410 replies to this topic

[s8film40]

To have an alternate line... a true line must have been established previously... all they had was the word of Pria.. so I wouldn't consider it an alternate line.
 
I think if this series fails to gain traction, it will be because, as you say,  it doesn't offer anything new... which is blow to all the die hard fans that just want more of TOS or TNG...  IMO it fills that niche while trying not to be specifically Trek.
 
if it lasts a even a few years that would be fantastic IMO.

I think the biggest hurdle the show has is that it is actually offering something new and different. If they just went with the classic sci-fi route or slapstick comedy people would have a better grasp of what the show is. This mix of real sci-fi and comedy is really something different and I think everyone is trying to figure it out. Those who tuned in for just a Seth MacFarlane comedy are likely tuning out while its building a bigger sci-fi audience as it goes on. At least its not just a boring rehash of Game of Thrones set in space.

[Alteran195]

How is the story of Discovery in any way a rehash of a Game of Thrones?

[MisterPL]

How is the story of Discovery in any way a rehash of a Game of Thrones?

 

Apparently there are a dozen or so officers aboard who seek the Iron Throne Captain's Chair.

[Alteran195]

The only similarity is that it’s serialized.

[MisterPL]

Hmmm...

 

GAME OF THRONES

 

STAR TREK DISCOVERY

 

They do share the letters A, E, O, T, R, N, and S!

 

Anyway, back to The Orville. Except for the starships, the uniforms, the aliens, the directors, the music, the set design, the lighting, the cinematography, the holodeck, the celebrity guest stars, and shoving its liberal agenda down viewers' throats at every opportunity, it's actually very original. 

[s8film40]

Haha, it's funny how quickly you guys jump to the defense of Discovery. You like it, I get it, or at least feel like it can't be criticized because it's Star Trek. In any case no Discovery isn't exactly like Game of Thrones, just a similar format and style with a different setting. Orville isn't exactly Star Trek either, it's just a Sci-Fi show with an optimistic view of the future and there aren't many of those out there to compare to. I would say Discovery is as much Game of Thrones as Orville is TNG. They're all different but they do share some common qualities. 

[Alteran195]

When you say something ridiculous like Discovery is a rehash of Game of Thrones of course Im going to defend it.

A lot of modern shows are serialized and dark, not just Game of Thrones.

The Orville has a lot more in common with TNG than Discovery does with GoT. Its a much fairer comparison to make.

[Gothneo]

Not true that those of us enjoying it don't want to critique it... I posted several criticisms about Discovery just recently. Nothing is perfect... I'm willing to listen and entertain real debate on it... but you just want to paint it with a broad brush as Alterna195 says... and I thought you were out... as in not subbing up... are are you watching it.. and if so do you have any new insights?

[s8film40]

Not true that those of us enjoying it don't want to critique it... I posted several criticisms about Discovery just recently. Nothing is perfect... I'm willing to listen and entertain real debate on it... but you just want to paint it with a broad brush as Alterna195 says... and I thought you were out... as in not subbing up... are are you watching it.. and if so do you have any new insights?

Yeah no Im not watching it. Im following the discussion though. Nothing in that discussion has swayed my opinion.

The bulk of my post was all about Orville. I only made one slightly vague comment referring to Discovery. Admittedly I thought it was just a slightly humorous jab, but seeing how touchy a subject that is Ill probably avoid even that in the future.

I certainly see the similarities in Orville and TNG. Its not in any way Star Trek to me, but its been fun to watch. I guess the one thing we can take away from this is no matter which show you hate its nice that we have something for everyone.

[Gothneo]

It *is* fun to watch! I don't see it as anything really ground breaking at the moment... but heck its better than another zombie show IMO!

[Alteran195]

I don't hate either show. I like The Orville enough to have purchased its season pass.

 

I'm happy to get more Sci-Fi shows, and am hoping Fox doesn't end up cancelling it. 

[Gothneo]

If your like me... your probably a general sci-fi enthusiast... which is why I'm enjoy both as well.

 

But if I have to be honest... the last sci-fi TV show on one of the prime networks I really thought had something to offer was "Almost Human". I was bummed when that was canceled. 

[Alteran195]

Never watched it, but Karl Urban makes me want to.

A Fox sci-fi series that was aired out of order and cancelled after one season.

At least The Orville is airing in the proper order. That has to count for something.

[Gothneo]

yeah... it was a shame. 

