I like that McFarlane just said “fuck that” in The Orville. He kept the gist — leave developing civilizations alone — but doesn’t even consider allowing them to go extinct for stupid reasons.
Maybe it’s an unpopular opinion given how reasonably popular Below Deck and SNW appear to be, but The Orville, for me, is the best post-2002 Trek thing. This is one of the reasons.
Season 1 is wildly uneven. Some episodes are a TV-14 Seth McFarland raunchy comedy in space and others are Star Trek, but with real people. If you don’t enjoy the (admittedly purile) sense of humor, The Orville probably isn’t for you. The show never completely abandons that tone even as it explores more classic Trek style writing.
There are some episodes though, like S01E08 which are played almost totally straight and those are the ones that feel the most like a TNG revival to me.
1.04-end of S1 (with the exception of Cupid’s Dagger) are rock fucking solid. I remember when it first aired, first three eps, eh it’s something to watch on a boring shift …then If the stars should appear, pria, krill. GODDAMN at that point I was salivating for the next ep and it did not disappoint. I absolutely adore the concept of New Dimensions as well.
In TOS Kirk really leans into not interfering with the “healthy” development of a civilization. If it isn’t healthy in his judgement, he interferes. So, essentially when it comes to Kirk if it offends his sensibilities he assumes free reign change it while paying lip service to the idea of non-intervention.
And they even had an episode that explained why the Union had a “Prime Directive” and what happened when they tried to introduce new technology to a planet that wasn’t ready for it.
I liked We Are Legion where Bob is like “Fuck this! I’m making sure this species thrives, even if I have to kill half the planet to do it.”. Also regarding genocide, the Bobs were like “file as ‘think about this later’ on our TODO list”.
Really early on, too. It was one of the things that made me go “oh wait this isn’t just fart jokes in space”.
Though to be fair, the reality is that no matter how advanced we get there’s still gonna be fart jokes in space. That scene in the cafeteria where everyone’s getting Bortus to eat random things seems like a far more realistic vision of a space-faring post-scarcity future.
Though to be fair, the reality is that no matter how advanced we get there’s still gonna be fart jokes in space. That scene in the cafeteria where everyone’s getting Bortus to eat random things seems like a far more realistic vision of a space-faring post-scarcity future.
This is exactly why I love lower decks, it’s so much closer to how we would probably act in the 24th century vs the heroized live action stuff lmao
Ehh. Mighta been born that way (even that’s debatable) but definitely not anymore. Tendi is the ass-kicking heir to a pirate dynasty, Rutherford is an insanely talented and obsessive engineer, Beckett seems borderline unbeatable in hand-to-hand combat and explicitly dodges promotions, and Boimler is Boimler.
The acquisition of wealth is no longer the driving force in our lives. We work to better ourselves and the rest of humanity.
Mariner became an ass kicker at Starfleet. Rutherford turned his genius into something caring and kind. Tendi learned to feel accepted for every part of herself and to use her two halves together. Boimler got bold.
A positive environment for people to learn and grow can transform the mediocre of the mediocre into the best of the best. It drew out the hidden talents within them and turned them into badasses
Back then Mariner couldn’t be a leader because she was still working out her rage issues. Rutherford didn’t truly know himself and struggled with his implant. Tendi was ashamed to be an Orion and wasn’t usually willing to use her pirate skills. Boimler wasn’t bold.
I like that McFarlane just said “fuck that” in The Orville. He kept the gist — leave developing civilizations alone — but doesn’t even consider allowing them to go extinct for stupid reasons.
Maybe it’s an unpopular opinion given how reasonably popular Below Deck and SNW appear to be, but The Orville, for me, is the best post-2002 Trek thing. This is one of the reasons.
I’ve watched some of the Orville season 1 and I can’t believe that claim. What season does it get good?
Season 1 is wildly uneven. Some episodes are a TV-14 Seth McFarland raunchy comedy in space and others are Star Trek, but with real people. If you don’t enjoy the (admittedly purile) sense of humor, The Orville probably isn’t for you. The show never completely abandons that tone even as it explores more classic Trek style writing.
