As we have previously reported, Seth MacFarlane’s upcoming sci-fi dramedy The Orville features a number of Star Trek vets and is inspired by Star Trek. In fact, MacFarlane has said that even though the show is being promoted emphasizing the comedy, The Orville will try to tell serious science fiction stories and have “more in common with Star Trek than Futurama.”
And now The Orville executive producer (and former Star Trek writer/producer) Brannon Braga is saying something similar, replying to a fan on Twitter who was talking about one of his favorite Star Trek: Voyager episodes (“Distant Origin“) describing at is “surprisingly relevant.” Braga replied saying he missed that kind of storytelling and noted “we will do that on The Orville.”
Distant Origin is such a good episode co-written by @BrannonBraga and Joe Menosky. And surprisingly relevant – "WE ARE NOT IMMIGRANTS." pic.twitter.com/fDzV6AeCiE
— Alex Perry (@alexandertperry) July 6, 2017
This is the kind of storytelling I miss – and we will do on @TheOrville https://t.co/FterDD8bw8
— Brannon Braga (@BrannonBraga) July 7, 2017
MacFarlane, Braga and the cast all headed to SDCC
Today the Saturday schedule for San Diego Comic Con was posted including details for The Orville panel revealing all the major cast and crew will be there, including Trek vets Brannon Braga and David Goodman. Here is the full description:
From Emmy Award–winning executive producer and creator Seth MacFarlane with a pilot directed by Jon Favreau, The Orville is a one-hour science fiction comedic drama set 400 years in the future that follows the adventures of the U.S.S. Orville, a mid-level exploratory vessel. Come meet the whole crew—Seth MacFarlane, Adrianne Palicki, Scott Grimes, Penny Johnson Jerald, Peter Macon, Halston Sage, J. Lee, Mark Jackson, and Chad Coleman as well as producers David Goodman and Brannon Braga —and get an exclusive extended first look at FOX’s new fall show. The crew, both human and alien, will face the wonders and dangers of outer space, while also dealing with the familiar, often humorous problems of regular people in a workplace . . . even though some of those people are from other planets, and the workplace is a faster-than-light spaceship.
The Orville panel is on Saturday, July 22nd at 4:15 in Room 6A. TrekMovie will be there to provide full coverage.
The Orville cast members Adrianne Palicki, Penny Johnson Jerald, Scott Grimes, J. Lee, Peter Macon, Halston Sage, Mark Jackson and Seth MacFarlane at Fox Upfronts Party in May – all will be attending SDCC panel along with executive producers Brannon Braga and David Goodman.
Emmy winning composers and full orchestra
Previously we have reported that Seth MacFarlane is using actual models for some of the effects shots in The Orville, and apparently that isn’t the only area where he is going old-school. In a tweet earlier in the week he touted two of his composers saying: “Joel McNeely, Bruce Broughton, and a 75-piece orchestra– The Orville is gonna sound pretty good.”
Both composers mentioned by MacFarlane are Emmy winners; in fact Broughton has won nine Emmys and has been nominated for two Oscars. And using a full symphony-sized orchestra is something more common with feature films these days, but MacFarlane and Fox seem willing to dedicate resources for The Orville.
The Orville composer Bruce Broughton (L) in 2010 where he received the ASCAP Henry Mancini Career Achievement Award – standing next to regular Star Trek composer with Dennis McCarthy, also honored by ASCAP in 2010 (Photo by Lester Cohen)
The Orville’s ‘Ten Forward’ revealed?
One last thing, last week Seth shared a tweet noting that “people still drink in the future” showing off a futuristic bar set along with what look very much like a couple of Star Trek-like replicators on the far wall. It wasn’t clear if this was from a scene off the ship but seeing as how MacFarlane seems to be trying to ‘get the Trek band back together’ for The Orville, having a bar on the U.S.S. Orville may be another nod to Star Trek: The Next Generation and Ten Forward on the U.S.S. Enterprise-D. All he’s missing is a cameo from Whoopi Goldberg.
A bar from The Orville (Twitter/SethMacFarlane)
Keep up with all The Orville news at TrekMovie.
I really could not care any less about Orville. I do not find McFarlane funny at all. Call this “A Million Ways to Die in Space.” That’s all I will say on the subject– because I won’t be watching.*
*See? That’s how you voice your displeasure over something. ONCE. Then you move on, and let everyone who’s excited about it discuss without you!
People are excited about this? Could have fooled me.
Yes, tons of people excited about it. Large swaths of Trekkies saying things like “This looks more like Trek than real Trek these days!” or “will be watching this instead of the garbage they’re making with the Star Trek name on it!”
