Spence

I actually liked Powerless, another show that wasn't all dark and depressing.....

I actually liked Powerless, another show that wasn't all dark and depressing.....

I actually liked Powerless, another show that wasn't all dark and depressing.....

I thought it was worth continuing. More light-hearted than outright comedy.

So, despite my previously stated misgivings, I watched it based on the reviews above. While I didn't hate it, I think that the Orville needs to find its intended ground before I will be certain as to whether I will continue watching. Some of the silliness was over the top and it didn't need it. The story was actually quite good as a light-hearted adventure. The silliness actually detracted a bit. Tonally, I got homage (with a twist) more than parody. I think that there is definite affection for the Star Trek franchise coming from the creative staff.
 
I like the space station at the beginning and the overall aesthetic was pretty cool. It invoked more of Andromeda, I think, that Star Trek.
 
If played straight, the aliens can be a fun addition to the story. The gelatinous alien at the beginning was just silly. There was a bit of that in all of the aliens, but again, if played straight could lead to some interesting character dynamics. 
 
The good news. It went from a "Not interested at all" to a five episode trial. So it must have done something right.
 
Edit: Added some thoughts and opinions.

The operative term I  think
 
I find a lot the current comedy shows to sadly unfunny and a lot of the comedians insults to the title.    And yet people apparently not only like them, but actually think they are funny.   And don't get me started on the drama these days
 
Anyway, I hope the show takes off just so I have something mildly amusing and lacking worn out cliche conspiracies to watch for a change.  It doesn't even have to be that good, just not dark........

I admit, the Wright Brothers were the first thing I thought of when I saw the title.  And there was a scene at the end when Commander Grayson mentioned a ship called the USS Chanute.  Given that, it's reasonable to assume there are ships named the Bleriot, the Lilienthal, the Curtiss, and the Beachey--to name but a few. 
 
But not the Langley.  That one crashed on takeoff.  Twice.
 
 
 
I liked it as well.  I laughed, I cheered, I enjoyed it.  The scene where Captain Mercer and Cmdr. Grayson were arguing and the entire bridge crew could hear it through the bulkhead was especially funny.  In a way the show reminds me of Doug Curtis's SpaceHack comic series, which appeared in Knights Of The Dinner Table a few years ago--enjoyable as both parody and space adventure.
 
Congratulations, Mr. MacFarlane--you made a show I actually like.  I will continue to watch.

It really wasn't bad at all. Actually less wooden than Star Trek Next Gen was at first.
 
Watch Orville as Orville and it wasn't bad at all.
 
Watch Orville looking for Trek or Family Guy, and well it isn't.
 
As for Sir vice Ma'am. It's just lingo. I've heard both on the hanger deck in last few weeks. Just like saying Petty Officer Smith instead of the more familier P.O.1 or AT1
 
But generally the show looks good. In the preview show, Seth called it a comedic drama and went on to say they were aiming to bring back lighter not dark not dystopian scifi.
 
And I'm good with that. I've become seriously jaded on grungy dark future, dark conspiracies and evil guberment....
 
I seriously like to see something tgat is not just another bandwagon editorial. I mean TV shows have always injected a small dash of political or social opinion into the entertainment. The problem is that today shows are mostly political or social opinion with a tiny dash of entertainment. And the theme seems to always be dark.
 
In the end Orville is a decent show in early stages that is aiming to fill a completely empty niche. Optimistic scifi. Just because it is not the expected clone is no reason to avoid it.

It really wasn't bad at all. Actually less wooden than Star Trek Next Gen was at first.
 
Watch Orville as Orville and it wasn't bad at all.
 
Watch Orville looking for Trek or Family Guy, and well it isn't.
 
As for Sir vice Ma'am. It's just lingo. I've heard both on the hanger deck in last few weeks. Just like saying Petty Officer Smith instead of the more familier P.O.1 or AT1
 
But generally the show looks good. In the preview show, Seth called it a comedic drama and went on to say they were aiming to bring back lighter not dark not dystopian scifi.
 
And I'm good with that. I've become seriously jaded on grungy dark future, dark conspiracies and evil guberment....
 
I seriously like to see something tgat is not just another bandwagon editorial. I mean TV shows have always injected a small dash of political or social opinion into the entertainment. The problem is that today shows are mostly political or social opinion with a tiny dash of entertainment. And the theme seems to always be dark.
 
In the end Orville is a decent show in early stages that is aiming to fill a completely empty niche. Optimistic scifi. Just because it is not the expected clone is no reason to avoid it.

