Being the huge fan of “Galaxy Quest” that I am, I knew it was only a matter of time that a network attempted a television version. And so, you have
The Orville, from Emmy Award-winning executive producer and creator Seth MacFarlane which gets a special two-week preview following the NFL Doubleheader on Fox on consecutive Sundays starting tonight at 8E/7C.
The two-episode premiere of MacFarlane’s comedic space drama kicks off with Old Wounds, which sets up the premise of the series. The show’s description from the network is:
THE ORVILLE is a live-action, one-hour space adventure series set 400 years in the future that follows the exploits of The U.S.S. Orville, a mid-level exploratory spaceship. Its crew, both human and alien, face the wonders and dangers of outer space, while also dealing with the problems of everyday life. In the series' opener, it's 2417, and the Planetary Union promotes ED MERCER (MacFarlane) to Captain of the exploratory vessel The U.S.S. Orville. Ed's enthusiasm for his new position is dampened when his ex-wife, KELLY GRAYSON (Adrianne Palicki), is assigned to be his First Officer.
I don’t think that fans of the film, Galaxy Quest – the quirky, space comedy homage to Star Trek, will be disappointed in this ambitious undertaking, and neither will fans of MacFarlane’s off-beat sense of humor. Like with most pilots, this episode spends most of its time putting all the players in place, aligning the stars if you will. We meet the crew of the U.S.S Orville, a quirky collection, played by some recognizable faces and at least one character, whom I think will become a fan favorite. As far as story, the show stumbles some out of the gate but makes up for it with some nice action sequences and visual effects and a comfortable chemistry among the cast. The show leads MacFarlane and Adrienne Palicki share an interesting and watchable connection.
What the show does need to do is decide if it wants to be a comedy with dramatic elements or a drama interspersed with comedic elements. My personal opinion that the show works better as a drama and straight up space adventure.
Part one of the special two-part preview of
The Orville – airs tonight at 8E/7C on Fox, following the NFL Doubleheader on Fox and is worth your time watching. It was a good move to schedule the premiere here as football will likely give
The Orville an early ratings bump and has the potential to surprise some viewers.
Will you be watching tonight? If so, tell us what you think in the comments.
