The Orville Episode 4 Review: If the Stars Should Appear

Den of Geek! ^ | 9-29-2017 | Michael Ahr

[Bender2]

The Orville Episode 4 Review: If the Stars Should Appear

The Orville runs into a massive ship adrift in space, and the story, although familiar in some ways, unfolds impressively.

[This "The Orville" review contains spoilers]

The Orville Season 1 Episode 4

You’d think that after many seasons and spinoffs of Star Trek, we’d have seen an episode like this one, but The Orville is proving that it can break new ground even as it treads familiar territory. Encountering a society blinded by self-imposed ignorance is nothing new, of course, but the manner in which this show presents its encounters with other civilizations is quickly beginning to become its own thing. Although the pacing had its issues this week, the overall story and the continuing development of characters we’ve come to enjoy left us satisfied.

[Bender2]

If "The Orville" 4th Episode, "If the Stars Should Appear" seems familiar, most "Original Series" fans will point to the 1968 season three's "For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky" and they'd be right--

Back then, it was pointed out that the "Star Trek" episode was very much like Robert A. Heinlein's 1963 novella Orphans of the Sky that came from two of his 1941 short stories: "Universe" (Astounding Science Fiction, May 1941) and its sequel, "Common Sense" (Astounding Science Fiction, October 1941).

Matter of fact, David Gerrold's second season "The Trouble with Tribbles" was very much like the 'Flat Cats' from Robert A. Heinlein's 1952 juvenile novelThe Rolling Stones (a.k.a. Space Family Stone) and "Tramp Space Ship", a condensed version of the novel published earlier in Boys' Life (September, October, November, December 1952).

So, that proves if you are going to steal, only steal from the very best and that would be Bob Heinlein-- I call him 'Bob' because I got to meet him once in 1964 when I shook hands with the two men I held above all others with the exception of my late Father, George Bedford Lee. Those two just below Dad were 'Bob' and Barry Goldwater.

Well, to get back on target, this episode of "The Orville" did use a different tack in getting the lost' folk back on track that neither 'Bob' or Rik Vollaerts's "--Touching the Sky" used in their plotlines. I especially liked the cameo of Liam Neeson playing the long dead Captain of the derelict spaceship that had over eons been turned into a God and not in the good way.

There is still an unease with the balance between the drama and humor but I enjoyed the way they fleshed out the familiar plot ending and found the in-you-face humorous tinged feistiness of Adrianne Palicki's character Commander Kelly Grayson when facing torture down right refreshing in this day of strong, silent male heroes never yielding an inch or a sound.

Looking forward to next weeks episode guest starring one of my guilty pleasure sex-pots, Charlize Theron!

So, "The Orville" is no where near perfect and needs work, BUT it is still light-years ahead of CBS' disaster "Star Trek: Discovery" that took a knee and lost CBS my 10 bucks a month.

[Bender2]

Okay, y’all say your piece—

[trebb]

Wasn’t thrilled with the preceding “born a girl/turned into a boy” episode and the way last night started with the 2 “its”, but the episode told me they will do some semi-spoofs of original Star Trek shows and it was interesting enough to watch unless better options come along.

[GT Vander]

Damn, forgot it moved to Thursday and missed it, had college football on in the background for noise instead.

Have to make a mental note for next week.

[yarddog]

I don’t get the newest Star Trek on my Dish Network.

[GraceG]

So far it feel more like Trek than the current Drek

[sparklite2]

No one does. You have to pay CBS for the second and following episodes.

[sparklite2]

I watched the first few minutes of Orville and went on to something else. The comedy writing was too juvenile. And I agree the new Star Trek is dreadful. I think it is overly feminized and furthers the masculinity-is-bad nonsense in its choosing to vest the only real maculinity in the show in the Klingons, who are vilified/reptilized far beyond the extent of Trek Klingons.. No thanks.

[Bender2]

Re: Wasn’t thrilled with the preceding “born a girl/turned into a boy” episode and the way last night started with the 2 “its”

I understand why many peg this a homo-friendly plot-point, yet I find it rather refreshing exploring what a single gender species would be like without outright branding them as gay for the pure left wing political correctness slant.

In their society as related on the series, no one is gay as 99.99% of them are male with only an occasional female being born. To have gayness, in my way of thinking, there have to be two distinct male and female parts of the population for them to be gay with--

Anyway, we agree to disagree on the gay/non-gayness of Bortus and Klyden but I am still no fan at all of gay marriage. That is before God and the Bible is rather firm on homosexuality being a sin no matter what the supposed majority of social convention has evolved into--

Besides, the Moclans can only tinkle once a year... so cut them a little slack!