[robster]

If you're not watching STD then how do you know it's like GoT? Just curious,lol! I thought it started a bit meh,but now it's better. Had the same feeling with Orville. Hope they both get renewed,so much they COULD do but probably won't,lol! And hope someone will do some Orville stuff,at least the ship. McFarlane should totally do MacFarlane's show,lol!

[MisterPL]

It *is* fun to watch! I don't see it as anything really ground breaking at the moment... but heck its better than another zombie show IMO!

 

Cue Borg parody on an upcoming episode of The Orville. 

[Alteran195]

 

Cue Borg parody on an upcoming episode of The Orville. 

I wouldn't be surprised to see something like the Borg on The Orville. 

[Gothneo]

For people that want to complain about Trek becoming dystopian... thats probably a good starting point.

 

I hope they don't... they should keep it upbeat. 

[MisterPL]

I'd be disappointed if this loving homage to TNG didn't put their own wacky spin on mindless drones unified by a simple collective insisting resistance is futile.

 

They could call them The Drudge.

[Alex]

Her being there could have been what cause the Orville to run into the dark matter storm. 
 
The Orville can survive, but the crew shouldn't be able to remember what happened, or have stayed in the same place when she disappeared.

Alteran, I like your ending, (arguably even better than the one we got,) but I don't neccessarily agree that the reset button was necessary here. Captain Mercer himself notes that the timeline was altered the moment Pria traveled back in time, presumably before she encounters the Orville. That combined with Issac stating that as long as the wormhole is open multiple potential futures are possible, (a Schrodinger's Cat scenario,) but closing the wormhole choses a linear path would suggest that it's entirely possible that Pria's alteration of the timeline didn't cause a reset button scenario because it occured before she saved the Orville, while the destruction of the wormhole effectively was the result of multiple possible timelines reduced to one linear one.
 
This also gets to another aspect of the episode that I particularly enjoyed. Kelly suggesting that per temporal law the crew should commit suicide to preserve the timeline was actually quite interesting, in part because I don't think we've seen it presented as an option in similar stories. This scene is also what sort of explains the ending, in the fact that Captain Mercer argues that the timline was changed before the Orville encountered Pria, before noting that suicide wouldn't do much to change that fact. (For what it's worth, the ending actually reminded me a bit of the ending to The City on the Edge of Forever.)
 

Ratings took another dip

This is disappointing to me. I'm really enjoying this show and would like to see it stick around a few seasons.
 

I think the biggest hurdle the show has is that it is actually offering something new and different. If they just went with the classic sci-fi route or slapstick comedy people would have a better grasp of what the show is. This mix of real sci-fi and comedy is really something different and I think everyone is trying to figure it out.

This cannot be overstated. I'm honestly wondering how many of the people working on The Orville are people who had supported Frakes and Sirtis' pitch for the Star Trek: Titan TV series. If you go back and look at it, they were basically proposing "Star Trek as a comedy," which wasn't well received precisely because it doesn't work for what Trek traditionally is. However, when you drop the "Trek" name and call that concept something like The Orville, you can definitley make it work, because you're not bound by canon or notions of what "Trek" is considered to be. I'd aruge that the concept works perfectly for The Orville for the very reason it wouldn't have worked for "Trek," which is that Trek established its tone over 40 years, and anything too comedic was typically frowned upon. The Orville doesn't have to worry about that though, it's not a traditional parody like Galaxy Quest, so it gets to do something unique and optimistic the way that Trek used to be. The number of Trek alumni involved doesn't hurt either.
 
This actually brings me to this week's episode, Krill.
 
After this episode, I think I see what The Orville is trying to be. Prior to DSC, Star Trek was part police procedural/political drama, part morality play of the drama variety, part "creature of the week," sci–fi, and part something unique. The Orville follows a similar blend, but with a twist, it's part police procedural/political drama, part "creature of the week" sci-fi, and part morality play, but of the comedy variety. It's that change to mixing comedy with serious drama that makes this show interesting, If you lose the comedy you get Star Trek, if you lose the drama you get Futurama, but the blend of the two is what makes this show unique.
 
I personally enjoyed this episode quite a bit, it blended the comedy and the drama elements really well, especially for the undercover operation.

Spoiler

<p>Also, we found out why the Krill's appearance changed from the first episode, it made sense, and it actually worked really well and showed that the writers are capable of using the continuity they're creating. I hope this continues in future episodes.<br></p>