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The Orville (TV show)

AlliFlowers

AlliFlowers

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Jan 1, 2011
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L.A. (Lower Alabama)
Anyone else giving it a try? I figured it could go either way, and looked like it would just be silly. But after this week's episode I think it could turn into a really good series. They tackled a very serious subject, and didn't try for the expected outcome. I was impressed.
 
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AlliFlowers said:
Anyone else giving it a try? I figured it could go either way, and looked like it would just be silly. But after this week's episode I think it could turn into a really good series. They tackled a very serious subject, and didn't try for the expected outcome. I was impressed.
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If it does ok and is picked up for a second season, I will binge the first and watch if I like it. I won't watch before then because I'm sick of getting into a show that just gets cancelled right away anyway.
 
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Not a bad show so far. Not really my genre, but the trailers were amusing. I try to not get heavily invested in new shows. More often than not, they get canceled due to low ratings and or viewership. In 08-09, there were some amazing new shows that came out and were axed within episodes because the networks, who were victims of the downturn, couldn't bear the thought of losing too much money.

Which is why I like Prime Video and Netflix. They produce a whole season and air it immediately, with the exception of a few shows.
 
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I watched the first episode. I agree with @ucfgrad93. It was ok. It reminded me too much of Star Trek: The Next Generation. I found the storyline weak. And the mixture of comedy with drama was unbalanced. I forgot to watch the second episode. I will watch another episode and see how it pans out. As it stands, I don't see it lasting.
 
I didn't realize that the show had already started.

I downloaded Fox Now to my Xbox One and watched it. On demand is awesome. Has commercials, but like over-the-air, it is FREE to watch (so I don't mind). Watched E1 and E2 last night.

I love it. I would list the things, but it is everything...

A lot "brighter" than Star Trek (I find most Star Trek series a bit "dark" in lighting and tone with the exception of NG, and I grew up on TOS when it originally aired). My kind of humor...

It IS NICE to see a Sci-Fi program on the "airwaves" that is FREE to watch... ;)

Unfortunately, with the high production costs of Sci-Fi, most networks won't let a series such as this one last past 1 or 2 seasons. :(

Will definitely get the BR when it comes out.

Oh, did I mention, it is FREE to watch? :eek:

:)
 
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I want a digital game like the one from the first episode. I don't think the show will incur the costs of traditional sci-fi shows. It's more Office-y to me than something like Star Trek, if that makes sense.
 
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BasicGreatGuy said:
And the mixture of comedy with drama was unbalanced.
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This is the main issue - apparently Seth really wanted to helm a traditional Trek show, that didn't happen, so his pitch was supposed to be a Trek parody, but he's clearly playing some material totally straight, plus a mix of more absurd humor - I think the half assed attempts at both will wind up sinking this show.
 
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D.T. said:
This is the main issue - apparently Seth really wanted to helm a traditional Trek show, that didn't happen, so his pitch was supposed to be a Trek parody, but he's clearly playing some material totally straight, plus a mix of more absurd humor - I think the half assed attempts at both will wind up sinking this show.
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I think by the fifth episode we'll see a much better integration. The humor needs to be darker though.
 
I'm a HUGE trekkie fan - grew up watching TNG, DS9, VOY and couldn't get into Enterprise (saving it for a really rainy day). Also a big fan of Family Guy and American Dad --- Seth McFarland can really sing (heard him in person at the Hollywood Bowl).

Watched the first episode and really liked it. It wasn't great but just like his movie A Million Ways to Die in the West, it wasn't great but it made me laugh a lot and I liked it. Watching via Hulu so no ads.
 
AlliFlowers said:
I just want them to stay away from the in your face, slapstick kind of humor that McFarland is known for.
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Wouldn't it be fair to say there's range when it comes to dark humor? Death at a Funeral was a dark comedy and fairly light. The first one, not that remake.
 
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AlliFlowers said:
I just want them to stay away from the in your face, slapstick kind of humor that McFarland is known for.
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Family Guy has hints of dark humor built in. While a lot of it is based off of the Three Stooges there are times where it gets darker.
 
BigMcGuire said:
I'm a HUGE trekkie fan - grew up watching TNG, DS9, VOY and couldn't get into Enterprise (saving it for a really rainy day). Also a big fan of Family Guy and American Dad --- Seth McFarland can really sing (heard him in person at the Hollywood Bowl).

Watched the first episode and really liked it. It wasn't great but just like his movie A Million Ways to Die in the West, it wasn't great but it made me laugh a lot and I liked it. Watching via Hulu so no ads.
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I just watched A Million Ways yesterday and it does have the same type of humor, but love The Orville more as it is a lot cleaner/Family Friendly (has to be for a Sci Fi OTA show).

Unfortunately, it doesn't matter what Sci-Fi fans think. Nielson ratings are low for this series:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life...ghts-week-ending-september-17-2017/681724001/

We'll be lucky if we get another season.

I hope it doesn't fall into what happened with Firefly and they shut it down just after several episodes. At least with Firefly, they made the rest of the season available for download and eventually on DVD (plus you can actually watch it in the order it was intended - it aired totally out-of-order which made viewers totally confused as to what was going on).

Only time will tell...

(You can see why Paramount put Star Trek: Discovery behind a paywall - a niche market, high cost production show needs to be funded by the fans and viewers...)
 
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Long time trek fan here, and weirdly I've enjoyed Orville more than Discovery so far.

BigMcGuire said:
I'm a HUGE trekkie fan - grew up watching TNG, DS9, VOY and couldn't get into Enterprise (saving it for a really rainy day).
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I have a suggestion for your Enterprise viewing. Stick through any disappointing periods, as the last season of Enterprise is some of the best trek out there. Quite a few changes in production occur in the last season, Manny Cotto becomes the show runner and there is a fresh injection of primary writers. Its like a completely different show, shame they werent the team who handled Enterprise from the start.
 
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It's pretty good. The writing doesn't work too well. I keep expecting comedy but end up with drama. The actors or characters just don't mesh well yet.

I am concerned that the 3rd episode may kill viewership. The whole premise of that episode can be off putting to some. Plus the crew lost. Seems more like a second or third season storyline. Where you can hit the audience with a jarring topic. After they are firmly hooked into the series.

Then again TNG survived The Naked Now and Code of Honor. The cast didn't mesh that well at first either. The first season was pretty bad. Yea, I know it is heresy. TNG hit it's stride in Season 3.
 
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