# The Orville-Seth McFarlane **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 17, 2017, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814 "2017-05-17T03:28:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/1 "2017-05-17T03:28:05Z")
[Trailer here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy9sKeCE8V0) Looks like a cross between Quark and Galaxy Quest. I’ll watch it just because my 9 year old self would have loved it. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/2 "2017-05-17T03:31:04Z")
It’s been making the Facebook rounds and I love it! Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/3 "2017-05-17T10:40:29Z")
It looks like it has high production costs. Maybe it’ll be a hit, though. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/4 "2017-05-17T11:31:28Z")
I’m wary of it if McFarlane is writing it, given the quality of his jokes lately. It does look interesting, but it didn’t make me laugh. Though, the jokes were better than I expected. I worry they are the best ones, though. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/5 "2017-05-17T11:52:32Z")
I’d be into it, if MacFarlane’s weren’t such a _backpfeifengesicht_. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/6 "2017-05-17T12:20:05Z")
I’ll give it a shot, but most of those jokes in the trailer were barely worth a chuckle, IMO. But I want to encourage networks to try shows like this, so I’ll give it a try. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/7 "2017-05-17T13:44:23Z")
It looks like expensive tedium - the stupid humor turned up to 11, and the wit and intelligence left behind. For an SNL skit, that works. For a series… I think the possibilities will be exhausted by the first commercial break of the second episode. Too bad. I really would have liked to see a complex take on _Galaxy Quest_, caught between the old series, the new series and the Thermian reality. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/8 "2017-05-17T13:54:12Z")
I think it looks like a hoot. The comedy seems to fit into the not overtly stupid (like Angie Tribeca) but also not offensive (most of Seth’s other shows). I doubt it’ll be a smash hit, but I don’t think it’ll bomb either. The only reservation I have is that the trailer made it seem more like a movie and less like a series. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/9 "2017-05-17T14:00:57Z")
I was fascinated by the production values, which appeared to be very high. The trailer - which is quite clearly at least 90% from the pilot, if not entirely - looks like a trailer for a feature film, not a television show. The show is being billed as a “comedy-drama” so it’ll be interesting to see if MacFarlane has the chops to make it something other than Family Guy in Space. I love Family Guy, but he has his failures, too. Jon Favreau’s involvement is a good sign. ---
**Author:** ![MostlyClueless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@MostlyClueless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyClueless)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/10 "2017-05-17T16:00:47Z")
Not even remotely funny. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/11 "2017-05-17T16:10:41Z")
I don’t think it’s going to be, or supposed to be, knee-slappingly hilarious, but it definitely looks entertaining. Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/12 "2017-05-17T16:14:36Z")
I thought the production values were good but didn’t crack a smile during the promo. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/13 "2017-05-17T16:27:55Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I don’t think it’s going to be, or supposed to be, knee-slappingly hilarious, but it definitely looks entertaining. The bit with the mint/marbles seems to set the bar pretty low. Anything that plays off the incompetence of a main character is likely to be reaching/repeating/plagiarizing within the first season. ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/14 "2017-05-18T02:19:02Z")
Looks funny. And Spacey. And they gave the robot a gun. All points in its favor. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/15 "2017-05-18T02:48:44Z")
Will they do things like visit “The Planet of the Perpetually Offended.”? Seems to me you can really only make commentary like that if your character is something of an asshole. Like Stewie or Cartman…or that new Joel McHale show. I havent seen it but he appears terribly smug at least. ---
**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:** [May 18, 2017, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/16 "2017-05-18T12:24:32Z")
So far, extremely unimpressive. The worst thing is that for a trailer like this, they showcased all of the best jokes. If those were the best, it’s in tremendous trouble. ---
**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:** [May 18, 2017, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/17 "2017-05-18T12:36:17Z")
It looks better than the real one coming out soon. Which isn’t saying much. I suspect it will steal _Star Trek Discovery_’s thunder. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/18 "2017-05-18T13:15:03Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > So far, extremely unimpressive. > > The worst thing is that for a trailer like this, they showcased all of the best jokes. If those were the best, it’s in tremendous trouble. The iupside of course is that the trailer can be interpreted as trying to cover the essential elements of the show’s premise, and in two minutes they tried to fit all that in: 1. It is a visually impressive science fiction series. 2. The main character is a likable doofus who’s being given a dream job he’s terrified to screw up. That’s something the network would insist on to add comfort to the audience, because most comedies are anchored around a likable doofus. 3. There’s a cool spaceship and the special effects are very good, so you’ll like the visuals of the show 4. The central funny conflict is that the doofus captain’s first officer is his ex-wife, which promises tension and laughter and sarcasm. 5. There are a number of amusing supporting characters: - A weird alien who deadpans every line - A small woman who is superhumanly strong - A drunk helmsman - A wise cracking black guy - A violent robot 1. There’a a funny alien blob thing with Norm MacDonald’s voice 2. There’s action and shooting and stuff So it’s not so much that they covered all the jokes as they covered all the essential elements that make the show attractive. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/19 "2017-05-18T13:22:41Z")
I will be all over this - and saving the six bucks (or whatever it’'s up to) on CBS All-Access. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/20 "2017-05-18T14:08:28Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > … saving the six bucks (or whatever it’'s up to) on CBS All-Access. “CBS… it’s just like HBO, only cheaper!” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814.md?page=2)