# 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:** 34
**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 29, 2017, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/661 "2017-09-29T19:18:43Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > _sigh_ > > I’ve read everything Heinlein ever wrote, I thought, but that one didn’t come to mind. I remember the title, but I don’t believe I’ve read it. I think that I unjustly acquired a bad opinion of him from his children’s books. “Red Planet”, “Farmer in the Sky”, etc. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2017, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/662 "2017-09-29T19:36:40Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > _sigh_ > > I’ve read everything Heinlein ever wrote, I thought, but that one didn’t come to mind. In the end, much like the “Simpsons did it” joke that is also mostly true. When it comes to Sci-Fi if you say “Heinlein did it”, it is probably true. ---
**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 29, 2017, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/663 "2017-09-29T20:15:58Z")
So let me get this straight…a colony that nobody knew existed before now, that has been in space for so many centuries that its history is pretty much erased and whoever got them into the mess in the first place is now treated as a god (similar to “Cloister the Stupid” with the Cat race on _Red Dwarf_), and uses a strange written language, manages to speak perfect English _and_ has drugs that affect humans in the same way it affects the colonists? I guess this _is_ more like Star Trek than it first appeared… One thing for sure; it’s not a comedy. I am fairly certain that the Television Academy will agree, if the show is entered for any Emmys (especially with its “by default, hour-long shows are dramas” rule). ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2017, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/664 "2017-09-29T20:52:39Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I remember the title, but I don’t believe I’ve read it. I think that I unjustly acquired a bad opinion of him from his children’s books. “Red Planet”, “Farmer in the Sky”, etc. Opposite experience for me. I read “Rocket Ship Galileo” when I was in fourth grade and that cemented my love of SF. Now admittedly, it doesn’t hold up as an adult read (if it ever did) but I should point that when I read it, the real Moon trip was still more fantasy than reality. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2017, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/665 "2017-09-29T21:01:43Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > There is a short story, perhaps Poul Anderson, where a child is brought out of suspended animation early by the ship. He watches a generation grow up with it’s trials and tribulations that get most of them killed. The ship whacks the rest and tells him is job is to be sure from this experience that the next generation works out. Actually, that’s by Fred Saberhagen. > ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2017, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/666 "2017-09-29T22:29:31Z")
Meh, Mockingbird would never have been captured by those chumps. My vote is that the third of the population should be encouraged to commit suicide, like holding your breath contests outside the airlock. So far the only real good idea is that the producers did not go with the prime suggestion. So far the pilot was passable Ep two was annoying and never finished it, its obvious that the Union does not appear to have a kobyashi maru senario, and who ever passed this chick to be an OOD clearly ought to be busted. Ep three, reminded me somewhat of Babylon 5 and the kid whose parents did not want him to undergo a vet treatment. Annoyed because star trek was seeping through the union decks. I think real world politics would have that kid off the ship in jig time along with the spouse and sent back home, and not get into some sort of cultural conflict. Ep four, passable. Instead of diplomacy with a stupid theocracy, salvation should have been imposed on the population and have the ship turned away from harm. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2017, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/667 "2017-09-29T23:13:24Z")
> [@Declan](#): > > Ep four, passable. Instead of diplomacy with a stupid theocracy, salvation should have been imposed on the population and have the ship turned away from harm. Am I missing where that DIDN’T happen? They took back Mockingbird by force, stunned their leader, went to the bridge and opened the dome for all to see the stars. They said they could have the ship running again in 24 hours. They were dealing with the underground non-believers the whole time, and had them on the bridge at the end, indicating they were running things. They went in, figured out what was going on, realized talking with the leadership was useless and went about fixing the situation. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/668 "2017-09-30T01:34:32Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > MacFarlane is a massive scifi nerd. Golden Age, too. So “If the stars should appear” is more Asimov than Emerson? Yeah, duh. First thing I thought of was Nightfall. ---
