The Orville

[Rogue 9]

I'm kind of surprised we don't have a thread on this already. Seth MacFarland is writing and starring in a live-action sci-fi drama/comedy called The Orville, which is a clear take on Star Trek with an hour long format and suspiciously familiar ship design aesthetics. It premieres on Fox (and will therefore probably meet the fate of Firefly) on Sunday. They've been playing their cards fairly close to the chest re: plot and scenes, but there are two trailers.





For what it's worth, MacFarland says he's trying to capture the old style aspirational sci-fi of early Trek, and that basically all the jokes in the first episode are in the trailers. I'm hopeful that this might actually be good.

[JLTucker]

Dude, it will be canceled within six months. It looks like utter shit and I don't think Fox's market would like it.

[Rogue 9]

Yeah, it probably will be canceled after one season. That's what Fox does to sci-fi. But I disagree on it looking like utter shit; they've clearly put a lot of work into the exterior space shots (that's practical model work we're looking at) and visually speaking we've seen Star Trek look a lot worse all around. I'll give the premiere a shot, just because we get new original science fiction so rarely that it's worth paying attention to.

[bilateralrope]

For what it's worth, MacFarland says he's trying to capture the old style aspirational sci-fi of early Trek, and that basically all the jokes in the first episode are in the trailers. I'm hopeful that this might actually be good.

Yet he went with a ships captain who couldn't tell a mint from a marble.

Still, I'll give this a shot.

[Zor]

The Uniforms look better than any trek series uniforms save Enterprise.

Zor

[Rogue 9]

For what it's worth, MacFarland says he's trying to capture the old style aspirational sci-fi of early Trek, and that basically all the jokes in the first episode are in the trailers. I'm hopeful that this might actually be good.

Yet he went with a ships captain who couldn't tell a mint from a marble.

Still, I'll give this a shot.

Well, it is supposed to be a middle of the road ship with a less than top flight crew. They should have an episode where they run into their analogue to the Enterprise at some point. And get Tim Allen to play the captain.

[bilateralrope]

I suppose that being unable to tell mints from marbles isn't as bad as being unable to identify shit even with a tricorder.

[Rogue 9]

He was told as he was putting it into his mouth by all appearances. I'm sure the taste gave it away just as surely as the admiral's commentary.

[Gandalf]

Yeah, it probably will be canceled after one season. That's what Fox does to sci-fi.

No, that's what they do to low rating shows.

[Crazedwraith]

Yeah, it probably will be canceled after one season. That's what Fox does to sci-fi.

No, that's what they do to low rating shows.

They do have a habit of fucking with sci-fi shows enough to kill their ratings anyway. (I'm thinking T:SCC as much as Firefly.)

[Rogue 9]

Yeah, it probably will be canceled after one season. That's what Fox does to sci-fi.

No, that's what they do to low rating shows.

They do have a habit of fucking with sci-fi shows enough to kill their ratings anyway. (I'm thinking T:SCC as much as Firefly.)

And this is on right after Sunday night football. If there's anything I remember about Deep Space Nine being on after football back in the day, it's that if the game goes to overtime, whatever's after it is fucked.

[Gandalf]

Yeah, it probably will be canceled after one season. That's what Fox does to sci-fi.

No, that's what they do to low rating shows.

They do have a habit of fucking with sci-fi shows enough to kill their ratings anyway. (I'm thinking T:SCC as much as Firefly.)

Yeah, they do that with a lot of shows. Sci-fi isn't special in this regard.

[bilateralrope]

No, that's what they do to low rating shows.

They do have a habit of fucking with sci-fi shows enough to kill their ratings anyway. (I'm thinking T:SCC as much as Firefly.)

And this is on right after Sunday night football. If there's anything I remember about Deep Space Nine being on after football back in the day, it's that if the game goes to overtime, whatever's after it is fucked.

That might have changed now we have streaming websites for our TV watching.

Or has Fox decided that The Orville isn't going to be on any streaming websites ?

[Rogue 9]

They do have a habit of fucking with sci-fi shows enough to kill their ratings anyway. (I'm thinking T:SCC as much as Firefly.)

And this is on right after Sunday night football. If there's anything I remember about Deep Space Nine being on after football back in the day, it's that if the game goes to overtime, whatever's after it is fucked.

That might have changed now we have streaming websites for our TV watching.

Or has Fox decided that The Orville isn't going to be on any streaming websites ?

Their YouTube promos have a postscreen that links to their streaming service, so I'm going to go ahead and say no.

[Batman]

Trailers are nothing much to go on, but AS trailers go, this looks interesting. I'm willing to give this a chance.

[Rogue 9]

I didn't make it back home in time to catch the beginning, but I saw the last two thirds. It seems alright, certainly better than a lot of Star Trek has been.

[LadyTevar]

It had its moments. Nice use of the Picard Maneuver on the Captain's tunic. Multiple Times.

It tried hard to be parody, but I think it missed the target this time. However, they did get the husband/wife working well. Nice chemistry there, for two people trying hard to blow up what's left of their relationship.

[Rogue 9]

Also: "Happy Arbor Day." I about fell out of my chair laughing.

[Meest]

When I first saw the thread title all I could think of is adding, "is bad." It's not funny enough to be satire or parody, and not serious enough to be a real drama, just in a crappy middleground.

[FedRebel]

It's not supposed to be a 'parody'

MacFarlane is a TNG fan NERD, this is more of a straight remake of TNG.

Don't go into it thinking Spaceballs, The Orville is to TNG what 2009 was to TOS

Fox is overselling the comedy, because that's what MacFarlane is known for

[houser2112]

When I first saw the thread title all I could think of is adding, "is bad." It's not funny enough to be satire or parody, and not serious enough to be a real drama, just in a crappy middleground.

I wouldn't go so far as to say it's bad, but I agree with your second sentence. I'd prefer that they err on the side of parody. We already have Star Trek, we don't need Star Trek with the serial numbers filed off.

[Alferd Packer]

I'd prefer it to be a straight sci-fi show, since there really isn't anything like it on TV right now, and there's no way in hell I'm going to paying an extra 10 bucks a month for the privilege of watching Discovery. It's clear that Seth is a massive Trek nerd, and I'd trust him above most to do a proper pastiche.

[Simon_Jester]

There's definitely a difference between a pastiche, a remake, and a parody in a case like this.

Galaxy Quest is a Star Trek parody. Zapp Brannigan is a Star Trek parody. In both cases, there is a clear if distorted resemblance to Star Trek, but the similar elements are exaggerated or distorted until they become a farce that no serious person would say is Star Trek. Which is kind of the point, because parodies are all about not being serious.

I haven't watched this show, but from what people are saying it doesn't sound like a parody on that level.

[houser2112]

It's not a parody because it doesn't try to poke fun at anything. To me, it's a series that is as close to Star Trek as it can get without inviting a lawsuit.

[FireNexus]

It's an homage, in my opinion. It's like Star Trek if Star Trek didn't drink the Star Trek kool aid.

I think it was a little uneven but shows promise. It's more likely to crash and burn than rise to the occasion, but it could go either way.