The Orville (Star Trek clone)

[Labonte18]

Originally Posted by Bitey

I guess that depends on what you expected from the show. They pitched it as a slightly more juvenile Galaxy Quest-style send-up, which it was at first, and I enjoyed it as such.

As for the preaching... maybe I could have put up with it more a few years ago. But here in 2022, frankly I'm exhausted with being smacked across the face with overt progressive-leftist political messaging from every corner of our popular culture and elsewhere these days. Originally this show was a departure from that; now it's just another vehicle for it. Maybe the storytelling got better and less overtly preachy in subsequent episodes after I stopped watching; but even if it did, I still miss the McFarlane-style good-natured jabs at the genre. Without it the show loses a lot of what I found appealing about it.

As for Halston Sage... I miss the running gag her sprinting through corridors in some sort of overwrought panic. And she was way hotter than the chick who replaced her, even with elven ears and bits of latex on her forehead. Ensign Charly is a worthy stand-in though.

I agree that was the pitch.. It was never that, tho.

It did have significantly more humor in the first two seasons, but with the plots of this season.. Really hard to get that much humor in there. But, it was.. Very Star Trek like in the usage of the humor this season. It was still there, sprinkled in vs being the main focus. So.. I can't argue that it went more to the sci-fi side of things from comedy.. But it was never a straight up comedy. That's what surprised (and delighted) so many of us who watched it, I think. We expected straight up satire/comedy and.. It had good, solid sci-fi bones to it.

The preaching.. At times.. It blew up in their face. Again, look back to them trying to say how evil the Krill were for making anyone who got an abortion view a hologram extrapolation of what the child would have looked like. While I don't think abortion should be totally banned, I do think that people who go that route should have to at least put some thought into what they're doing..

The Topa story.. I think they were trying to make some grand statement on gender there.. but they screwed it up because what they were showing was someone who had their gender changed at birth. It almost argued against the point they were seemingly trying to make. Topa was born female, they tried to change that, and showed that.. you can't change nature.

[Mad_Jasper]

Originally Posted by Labonte18

I agree that was the pitch.. It was never that, tho.

It did have significantly more humor in the first two seasons, but with the plots of this season.. Really hard to get that much humor in there. But, it was.. Very Star Trek like in the usage of the humor this season. It was still there, sprinkled in vs being the main focus. So.. I can't argue that it went more to the sci-fi side of things from comedy.. But it was never a straight up comedy. That's what surprised (and delighted) so many of us who watched it, I think. We expected straight up satire/comedy and.. It had good, solid sci-fi bones to it.

The preaching.. At times.. It blew up in their face. Again, look back to them trying to say how evil the Krill were for making anyone who got an abortion view a hologram extrapolation of what the child would have looked like. While I don't think abortion should be totally banned, I do think that people who go that route should have to at least put some thought into what they're doing..

The Topa story.. I think they were trying to make some grand statement on gender there.. but they screwed it up because what they were showing was someone who had their gender changed at birth. It almost argued against the point they were seemingly trying to make. Topa was born female, they tried to change that, and showed that.. you can't change nature.

The Krill-abortion episode presented both sides of the coin. I am a pro-lifer. I abhor abortion as a means of birth control. But I believe that there are some medical/psychological aspects of abortion that should solely be between a physician and the patient, much like vaccinations. I don't want to dig into the politics of this, but for example, it was determined that my nephew's first child was suffering from anencephaly in the womb. There is probably medical terminology for that, but I don't know it. I would have fully understood if they decided to terminate the pregnancy. I believe that they should have the right to do so without government interference. I would hate for them to be punished by viewing a holographic extrapolation of what their child may have looked like had it been born. I admire them for carrying the child to term and holding her while she took her last breath moments after. But I would not have thought any less of them for choosing not to go through that devasting heartbreak. Thirteen years later, they still celebrate her birthdays with their very healthy three boys.

Regarding Topa. The Orville flipped transgenderism on its head in what I feel is an intelligent way. I am firmly against the gender assault that we are witnessing on children today, but I also recognize that power relinquished to the government is never given back and taken to the extreme. Topa is restored, but I am left wondering how I would feel if my female daughter (at age 12 or so) wanted to transition (to the extent that is even possible) to a male. Honestly, I often thank God for what a strong woman my 22-year-old daughter has become.

In summary, I reject your premise that The Orville was trying to be "preachy" and screwed it up. I think The Orville told effective, intelligent allegories, trusting the viewer to make their own decisions.