# The Orville Season 2 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [December 31, 2018, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966 "2018-12-31T06:20:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2019, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/181 "2019-01-13T22:58:43Z")
I’m not clear on the two esophagi, especially since it looked like one went from his face to his belly. How was he supposed to eat with it? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2019, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/182 "2019-01-13T23:09:41Z")
He doesn’t eat with it, I don’t think. It’s just an extra path from his mouth/throat to his stomach so that he can really cram it down. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2019, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/183 "2019-01-13T23:16:54Z")
Overall, it was a pretty good show. There certainly were plot holes (everything the bad guy ended up doing made his plan to fake a suicide moot), but it worked pretty well. I find the drama in the show much more interesting that the lame jokes, so I was glad that they stayed away from them. I’m sorry that Alara left – she was one of the most interesting characters on the show – but it seemed like “the actress wants out so we’ll come up with a reason” than anything that showed up in the episode. There was no particular reason for her to stay behind other than IITS. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2019, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/184 "2019-01-13T23:50:27Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > He doesn’t eat with it, I don’t think. It’s just an extra path from his mouth/throat to his stomach so that he can really cram it down. Also why did Mercer say they only have standard uniforms on board? They have replicators and presumably just make clothing as needed so why even mention it? Unless of course he just couldn’t stop staring at the 2nd esophagus and was trying to make up an excuse for doing so. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/185 "2019-01-14T00:58:00Z")
Oh, and didn’t the actress who played Alara’s mother also play a Vorta on DS9? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/186 "2019-01-14T01:02:52Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Oh, and didn’t the actress who played Alara’s mother also play a Vorta on DS9? Yes. But I recognized her mostly as “Angel” - Herman’s sensitivity in “Herman’s Head” ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/187 "2019-01-14T01:04:23Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Oh, and didn’t the actress who played Alara’s mother also play a Vorta on DS9? Yes, the original Vorta seen, no less. Eris, in the final episode of Season Two (IIRC), called “The Jem’Hadar”. She was eventually determined to be a planted spy, rather than the damsel in distress she was playing. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/188 "2019-01-14T01:41:43Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > No. They should turn ‘Security Chief of the Week’ into a running joke. Like Murphy Brown’s secretary or Dilbert’s ‘Ted.’ > > Yep, they wear red shirts, right? Keep that tradition going. To the point future assignees beg and plead for mercy upon learning they’ve been sentenced to the Orville. It seems they’ve cast [Jessica Szohr as another Xelayan Security officer](https://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/the-orville/278564/the-orville-season-2-episode-3-review-home). It’s a shame, I was really look forward to Warburton & his multiple esophagi being a regular. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/189 "2019-01-14T02:25:04Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > That’s the least of the plot holes; the caretaker could work for several families & be living in one of the houses. Also, note that trees wouldnt look like that and waves would be \*\*flat. \*\* ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/190 "2019-01-14T12:02:10Z")
Two boring episodes then my favourite character leaves. Super. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/191 "2019-01-14T17:44:28Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Two boring episodes then my favourite character leaves. Super. Yep. She was the best character there. Sure, she brought on the “waif-fu” trope, but this is a trope filled show. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/192 "2019-01-14T19:43:50Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Also, note that trees wouldnt look like that and waves would be \*\*flat. \*\* That really bothered me, too. I was trying to explain to my wife while we were watching exactly how gravity that extreme would change the way everything moved and behaved, but I think she just wanted me to shut up so she could watch the show. I wish they’d just made the gravity 4G or so- that would still be dangerous to humans and made Alara’s race sufficiently stronger, but wouldn’t have required drastically different motion and behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/193 "2019-01-14T20:04:18Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > I wish they’d just made the gravity 4G or so- that would still be dangerous to humans and made Alara’s race sufficiently stronger, but wouldn’t have required drastically different motion and behavior. I was watching constantly for efforts to display the effects of supposedly much-higher gravity, but there weren’t a lot of objects thrown or dropped. The closest, I guess, is when Robert Picardo climbed over the balcony rail to jump to the ground, which I guess he should have hit like an elephant, but it was not shot very clearly. I have to admit, I don’t get: 1. Why Mercer knew to look at the beach-house. 