When I first started this show I found it to be a really awkward mix of comedy and seriousness. It had some jokes thrown it at the most inopportune times as some kind of comic relief from a really serious situation. Perhaps the first half of the first season was actually a bit rough or maybe the show just grew on me, but by season 2 I found myself loving this show.
To me it seems as every bit as comfy, intellectually interesting and even funny as some classic Star Treks while still clearly being its own thing. I wish more comfy space shows like this would get made.
What are your thoughts on The Orville? Also I miss Alara.
I’d still say Orville hits the mark closer, in many ways. SNW follows some of TOS’ style, but it still doesn’t always quite have that Gene Roddenberry feel to the characters. Orville does this better while its style is more like TNG - which perhaps isn’t surprising given how much Seth MacFarlane has worked with Patrick Stewart in recent years.
Frankly I want more seasaons of both.