So the third season of The Orville finally came into existence this year, but on streaming. I had watched the first two seasons ages ago when it was on FOX. I remember enjoying it, but was somewhat disappointed by it. I directed my mixed emotions into a sketch parody of it back in 2017, "Orville That Endsville." It was a good-natured poke at the show which did illustrate some of my nitpicking.
The pilot episode was about a lackluster captain getting to helm a new space ship in the 25th century. We meet the crew plus have a plot about villains (the Krill) trying to steal a time machine the good guys (the Union) developed. And they defeated them with a sequoia. It was a witty, off-beat take on the Star Trek universe. A lot of TV critics were expecting "Galaxy Quest" while I had my hopes up that it would be "Quark." The difference was "Galaxy Quest" was about imposters manning a space ship. Orville was going to look more like if the USS Enterprise was crewed by the employees from Dunder Mifflin. After the pilot, the comedy/drama ratio started to shift, leaving me…somewhat disappointed.
The third season finally popped up on HULU, then I learned that all the episodes of The Orville hit Disney Plus and I could see it now. I decided I would re-watch the first 2 seasona since they were so long ago and I hadn’t watched them since they first aired (I missed the era of summer reruns).
The third season finally popped up on HULU, then I learned that all the episodes of The Orville hit Disney Plus and I could see it now. I decided I would re-watch the first 2 seasona since they were so long ago and I hadn’t watched them since they first aired (I missed the era of summer reruns).
My opinion of the series has altered a bit. I guess I was so locked into the “disappointed” feeling I had originally, the series hit me as funnier this go-around. The show meanders between comedy, satire, drama, action-adventure and very- special-episodes-with-wisecracks. Sometimes not so seamlessly. It has a very sit-com structure with A, B and C plotlines with different cast members, some comical, some somber. It was never a spoof of the genre and I now appreciated the fun and understood the “lessons” being taught. The satire was clever if not LOL funny. Seeing the old episodes was good. It turns out I somehow missed a couple of them. And for other reasons as well.
When I reached season 3, I noticed they changed the title to The Orville: New Horizons. Don’t know why. They may be new horizons but it was the same old plot lines. They only thing I can figure is they may be doing that new streaming/cable thing where each season is like about one main story arc and next season they’ll do another story arc. But this new season was built around multiple call backs to the first 2 seasons all dovetailing into one big conclusion.
The special effects are pretty amazing. Seth MacFarlane loves his jump scares, hauling that out several times. The show follows in the tradition of Star Trek and taking current “hot topics” and dealing with them on a sci-fi platform, tackling everything from “cancel culture,” sexual identity, and MAGA to authoritarianism, religion and robot love. Some come off as clever satire, some fall flat as preachy. They even managed to work in a sit-com standard; the practical joke episode. When the war and battle scenes take over, however, it flattens the humor completely, the stakes are raised so high, an off-beat, wacky solution won’t suffice and we have to settle for an anachronistic quip.
In a lot of ways, The Orville reminds me of those 1940s Warner Brothers’ movies where the plot was serious but the cast was made up of all their best character actors cracking wise and making with the banter. Considering MacFarlane’s love for the standards, I can’t believe it’s an accident. Oh, and has there ever been a futuristic space crew that has such an affinity for 20th century pop-culture? Entire episodes are built around old songs, movies and TV shows. And the guest stars they grab for this are remarkable; Liam Neeson, Charlize Theron, Ted Danson, several Star Trek actors and Dolly Parton. Yes, that Dolly Parton. They have a whole laser battle to “9 to 5.”
Apparently season 4 is in doubt. I hope it gets renewed. May it live long and prosper.
When I reached season 3, I noticed they changed the title to The Orville: New Horizons. Don’t know why. They may be new horizons but it was the same old plot lines. They only thing I can figure is they may be doing that new streaming/cable thing where each season is like about one main story arc and next season they’ll do another story arc. But this new season was built around multiple call backs to the first 2 seasons all dovetailing into one big conclusion.
The special effects are pretty amazing. Seth MacFarlane loves his jump scares, hauling that out several times. The show follows in the tradition of Star Trek and taking current “hot topics” and dealing with them on a sci-fi platform, tackling everything from “cancel culture,” sexual identity, and MAGA to authoritarianism, religion and robot love. Some come off as clever satire, some fall flat as preachy. They even managed to work in a sit-com standard; the practical joke episode. When the war and battle scenes take over, however, it flattens the humor completely, the stakes are raised so high, an off-beat, wacky solution won’t suffice and we have to settle for an anachronistic quip.
In a lot of ways, The Orville reminds me of those 1940s Warner Brothers’ movies where the plot was serious but the cast was made up of all their best character actors cracking wise and making with the banter. Considering MacFarlane’s love for the standards, I can’t believe it’s an accident. Oh, and has there ever been a futuristic space crew that has such an affinity for 20th century pop-culture? Entire episodes are built around old songs, movies and TV shows. And the guest stars they grab for this are remarkable; Liam Neeson, Charlize Theron, Ted Danson, several Star Trek actors and Dolly Parton. Yes, that Dolly Parton. They have a whole laser battle to “9 to 5.”
Apparently season 4 is in doubt. I hope it gets renewed. May it live long and prosper.