I won’t bemoan anyone for being excited for Orville, but it is certainly not for me, and to be excited about this just because it visually looks like TNG, and trashing Discovery because it’s a prequel that doesn’t look like TOS is rather silly if you ask me.
You need look no further, Aaron, than Mr. Frederick N. Taylor further down the comments section there.
Oh, wait, here come the TOS fans to demonstrate just how out of touch they really are… Must oppose Orville, must make our stand, must try to find unity in collectively disregarding it.
Orville has garnered a bigger following than Discovery in social media, ratings, the lot. It’s right where Discovery should have been by now.
Please, tell us again how all opinions are invalid because it’s not aired yet. That’s not how PR and marketing works my friends. Orville smashing Discovery in ratings two weeks before Discovery even airs is going to place Orville in the fan’s hearts more than Discovery. Indeed, there will be much talk of giving Orville an honorary place in canon while Discovery is rubbished by all but the hard core TOS fans.
Fantastic! Can’t wait!
…i’m thinking:
nu-trek fan = discovery fan
tos/tng fan = orville fan
no?
We agree on one thing. Some people here do demonstrate how out of touch they are – YOU!
What’s funny about that is a lot of the same ones who are cheering on The Orville, are the same ones who never miss an opportunity to trash talk Brannon Braga, and Rick Berman and how they supposedly ruined Trek. 😂
These comments below are just so so so predictable. I will say, for McFarlane’s part, he clearly has a passion for Trek, and for that I applaud him. The irony is, I guarantee you McFarlane himself will be watching Discovery with excitement, and will have good things to say about it.
What’s funny about that is a lot of the same ones who are cheering on The Orville, are the same ones who never miss an opportunity to trash talk Brannon Braga, and Rick Berman and how they supposedly ruined Trek.
…. and still want Discovery to emulate their work.
Exactly Mikey… Gives me the absolute shits.
@Mikey1701
I dont necessarily think that they are single handedly responsible for the demise of the prime timeline as we know it, but I do blame them for the creative train wreck that was Enterprise (I hated the first two seasons of Enterprise. I also hated how they tried to distance Enterprise from Star Trek by, initially, only calling it Enterprise instead of Star Trek Enterprise, but I digress). By the time seasons 3 and 4 of ENT hit, the damage had already been done. One of the biggest issues of Voyager and ENT was over-sexualization of female cast members. I felt it was degrading and felt that Berman and Braga thought the only way to get higher ratings was to sell Blalock and Ryan’s sex appeal. Not only is it degrading for them as women, it’s a poor way to gain ratings.
For me, Mr McFarlane’s much work is pretty crude and disgusting. That’s not to say that this show would not be like that, but it would give me pause for concern.
Lol probably true.
Thanks for that. I’m not excited either but I am going to give it a go. I don’t understand why folks bemoan What they are not interested it… The answer is simple, Only read, & post, in what you are interested in… I like all things Trek, some shows more than others but I have to watch the show before I make poor comments about it. I have to agree with Touchwood on this one…
The captain and the first officer being former spouses and fighting at the drop of a hat is “real Trek”? Good God.
@Aaron,
“People are excited about this? Could have fooled me.”
Yes, they’re. ‘The Orville’ was in the top 3 of upcoming shows that generated highest interest on social media.
http://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/editorialfiles/charts/2017/05/1495225490_20170519_upfronts_amobee.JPG
“Analysis by marketing technology firm Amobee reveals the new and rebooted TV shows generating the most interest on social media around Upfronts, the weeklong blitz when networks show off their programming to advertisers.
Between May 14 and 17, ABC’s relaunch of the talent show “American Idol” and its Marvel Comics series, “Inhumans”, topped Amobee’s list. Those entries were followed by Fox’s “The Orville,” a space comedy from Seth McFarlene that’s a send-up of “Star Trek.” Two more comedies, CBS’s “Young Sheldon” and the return of NBC’s “Will & Grace” rounded out the top five.
After dramas like “This is Us” and “Designated Survivor” dominated this past season, “the high level of audience interest around ‘The Orville,’ ‘Young Sheldon,’ and ‘Will & Grace’ indicates that the 2017-2018 season may end up being a more successful year for new broadcast comedies than the TV season now ending,” Jonathan Cohen, principal brand analyst at Amobee, said in a statement.
http://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/20/these-new-tv-shows-are-generating-the-most-buzz.html
It’s pointless posting such things here. The TOS fanboys frequenting the hard core Trek websites have lost all grounding. They are living in hope, rather than reality, and they congregate together to collectively attack anyone who does not agree with them.
Even the writers and editors of this website are now leaning away from unilateral support, hence this article, other recent articles making it clear that STD is going to be radically different from their initial expectations, ditching some core values of Trek, generally dumbing down the IQ a few dozen points.