**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 30, 2017, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/669 "2017-09-30T01:39:30Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > Actually, that’s by Fred Saberhagen. > > [space - Searching for title: short story or book from 80's, young man on a ship wakes from stasis every year on his birthday - Science Fiction & Fantasy Stack Exchange](https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/145651/searching-for-title-short-story-or-book-from-80s-young-man-on-a-ship-wakes-fr) Thanks, I like the Vlad Tapes series. ---
**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 30, 2017, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/670 "2017-09-30T01:43:34Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > Alara got shot three times in the chest and she’s up and lifting people off the ground in short order. Wish we had tech like that. Shadowed by girl bonding with the first officer, she was one pissed off alien. I do think Mercer should have stopped the injection and said, “If that is not the antidote, I am so going to kill your ass.” ---
**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 30, 2017, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/671 "2017-09-30T02:43:29Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > So let me get this straight…_and_ has drugs that affect humans in the same way it affects the colonists?.. At first I thought the drug was going to have the opposite effect on humans and send Grayson into an orgasmic state. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/672 "2017-09-30T03:16:25Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Golden Age, too. So “If the stars should appear” is more Asimov than Emerson? > > Yeah, duh. First thing I thought of was Nightfall. But yeah, references upon reference. Ted Sturgeon would say, “This isn’t crap,” though Shore Leave kinda was. ---
**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:** [September 30, 2017, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/673 "2017-09-30T13:21:36Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Golden Age, too. So “If the stars should appear” is more Asimov than Emerson? > > Yeah, duh. First thing I thought of was Nightfall. It’s Emerson; “Nightfall” attributes the quote to him immediately. But Macfarland probably came across it there. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/674 "2017-09-30T13:36:09Z")
ALARA: As Low As Reasonably Achievable is a principle in radiation shielding. Wonder if that’s purposefully done by the producers? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/675 "2017-09-30T16:12:05Z")
I really doubt that was purposefully done. It seems to be too obscure an acronym. That said, I’ve enjoyed the show so far. And I’ve only seen the first episode of Star Trek: Discovery, but was only so-so on that. So I hope this is the 30 Rock to CBS’s equivalent of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. I was disappointed that the critic rating at Rotten Tomatoes for this show is only 20% while the one for Star Trek: Discovery is 86%. ---
**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 30, 2017, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/676 "2017-09-30T17:05:56Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > So let me get this straight…a colony has drugs that affect humans in the same way it affects the colonists? I wondered about that myself… 😕 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/677 "2017-09-30T17:20:10Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > … I was disappointed that the critic rating at Rotten Tomatoes for this show is only 20% while the one for Star Trek: Discovery is 86%. Wow does that ever look backwards. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/678 "2017-09-30T17:50:39Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I really doubt that was purposefully done. It seems to be too obscure an acronym. > > That said, I’ve enjoyed the show so far. And I’ve only seen the first episode of Star Trek: Discovery, but was only so-so on that. So I hope this is the 30 Rock to CBS’s equivalent of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. I was disappointed that the critic rating at Rotten Tomatoes for this show is only 20% while the one for Star Trek: Discovery is 86%. I find that mystifying. The Orville isn’t Breaking Bad and I understand if it’s not one’s cup of tea, but 20%? Do they not get it? Oh, “Young Sheldon” is running at 74%. Its progenitor, “The Big Bang Theory,” one of the worst sitcoms of modern times to have a long run, is at 83. Uh huh. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/679 "2017-09-30T22:12:50Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > Not going to post any spoilers from tonight, but damn this show just keeps getting better, solid story and the humor was finally well-integrated (and a nice cameo at the end). It has now been added to ‘must-see TV’ for me. One inappropriate joke (by the pilot, of course) the rest made sense in the shows context. They kid around- just like real people do. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814/680 "2017-09-30T22:14:20Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > The Orville is so much more Star Trek than Star Trek Discovery it is ridiculous. Sad isnt it? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814.md?page=33) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-orville-seth-mcfarlane/786814.md?page=35)