Star Trek spoof The Orville (by Seth MacFarlane)

[Skel]

Paramount and CBS are suing Axanar Productions.

Sued.. the people that made Axanar settled, strangely the day before the books showing where money was spent (the non-doctored version, as the guy who ran it did release something but it was vague and missing things people already knew about due to testimonies.) They're now able to make the Axanar movie (kinda as it's now two 15 min episodes per the CBS guidelines, so not the full 90+ movie they kickstarted.. NOTE: The kickstart did change from making the movie to making a studio to making the movie but that studio is gone too) but are now out of money and have dropped the who thing.

There are two main sources of info on this subject (which is a fascinating train wreak to me)

The pro-Axanar people-- https://fanfilmfactor.com/
The anti-Axanar (well more like anti-Alec Peters who ran the Axanar stuff)-- http://axamonitor.com

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Galavant really was awesome. I absolutely detest musicals but I still enjoyed it. The difference though is that you knew what Galavant was and how to judge it. With this show, it an odd kind of synthesis that might work, but might not.

There were definitely a lot of iffy moments in the show. The whole gun battle sequence, as has been noted. The ending with the redwood. To those you can probably add things like the cliche infidelity argument, the security officer's super strength and probably a host of other things if you wanted to get a catalog going.

The problem is that all that stuff is fine if we're looking at this as a comedy but doesn't cut it if we're looking at it as scifi. So I guess the real issue is do we think that the humor is good enough to compensate for the lack of scifi credibility?

That is indeed the problem. Even single aspect of the show is cribbed from Star Trek, so the only way it could work would be as a parody. If it was played 100% for laughs those would be obvious tropes worth laughing at. But if you're trying to pass the series off as a serious space adventure with comic undertones then it doesn't work. They're not making fun of space westerns, they're just copying them badly. As a half hour true comedy show the idea could fly, as an hour sci-fi adventure it doesn't.

And Galavant was great. That was a show that understood what it was, a well done parody of the epic fantasy genre that was smart enough to never take itself seriously. The Orville could learn from that.

 

[dud]

They need to watch more episodes of MASH to see the proper way to mix serious with comedy.

Agreed, but remember, MASH was made almost 50 years ago. TV/movie studios seem to only know how to copy the things of the past, not to create new content. Their creativity appears to have escaped them ...

Orville can't possibly be based on another show from the past!

 

[gorcorps]

Watched it, wasn't a fan... Not what I was hoping it would be. I was hoping it would be more of a straight comedy with some sci fi action, but the comedy really fell flat. Abrams new Star treks were funnier than this.

Oh well, wasn't expecting much anyway

 

[ViRGE]

So the premiere's ratings are in. 2.3, which is pretty good. It will lose some viewers over time, as almost every show bleeds some viewers after the premiere, but it means it can take a hit and still be one of Fox's better performing dramas.

 

[blankslate]

I actually liked it. The humor for me was hitting at least 60% of the time in terms of jokes I actually found funny.

I'm hoping the show improves in quality like TNG did in terms of stories. But I'm ready to be disappointed if ratings fall too much.


_________

 

[Fritzo]

I actually liked it. The humor for me was hitting at least 60% of the time in terms of jokes I actually found funny.

I'm hoping the show improves in quality like TNG did in terms of stories. But I'm ready to be disappointed if ratings fall too much.


_________

I'm sure it will. The actors have to learn and develop the characters, the relationships have to be built, and the show has to find its stride. That takes 2-3 seasons for most shows. That's why I hate people screaming "IT SUCKS CANCEL IT" after the first episode.

 

[dainthomas]

I'm sure it will. The actors have to learn and develop the characters, the relationships have to be built, and the show has to find its stride. That takes 2-3 seasons for most shows. That's why I hate people screaming "IT SUCKS CANCEL IT" after the first episode.

Ditto when networks can something after a handful of episodes. That's always annoyed me.

 

[ctbaars]

Sometimes it's not always about stride though.
Falling Waters was a really good show that still didn't get viewers.
But like Dark Matters had 3 seasons with viewers and didn't get it's stride.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Ditto when networks can something after a handful of episodes. That's always annoyed me.

As Virge stated, almost every show bleeds viewers and most that start poorly bleed like a stuck pig. The networks understand that, why don't you? The networks don't give a damn about building action or developing characters, the only question is "are people watching?". It's not rocket science.

I have a hunch this show is going to crater hard. Fox did enough promos, Star Trek has enough of a following and Seth has enough fans to guarantee a good first week. Lots of people would be curious to give it a week or two. And I don't think those people are going to be impressed. It doesn't work as a stand-alone space adventure and it doesn't work as a parody and everyone who expected one or the other is going to check out.

 

[ViRGE]

So the premiere's ratings are in. 2.3, which is pretty good. It will lose some viewers over time, as almost every show bleeds some viewers after the premiere, but it means it can take a hit and still be one of Fox's better performing dramas.

So it turns out the premiere did even better than previous reported. Now that the adjusted ratings are in, it turns out it pulled a 2.8, which as Dateline notes, "matched the debuts of NBC’s drama This Is Us and Fox’s comedy The Mick, the highest-rated launches last season."

So it is going to start with quite the cushion for when viewer numbers normalize.