They know which way their bread is buttered, endless glee at STD is no longer in their best interests.
Orville is going to knock STD out of the park, the TOS fanboys will likely use it to justify STD ultimate train wreck conclusion. The season split in to pre and post xmas 2017 is a massive mistake which will destroy any fanboy momentum given as a courtesy while everyone else condemns it, and they sure as heck won’t be renewing their CBS AA subscriptions in the new year.
@Karl — you don’t think The Orville isn’t dumbed-down Trek? As for the rest, good thing you aren’t programming at a network. They had high hopes for QUARK back in the 70s too …
You’ve just proven my point.
Thanks
I’m more excited for this show than I am for Discovery, definitely.
Me too :)
i see what you did there Torchwood…and i like it!!
@Torchwood,
“*See? That’s how you voice your displeasure over something. ONCE. Then you move on, and let everyone who’s excited about it discuss without you!”
You don’t say? Then how come you’re still bashing ‘The Orville’ ever since the trailer came out and ranting against McFarlane before even getting more details about the show?
Torchwood: “Nothing this guy [McFarlane] has ever done has been any good. This looks perhaps like the biggest pile of crap ever put to screen.”
https://trekmovie.com/2017/05/15/first-trailer-and-details-for-the-orville-seth-macfarlanes-homage-to-star-trek/#comment-5341397
Good luck in your quest for a “safe space” where no criticisms/different views are allowed.
The only reason I did it was to make the point here.
Looked more like you’re attempting to take the p*ss out of others.
Can it.
You can mock me all you like for safe spaces and no criticisms allowed but you’re not getting to me. You just make me laugh at you more.
it’s called being a troll
agreed. At least the TOS fanboy trolls stick within the confines of their safe space. Won’t do them much good later on in the year, they’ll be outnumbered here by the deluge of general viewship who can already “sense the coming of death”..
Im not sure what this “safe space” stuff is about. Are you implying that you wouldnt hide behind a large object if you were as rude in person to people as you are here?
Mouthing off and attacking anyone who expresses an opinion of STD which they don’t share.
If Discovery was Orville, there would outrage. The people saying this looks more like Trek are just grasping at straws. Its a comedy that will, by virtue of being a Seth MacFarlane show, be silly, absurd, sometimes hilarious, often stupid.
Ill give it a shot though (mostly because it’s being covered here and if Im going to discuss it, I have to watch it).
If its good, great! But I certainly would not be more excited about this than Discovery nor would I have the same expectations. If something happened and they announced Orville was cancelled, I wouldn’t care in any way.
It has nothing to live up to. At all.
So, again, I hope its great. Because, why not? But it’s not Star Trek.
You couldn’t be more wrong.
See my previous posts about TOS fanboys who attack anyone with an opinion they don’t share.
You’re doing it right now, and you’ll continue to do it indefinitely.
Good luck to you Sir.
I find The Orville more intriguing with each interview.
Right? I am really excited about this show. Far more so than “ST:D”. There is so much anguish and angst about the new Trek that I’m not sure how good it will be able to be. The Orville, on the other hand, has shown none of that. It seems to be exactly what it says it will be. The Trek show we deserve. It’ll be funny. It’ll be “controversial” (I hope). It’ll say things that probably shouldn’t have been said…in polite company, which is why it needs to be said. That said, I do hope for some depth of story. If it can stay funny and be deep, there is the challenge.
Ditto, James and Fred. THE ORVILLE is the one I’ll watch. STD? The pilot…maybe. THE ORVILLE does indeed look and sound a lot more like Star Trek than what is being shoveled up and served to us as “Star Trek” these days.
Yes, the kind of Star Trek everyone was bitching about before it got cancelled. But now with Seth MacFarlane.
Ha!
@Vokar — Trek is evolving. Not only is the Orville clearly a step backward, squarely in the TNG era safe-zone, but it’s also apparently as if every episode was “I Mudd” meets “The Trouble With Tribbles”, with McFarlane’s patented brand of sophomoric improvisation from the Jerry Seinfeld school of acting, and Brannon Braga’s current take on chocolate and human sexuality.
Curious Cadet
A step backward…by drawing inspiration from two extremely popular and successful shows?!? Why on Earth would they want to do that???
You have the audacity to call Orille a step backwards when we’re about to watch the third consecutive prequel?
My god man, which reality are you living in?
TNG is easily the most popular Trek show ever. How is that taking a step backwards?
