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I think Warburton is done for now, but you never know...

Yup. I'm really not a fan of I can't believe it's not Alara Selayan female security chief... it's as if the actress wanted to leave but they didn't want to change the script except for a search/cut/paste of her name because changing the pickle jar jokes would be too hard. They should have introduced a new race into that role with the same actress and then later on reintroduced a Selayan for some other role on the ship. YMMV. It was an ok episode.

Yeah, apparently it’s because her actress wanted to star in a different show on Netflix and left for that. Making a point of finding someone of the same species for the job seems weird, but kind of makes sense to have a super strong security chief? I specifically hope they Don’t make the pickles refence since Alara made a point of giving the captain that going away present.

I loved the premise of the episode - everyone so excited about First Contact and I can't think of a specific TNG episode that had the same idea so +1 Orville I guess...

On the other hand I wasn't really convinced by the solution... in my head I was yelling at the TV "how can they be born under a constellation/star sign that can't possibly exist on the planet they were born on?".

Some decent Bortus lines again.

New Xelayan was okay... Alara without the insecurities. Maybe an episode will show her to be too cocky?

Still feels like this season has not really started yet, haven't disliked any of the episodes but they all just seem like filler to me. Hope it gets better sooner rather than later. I guess I have just gotten so used to overarching plot lines with the occasional monster of the month episode that Orville feels a bit disjointed?

 Riquende wrote:
I loved the premise of the episode - everyone so excited about First Contact and I can't think of a specific TNG episode that had the same idea so +1 Orville I guess...

On the other hand I wasn't really convinced by the solution... in my head I was yelling at the TV "how can they be born under a constellation/star sign that can't possibly exist on the planet they were born on?".

Some decent Bortus lines again.

New Xelayan was okay... Alara without the insecurities. Maybe an episode will show her to be too cocky?

Eh, to be fair, while their reaction was daft and the solution to that reaction was a bit "easy" in the end, that can be read as part of the extremely subtle and nuanced( ) implication that astrology is dumb and people who believe it are really, really super-dumb and people who base their whole culture around it are basically clinically dumb. I mean, if you're irrational enough to believe that the movement of stars determines someone's personality - and moreover so irrational that you believe that to such an intense degree that you put anyone born under a "bad sign" into concentration camps - is an argument like "but the constellations are different in the skies of the worlds we were born on" going to make a dent?

Well... that felt rushed and corny to me. At least we got to see the actor playing Isaac. It just all felt like a fast forward derivative of what Data went through over 8 seasons.

Been expecting that episode for awhile now. They were definitely working towards pairing those two together. That said I don’t think it’s really rushed. Isaac is still totally aromantic and is approaching it entirely from a perspective of logic and essentially because it’s simply easier for him than not doing it. I also thought the bridge scene of them admonishing him was totally unwarrented. Claire was repeatedly warned by people that he doesn’t feel emotion, and she aknowledged it, but then when it goes poorly they all blamed him anyways. I wonder how long until they invent/discover an emotion chip.

Side note, how long until Isaac’s research on biologicals is complete and his people launch the great robot uprising?

Great episode!

I like how Engineering with Yaphit & Dan & Lamarr are a contrast to the Bridge. Great parallels throughout.

Worth it just for the table flip!

Loved that one... really playing to the show's strengths and it also dipped nicely into Seth McFarlane's love of showtunes.

Was Bortus' moustache the b-plot? I felt more could have been gleaned from that.

You folks didn't feel that going from a slight tingle of romance to expressing being in love in two dates was rushed? Or that the whole dancing in the rain on the bridge of an intergalactic starship was corny?

I've come to the conclusion that I just don't like the Orville. I really *want* to like it but I just don't but rather tolerate it. There are individual characters, designs, scenes, and even a couple of episodes that I do like but not the show overall. I've been giving it the benefit of the doubt mainly because of what it is (a broadcast well funded scifi show) and because of what it stands for (an alternative to the paywalled STD that goes out of its way to insult its core audience and own IP) but not anymore. Obviously YMMV.

I think maybe I'm used to British shows, which tend to have 'seasons' of 6 episodes and largely short runs, so that you don't tend to have really long arcs exploring something like this. Data's arcs were played out over the whole show's 180-odd episodes, and he was also a more major character on TNG than Claire or Isaac are on the Orville.

And I'd accept your point more readily if Isaac and Claire had just met the once and immediately gone on their first date, but they have worked together for a year at this point and it seems interact regularly; I think in that instance you'd go quite quickly to expressing love once you'd allowed yourself to admit your feelings to yourself.

The rain on the bridge is one of those 'really going to stretch the suspension of disbelief here' moments, I'll grant you that! It's a cute moment but you have to hope textile technology has drastically improved or that carpet is going to smell damp for months...

 warboss wrote:
You folks didn't feel that going from a slight tingle of romance to expressing being in love in two dates was rushed?

