I avoided The Orville for a good while as I wasn't keen on seeing a spoof. However, The Orville is not a spoof - it is possibly the best sci-fi TV show since Star Trek: The Next Generation or DS9.
It took the first episode to acclimatise to the mix of comedy and drama, but make no mistake - this is a science fiction show with science fiction ideas and story lines, and they are all done brilliantly!
The writing is tremendous, and there's some genuinely fascinating concepts on display here. I became attached to and invested in the characters very quickly, and the arcs were all addictive and immersive.
The comedy element softens as the series progresses, and in season 2 it's much subtler and gels better with the drama, but the show wouldn't be the same without it. There are some genuine belly laughs to be had, and it all adds to the charm.
Compared to the stodgy and po-faced Star Trek: Discovery (which takes itself far too seriously) The Orville is a welcome return to fresh, breezy and interesting science fiction, which focuses on characters and high concepts rather than gritty action. The best part is that the characters are flawed, and the situations are interesting due to that.
The production values are also off the scale and beautiful throughout.
This is the best Star Trek that isn't Star Trek, and it's better than most other actual Star Trek. If this doesn't go on for at least 10 seasons It'll be one of the biggest wastes in TV history.
It took the first episode to acclimatise to the mix of comedy and drama, but make no mistake - this is a science fiction show with science fiction ideas and story lines, and they are all done brilliantly!
The writing is tremendous, and there's some genuinely fascinating concepts on display here. I became attached to and invested in the characters very quickly, and the arcs were all addictive and immersive.
The comedy element softens as the series progresses, and in season 2 it's much subtler and gels better with the drama, but the show wouldn't be the same without it. There are some genuine belly laughs to be had, and it all adds to the charm.
Compared to the stodgy and po-faced Star Trek: Discovery (which takes itself far too seriously) The Orville is a welcome return to fresh, breezy and interesting science fiction, which focuses on characters and high concepts rather than gritty action. The best part is that the characters are flawed, and the situations are interesting due to that.
The production values are also off the scale and beautiful throughout.
This is the best Star Trek that isn't Star Trek, and it's better than most other actual Star Trek. If this doesn't go on for at least 10 seasons It'll be one of the biggest wastes in TV history.