# 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:** 11
**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:** [September 13, 2017, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/201 "2017-09-13T20:16:40Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > He’s actually already been on Star Trek. He had a minor role on Enterprise, Ensign Rivers, who appeared in the episodes The Forgotten and Affliction. As earlier posted: [Rivers | Memory Alpha | Fandom](http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Rivers) ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/202 "2017-09-13T20:33:43Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Hell, that wasn’t even the only Easter egg in the character names. The sapient AI is named “Isaac”. The admiral’s last name is “Halsey”. The doctor’s last name is “Grayson”. > > As in Asimov, the Paul McCartney song, and Spock’s mother respectively. Paul McCartney song? How about the actual Admiral “Bull” Halsey. Started WWII as commander of the task force that included th USS Enterprise and finished it as commander of the Third Fleet. First thing I thought of. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/203 "2017-09-13T20:46:35Z")
> [@PlumBob](#): > > I liked the 2 out of three engines being out of commission, good thing they had an extra. > > Looking forward to seeing the Orville’s sister ship… and don’t forget - the shields were down to 2/3! ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/204 "2017-09-13T21:44:23Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > I know that Larry Niven did a time bubble death scene that was very similar to this one in one of the “Long ARM of Gil Hamilton” stories. Generally he’s not know for writing really, really stupid science, although he does occasionally admit to being wrong (about whether Ringworlds are stable and, somewhat more embarrassingly, about what direction you’d want to teleport if you want to extend your birthday as much as possible). But I don’t think Niven’s time bubble was quite as accelerated – maybe it was a 30:1 ratio? I’m pretty sure it was greater than a 30:1 ratio, because the “mysterious weapon” used to kill someone was an ordinary flashlight used from inside the time field to the outside of the time field to burn someone’s face off. There was a second time bubble though, and if it was inside the first time bubble a 900:1 output ratio could have done the trick. ---
**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:** [September 13, 2017, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/205 "2017-09-13T22:03:41Z")
> [@Fleetwood](#): > > Paul McCartney song? How about the actual Admiral “Bull” Halsey. Started WWII as commander of the task force that included th USS Enterprise and finished it as commander of the Third Fleet. First thing I thought of. “When we get through with them, the only place Japanese will be spoken is in Hell.” ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/206 "2017-09-13T22:52:05Z")
> [@Fleetwood](#): > > Paul McCartney song? How about the actual Admiral “Bull” Halsey. McCartney’s song never would have occurred to me either. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/207 "2017-09-13T22:58:53Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > “Captain, can we talk?” Apparently, his first name is “Stewie,” not “Joan.” 😃 > **[Rivers](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Rivers)** > > Ensign Rivers was a Human male Starfleet officer in the mid-22nd century, serving as an engineer on two NX-class starships, Enterprise and Columbia NX-02. Serving in Starfleet by 2153, Rivers was aboard Enterprise for its mission into the Delphic... ---
**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:** [September 14, 2017, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/208 "2017-09-14T02:00:54Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Apparently, his first name is “Stewie,” not “Joan.” 😃 > > [Rivers | Memory Alpha | Fandom](http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Rivers) Humor; it is a difficult concept. ---
**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:** [September 14, 2017, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/209 "2017-09-14T04:02:22Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > So, if anyone has seen both, how does it compare to _Hyperdrive_, my go-to Trek parody series. I loved **Hyperdrive** , but I need to see a few more episodes of this to compare them. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/210 "2017-09-14T18:43:51Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Humor; it is a difficult concept. I wonder if Rivers’ middle name is “Gilligan.” :dubious: 😕 ---
**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:** [September 14, 2017, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/211 "2017-09-14T19:12:54Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I wonder if Rivers’ middle name is “Gilligan.” :dubious: 😕 I eventually got Stewie, but Gilligan’s Island? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/212 "2017-09-14T19:37:59Z")
Stewie on Family Guy is Stewart Gilligan Griffin. Finally gotten around to watching my recording of The Orville. As a Star Trek knock-off sci-fi action-adventure…it’s OK…something that would hold my attention when it was on, but I wouldn’t mourn if it was cancelled. As a comedy…meh. Family Guy and American Dad started pretty crap, too, so I’ll give it a few episodes to get its feet under it like they did, before giving up hope, but most of the jokes, especially in the first half hour, fell flat (at best - some of them I was embarrassed for the actors having to deliver them). Actually, I’d prefer they dialed back the humour significantly, which would allow both more focus on the part that works better, and only using the best jokes. But that’s almost certainly not going to happen. ---
**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:** [September 14, 2017, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/213 "2017-09-14T20:19:32Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > Stewie on Family Guy is Stewart Gilligan Griffin. Thanks. The only other exposure I have to McFarlane is _1,000 Ways to Die In the West._ ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/214 "2017-09-14T20:29:11Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Thanks. > > The only other exposure I have to McFarlane is _1,000 Ways to Die In the West._ So you only watched the first 0.0001% of the movie? 😃 ---
**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:** [September 14, 2017, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/215 "2017-09-14T21:13:04Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > So you only watched the first 0.0001% of the movie? 😃 No, I just have a bad memory. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/216 "2017-09-14T21:15:37Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > So you only watched the first 0.0001% of the movie? 😃 Only if he left after the first death. (1000 is 0.1% of 1,000,000.) ---
**Author:** ![Uniqueorn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uniqueorn/32/2807_2.png) [@Uniqueorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uniqueorn)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/217 "2017-09-14T21:28:48Z")
> [@erysichthon](#): > > One of the reviews described it as “_Star Trek_ with the serial numbers filed off,” which I thought was apt. > > Although I found the pilot mildly entertaining, I’m baffled that this show exists at all. I have the sense that McFarlane really, really, really wanted to be in _Star Trek_, so he made his own copy of it. It’s essentially fan fiction and cosplaying on a big-budget scale. Why not do something original instead? > > I’m not a big fan of McFarlane’s humor or his acting style. Most of the gags seemed pretty lame to me. I liked everyone in the cast except him. > > I’ll probably watch a couple more episodes and see where it goes, but I’m not feeling optimistic. I also liked most of the crew and find McFarlane incredibly unlikeable in anything he does. ---
**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:** [September 14, 2017, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/218 "2017-09-14T21:57:35Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > McCartney’s song never would have occurred to me either. We’re so sorry. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/219 "2017-09-14T23:45:05Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > We’re so sorry. FYI, I haven’t done a bloody thing all day! :o ---
**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:** [September 15, 2017, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/220 "2017-09-15T01:33:24Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > FYI, I haven’t done a bloody thing all day! :o Just put the butter in the bloody pie, dammit! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814.md?page=12)