Or that the whole dancing in the rain on the bridge of an intergalactic starship was corny?

I've come to the conclusion that I just don't like the Orville. I really *want* to like it but I just don't but rather tolerate it..

It's not 2 dates. It's 1-and-a-half seasons, where significant time can pass between episodes, or even within an episode. Recall that First Contact was said to be at least a month over the hour on air. Also however long it took to repair the badly-damaged Orville after the Krill fight. They work together for quite a while, so no, it's not like tonight's episode has been the first time they ever met. If you want to pick at spaceship romance, how long did Data know Yar before they were intimate?

The rain thing was a little corny, and that's the show. The rain itself was a good surprise, and totally in-line with the show itself being character-driven. Not at all like John and Malloy both racing to the bridge with the news.

If it's not your style of show, that's fine. I like it. The sight of so many aliens in the audience is such a nice, subtle use of FX.

Fair enough and I'm glad that others find it enjoyable even if I don't. I'll just have to wait for the next season of the Expanse to get my scifi tv fix. I'll probably still watch the Orville on occasion but I probably won't make the time to ensure that I catch it first run like I've been doing for the past season and a half.

 warboss wrote:
the whole dancing in the rain on the bridge of an intergalactic starship was corny

Well it is the strangest ship crew in the Union.

Btw, I was a little sad they didn’t sneak a Star Trek Theme into the symphony scene.

 AduroT wrote:
Btw, I was a little sad they didn’t sneak a Star Trek Theme into the symphony scene.

Yes! I was half expecting a nod to something (if Trek is too on the nose then the opening bars to the Star Wars main theme?), but never mind. I was impressed they went all out with the orchestra, far cry from watching a jazz quartet in Ten Forward (although wasn't that a huge crowd for an 8 year old's piano recital? Just how many 'personal stops' did Claire make around the ship?)

Warboss, I think the best plan is to come in here after every episode airs, the discussion over each episode seems measured and should give a good sense of the 'tone' of the show that week.

As much as I liked that, I feel now like "another strong Orville episode that deals with social issues and interpersonal relationships" needs to give way to "lasers! pew pew!" for an episode or two.

What's that Lassie? The next two episodes are two parter?

I keep waiting for one of the Moclan’s heads to split open and something to come out. It’s just too perfect a seam down the middle.

Given that this is clearly NOT Star Trek, can we not call it "Star Trek: The Orville", and just call it "The Orville"?

Aside from the visual differences, Star Trek has never been anywhere near as character-driven as The Orville is showing itself to be; I think The Orville may well be even more blatantly socially progressive and boundary-pushing than even TOS was.

 JohnHwangDD wrote:
Given that this is clearly NOT Star Trek, can we not call it "Star Trek: The Orville", and just call it "The Orville"?

Aside from the visual differences, Star Trek has never been anywhere near as character-driven as The Orville is showing itself to be; I think The Orville may well be even more blatantly socially progressive and boundary-pushing than even TOS was.

Okay, I have changed the title.

Holy crap.

Not entirely surprised, as the first thing I remarked upon were the red eyes... Robots with red eyes is never a good sign.

I was very impressed with where they took it.

Just gonna casually quote my post from a few weeks ago...

 AduroT wrote:
Side note, how long until Isaac’s research on biologicals is complete and his people launch the great robot uprising?

Very ST First Contact. Glad to see something actually happening!

Just figured I'd post about this here. Apparently the Orville will be getting a heroclix set some time after the TNG set comes out in June and September. No word on an STD set though....

https://trekmovie.com/2019/02/19/toy-fair-2019-offers-previews-of-new-star-trek-products-from-factory-mego-qmx-and-more/

 JohnHwangDD wrote:
Given that this is clearly NOT Star Trek, can we not call it "Star Trek: The Orville", and just call it "The Orville"?

It's more Star Trek than anything else being broadcast right now, which was the idea behind the title...

But wow, that was some bombast in the music at the end there! The Kaylon didn't seem to care about people snooping about, but then I guess when you consider people so far beneath you it doesn't matter when they find out the dastardly scheme. I got a lot of Mass Effect feels throughout that as well, from flying into the 'obviously advanced' city to the erasure of biological life.

They gave the best comedy line to Bortus again. He hated that party.

And I was wondering how long we'd have to wait to hear Malloy sing...

I will say I’m surprised the Kaylons are attacking already. I figured the Union would get closer to peace with the Krill first, and then the Kaylon’s sudden but inevitable betrayal against all biologicals would be the tipping point that really forced the two to work together and give the show it’s newer, bigger antagonist race to change things up. Plus give Isacc more time to develop his not-emotions so that it’s more believable when he saves them all in the end. As is, I can’t see any reason why he would, but I just kind of know he will.

So, the Cybermen finally decided to attack Earth. Taken from Doctor Who but done much better and with a stronger sense of momentum.