# 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:** 70
**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:** [April 28, 2019, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/1381 "2019-04-28T21:16:24Z")
I recall Deep Space Nine authors discussing how they had to “dumb down” phasers to have realistic battles. ---
**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:** [April 28, 2019, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/1382 "2019-04-28T21:26:57Z")
The star trek phasers always seemed really ridiculous since no one would ever use the continuous beam to sweep their targets. They’d always fire their beam in one place the whole time, they may as well have been shooting a bolt action rifle. If you’re going to do that style of energy balls replacing bullets, you should at least have short little projectile bursts, not long beams. Every other sci-fi show seems to have figured that out. The Kaylon head drone thing was kinda cool. Surprising but logical. Of course there’s absolutely no reason given for the ridiculously bad accuracy. I guess you can say it’s an homage to star wars/trek but some sort of in-universe explanation like some sort of defensive jamming/scattering/whatever system would’ve been nice. ---
**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:** [April 28, 2019, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/1383 "2019-04-28T22:09:03Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > The Kaylon head drone thing was kinda cool. Surprising but logical. Of course there’s absolutely no reason given for the ridiculously bad accuracy. I guess you can say it’s an homage to star wars/trek but some sort of in-universe explanation like some sort of defensive jamming/scattering/whatever system would’ve been nice. Or put ten guys with Gordon and Mercer, have them killed stealing a replicator. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2019, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/1384 "2019-04-28T23:13:39Z")
Isaak disabled all of the Kaylons that had commandeered the Orville by EMPing them (yet, somehow the Orville’s systems were preserved, which, in terms of actual EMP, would be highly unlikely). One might imagine the EMP-like weapons would have become a standard feature of battle-ready starships, since a hostile could be fully disabled without being destroyed. This seems like a significant thin spot in the overall writing. Was there some sort of treaty-like thing that proscribed these kind of weapons? Perhaps it might have to do with a pulse causing serious damage to stored data on a vessel, which is kind of critical for battle intelligence and the _raison d’être_ of an exploratory vessel. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/1385 "2019-04-29T14:27:58Z")
EMP isn’t the magic bullet Hollywood thinks it is (Leverage, I’m looking at YOU). If it fries something, it fries everything, and it stays fried. But you can shield against it. Or you can use Voyager’s biogel computers, which shouldn’t be affected. (them you give a literal “computer virus”.) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/1386 "2019-04-29T14:37:47Z")
Why did they bother to leave the bottom of the ocean before solving the time travel problem? Maybe I missed something, but there seemed to be nowhere to go; the challenge was breaking into the Kaylon neural network, which appeared to span the entire galaxy. As to battle scenes, futuristic battle scenes became so stupid to me so long ago I’ve stopped caring about the inexplicable lack of automatic weapons, grenades, and beyond-visual-range weapons and the fact that futuristic combatants like the Kaylon would be wiped out by a few sections of today’s reservists. It’s just how Hollywood has done it for all my life. ---
**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:** [April 29, 2019, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/1387 "2019-04-29T14:46:26Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > I just have to say, tonight’s show was one HELL of an episode. > > And without spoiling anything, was that one musical riff an exact take from _The Wrath of Khan_? Agreed on both points. There were some echoes of the \*Alien \*soundtrack when they were creeping around in dark starships, too. Ed said he’d commanded the Union base at Epsilon Eridani - not the first time that system’s been mentioned in sf (in _Star Trek_, it might be Vulcan’s star system): [Epsilon Eridani - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epsilon_Eridani_in_fiction) Cool to see the bombed-out, lifeless Earth. I didn’t buy that the _Orville_ would be in such great shape for having been knocked out of orbit and then spent months at the bottom of the ocean (and why would Bortus waste power for lights on decks he wasn’t even on?). > [@SlackerInc](#): > > …going to such an extreme with the trope of the bad guys not being able to shoot straight… I know, my God, both the drones and the Kaylon ships! Yeesh. Clearly