I would argue Orville sounds much more intriguing and clever, whereas Discovery is a “step backward” that is not offering anything edgy for Star Trek fans to get excited about. Nobody was asking for another prequel set in the 23rd Century, we’ve already seen the time period “10 years before Kirk” (just watch The Cage), and we do not need yet another actor cast in the role of Sarek. We do not need JJ looking visuals and lens flares in a show set in the “prime timeline”. It’s time for Trek to move on from those conventions. If the intent of Discovery is to make the First Officer the cool new saavy character that gets the major focus instead the Captain of the ship, it isn’t something “new” for Star Trek, it is a huge step backwards to what was attempted in 1987 during TNG’s first season. Trek evolved past that 30 years ago and all the recent shows have been ensemble shows where ALL the major characters have equal weight on the show and and their time in the spotlight. Another one of the “new” things being marketed about Discovery is that supposedly the show will not allow any stories that use time travel as a plot device. That’s a big creative step backward in sci-fi that limits story potential. The Orville is not afraid to have fun with its premiere and give us a First Officer who is the divorced ex-spouse of the Captain and a gelatanious-based crew member aboard the ship. Discovery could learn a thing or two from that.
agreed.
“If it can stay funny and be deep, there is the challenge.”
Amen. Funny AND deep is a very fine line to walk. The trailer made it look to be flat out comedy. Then the articles where they are calling themselves dramedy in the likes of MASH… That gave me pause. Can it be done here? We shall see come September.
Frederick N Taylor
Yup. From the outset, the difference in marketing between DSC and The Orville has been remarkable. The Orville has been doing a straight-up pitch: here’s what our show will be like, these are the types of themes that it will treat, here are some representative scenes, and here’s what it’ll be like (Trek-inspired, with a bit more comedy but also meaningful stories for grown-ups). With DSC, I’m having to fight off the impression that the producers don’t want us to have any impression about what the show will be like. And I’m really confused as to why they would take this approach when DSC will require a paid subscription to watch.
Excellent points, Cygnus.
because Orville has zero brand awareness as a franchise and thus, no real spoilers. I suspect Discovery does.
Why do you need to know plot details? Why cant you just watch it?
I find the debates about the marketing really odd. As fans, who cares?
@TUP,
“Why do you need to know plot details? Why cant you just watch it?”
That’s an excellent tag line for the show, better send it to CBS marketing team right away.
“You don’t need to know much about our show, just watch it”
James Heaney
Ditto.
Time will tells whether the show is actually any good and has longevity, but aren’t these guys just about doing everything right – involving Trek alumni, first class scoring, great looking ships and sets, participating in fan events etc. I’m looking forward to it far more that Discovery (which really shouldn’t be the case, but if I wanted to watch A Game of Thrones a-like, I’d watch Game of Thrones!). Good luck to them both!!
Just as, apparently, people still insist on ingesting alcohol to poison their bodies into a vaguely pleasant feeling of intoxication which then turns painful and gross, I feel that the crew of the Orville should be shown enjoying Cannabis in vaped, smoked, and/or eaten form. I mean, since it isn’t literally poison, like alcohol, and it’s shown to be on it’s way to full legalization and has shown it’s medicinal worth, I feel it needs to be shown in a positive and accepting light. Please nothing so over the top as “A bag of weed.”
Stoner Trek… yay…
haha, half mashed and eating junk food.
I believe the trailer features the pilot escorting the captain through the shipyards…while intoxicated (which the captain frowns upon).
…agreed: alcohol sucks =(
…i think we are ready to see crew members hitting the space bong in their off hours ;-)
Why isn’t he hiring Ron Jones to score the show?
Mr. Jones seems to be pretty particular about what he does with his time these days. He was doing (alternating with another composer on) both Family Guy and American Dad, and then cut back to doing just Family Guy. He seems to have a lot of his own projects he wants to pursue outside of Hollywood.
I’m hoping that Seth at least gets Ron to score an episode or two, it’s just too perfect not to.
Personally I’d rather see Ron, return to the animate world of DuckTales
*animated
@Matt — I really hope they don’t have a return to goose egg scores with no snare drums. Ron was never my favorite. Broughton on the other hand is one of the most under-appreciated composers in town. I’ll wager his score will be the best part of the entire series, as long as they don’t tie his hands the way they did the composers during Braga’s reign.
I am looking forward to Discovery. And also Orville.
THE ORVILLE show is bound to open a can of spaceworms for ‘Trek’ fans once it’s out there along with ST:DISCOVERY. But the fact that it seems to be aiming to be a ‘dramedy’ rather than an outright ‘comedy’ makes me think that it’s gonna end up with a very uneven tone indeed. It’s a very tricky balance to achieve successfully, and I didn’t find much to laugh at in it’s trailer personally – however, perhaps things will seem better in the context of actual episodes eventually.