Pretty much this.
 
I had a good time, some fun, and I like the characters.
 
This is plenty to build on *G*
 
The crew is somewhat endearing. I too would ask for soda on the job.

First episode wasn't bad (and was certainly better than most first episodes of Trek), I'll give it a few more to see if it's worth watching.

The Orville Pilot is on tonight, folks. Just a reminder.

Based on what I've read so far I will be avoiding this series.  

Yeah, this is going to bite 'em in the @$$ big-time.

Re-watching Babylon 5.

Re-watching Babylon 5.

Just saw all old film called "fail safe"..if you've never seen it see it. One hell of a great movie. And no there is no music score.

We watched the first two episodes of Defenders (we're going to take our time and relish it, watching two episodes per week on Sundays).
 
Good stuff...I'm looking forward to seeing the next installment!

I believe that this is the entire problem CBS has with Trek right now. 
 
They are dishonest in both intent and how they deal with the existing fan base,, they repeatedly say one thing and do a completely different thing.  And then make believe it never happened. 
 
Is Star Trek (TV) their IP?  Yes. 
Can they do what ever they want with it?  Absolutely.
Is announcing the intent to do one thing and then doing something completely different a good sales tactic?  Nope, In the real world that is known as Bait & Switch and is considered a con.
 
The Prime Universe timeline has existed for over 50 years and has been embraced by millions.  Even when the original show had been written off as a failure, the fans were there and those same fans embraced and launched the moves and then TNG and the rest.   When they created the new movies (Kelvin timeline) some liked it some didn't, but the only controversy was the controversy generated by magazines and web-blogs desperate for clicks.
 
In this case CBS announced that the new series would continue in the existing Prime timeline ten years before TOS and then immediately changed everything.  Literally everything.
 
Like Twilight tried to transform Vampires from ancient evil entities into glitter dusted boytoys, the first look at STD has the hardened no nonsense Klingon warrior race transformed into pimped out somethings.  Their equipment went from tough utilitarian tools and weapons to gaudy for gaudy's sake. 
 
All technology follows functional reasoning.  Form follows function.  That is why there are so few overall changes.  A ship today and a ship built in the 1800's is still recognizable as a ship, with the biggest noticeable change being masts and sails.   But overall if you line them up, you can easily trace the evolution of the ship from the past to present. 
 
Fictional settings are not different.  You pick the parameters of the rubber science and go.  TOS was created in a TV era where continuity wasn't a thing and no effort was expended to try and make things fit.  But they did establish a few general "rules".   When the movies sparked Treks return the new series (TNG, DS9, etc) did try to maintain continuity and did so.  Each new series adding to the "rules" and the canon.  When they did ENT they realized that a major issue was blending into the timeline when TOS on screen tech was obviously behind real world current tech.  They set the new series 100 before TOS.  But even with the visual update the overall ship designs and uniforms did look like they could have been before TOS.  Any fan could take the ships and draw a progressing line from ENT to TOS to TNG to DS9 to VOY.  Fudging a little to compensate for Hollywood Tech they all still held up. 
 
But here comes STD.  Ten years before TOS and the ship design does not fit anywhere.  There is no path from ENT to STD to TOS. 
 
If they would have been honest up front and said they were creating a new stand alone Trek then they might have succeeded.  Fans would watch a new reboot for all the lamentations for a fans favorite series.   But they didn't.
 
1) They say that Axanar is great, and then when it looks to be a massive hit, they reversed and killed it.
 
2) They see Trek fans as a collective herd of stupid idiots who will automatically hand them money so they pander with the Bait & Switch promise about the Prime timeline.
 
3) They blithefully intone "Ignore our lies and subscribe to a web stream for only one show that isn't what we promised". 
 
4) They repeatedly make believe 1 through 3 didn't happen and anyone that doesn't like being mislead is a whiner, ensuring anyone that was on the fence gets pissed off and leaves.

Watched The Phantom again. Loved it back in the 90s, still love it now.

I believe that this is the entire problem CBS has with Trek right now. 
 
They are dishonest in both intent and how they deal with the existing fan base,, they repeatedly say one thing and do a completely different thing.  And then make believe it never happened. 
 
Is Star Trek (TV) their IP?  Yes. 
Can they do what ever they want with it?  Absolutely.
Is announcing the intent to do one thing and then doing something completely different a good sales tactic?  Nope, In the real world that is known as Bait & Switch and is considered a con.
 
