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The Orville II - The Wrath of Deathmask Face

Started by Alberon, December 28, 2018, 07:17:28 PM

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Alberon

Incredibly it somehow lived long and prospered and the half drama/half leaden comedy Star Trek TNG ripoff is back on Sunday in the US.

Comic-con trailer https://youtu.be/lavy7qZ1aoo

QuoteMacFarlane said: "It's scary going into a brand-new season because you've just written an entire batch of episodes, presumably that you are proud of and that you feel good about, and then you have to do it all over again.

"In the back of your head, there's always the scary thought, 'Oh, shit. We used up all the stories, and there are no more'."

However, MacFarlane explained that season two is actually bigger and better than the first, promising fans that they'll be surprised to see how much it's grown.

"I'm actually happy to say that this season is a big step up from last season as far as the caliber of shows. I was really proud of the shows we did last year, but you always want each season to grow and to be bigger and better, and this one absolutely fits that bill. I think it's really gonna surprise people how the show has expanded and really come into its own."

Admittedly, he's not going to say it's a big bowl of reheated shit, but the show did lift from absolutely bloody awful to passable by the first season's end. McFarlane and his deathmask face will loom over everything and I doubt it will ever hit 'great' but maybe, just maybe, the show can get better still.

To my mind the question is whether The Orville season 2 can beat Doctor Who series 11.

It's possible.

Malcy

Proper looking forward to it. Gonna do a binge rewatch of series 1 over the weekend. A bit gutted about what I've read concerning a character but reckon I'll enjoy it as much as if not more than the first. Good guest cast coming in as well.

Excited for this a lot more than Discovery.

Small Man Big Horse

I was surprised that I quite liked this, I mean it was a shameless rip off of The Next Generation and the attempts at humour often made me cringe, but it did improve and I've a fondness for it's upbeat tone when so many other sci-fi shows are grim dark.

olliebean

I liked it more than Discovery, to be honest. Could do with less on-screen MacFarlane, though.

Malcy

Quote from: olliebean on December 29, 2018, 04:57:59 PM
I liked it more than Discovery, to be honest. Could do with less on-screen MacFarlane, though.

I never really liked him very much onscreen but this has changed that a bit.

Malcy

Enjoyed that. Life on the ship style episodes were good in Trek. The drive by was funny. I noticed John Denney does the music for this. Recognise his name from the Doctor Who Tv Movie. Just had a look at his CV. Done loads.

Just remembered I seen Jason Alexander's name in the credits. Was he in it?

MojoJojo

Is this available on any streaming services? I'm guessing I'll have to torrent it.

Alberon

It'll turn up on FOX in the UK eventually, but at the moment only torrents are available. The second episode has been broadcast, but I've not had time to watch either yet.

Malcy

2nd episode has some great shots in it. Looks really sleek. Felt very Trek story wise. The Bortis storyline was funny but a bit weird and seemed to go on forever.

boki

Please reassure me that somebody else was expecting this to be about Keith Harris.

Malcy

Sad to see Alara go. Halston Sage is fine as fuck. Hopefully she will end up coming back in a later series. I noticed Jason Alexander a lot easier this week. He's the bartender. Enjoyed Patrick Warburton as the security officer.

Funny to see 2 Trek doctors in the same scene as well. Played it well. The planet looked amazing. They've got great design and effects on this show.

olliebean

Is Patrick Warburton going to be the new permanent security officer?

Malcy

Quote from: olliebean on January 14, 2019, 09:58:24 PM
Is Patrick Warburton going to be the new permanent security officer?

Don't think so.

kidsick5000

Was it confirmed that Sage and Macfarlane were an item?
And if so, is this because they want to continue without complications or because it ended badly?

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

Quote from: boki on January 07, 2019, 12:05:45 PM
Please reassure me that somebody else was expecting this to be about Keith Harris.

Yes, I was. Bit disappointing to be honest.

Alberon

Finally getting to watch the first few episodes. I'm halfway through the third episode when the Enterprise doctor has just revealed his true colours to the family of the Voyager Doctor.

Bit strange to start with two Bortus heavy episodes. I believe the second one was actually an episode held over from season 1.