It certainly looks like it’s got some excellent visual effects where it’s spacecraft/space shots are concerned, and judging by that pic in the article, some of it’s makeup is going to be very good too.
It’s gonna be interesting to see how both shows pan out in their initial episodes, but if THE ORVILLE ends up having a superior ‘main theme’ tune to ST: DISCOVERY, then I will be very disappointed indeed!
I agree. I think fans of Family Guy will likely be bored with an hour long show that tries to do serious sci fi. And fans of sci fi will likely be turned off by stupid jokes.
Unless they can find a balance such as the drama, sci fi and humor of Quantum Leap but Seth MacFarlane doesnt seem like the guy to pull that off.
No doubt the show is expensive. Fox will lose interest if it doesnt produce ratings.
Prepare to be disappointed
Looks interesting! Now I have two shows to look forward to! :)
I don’t know why anyone would want to badmouth the show before its even aired yet.
It might be great, mediocre or bad. Give it a try. It definitely has the potential to be a fun, entertaining program on FREE TV – what a concept.
Steve, where do you live that you’re getting free tv? My cable bill is more than the rent of my first apartment, which included heat and hot water.
No charge for it over here in the UK. On free to air DTV and free to air Sat.
The Orville is going to be on Fox, Fox is an over-the-air broadcast network. Get a suitable antenna and watch it for free :-)
https://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29
One Missing Neuron, Over the air broadcasts can still be watched with an HD antenna .
OneMissingNeuron,
There are still things you attach to your TV called an ANTENNA. You see, even today TV stations send their signals over the air to be picked up by anyone using such a device. It costs nothing to receive the signal. Look into it.
MacFarlane’s track record, perhaps? It’s endearing that he loves Star Trek and employs Trek alums and used his power to resurrect Cosmos with Braga. He’s a smart man who is affable when candid in person.
He’s also obnoxious as a comedy writer. The closest he’s come to writing a Star Trek story was when he reunited the TNG cast for a low brow and embarrassing wasted opportunity that pales in comparison to what Futurama did when it brought together the TOS actors. I am highly skeptical of his comedic instincts, and treatment of female characters; I already hate the decision to write himself an ex-wife ten years his junior. The idea that Brannon Braga of all people is the one to expect will keep him in check is… hilarious if you don’t have a short memory.
Have you seen Ted 2?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzvAQQe9qGo
:D
Also Michael Dorn had me in stitches
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB0TbfBgghA
Oof.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIMyziS0Fxw
@Steve — I would never tell someone not to watch something I haven’t seen myself. The track record of the participants is what’s important here. I think the key is not getting ones hopes up, and being pleasantly surprised if all involved are able to elevate their work above their usual fare.
Am I the only one who doesn’t care about The Orville? I love the work you do on this site, but a Star Trek spoof still isn’t Star Trek. Thanks for everything else though guys.
Probably the same way the rest of us feel about STD.
Perhaps, but Galaxy Quest has been discussed here a number of times as well. Spoofs of Star Trek are apparently “trek” enough.
I love GALAXY QUEST. THE ORVILLE’s humor looks like it’s intended for ten-year olds.
His humor works on FAMILY GUY and AMERICAN DAD, for various reasons (I especially like the latter), but an animated comedy isn’t the same as a sitcom, which isn’t the same as a dramedy. Norman Lear and MASH understood dramedy, but it takes a very deft touch to pull off, almost to the point where ALL IN THE FAMILY/JEFFERSONS and MASH were sui generis. And I think it’s doubly hard to mesh MacFarlane’s brand of humor with serious drama.
So I’m skeptical that THE ORVILLE is going to work, and I definitely wouldn’t say I’m excited about it. That’s not to say I won’t tune in for a few episodes to see whether I’m wrong and he captures lightning in a bottle.
I’m just worried that this might be more ‘Star Trek’ than STD. I hope not, because I don’t really like Seth MacFarlanes humour.
So this is gonna be Star Trek for Voyager fans.
That’s all good, I guess, they need a show too.
I would watch this show if it was as good as Voyager. It was my third favorite Trek show after TOS and TNG. Try as I might, I could not stay interested in watching DS9 or Enterprise.
So I’m definitely interested in The Orville, since I like most of what Seth MacFarlane has done. I do hope the tone is less joke-y than the first trailer makes it out to be, since that tone is a little much for an hour long show.
It’ll be interesting to see how it does though, ratings-wise. FOX hasn’t had the best track record with genre shows – with just a couple of exceptions, they’ve been doing pretty bad across the board. Ironically, for all those people saying this is “real” Star Trek, they will be able to see how it either fails or succeeds on “free” broadcast television.
