The only way a niche/high-production show such as this is going to survive is to put it behind a paywall. Hopefully, Apple, Netflix, or Amazon will pick this show up and keep it going...
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The Orville (TV show)
- Thread starter AlliFlowers
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The only way a niche/high-production show such as this is going to survive is to put it behind a paywall. Hopefully, Apple, Netflix, or Amazon will pick this show up and keep it going...
There were some hints at some really deep story lines. I hope they don't wait too long to bring them out. The whole Captain/First Officer/Ex-spouce thing could get old fast if they don't give it some room to grow and change.
I'm hopeful, but I agree that the show needs to figure out what it is pretty fast.
I'm hopeful, but I agree that the show needs to figure out what it is pretty fast.
I watched the first episode last night and liked it more than I thought I would, but achieving a consistent balance between humor and drama will be difficult. Comedy can be very effective to relieve or enhance dramatic tension, but I think it works best when it's unexpected (The Trouble with Tribbles and A Piece of the Action from TOS come to mind.) It's harder to pull off when it's an integral part of the show. Still, I plan to keep watching to see if The Orville goes where no sci-fi has gone before, so to speak.
As did I. It was interesting and a bit novel. I could also see it being very off putting to some viewers.
My concern is that those people stop watching. Making FOX go full Firefly cancelling the series too early. FOX has a history creating then dropping the axe on entertaining Science Fiction. Perhaps Seth MacFarlane has enough clout with FOX to keep it alive.
Although if they do cancel. I hope it gets picked up by AMC or Netflix. They do a good job with shows. If SyFy picks it up. It is likely better of dead. Besides Eureka and Battlestar, I can't think of another series SyFy did a good job on. None recently.
I just watched episode 4. Like episode 3, it was more in the mould of "serious science-fi" than the ones that preceded it, with funny bits thrown in. The sci-fi parts weren't bad, though not particularly inventive.
Seth MacFarlane is going to have to come up with better storylines if he's going to hold onto an audience. The comedy isn't enough to make a difference. Calling everyone a d*ck isn't going to cut it, nor will the contemporary references.
I'm still interested enough to keep watching, but I wouldn't if I had to pay to do it.
The second episode about the Calivon zoo was too similar to The Menagerie on STTOS, including the way the aliens lured the Orville. And episode 4 reminded me of The Starlost from the early 70s.
Seth MacFarlane is going to have to come up with better storylines if he's going to hold onto an audience. The comedy isn't enough to make a difference. Calling everyone a d*ck isn't going to cut it, nor will the contemporary references.
I'm still interested enough to keep watching, but I wouldn't if I had to pay to do it.
Get to the third episode. The really bad jokes are dialed down and they have a real story. Love the episode format.
A good fifth episode although it was somewhat slow right after the start.
I like how they are putting various guest stars in each episode. Charlize Theron still looks good.
I like how they are putting various guest stars in each episode. Charlize Theron still looks good.
The Expanse is excellent, particularly since season 2 fixed the issues season 1 had where it sometimes struggled to be compelling, and overall I'd say it's far better than The Orville, which so far seems just OK, but watchable. Also I'm rather fond of Killjoys. I don't trust Fox since they cancel everything SF-related, except X-Files. (And Fringe.) Never mind Firefly, I still haven't forgiven them for Brisco County.
--Eric
The Expanse is excellent, particularly since season 2 fixed the issues season 1 had where it sometimes struggled to be compelling, and overall I'd say it's far better than The Orville, which so far seems just OK, but watchable. Also I'm rather fond of Killjoys. I don't trust Fox since they cancel everything SF-related, except X-Files. (And Fringe.) Never mind Firefly, I still haven't forgiven them for Brisco County.
--Eric
How did the Expanse season 1 compare to the Orville season 1 ?
I was disappointed with last night's episode. It moved slowly, and didn't have any oomph. I'll give it one more episode.
Can't really say since The Orville hasn't had an entire season yet. I think the issues I had with The Expanse in the first season came down to the fact that it was doing a lot of setup, but with that out of the way for S2, it was pretty rockin', so it paid off.
--Eric
Oh, well, if you want to compare the first 5 eps of each show, then I'd say by that point The Expanse had far more care and thought put into the world-building and plot, but it's adapted from a book series so that's maybe not entirely fair. Also it's serialized TV, whereas The Orville is more adventure-of-the-week like Star Trek used to be. (Which I think is a point in its favor actually...while I generally prefer serialized, not everything has to be, and yet it seems almost everything is these days.)
--Eric
--Eric
Yep! I expected it to poke a little fun at the Star Verse genre, and it has done so, but in a brilliant, non obnoxious way. It has surprised me even, with witty and events that are relative to our current times. Much, the way of the old Star Trek.
I am now a fan and will watch via Fox Online Streaming service. TV should have started this format years ago.
So this is a comedy? Is it serial or stand alone episodes? How would it rank against Galaxy Quest?
I would say it's not a comedy. It's more like a Star Trek TNG with occasional funny parts. It's also generally a stand alone show but occasionally references events in previous episodes.
The first episode or two they tried to force comedy into the show with mediocre results. Episodes three through five could have been out of Star Trek TNG. What comedy they have in the show doesn't rank with Galaxy Quest.
Note: I read that Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy) marketed the show to FOX as a Star Trek TNG (he wanted a serious Trek show) but that FOX wanted a comedy.
I liked episode 5, despite the plot holes.
I also think that all the characters talk too much like they're from the 21st century. I realize that they're doing that to make it easier to write the funny parts, but it feels wrong.
I was interested to see that the episode was directed by the second Start Trek Number One, Jonathan Frakes.
For example, why couldn't the 29th century aliens not go back though the same wormhole and get what they wanted? And the Orville's escape from and destruction of the wormhole was too easy, as was drilling into the device that Priya installed.
I was interested to see that the episode was directed by the second Start Trek Number One, Jonathan Frakes.
That's all called, "wrapping up the story in the last 10 minutes of the episode..."
Done all the time, especially in Sci-Fi. Was made fun of in Stargate SG-1, S10E6, "200".
A comedy that's also serious, serial-stand-alone, the same - only different...
I’ll check it out, thanks!
That's all called, "wrapping up the story in the last 10 minutes of the episode..."
Done all the time, especially in Sci-Fi. Was made fun of in Stargate SG-1, S10E6, "200".
True, but some of the plot devices in The Orville are as much a product of its skirting the edge of "serious sci-fi-fi" as the need to bring storylines to a rapid conclusion. The aforementioned drill scene is a case in point. It was there for laughs, even though it made no sense in the context of the technology. One of the things I liked best about Star Trek was that Gene Roddenberry and everyone who came after him attempted to build an internally-consistent scientific and technological framework. They weren't always successful, but they tried.
I just watched Episode 1 and chuckled quite a bit, definitely Seth McFarland humor. My observations are that liking the characters, there are both a Warf and Data like characters, that it feels like Galaxy Quest to me, at times it feels STNG-like, but some of the jokes break the mood of the story if you desire STNG, that the animations looks passable, but the interior sets are completely, terribly cheap looking which hurts immersion. I guess that is where they ran out of money?
I will watch a couple more episodes before I make a decision to continue or not.
The Bridge located in the producer’s garage
I will watch a couple more episodes before I make a decision to continue or not.
The Bridge located in the producer’s garage