 

[Charmonium]

Well, the second episode was so much better than the first. I almost blew this series off after last week. I thought the humor really kinda sucked and that it was a third rate trek spoof. I tried to be objective about it but when push came to shove, I really, really didn't like it.

This week they weren't has heavy handed with the cheesy ass humor and it made for a much better show. The twist at the end with the trade I though was hilarious and completely understated which made it even funnier. It was a complete contrast from last week. Even some of the drama was believable.

If this becomes the template for the show, I think it could be very enjoyable.

 

[Loop2kil]

I watched the first episode and it wasn't very good., i'd give it a 5/10 for the premiere but might give it a couple more episodes before I bail. Premieres aren't always a good litmus test for how a show will be over time. I didn't like the first couple of episodes of The IT Crowd but I'm glad I kept watching it because it improved a lot and became an all time favorite.

 

[DesiPower]

The sets and all are good, cast is good too, good chemistry. Story line is not bad either, but they kinda rushed it, they did not mix the comedy and adventure together properly, poor editing. Like in the second episode, the amount of details they skipped about how and what happened just took all the fun away from the show. It has potential but if they do not improve soon then it will be the 1st and the last season. I give it 5/10 too, juts because the sets and graphics are pretty amazing.

 

[Elixer]

Didn't know the game was running long, and I wasn't around, so... basically missed this episode.

 

[ViRGE]

The pilot was an enjoyable episode on its own, but this was still a step up. Fewer jokes and a more straightforward dramatic plot, which is what the show needs in order to prove it can walk the tight rope between the two worlds. More please!

On a production note, there must have been a fair bit of time between when the pilot and the rest of the series were filmed. Kitan's prosthetic was redone (she has eyebrows now!) and the bridge has new leather seats.

Didn't know the game was running long, and I wasn't around, so... basically missed this episode.

There will be a repeat on Tuesday. After that, it finally starts in its regular time slot on Thursday.

 

[Fritzo]

Didn't know the game was running long, and I wasn't around, so... basically missed this episode.

Same. STUPID SPORTSBALL & A GROUP TRYING TO CARRY A LEATHER BALLOON FROM POINT A TO B FASTER THAN THE OTHER GROUP TO SCORE A TOUCH GOAL ON THE FIELD-GREEN....

Fortunately I think it reruns on Tuesday.

 

[Fritzo]

The sets and all are good, cast is good too, good chemistry. Story line is not bad either, but they kinda rushed it, they did not mix the comedy and adventure together properly, poor editing. Like in the second episode, the amount of details they skipped about how and what happened just took all the fun away from the show. It has potential but if they do not improve soon then it will be the 1st and the last season. I give it 5/10 too, juts because the sets and graphics are pretty amazing.

Again, I'm going to point to ST:TNG

Their first and second season had stuff like this:

...and this...

...and things like "Data getting drunk from a virus", racists characters, terrible effects, and I could go on and on and on and on.

I remember when everyone said Gotham wouldn't last one season. Or Supergirl. Or Agents of Shield. The Orville is going to last more than one season.

 

[shortylickens]

Supergirl is shit.
The fact its getting multiple seasons says more about the brains of American TV viewers than the writing of the show.

 

[blankslate]

http://screenrant.com/star-trek-discovery-reviews-embargo/

EW‘s source claims the embargo is in place to ensure plot details don’t leak, but it’s inevitable that fans will fear it’s really for the other reason embargoes are enforced – namely, that the network is bracing for a wave of negative reviews. That fear isn’t coming out of nowhere for Star Trek fans. Discovery has had a long, sometimes contentious production cycle. Initial series creator Bryan Fuller departed before production began due to scheduling issues and creative differences with CBS. Discovery has also loudly broadcast the fact it will be discarding some of Star Trek’s foundational tropes, aiming for a more modern, dark, serialized take on the franchise. Case in point: retconning Commander Burnham into an adoptive sister Spock never mentioned has given some fans pause.

Seems like an excellent sign for the series because every show that has not been screen for critiics prior to the debut has been a massive hit... /sarcasm



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[thebestMAX]

Watchable but just barely. Stick with the subtle comedy, be funnier if they didnt go for the laughs but they were just there.

 

[local]

If they removed every reference or mention of the relationship thing it would improve the show to good in my book. Loved the ending.

 

[ViRGE]

Early numbers are in: The Orville pulled a 2.6, which was behind football (as you'd expect), but surprisingly enough, ahead of the Emmy's (and by half a point!)

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/daily-ratings/tv-ratings-sunday-sept-17-2017/

The early numbers will see larger swings once they get adjusted to better account for the football overruns. Still, The Orville's early numbers last week were 2.3, so the second episode may have done better than the first once all is said and done (and tabulated).

 

[Charmonium]

Supergirl is shit.
The fact its getting multiple seasons says more about the brains of American TV viewers than the writing of the show.

That's probably true. I still watch the show but I often find myself wondering why I do. The only way I can really justify it is that I have it on in the background when I'm doing things on the computer. If I had to watch the show and actually pay attention I'd probably cut my wrists.

 

[Fritzo]

Supergirl is shit.
The fact its getting multiple seasons says more about the brains of American TV viewers than the writing of the show.

The fact it has a fan-base and is getting good ratings means it's providing something a lot of people want to see. You don't appear to be in that group, so luckily you're not forced to watch it. It'll do fine without you.