There are some episodes though, like S01E08 which are played almost totally straight and those are the ones that feel the most like a TNG revival to me.
1.04-end of S1 (with the exception of Cupid’s Dagger) are rock fucking solid. I remember when it first aired, first three eps, eh it’s something to watch on a boring shift …then If the stars should appear, pria, krill. GODDAMN at that point I was salivating for the next ep and it did not disappoint. I absolutely adore the concept of New Dimensions as well.
If i had to do an intro ep: Krill.
Starts with the crew getting a bridge officer to eat a cactus, ends on a damning note about the cycle of hate
They save them in tos as well.
Only because Kirk hadn’t banged them yet.
(yes I’m adding to my joke hours later. do something about it. bitch.)
In TOS Kirk really leans into not interfering with the “healthy” development of a civilization. If it isn’t healthy in his judgement, he interferes. So, essentially when it comes to Kirk if it offends his sensibilities he assumes free reign change it while paying lip service to the idea of non-intervention.
Colonialism at its finest! The Apple is the absolute perfect example. “But Spock, these people don’t even f*ck! We gotta destroy that lizard cave!”
Yeah, but in TOS we also see what happens if you forget a book about the chicago mob of the 1920s on a developing planet.
And they even had an episode that explained why the Union had a “Prime Directive” and what happened when they tried to introduce new technology to a planet that wasn’t ready for it.
Isn’t that also part of the ST lore? Or did I mix up The Orville and Star Trek canon… :/
I liked We Are Legion where Bob is like “Fuck this! I’m making sure this species thrives, even if I have to kill half the planet to do it.”. Also regarding genocide, the Bobs were like “file as ‘think about this later’ on our TODO list”.
Lol Bob went a level above genocide in the end there. Artificial stellar nova is a bad day for every species in a solar system…
That was one of the coolest scenes I’ve read before. The sheer magnitude of their destruction was unbelievable.
Bob decided to delete the great filter.
For real. Every now and again I go back JUST for that passage. So so good.
Really early on, too. It was one of the things that made me go “oh wait this isn’t just fart jokes in space”.
Though to be fair, the reality is that no matter how advanced we get there’s still gonna be fart jokes in space. That scene in the cafeteria where everyone’s getting Bortus to eat random things seems like a far more realistic vision of a space-faring post-scarcity future.
This is exactly why I love lower decks, it’s so much closer to how we would probably act in the 24th century vs the heroized live action stuff lmao
The Enterprise bridge crew are the best of the best. Lower Decks is a story about the mediocre of the mediocre
Ehh. Mighta been born that way (even that’s debatable) but definitely not anymore. Tendi is the ass-kicking heir to a pirate dynasty, Rutherford is an insanely talented and obsessive engineer, Beckett seems borderline unbeatable in hand-to-hand combat and explicitly dodges promotions, and Boimler is Boimler.
Im hoping they figure out how to rotate fresh characters into the cast as the originals fade away (ie Tendi), and let the cycle repeat until canceled
That’s Star Trek as hell
Mariner became an ass kicker at Starfleet. Rutherford turned his genius into something caring and kind. Tendi learned to feel accepted for every part of herself and to use her two halves together. Boimler got bold.
A positive environment for people to learn and grow can transform the mediocre of the mediocre into the best of the best. It drew out the hidden talents within them and turned them into badasses
I wanna agree but in this particular case they all had those traits even before the show started (timeline-wise)
Back then Mariner couldn’t be a leader because she was still working out her rage issues. Rutherford didn’t truly know himself and struggled with his implant. Tendi was ashamed to be an Orion and wasn’t usually willing to use her pirate skills. Boimler wasn’t bold.
They were all held back in really important ways.
Boimler is just American Rimmer
nah. Boimler is actually incredibly competent and skilled. He’s just neurotic AF
Lower decks is painful to watch
Really? I’m curious, you don’t like the humor or what is it?
The Orville is Star Trek if the federation actually had to recruit real people.
Yeah ‘if the stars should appear’ was the point all of us sat up and went “HELLO”