes. Finn's disappearance all but confirms that.
But the episode unfortunately sets up a paradox. Of course we have to just ignore it but think about it.
One timeline. You can change it.
If the alternate timeline isn't created, then Finn can't go back in time and fix the timeline. It wouldn't accomplish the task. Once Kelly's memory wipe works, the original timeline where the memory wipe didn't work is restored, so who fixes the memory wipe?
Claire vanishing at the end actually I think connects to what happened to Charlize Theron's character in season 1 when they altered the timeline as well. Which makes me wonder. In the original timeline of that episode the Orville crew was suppose to have died, which would have included Issac so I wonder what the Kaylons did in that universe. Did they invade and conquer anyways.
Jason
Jason
I really enjoyed this episode. It was just a blast of an adventure to watch the resistance versions of our favorite characters fight impossible odds to restore the timeline. It had humor, action, adventure, fun, great music, great special effects, great visuals, a heroic sacrifice, romance and a happy ending. It had it all. Yeah, it did remind me of Star Wars but in a good way. Yes, the black hole sequence was totally impossible. Gravity pulls everything in. You can't go inside a black hole and wait and then leave whenever you want like there is no gravity, the gravity of a black hole would suck you in no matter what you did. And the chase sequences relied on the typical cliche of the bad guys always missing. Funny how the Kaylons can conquer the entire galaxy but when it comes to shooting down the hero ship or killing our heroes, suddenly they are the worse shots in the universe. But it was still a "turn off your brain" fun adventure. I did love how the entire head actually detaches from the Kaylon body and becomes an independent flying drone. Very cool and creepy. We had not seen that before.
That's why I'm trying to forgive the paradox. Which leads to this challenge.
Let's beat the writers.
Figure out a way to solve the paradox, without changing the episode.
I'm trying in my head, but am struggling a bit. The one thing I thought of would be Finn sending a message to herself in the past, so she has the protein waiting, but that doesn't work either because Finn is going to disappear and not send the message.
Let's beat the writers.
Figure out a way to solve the paradox, without changing the episode.
I'm trying in my head, but am struggling a bit. The one thing I thought of would be Finn sending a message to herself in the past, so she has the protein waiting, but that doesn't work either because Finn is going to disappear and not send the message.
Because until that point, she had no reason to think that her not marrying Ed had any significant impact on anyone other than themselves.
So, my problem with the temporal logic of the episode was basically this. Claire adds that chemical that Kelly needs for a successful memory wipe. Immediately after the memory wipe, she vanishes, along with the memory wipe device. Shouldn't whatever chemical she injected into her bloodstream also vanish as well? I mean, I guess depending upon how the chemical helped the memory wipe to work, it's possible that it wasn't actually needed after the wipe was successful. But it's the first thing I thought.
Anyway, after finally seeing the final act, the episode was...okay. I think it works well for a finale if the show is canceled, as long as you somehow believe that the Ed/Kelly relationship is the emotional core of the show (which I do not, but Seth appears to think so). The episode was pretty self-consciously meant as dumb Star Wars style action-adventure, and it succeeded at that for the most part. Certainly not one of my favorites for the season, but also not terrible.
Anyway, after finally seeing the final act, the episode was...okay. I think it works well for a finale if the show is canceled, as long as you somehow believe that the Ed/Kelly relationship is the emotional core of the show (which I do not, but Seth appears to think so). The episode was pretty self-consciously meant as dumb Star Wars style action-adventure, and it succeeded at that for the most part. Certainly not one of my favorites for the season, but also not terrible.
I'm going out on a limb and say Theron's character wasn't being entirely honest when she said they were supposed to die in the dark-matter storm.
I never think about the temporal logic of these stories. Don't care that much.
I do think a bit about the plot logic as the story unfolds, and in addition to the bad-even-for-TV-sci-fi wobbliness of the science in a lot of places, the story twists and turns were magically convenient right down the line.
And still I kind of love it. For my money, they got through this season with only one weak - okay, a real stinker - episode, "All The World Is Birthday Cake." YMMV.
I expect we won't have to wait long for a thumbs up/down from Fox about season three.
The only way that the California tax credit for this show would influence the network now, I guess, would be if Disney cut what they're per episode to reflect that. The Fox network no longer has a financial stake in the show itself.
I do think a bit about the plot logic as the story unfolds, and in addition to the bad-even-for-TV-sci-fi wobbliness of the science in a lot of places, the story twists and turns were magically convenient right down the line.
And still I kind of love it. For my money, they got through this season with only one weak - okay, a real stinker - episode, "All The World Is Birthday Cake." YMMV.
I expect we won't have to wait long for a thumbs up/down from Fox about season three.
The only way that the California tax credit for this show would influence the network now, I guess, would be if Disney cut what they're per episode to reflect that. The Fox network no longer has a financial stake in the show itself.
I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means...
A
Amaris
Guest
Well, I got to finish watching it on Hulu, and holy hell, I ended up missing the last 15 minutes of the episode, where everything actually happened. Now that was more satisfying, and I understand what people were saying when they indicated that it ended on a good note if it isn't renewed, and I agree. Of course, I really am hoping for a 3rd season (don't piss me off, FOX, you're already on thin ice re: the website). I think the resolution fit nicely, wrapping it all up in a neat little bow. I also like that The Orville wasn't quite up to par in the alternate timeline because of the cumulative damage of battle, and couldn't handle the kind of power necessary to hold the ship together and supply the timeshifting device. Gave me a sense of continuity, and the little details are always appreciated.
P.S. Fuck you, FOX, fix your damn website.
P.S. Fuck you, FOX, fix your damn website.
Oh, those Flying Gun Heads...
Alara!
Yesterday's Orville sacrifice...
One of the best season finale ever.
Alara!
Yesterday's Orville sacrifice...
One of the best season finale ever.
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