Despite being a light-hearted copy of late TNG or Voyager it still has the occasional hard edge. When they rescued only half of a planet's small remaining population for instance. TNG would have technobabbled a way to save them all.

Blumf

Yeah that dying planet episode was a bit of a wasted idea. Could have spent a lot more time dealing with that issue rather than the Bortas holoporn stuff.

First episode was a complete dud. Why on earth did they go with that? Just nothing.

E03: Was delightful to see the two doctors, was hoping Gates Mcfadden would turn up at the end, or maybe Siddig, but oh well. Good episode, even if we do loose Alara.

Malcy

Big nod to Discovery with Lt Tyler being a Krill. I bloody love this show. The opening titles, the music, the characters. I hope it runs for a few more series.

Alberon

Quote from: Malcy on January 19, 2019, 08:27:58 PM
Big nod to Discovery with Lt Tyler being a Krill. I bloody love this show. The opening titles, the music, the characters. I hope it runs for a few more series.

I was happily hatewatching this at the start of the first season, but damn me if I'm not starting to properly like the thing. I know it's Star Trek its copying, but its filled the hole left by Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis in the light Sci-Fi Drama slot.

There was another Star Trek nod in that episode. When Gordon was in the simulator one of the tactics he tried was claiming a defector modification would reflect the attack back on the attacker and destroy them. Which is very similar to a tactic used by one James T. Kirk in an early TOS episode.

Blumf

Quote from: Malcy on January 19, 2019, 08:27:58 PM
Big nod to Discovery with Lt Tyler being a Krill.

Well, Disco was following on from The Trouble with Tribbles TOS episode there. But yep, was pretty similar.

Malcy

This week's thoughts.

Missing Alara. Ted Danson! The Izar System. (TOS/Axanar Nod). Bortis and the egg comments. The 'lets use fake names, it's a rare opportunity' bit. Planet looked great. This show looks stunning.


Small Man Big Horse

I'm struggling with it this year. I quite liked the first season and was surprised by it being fun, but there's just something I'm finding slightly irritating about season 2 which I can't quite put my finger on.

olliebean

That last one was pretty much just recycling a Data storyline from a TNG episode, wasn't it?

Actually I rewatched the TNG one (In Theory) fairly recently, and not only does the dating Data storyline have more depth to it than this one did, but they also fitted in a whole other plot about space-time distortions or some such Star Trekky thing.

Malcy

I loved it. Laughed a fair bit. I like Isaac's character. The actor who plays him was the Alan half of Les Alanos in the Phoenix Nights Peter Kay Thing episode!

Malcy



Malcy

Elements of TNG's 'The Outcast's & Voyager's episode where they reconstructed a blurry holodeck image of Tuvok when he was under Bajoran influence.

I like that this show is mainly about the characters rather than sci fi ideas. Hope we see more of the Lieutenant with the cupcakes!

The Moclins are interesting in that they are so different in their ideas than the rest of the Union. Starfleet wouldn't allow species with those views in the Federation but interesting that Mercer explains that despite that they 'need them'. Wonder when the Krill will make more of a menacing appearance.

Alberon

The Moclan issue does look like it is going to come to a head at some point. This is the third episode (at least) that goes on about how awful their culture is, considering how they seem to have the place in this Star Trek clone as the Klingon clones it does seem to actually asking the question of how the Federation clone in this series can be allies with them nad, by extension, how the actual Federation could ever work with the actual Klingons.

Just googled this show and it turns out Bruce Willis played the sentient plant.

Malcy

Quote from: Alberon on February 17, 2019, 11:28:07 AM
The Moclan issue does look like it is going to come to a head at some point. This is the third episode (at least) that goes on about how awful their culture is, considering how they seem to have the place in this Star Trek clone as the Klingon clones it does seem to actually asking the question of how the Federation clone in this series can be allies with them nad, by extension, how the actual Federation could ever work with the actual Klingons.

Just googled this show and it turns out Bruce Willis played the sentient plant.

I recognised the voice straight away but couldn't place it! Forgot to check afterwards.

Malcy

Brilliant episode this week. Wasn't expecting the ending even though I knew Isaac's people were a bit coming across a bit shifty and it was a 2 parter.

Another great looking planet. Reminded me of the internet in Wreck It Ralph! Really interested to see how this one will be resolved.