September will be a very interesting month with both ‘Discovery’ and ‘The Orville’ coming out in the later weeks of the month.
And Saturday July 22 in SDCC is going to be such a crazy day for fans. What with both ‘Discovery’ and ‘The Orville’ having panels on the very same day.
At least “Orville” is running on network, not stuck in paid streaming hell. Amazingly enough, Fox seems to believe more in their show than CBS does STD.
That makes absolutely no sense. If cbs didn’t believe in Discovery, why are they using it as the flagship for their streaming service.
Because they are using it as the flagship for their streaming service.
You don’t win fans by slapping things behind a paywall and expecting all to roll up roll up and spit out their money in to the magic Executive bonus tin.
HAHAHAHAHAHA Karl….
CBS doesnt believe in a series they are making the flagship of a service they are committed to. Riiiiiight. A series they are heavily invested in. A series which they ALREADY EXTENDED.
Get a grip.
Exactly, Troy. And if you really prefer streaming to cable or over the air they will still make it available on their streaming web site. EVERYONE wins. That is how you make a show as widely available as possible. Not making the fans jump though a bunch of hoops.
ML, you still dont understand how it works and you dont understand the business.
If any Trek fan wants Discovery on CBS proper, you are condemning it to an early demise. Stop embarrassing yourselves.
CBS’ plans for Discovery are the best chance for Star Trek to thrive.
No. I DO understand the business. I know exactly what CBS is doing. The thing is, such a strategy is handcuffing themselves. (At least it is given what what has been made public thus far, that can change if more info comes out) You aren’t understanding that aspect of it.
CBS’s plans for Discovery is high risk low reward for fans. If it meets the meager expectations of a streaming only property, then few fans get to see it. If it fails, CBS will blame Trek. Not the medium they used to deliver it. This plan for Trek on AA only just feels like DIVX felt back in the mid ’90’s.
Further… Currently the best chance for Trek is NOT on a major over the air network like CBS. The best chance for Trek lies on a cable station. Where low ratings are not show killers. CBS has a number of outlets if they really wanted to try and squeeze a bit more money from the Trek franchise stone.
So far, “Orville” looks and feels more like Star Trek than the current iteration of Star Trek does. The name does not make it “Trek”, the people do.
THE ORVILLE looks entertaining and fun. STAR TREK DISCOVERY just looks grim and depressing.
Everyone tries their best to avoid getting an STD.
Their first actual trailer contains nothing but conflict, anger, grit and “the coming of death”. What the hell are these writers and producers thinking? Who the hell do they think the target audience is?
A monumental disaster for the franchise which is well on course to killing it outright. Fuller was right to leave Moonves’s catastrophic micromanagement.
The fanbase will call for heads to roll, I guarantee it.
@Karl — of course you’re right — a fan base has already called for heads to roll and they haven’t even seen it yet. Your arguments are meaningless.
Are you still posting here, Karl? lol
So The Orville is a comedy?
@DataMat,
Going by what MacFarlane said about the show it’s going to be a lot more than just comedy.
MacFarlane: “It probably has more in common with Star Trek than Futurama. It is an hour-long show so we have to tell a story…The show is being promoted leaning on the comedy – and we like the promo a lot – but I think people will be surprised that we are digging a little deeper. We are servicing the science fiction aspect as well.”
And in another interview he said:
“I think it is going to surprise people that we do do our heavy lifting – or least we try to – with the actual work of writing thoughtful science fiction. It’s not really as much Galaxy Quest as it’s being billed as. We’re digging a little deeper.”
https://trekmovie.com/2017/05/22/seth-macfarlane-the-orville-will-be-more-star-trek-than-futurama/
I think they’re aiming for something similar in tone to Stargate SG-1 and Farscape.
I think people will tune in for the sci-fi aspect and tune out because of the comedy.
You haven’t seen the FOX promo’s for it then. It’s being touted as a comedy. People will tune in for the comedy more than the sci-fi aspect of it. If they think it gets too “Star Trek-y” they will probably tune out.
If your correct that the show shares similar tones to SG1, then I’m probably going to actually enjoy it a lot! Fingers crossed.
So, The Orville has a bar… full of glass bottles. So, when we see aliens attack and crewmen tossed about the bridge like green army men on a trampoline, the bottles are fine. In fact, only the bridge shakes, right?
I was thinking something similar about those bottles. Of course, this being 400 years in the future, I am going to guess there is special technology in the base of those bottles that keep them securely in-place during battle. ;)
Or… just shatter proof bottles!
Am I the only person that doesn’t think McFarlane isn’t funny? Sorry, not a family guy fan, didn’t like that stuffed bear movie. I really don’t see this lasting more than a season. Besides, FOX tends to move their shows around so much that I think it will get lost in the shuffle.
