The Orville - Season One - SPOILERS!

[Orpheus]

That was my thinking, too -- and Charlize Theron is never a minus.

Just be aware that this film was made much earlier in Seth MacFarlane's journey out of Junior High humor. Baby steps

[RJDiogenes]

Ah, okay, good to know. We can blame it on Gordon's programming.

[Jim Gamma]

Wow, Episode 7 was political! I'm actually surprised they didn't use the phrase Tyranny of the Majority (which was bandied about right after the Brexit vote). I thought Alara's reveal to the native was done very well, but they're on a ship full of humans who look like the natives. Why send someone who A: doesn't and B: can't easily be disguised as one? That said, it did lead to the episode's resolution - hacking the system to affect the vote, again VERY politically charged, except that it's our heroes doing it instead of any villains.

The thing is, I honestly don't think either side here held the moral high ground - the planetary system is no basis for government, but at the same time, you don't get to hack systems just because you don't like the likely outcome. I'm astonished that the first thing the anthropologists sent back wasn't the whole absolute democracy and citizens voting thing (they mentioned right at the start that they'd received reports from them), but at the same time... Mr Navigator, you're in a foreign land, you don't know the customs and the meaning of the objects around you. The first thing you do is fool around with a statue? Do you not know why people usually erect statues? *sigh* Show some bloody common sense. (That said, I did visit Switzerland once and saw kids climbing all over a statue of William Tell... kids, mind you, not fully grown adults.)

The next one drops onto NowTV tomorrow, and I have a day off. I need to do some clearing up in my room but should get time to watch.

[Jim Gamma]

"Into the Fold" today. Enjoyable, and reminded me of a few Trek episodes (particularly one of DS9's where Bashir and O'Brien are stranded and have to work on curing a disease). This was a good deescalation from the last episode's high-politics content, and I enjoyed the sibling rivalry, and seeing Isaac get to grips with family dynamics.

I'm glad they're sending people back to help the occupants of the moon, this was exactly what I'd expect from a Trek-style show. All in all, a very well done episode.

[RJDiogenes]

Mr Navigator, you're in a foreign land, you don't know the customs and the meaning of the objects around you. The first thing you do is fool around with a statue? Do you not know why people usually erect statues? *sigh* Show some bloody common sense.

This was the weakest link in the episode. I know they portray him and Gordon as the frat boy cutups, but when you're walking the last mile to the brain-frying machine it's time to get a grip. And he had to even get the last word in as he went out the door, which could have undone his last-second save. Also, this is at odds with what's coming up for the character.

"Into the Fold" today. Enjoyable, and reminded me of a few Trek episodes (particularly one of DS9's where Bashir and O'Brien are stranded and have to work on curing a disease). This was a good deescalation from the last episode's high-politics content, and I enjoyed the sibling rivalry, and seeing Isaac get to grips with family dynamics.

This wasn't my favorite episode, but even a bad episode by Orville standards is good. Isaac really had some good moments in this one-- such as destroying the kid's gaming device.

[Jim Gamma]

Ah, the return of Blue Guy. A case of Naked Time/Naked Now, with a healthy dose of the standard trope of two sides about to annihilate each other who just happen to share a common ancestor. This was an excellent episode, though the Claire/Yaphit sex scene was... odd. I did like how Yaphit can lose part of his body and simply reabsorb it, though.

I thought Ed did some excellent diplomacy in the shuttle bay with the two alien races at the start, and I was looking forward to seeing how that would play out. Then, of course, everything went kablooey because of the pheromones.

Alara was on top form, taking charge of the situation but still deferring to Bortus when she needed to. I would have loved to hear Bortus singing, by the way, and Kelly's actress has a stunning voice.

[scottydog]

Ah, the return of Blue Guy. A case of Naked Time/Naked Now, with a healthy dose of the standard trope of two sides about to annihilate each other who just happen to share a common ancestor. This was an excellent episode, though the Claire/Yaphit sex scene was... odd. I did like how Yaphit can lose part of his body and simply reabsorb it, though.

I thought Ed did some excellent diplomacy in the shuttle bay with the two alien races at the start, and I was looking forward to seeing how that would play out. Then, of course, everything went kablooey because of the pheromones.

Alara was on top form, taking charge of the situation but still deferring to Bortus when she needed to. I would have loved to hear Bortus singing, by the way, and Kelly's actress has a stunning voice.

I think this was my favorite episode from season 1. "He's really into him!"

[RJDiogenes]

That was definitely my favorite episode.

[RJDiogenes]

New cast member joining! Old cast member possibly leaving!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQeR2BBpilg[/youtube]

[Jim Gamma]

O_O Alara might be on her way out? She's one of the best characters there!

Rooting for this newcomer to be the navigator, though.

[RJDiogenes]

I like all the characters, so I don't want to see any of them go. But they do need a new navigator.

[scottydog]

I can't imagine why the actress who plays Alara would want to leave the show. So I'm optimistic this new woman will be the navigator.

[RJDiogenes]

Well, you never know what goes on behind the scenes. And she and Seth Macfarlane were apparently involved for a while.

[scottydog]

Well, you never know what goes on behind the scenes. And she and Seth Macfarlane were apparently involved for a while.

Seriously? She's in her early 20s and he's, like, 44. Oh wait, this is Hollywood, that's quite normal

[RJDiogenes]

I'm all for it.