The Prime Universe timeline has existed for over 50 years and has been embraced by millions.  Even when the original show had been written off as a failure, the fans were there and those same fans embraced and launched the moves and then TNG and the rest.   When they created the new movies (Kelvin timeline) some liked it some didn't, but the only controversy was the controversy generated by magazines and web-blogs desperate for clicks.
 
In this case CBS announced that the new series would continue in the existing Prime timeline ten years before TOS and then immediately changed everything.  Literally everything.
 
Like Twilight tried to transform Vampires from ancient evil entities into glitter dusted boytoys, the first look at STD has the hardened no nonsense Klingon warrior race transformed into pimped out somethings.  Their equipment went from tough utilitarian tools and weapons to gaudy for gaudy's sake. 
 
All technology follows functional reasoning.  Form follows function.  That is why there are so few overall changes.  A ship today and a ship built in the 1800's is still recognizable as a ship, with the biggest noticeable change being masts and sails.   But overall if you line them up, you can easily trace the evolution of the ship from the past to present. 
 
Fictional settings are not different.  You pick the parameters of the rubber science and go.  TOS was created in a TV era where continuity wasn't a thing and no effort was expended to try and make things fit.  But they did establish a few general "rules".   When the movies sparked Treks return the new series (TNG, DS9, etc) did try to maintain continuity and did so.  Each new series adding to the "rules" and the canon.  When they did ENT they realized that a major issue was blending into the timeline when TOS on screen tech was obviously behind real world current tech.  They set the new series 100 before TOS.  But even with the visual update the overall ship designs and uniforms did look like they could have been before TOS.  Any fan could take the ships and draw a progressing line from ENT to TOS to TNG to DS9 to VOY.  Fudging a little to compensate for Hollywood Tech they all still held up. 
 
But here comes STD.  Ten years before TOS and the ship design does not fit anywhere.  There is no path from ENT to STD to TOS. 
 
If they would have been honest up front and said they were creating a new stand alone Trek then they might have succeeded.  Fans would watch a new reboot for all the lamentations for a fans favorite series.   But they didn't.
 
1) They say that Axanar is great, and then when it looks to be a massive hit, they reversed and killed it.
 
2) They see Trek fans as a collective herd of stupid idiots who will automatically hand them money so they pander with the Bait & Switch promise about the Prime timeline.
 
3) They blithefully intone "Ignore our lies and subscribe to a web stream for only one show that isn't what we promised". 
 
4) They repeatedly make believe 1 through 3 didn't happen and anyone that doesn't like being mislead is a whiner, ensuring anyone that was on the fence gets pissed off and leaves.

I believe that this is the entire problem CBS has with Trek right now. 
 
They are dishonest in both intent and how they deal with the existing fan base,, they repeatedly say one thing and do a completely different thing.  And then make believe it never happened. 
 
Is Star Trek (TV) their IP?  Yes. 
Can they do what ever they want with it?  Absolutely.
Is announcing the intent to do one thing and then doing something completely different a good sales tactic?  Nope, In the real world that is known as Bait & Switch and is considered a con.
 
The Prime Universe timeline has existed for over 50 years and has been embraced by millions.  Even when the original show had been written off as a failure, the fans were there and those same fans embraced and launched the moves and then TNG and the rest.   When they created the new movies (Kelvin timeline) some liked it some didn't, but the only controversy was the controversy generated by magazines and web-blogs desperate for clicks.
 
In this case CBS announced that the new series would continue in the existing Prime timeline ten years before TOS and then immediately changed everything.  Literally everything.
 
Like Twilight tried to transform Vampires from ancient evil entities into glitter dusted boytoys, the first look at STD has the hardened no nonsense Klingon warrior race transformed into pimped out somethings.  Their equipment went from tough utilitarian tools and weapons to gaudy for gaudy's sake. 
 
All technology follows functional reasoning.  Form follows function.  That is why there are so few overall changes.  A ship today and a ship built in the 1800's is still recognizable as a ship, with the biggest noticeable change being masts and sails.   But overall if you line them up, you can easily trace the evolution of the ship from the past to present. 
 
Fictional settings are not different.  You pick the parameters of the rubber science and go.  TOS was created in a TV era where continuity wasn't a thing and no effort was expended to try and make things fit.  But they did establish a few general "rules".   When the movies sparked Treks return the new series (TNG, DS9, etc) did try to maintain continuity and did so.  Each new series adding to the "rules" and the canon.  When they did ENT they realized that a major issue was blending into the timeline when TOS on screen tech was obviously behind real world current tech.  They set the new series 100 before TOS.  But even with the visual update the overall ship designs and uniforms did look like they could have been before TOS.  Any fan could take the ships and draw a progressing line from ENT to TOS to TNG to DS9 to VOY.  Fudging a little to compensate for Hollywood Tech they all still held up. 
 