2. Why Mercer was so insistent he had to talk to Alara _right this second and I’m not leaving until I do, dammit_, which only served to force the home-invaders’ hands. Mercer’s proposed solution to Alara’s problem didn’t seem all that time-sensitive. 3. Why Malloy couldn’t just move the shuttle a few meters so its gravity-shield would cover the fallen Mercer. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/194 "2019-01-14T20:08:14Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I was watching constantly for efforts to display the effects of supposedly much-higher gravity, but there weren’t a lot of objects thrown or dropped. The closest, I guess, is when Robert Picardo climbed over the balcony rail to jump to the ground, which I guess he should have hit like an elephant, but it was not shot very clearly. > > I have to admit, I don’t get: > > 1. Why Mercer knew to look at the beach-house. > > 2. Why Mercer was so insistent he had to talk to Alara _right this second and I’m not leaving until I do, dammit_, which only served to force the home-invaders’ hands. Mercer’s proposed solution to Alara’s problem didn’t seem all that time-sensitive. > > 3. Why Malloy couldn’t just move the shuttle a few meters so its gravity-shield would cover the fallen Mercer. 1. Looking at the beach house is easy - Ed calls Alara’s parent’s house and the automated system there lets him know that they’re out at the beach house. 2. No idea - this one bothered me during the show. 3). Good point. Hotshot pilot should be able to handle that. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/195 "2019-01-14T20:09:14Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > 1. Why Malloy couldn’t just move the shuttle a few meters so its gravity-shield would cover the fallen Mercer. I don’t recall how much time passed between knowing Mercer’s suit was compromised and the arrival of Daddy. Nor do I know if you have to let the choke run for five minutes on a shuttle before it can move. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/196 "2019-01-14T20:22:16Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > 1. Why Mercer was so insistent he had to talk to Alara _right this second and I’m not leaving until I do, dammit_, which only served to force the home-invaders’ hands. Mercer’s proposed solution to Alara’s problem didn’t seem all that time-sensitive. I don’t think he needed to talk to her right this minute or else it won’t work, but rather he realized that her folks didn’t really like her decision to join the fleet and so he probably thought they were pushing him away to convince her never to come back. So he probably was that insistent so that Alara would actually know she had a choice (as opposed to them always coming up with some excuse every time he came down to tell Alara what they found). ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/197 "2019-01-14T20:32:50Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > I don’t think he needed to talk to her right this minute or else it won’t work, but rather he realized that her folks didn’t really like her decision to join the fleet and so he probably thought they were pushing him away to convince her never to come back. So he probably was that insistent so that Alara would actually know she had a choice (as opposed to them always coming up with some excuse every time he came down to tell Alara what they found). Good! ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/198 "2019-01-15T00:39:04Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > I wish they’d just made the gravity 4G or so- that would still be dangerous to humans and made Alara’s race sufficiently stronger, but wouldn’t have required drastically different motion and behavior. Over on reddit, they’re trying to model the gravity from the evidence presented. Its not going well. In the pilot, Alara could jump 20 ft er … 6 meters urm … well over the Krill heads at any rate. I was waiting to see her pump an obscene amount of iron on the Orville, but I didn’t pay attention to how many weights she had on the bar. She’s lost a small percentage of muscle mass and a troubling amount of bone mass, but she just collapses on her home world, her bones don’t break. Malloy flattening the bottle on the surface may be the most problematic example in the episode. But on reddit, they’re even trying to time how long her father takes to fall 5 feet – he seems to accelerate much as he would on Earth. OK, maybe we can’t see the difference between 4x and 1x, but 40x or 100x should make him fall visibly faster. If this were [Fark.com](http://Fark.com), someone would, at this point, post an image of Donald Gibb, in his role of Ogre, yelling “Nerds!”, from the eponymous film, “Revenge of…” He’s an old man, and he’s clearly not very physical at all, and his hand is seriously burned, and I don’t know how massive Ed and his suit are, so I have to give him a gimmie on how hard it is to move Ed quickly. I _was_ expecting him to suddenly become as strong as Alara, and pick Ed up one handed once he entered the shuttle field. I don’t blame him for not knowing it would happen, he may never have been off world. Although a smart guy would have gotten himself under the low gravity field at least as soon as he got most of Ed inside. Maybe it seemed to me, he seemed a little bit more at ease with Ed, two leg breaks later, but it seemed like he was working with Malloy’s help. And nobody on the Orville “helps” Alara carry anything, that’s just be silly. I was expecting a Popeye theme-song clean and jerk of the crippled suited captain by grandpa Picardo. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/199 "2019-01-15T16:53:13Z")
Sorry to have Alara leave the show - she was one of my favorite characters. Lots of problems with this episode. > [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > …it should have been “You need to readjust to higher gravity…so we are turning up the artificial gravity in your quarters.” (Roll credits.)… Yeah, I didn’t really buy that either. Or she could sleep every night in a shuttle with the gravity turned up - turn it up a little each night until it matched her homeworld’s gravity, if you have to. Why did the CMO say she had to go through very painful therapy? > [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > …both the Xelarian fathers were doctors on Star Trek… Good catch! > **[Emergency Medical Holographic program](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Emergency_Medical_Holographic_program)** > > The Emergency Medical Holographic program or Emergency Medical Holographic system, also known as the Emergency Medical Hologram (EMH), Emergency Holographic Doctor, or Emergency Medical program, was an adaptive holoprogram developed during the 2360s... > **[Phlox](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Phlox)** > > Doctor Phlox was the Denobulan chief medical officer of Enterprise NX-01 during its historic voyage. Phlox was born sometime in the late 21st century on Denobula, in the Denobula Triaxa system. As a child, he was informed about the "evil Antarans" by... > [@Mijin](#): > > …you made me remember the best line of the episode: the one about “we can’t legally ask if he’s planning on dividing in 2” Heh, I liked that, too. > [@ivylass](#): > > …The whole home intruder scene was horrifyingly tense… Yeah, the shift from “I’m a germ freak and that ladle isn’t clean enough” to “stick your hand in the bubbling stew or I’ll kill you” was scary. > [@alphaboi867](#): > > …DS9 had a guest character with the opposite problem; she came from a very low-gravity world and needed the gravity turned down in her quarters (otherwise she was in a wheelchair)… Yes, and she even had a similar name: [Melora Pazlar | Memory Alpha | Fandom](http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Melora_Pazlar) > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > …Gordon tossed what looked like an empty, uncapped aluminum bottle on the driveway of Alara’s family’s house and the bottle immediately crushed… I thought for sure they’d have Alara’s dad come out, see the crushed bottle, realize no one else had been there but the _Orville_’s shuttle, and mutter, “Stupid human litterbugs.” > [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > No. They should turn ‘Security Chief of the Week’ into a running joke. Like Murphy Brown’s secretary or Dilbert’s ‘Ted.’… Or Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers at Hogwarts. > [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > Command of a vessel involves much more than just intelligence. It demands the ability to lead… You also have to \*want \*to lead. Spock long insisted he didn’t want a command of his own; Riker was reluctant to leave the _Enterprise_ due to his admiration of Picard and his desire to continue to serve with and learn from him. > [@Arkcon](#): > > …He’s an old man, and he’s clearly not very physical at all, and his hand is seriously burned… Which made me wonder why Alara would insist he be the one to go over the railing. Her sister or her mom were right there and in better shape. (And Alara got up and out of her chair awfully quickly and conveniently for the plot, given how weak she’d seemed to be not long before. Maybe it was some kind of Xelayan adrenaline-boost-in-crisis thing). ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/200 "2019-01-15T17:02:21Z")
I also noticed several references to “the military” (which I took to be generic) and to “the Fleet” (which I took to be specific), in referring to the Union organization in which Capt. Mercer and his crew serve. As I noted in last season’s thread, I don’t think they’d ever given it a name before. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966.md?page=11)