they’d all gone to the Imperial Stormtrooper School of Marksmanship. > [@DSeid](#): > > …I did like that new time line Ed would also go to “open up this jar of pickles” though. Yes - good to see Alara again, too, as a brave rebel leader. > [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > …On a lighter note, you’d think Gordon and Ed could have landed a bit closer to the listening station. Heh. I thought, too. Maybe they needed a little exercise after being cooped up in the shuttle for weeks? Given their diet and exercise regime, they knew they’d have to \*earn \*that Twinkie. No reason they would have to have such alien-looking masks, though, other than to make the reveal of who it was more surprising (which it wasn’t). > [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > For “area weapons” I was including large “caliber” (however that applies for energy weapons) squad weapons as well as the old standbys - mines (including claymore equivalents), grenades, mortars, artillery, napalm-equivalents, automatic sentry guns ala _Aliens_, and of course, nukes… Now, now - don’t forget independently targeting particle-beam phalanx, tactical smart missiles, sonic electronic ball-breakers, knives and sharp sticks. For all its many nits to pick, I enjoy the show and really hope it’s renewed. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/1388 "2019-04-29T17:00:05Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > EMP isn’t the magic bullet Hollywood thinks it is (Leverage, I’m looking at YOU). If it fries something, it fries everything, and it stays fried. But you can shield against it. Or you can use Voyager’s biogel computers, which shouldn’t be affected. (them you give a literal “computer virus”.) “Get the cheese to sickbay” Sounds _Orville_-esque, but \*Voyager \*was playing it straight. ---
**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:** [May 11, 2019, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/1389 "2019-05-11T21:50:13Z")
Fuck yeah! [Orville renewed!](https://tvline.com/2019/05/11/the-orville-renewed-season-3-fox/) ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/1390 "2019-05-11T22:48:10Z")
Yes!! ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/1391 "2019-05-11T22:54:42Z")
Woooot! Thanks for letting us know. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/1392 "2019-05-12T02:00:34Z")
And maybe season 4 will be on Disney streaming if Fox doesn’t renew. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/1393 "2019-05-12T03:20:05Z")
That would make sense. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/1394 "2019-05-12T03:30:03Z")
Woooohooo! I’ve had a rough year and this helps so much. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/1395 "2019-05-12T06:08:09Z")
Yay! ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/1396 "2019-05-12T13:02:30Z")
More bortus! ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/1397 "2019-05-12T13:19:46Z")
> [@DummyGladHands](#): > > More bortus! And next year’s urination ceremony will be bigger than ever! ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/1398 "2019-05-12T22:12:33Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > And next year’s urination ceremony will be bigger than ever! More Ja’loja! ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2019, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/1399 "2019-05-13T01:53:12Z")
I’m going to smoke a cigarette now! ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2019, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966/1400 "2019-05-13T20:28:47Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Now the question is whether the repaired-timeline Kelly was actually wiped successfully or if she still had the foreknowledge but decided to take one for the team, as it were. I’d considered that, but she’d only have foreknowledge of the original timeline. IF the 2nd mindwipe didn’t work, from her perspective, the only difference between the “middle” timeline and the “final” timeline is Claire showing up, looking ragged in standard-issue post-apocalypse-wear, not telling her much, and giving her an injection. She might make the leap that Something Bad happened because she changed the timeline, so she should ignore her gut feeling and force herself to start a relationship with Ed, but the mindwipe taking is the simpler way for the story to go. (Also, if it didn’t work, it would make the part of the journey to retrieve the substance from Alara moot in retrospect. Only the time machine and a glimpse of Alt-timeline Claire would have really been needed). Dramatically speaking, it makes more sense to let the plan work. Takes some agency away from Past Kelly, but gives meaning to the alt-future crew’s work (including alt-future Kelly, most of all). Oh, and Huzzah! for the renewal. I may grow a mustache to celebrate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966.md?page=69) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-season-2/826966.md?page=71)