But here comes STD.  Ten years before TOS and the ship design does not fit anywhere.  There is no path from ENT to STD to TOS. 
 
If they would have been honest up front and said they were creating a new stand alone Trek then they might have succeeded.  Fans would watch a new reboot for all the lamentations for a fans favorite series.   But they didn't.
 
1) They say that Axanar is great, and then when it looks to be a massive hit, they reversed and killed it.
 
2) They see Trek fans as a collective herd of stupid idiots who will automatically hand them money so they pander with the Bait & Switch promise about the Prime timeline.
 
3) They blithefully intone "Ignore our lies and subscribe to a web stream for only one show that isn't what we promised". 
 
4) They repeatedly make believe 1 through 3 didn't happen and anyone that doesn't like being mislead is a whiner, ensuring anyone that was on the fence gets pissed off and leaves.

". . . hard science fiction of the original series."

I believe that this is the entire problem CBS has with Trek right now. 
 
They are dishonest in both intent and how they deal with the existing fan base,, they repeatedly say one thing and do a completely different thing.  And then make believe it never happened. 
 
Is Star Trek (TV) their IP?  Yes. 
Can they do what ever they want with it?  Absolutely.
Is announcing the intent to do one thing and then doing something completely different a good sales tactic?  Nope, In the real world that is known as Bait & Switch and is considered a con.
 
The Prime Universe timeline has existed for over 50 years and has been embraced by millions.  Even when the original show had been written off as a failure, the fans were there and those same fans embraced and launched the moves and then TNG and the rest.   When they created the new movies (Kelvin timeline) some liked it some didn't, but the only controversy was the controversy generated by magazines and web-blogs desperate for clicks.
 
In this case CBS announced that the new series would continue in the existing Prime timeline ten years before TOS and then immediately changed everything.  Literally everything.
 
Like Twilight tried to transform Vampires from ancient evil entities into glitter dusted boytoys, the first look at STD has the hardened no nonsense Klingon warrior race transformed into pimped out somethings.  Their equipment went from tough utilitarian tools and weapons to gaudy for gaudy's sake. 
 
All technology follows functional reasoning.  Form follows function.  That is why there are so few overall changes.  A ship today and a ship built in the 1800's is still recognizable as a ship, with the biggest noticeable change being masts and sails.   But overall if you line them up, you can easily trace the evolution of the ship from the past to present. 
 
Fictional settings are not different.  You pick the parameters of the rubber science and go.  TOS was created in a TV era where continuity wasn't a thing and no effort was expended to try and make things fit.  But they did establish a few general "rules".   When the movies sparked Treks return the new series (TNG, DS9, etc) did try to maintain continuity and did so.  Each new series adding to the "rules" and the canon.  When they did ENT they realized that a major issue was blending into the timeline when TOS on screen tech was obviously behind real world current tech.  They set the new series 100 before TOS.  But even with the visual update the overall ship designs and uniforms did look like they could have been before TOS.  Any fan could take the ships and draw a progressing line from ENT to TOS to TNG to DS9 to VOY.  Fudging a little to compensate for Hollywood Tech they all still held up. 
 
But here comes STD.  Ten years before TOS and the ship design does not fit anywhere.  There is no path from ENT to STD to TOS. 
 
If they would have been honest up front and said they were creating a new stand alone Trek then they might have succeeded.  Fans would watch a new reboot for all the lamentations for a fans favorite series.   But they didn't.
 
1) They say that Axanar is great, and then when it looks to be a massive hit, they reversed and killed it.
 
2) They see Trek fans as a collective herd of stupid idiots who will automatically hand them money so they pander with the Bait & Switch promise about the Prime timeline.
 
3) They blithefully intone "Ignore our lies and subscribe to a web stream for only one show that isn't what we promised". 
 
4) They repeatedly make believe 1 through 3 didn't happen and anyone that doesn't like being mislead is a whiner, ensuring anyone that was on the fence gets pissed off and leaves.

Oh, this does not look good
 

 
 
 
it's 21 minutes long but very informative.
 
Spock's sister? Oy.
 
And apparently the term "Prime" time line is being used much like "real cheese"