If this was purely a scifi show, I could be interested but it’s not. It’s a comedy. A comedy that has a lot of the tired MacFarlane jokes that I’ve grown out of in the way that I don’t watch Family Guy anymore. I hope you guys enjoy it who keep rooting for it but if you’re thinking this will be Star Trek while Discovery won’t be…well jokes on you.
Braga? Really? lol Wow. That’s a hard pass from me. (not that I planned on watching it anyway lol)
What’s wrong with Braga?
People treat him like he’s satan…or George Lucas.
There was tons of good stuff he did. Sadly his worst stuff was at the end of his reign.
I think there’s a lot of Niners on the internet have started a “Ronald D. Moore was a 100% brilliant and solid Trek writer who did everything right, Brannon Braga was a 100% awful and messy Trek writer who did everything wrong” talking point over the last decade. They use this premise to push why DS9 was so “superior” to Voyager, even the ratings on both were similar and neither achieved the popularity of TNG.
The truth is Moore wrote some of Trek’s best episodes and so did Braga. Both had their strengths and weaknesses, and Rick Berman paired them together as writers because they tended to balance each other very well (Braga’s strength was creative sci-fi premises and Moore’s strength was good character development), though if you listen to the commentary for Star Trek: Generations, it seems Braga is much more self-aware of the flaws with their script for that movie than Moore is.
Things went downhill for Braga when Berman put him “in charge” of Star Trek, although I would argue it had been going downhill since the earlier duo of Berman & Piller were “in charge” of Star Trek in the late 90s.
In any case, I’m really looking forward to watching some Orville episodes written by Braga. He’s a very creative guy and I’d much rather watch something written by him than Akiva Goldsman on Discovery
Don’t get me wrong, I’m looking forward to this … but I’m gonna need a Brannon Braga drinking game for THE ORVILLE. Every time a character’s DNA gets re-written somehow, drink a shot. Every time there’s a reset button pressed, take a shot. Have a character behave in a way completely alien to their established personality just to fit the needs of the plot, take a shot. And so on….
I hope Orville succeeds. I like the retro TNG vibe. I admire the crew of people they’ve assembled to create the show.
But, it’s going to fail. Because Seth McFarlane is a terrible actor. I love his writing. I love his voice acting. I think he’s awesome, as far as probably being a really cool guy. But he can’t act, everything he’s ever been in is awful. Casting himself as the lead was a terrible mistake. He should have been the voice of the ship computer, the robot, etc.
@Karidian — This.
I’m not interested in a prequel to TOS, so I’m not planning on watching “Star Trek Discovery,” but I am interested in seeing “The Orville.”
@Steven — a nostalgic and comedic romp through the safe and familiar surroundings of TNG and its spinoffs! What fun …
@Curious Cadet,
Well, from the data it sounds like ‘The Orville’ is resonating with the general public a lot more than ‘Discovery’, at least for now.
http://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/editorialfiles/charts/2017/05/1495225490_20170519_upfronts_amobee.JPG
That data is nonsense for your argument. The trailer for Orville debuted on May 15th and the trailer and the big announcement news for Discovery was May 18th. Since that data covers May 14-17, before the big Star Trek announcement and trailer drop, of course it’s going to show more interest in Orville since it had already had its promotional material released.
@MattR,
With all due respect you’re mistaken.
While Fox upfront presentation was indeed on May 15, CBS upfront presentation was on May 17 and not on May 18 as you said. In fact if you look at the data you will see two new shows from CBS that were presented during the upfront including ‘Young Sheldon’.
But more importantly “the big Star Trek announcement and trailer drop,” was on May 17, the day of CBS upfront presentation. Major media outlets like Variety, Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter covered the upfront including news about ‘Discovery’.
The Hollywood Reporter: ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Official Trailer Unveiled – May 17, 2017 by Kate Stanhope
Deadline: ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Gets Order Increase & Companion Aftershow On CBS All Access – by Nellie Andreeva – May 17, 2017
And then we have Trekmovie as well
BREAKING: First Trailer For ‘Star Trek: Discovery,’ Season Extended Plus Aftershow Announced [UPDATED] – May 17, 2017
https://trekmovie.com/2017/05/17/breaking-first-trailer-for-star-trek-discovery-season-extended-plus-aftershow-announced/
The data, provided to CNBC a business website, therefore is accurate and reflects a simple fact that ‘The Orville’ is resonating a lot with the general public and that marketing for ‘Discovery’ is not reaching the same target as it should.
Who cares. How Orville airs and how Discovery airs are so different. It literally is worthless to compare.
