When I first started this show I found it to be a really awkward mix of comedy and seriousness. It had some jokes thrown it at the most inopportune times as some kind of comic relief from a really serious situation. Perhaps the first half of the first season was actually a bit rough or maybe the show just grew on me, but by season 2 I found myself loving this show.
To me it seems as every bit as comfy, intellectually interesting and even funny as some classic Star Treks while still clearly being its own thing. I wish more comfy space shows like this would get made.
What are your thoughts on The Orville? Also I miss Alara.
So I respectfully disagree with this. I love the show, and it pre-dates the startrek revival, but its very much it’s own thing. There’s clearly a lot of love there, but it’s not the same. Closest you get is lower decks, which ate a lot of Orvilles lunch but still toned down a ton of riff and grosser comedy.
It’s weird, it’s wonderful, it kept the flame burning when there wasn’t much else there yet and probably played a role in showing there was a market for a lot of the newer trek we have now.
MacFarlene loves trek. I hope he’s proud of the show, keeps some of the more serious and weird genuine sci-fi elements, but he shouldn’t do trek. Trek is fine now. Seth can do his own damn thing. He’s got the chops for it. He needs to work on making the gear shift from “real sci-fi” to “family guy in space” a little less abrupt and a bit more blended, but it’s great to have out there and I’ll never miss an episode.
I don’t think Trek is fine now. I don’t think there has been a Star Trek revival. I love the Orville. I 100% believe the show is a success on its own. Unfortunately I don’t think we are going to see more Orville and I would rather see McFarlane in charge of Trek than anything SNW will put out. SNW is fine. Lower Decks is fine. Compared to Discovery and Picard they are friggin masterpieces. But judged on their own they are just fine. In my opinion. Some people love them and I don’t understand but whatever. I just want more cerebral sci-fi in any form I can get it.
I hear you. The new trek is definitely not all amazing. There’s decent things to find in all of them but SNW is that one that gives me faith they’re back on track.
I just really hope the Orville gets to keep doing it’s thing.
Yeah. Discovery is shit. Lower Decks is good, though.