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I just finished Identity pt2, so down to the last 5 episodes of s2. I loved s1, it banked enough goodwill for me to keep going through a far less enjoyable s2. However, I'm pretty close to giving up. The writing in s2 has, IMO, taken a massive downturn. Gonna touch briefly on some of the issues I had with the last few episodes.

Firstly, I absolutely can't stand the Isaac/Claire relationship. It's preposterous. If Isaac looked like an actual person, the way that Data is clearly an artificial recreation of his creator, I could maybe understand a romantic attraction. Unfortunately, Isaac has a metal dome for a head. I just can't take it seriously from the outset, and this is before we get to how Claire makes absolutely zero effort to accommodate just how differently Isaac sees the world around him. She expect him to share her own, extremely human values and it just makes her come across as incredibly intolerant.

Secondly, the Identity 2 parter. Holy cow did the writers snooze their way through this one. Malon apparently has reached its information capacity and they need to expand. Cool, a race of hyper advanced cybernetic beings with no need for life support could colonize literally any terrestrial planet. Where do they decide to go? To war with the union to take over earth. Um... Ok. Sure, I guess? On the way there, when the Orville is less than 6 hours from Earth, Kelly and Gordon hatch a plan to enlist the help of the Krill because they're 'the closest fleet.' Really? Less than 6 hours away, and the Krill - public enemy of the union #1 - are the closest fleet? REALLY? Even if I could buy this, the way Gordon and Kelly get off the ship is so mind numbingly stupid. Not one of Isaac's people think to engage either the Orville's tractor beam, or the tractor beam on ANY of the ships that are following in close pursuit. Tractor beams no longer exist because the plot requires the shuttle to get away.

Thirdly, omg I hate Talla. Alara was hands down my favorite character on the show, they gave her more character development than any other crewman. I was heartbroken when they wrote her off, but was willing to give her replacement a shot. Talla is about as interesting as dried paint. She looks bored in every scene she's in.

Does the show get better? People seem to really like s2, but it's just not doing it for me.

We’ve been discussing the current season of Orville in the Star Trek thread, since comparisons alongside that are inevitable. My short version is that this latest season leaves out the vast majority of the humor they had in previous ones, and you end up with hour long heavy emotional weight episodes. The season opens with over an hour of racism, depression, and suicide. I’ve been watching it because of momentum, but it’s definitely less entertaining to me than previous.

Yeah, I can't put my finger on it but it seems to have lost its "spark".

Season 1 was a fresh, unique (unless you count Galaxy Quest) but well thought out Star Trek homage.

Now it's less homage, and more straight up Star Trek, without the humour or originality it showed early on.

Plus, Season 1 had some really great episodes, with really great ideas - almost Black Mirror in places.

I'm not sure what happened, but I am not enjoying it as much as Season 1.

I'm sticking with it, it still has some positive goodwill, though I am missing the humour, which they managed to weave into more serious stories. (who'd have thought that Bortis sitting on a egg at the end of the first episode would lead us to the latest episode). Right now the funny stuff is "look, Gordan's done something dumb, ha ha. Right - back to the worthy stuff". Hopefully that will change in the later epsidoes of 'New Horizons'.

 creeping-deth87 wrote:

Firstly, I absolutely can't stand the Isaac/Claire relationship. It's preposterous. If Isaac looked like an actual person, the way that Data is clearly an artificial recreation of his creator, I could maybe understand a romantic attraction. Unfortunately, Isaac has a metal dome for a head. I just can't take it seriously from the outset, and this is before we get to how Claire makes absolutely zero effort to accommodate just how differently Isaac sees the world around him. She expect him to share her own, extremely human values and it just makes her come across as incredibly intolerant.

It's driven home us, time and time again that Issac is a robot. Super-advanced, hyper intelligent. But a robot. The writers take us to the edge with his interactions with the crew around him, and particularly his relationship with Clare and her children, and just when we are about to think "awww, he feels after all" the sentiment is brutally crushed. He doesn't care at all. His actions are guided by logic to achieve his goals: to study the crew of the Orville and to interact with them in the most efficient way possible. He doesn't like anyone, or hate anyone. And these features make him he most reliable, hardworking and honest crew member. Clare is free to put whatever she wants onto Issac - it doesn't bother him either way.

And Clare. She must be a bit damaged. A single mother with two children in or approaching adulthood. she must have been let down by potential partners who could adapt to a career, drive for hard work, and the kids. A one way romantic relationship with an advanced robot who is honest, attentive to your children and doesn't judge you at all must seem very appealing.

Is there a season 3 now released? Any thoughts?

The_Real_Chris wrote:
Is there a season 3 now released? Any thoughts?

Orville: New Horizons (aka series 3) is three episodes in on D+. As other have said, it's leaning on the heavy side. It needs a bit more fun in the stories.

I lost all interest after S2, it can't decide if it is a Star Trek parody, a homage or its own thing so it's a bit of each giving the show a schizophrenic feel.

So one episode is about (forget his name) having to go pee. Ha-ha, cute.

Then a genuinely touching episode about porn addition and relationships, good. But it's the same guy! It's hard to enjoy a show when I don't know if a character is comic relief or someone we should take seriously and emphasize with.

And then we have the Status Quo is God.

So Isaac can commit treason, nearly destroy the human race, and then be back on the bridge next episode.

No.

That final issue is the primary story of the season three premiere.

Are seasons 1 & 2 on D+?

Indeed they are.

It depends
The show used to balance really good sci-fi concepts with some good humor.
I think of the holodeck relationship episode balanced against the Moclan couple smoking. it was still funny even in the main story, but it was good and thought provoking.
Now we get 75min epsodes devoid of any humor and that just depressing.

The Orville just had the best episode they've ever done. Season 3 is fantastic.

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
I lost all interest after S2, it can't decide if it is a Star Trek parody, a homage or its own thing so it's a bit of each giving the show a schizophrenic feel.

It absolutely has decided what show it is, and it's not a Trek parody. Never was.