[edh]

“CBS’ disaster “Star Trek: Discovery””

Just curious ... what didn’t you like about it in particular. The premiere episodes weren’t what I expected. It was much better than what I thought. Well, better than any non-Seven of Nine Voyager episode I saw :-).

I dug the tall alien science officer that seemed to be a bit more of a hawk vs. a dove. I thought the XO was a solid character / actress. The new captain seems to be no-nonsense ... I like that.

The only thing I was sick of watching was all of that Klingon nonsense ... they didn’t need to speak Klingon the entire time they were on the screen ... stuff like that turns casual fans of the show away.

Is something going to ruin it for me in the next few episodes that I am not aware of :-) ?

[edh]

“So, “The Orville” is no where near perfect and needs work,”

Almost forgot ... I agree 100% ... it has enough to keep me coming back, but it certainly needs work.

[Bender2]

Re: Is something going to ruin it for me in the next few episodes that I am not aware of :-) ?

From my post #76 at Star Trek Discovery Live Thread:

Okay, just watched the first two episodes and will not call a spoiler alert as I will not give away anything from the second episode.

Besides my previous comments on uniforms looking too ST: The Motion Picture-ish for my taste and lens flare-ish effects, the plot is not too shabby-- However, the production choices do not conform to "Star Trek: The Original Series" history as they have made a firm choice to not have anything close to cannon.

The side-teleporting and long distance communications with the Admiral and Sarek appearing via a 'Star Wars' hologram look are nowhere near the suggested timeline technology of 10 years before Kirk. As feared, the mention of Star Fleet being PC explorers not soldiers flies in the face of all the warmongering Kirk did in the first three years of the Original Series.

The Klingons are all on supercalifragilistic steroids and not in the good way. They nothing like any of the Klingon characters on the Original Series. They are way more surreal than even any of the other Klingon look of the later series and films.

All my low expectations are there but the plot line has me interested in watching more.

Yet I have to ask why did they not just keep the production style of the Original Series and keep within cannon. To me, that would have been more ingenious than going out in far left field to see how they could 'improve' on the Original Series era.

Staying in the Original Series production style would have been much superior to what they offered up tonight.

What they did offer up may turn into a watchable series with interesting plot lines but it sure as hell ain't the "Star Trek" that Kirk, Spock and Bones gave us.

That was before the the entire cast took a knee to support the 'Social Justice' NFL players, so since then I have cancelled my CBS subscription and shall not watch any more of the series.

[I want the USA back]

Saw episode 3, with the baby has 2 daddies, baby is a girl, daddies want her changed to a boy, and vowed never to watch it again.
If they stop the ultra PC crap, I might go back to watching it.

[reg45]

the way last night started with the 2 “its”

They are not “its”. The show clearly stated that they are both males. The biology of that species is different from human biology.

[TomGuy]

I continue to be surprised with The Orville. I find it actually pretty good. They could cut out the Seth comedic lines, as they fall flat.

I did not care for ST:Discovery. Having to sign up and pay for CBS Access has a lot to do with it.

[commish]

Besides, the Moclans can only tinkle once a year so cut them a little slack!

I am already wondering what would happen if there is no place to go when that time of year happens. Seth, are you listening?

[Popman]

I watched the first 15 minutes of the first show...

I had to turn it off it was so lame...

Maybe I will give it second chance...

[Red Badger]

Orphans of the Sky was such a sad ending...................

[laxcoach]

My son and I are watching the series because we both like Seth McFarland’s humor.

The two dad’s gender reassignment episode - I found it to be a subtle dig more than PC propaganda.

Last night I decided that the series has potential. They have actual plots that are a little campy like the original Star Trek. But they are also lampooning Star Trek a little bit. It is a refreshing take on that type of series.

I really enjoyed the scene where the captain tries their food without a second thought and it disgusts him. As he began to eat, my son was saying “how does he know it isn’t poisonous to humans?”

I would have really liked it if they did something similar in the torture scene. The bad guy gives the female officer a shot that should cause excruciating pain. It would have been great if it had an effect like heroine. Since it is McFarland, I expected her to have an orgasm from the shot.

[Bender2]

Re: I would have really liked it if they did something similar in the torture scene. The bad guy gives the female officer a shot that should cause excruciating pain. It would have been great if it had an effect like heroine. Since it is McFarland, I expected her to have an orgasm from the shot

Have you ever given any thought... to becoming a screenwriter?

Well don't-- I have enough trouble... selling my crap without more competition!!!