Are we now at that point where the anti-Discovery fans are praying for the the success of Orville as if it somehow means Discovery fails?
Why cant they both be good?
@TUP,
Don’t be Obtuse. The data compare general public reactions to all new shows during the network upfront presentations; and that includes ‘Discovery’ and ‘The Orville’.
Regardless of how you “feel”, the networks care about reaching general public and by looking at the data, CBS has a lot of work to do to increase social chatter about ‘Discovery’
And labeling any comments that don’t fit with your endless ‘Discovery’ cheerleading as ‘anti-Discovery’ is quite ignorant of you.
@Ahmad, if you find being logical and having common sense being “obtuse” or “cheerleading” then you, my friend, are a lost cause.
Use your head before you attack me, pal.
@TUP,
Clearly you’re very excited about ‘Discovery’ & there is absolutely nothing wrong with that but you need to accept that not everyone will see it the same way you do and for various reasons.
Considering that as a Canadian fan you’re not affected nor required to subscribe to CBS All Access, an additional streaming service, in order to watch ‘Discovery’. And yet you’re constantly attacking fans, in almost every thread, who express doubts about the delivery method within the United States, who don’t want to pay for another streaming service with such limited content library to watch a show with ads no less.
Come September 24 I’ll watch ‘Discovery’ pilot on Space Channel and hopefully it will be a good one. Meanwhile, based on the limited info we have so far I don’t see myself getting overtly excited about it yet. That might change with SDCC if they release a full new trailer & gave us more details, not cryptic PR talk, about the storyline.
Yep, it should be fun. I’m in an age category that doesn’t count anymore for ratings, so neithr FOX nor CBS will be interested in my viewing choices.
I’ll watch the Discovery pilot since it will be on CBS, but you won’t catch me spending a dime on the CBS All Access service to watch an episode beyond that. If Discovery doesn’t make it, the fact that they essentially made it pay-per-view will be most likely what killed it.
Eric,
At this point, I think that very well could be the case. CBS is jumping on the streaming only content bandwagon just a little too late. The streaming market is already getting too saturated and it is asking quite a bit for subscribers to add yet another streaming service. Especially of those who already have 3+ pay services. And given how many in that business work, should the show fail they will blame Trek for it. Not the delivery method.
Ill be watching on my free cable package using my free television set, sitting on my free couch, in my free house eating my free chips and drinking my free beer.
So… You are either a child or a deadbeat mooching of family members….
What does Braga know about writing for Star Trek?
A lot.
More than any of us. He’s rich and famous for doing it.
…not a whole lot from what I saw. But we have to remember, the writers of TOS were imaginative veterans of WW2…ex marines..former cops…established science fiction writers… all who had truly lived life, witnessed death, and could write from the heart and soul of life’s experiences. Then there was Braga etal.
The one thing you can say about Orville (what an odd name for a show) is that it will not be dragged down by 50 years of continuity hanging around its neck.
I am neutral to this and I am neutral to Discovery, simply because I have seen so little of both, way too little to form an actual informed opinion.
I just wish CBS had had the cajones to simply do a full reboot of Trek. It would have made life a lot easier for everyone. No calling it a prequel, no alternate universes, no having to explain why things look the way they do, no having to have every decision second guessed because “that’s not how they did it on TOS”. That would have been so refreshing.
Actually that would have been stupid.
Why?
I can understand fans dislike of a total reset, but I agree, and would have loved one. Unfortunately, it would require a lot of risk and a lot of courage, two things you don’t find at the corporate level, where they make these decisions ultimately.
A full reset would have been silly.
Literally the largest thing keeping Trek afloat is TOS and its fans. They are trying to tap into that while creating a quality show that will appeal to lapsed fans, other Trek fans and new fans.
There is really nothing to be gained by a reboot and no reason to do it either. If people think the 50 year history is an anchor around their necks, they’re throwing in the towel on on the creative talents of the people involved.
Other than Star Trek alums working on it why is this show getting so much attention on this website?
Its a mystery actually. lol
Wow, I watched the trailer again and the humor is so lame and forced. Same type of over used humor I see in most “comedy” these days.
I’ve always enjoyed Star Trek tv shows, but I’m all about TNG, DS9 and Voyager. We got our prequel fix out of Enterprise but I want to move forward, not revisit the TOS era again – that being said, The Orville looks more Trek than Discovery does (even with the humor) so I’m excited for it.
No it doesnt.
I agree going forward would’ve been more ideal but I have hope this will surprise us.
As for Orville I’m not as excited about it as others but will give i a shot. And cool Frakes will be working on both.
Discovery is going forward. Its a series produced in 2017, the most recent Trek series to date.
@TUP,
That’s laughable. Not only it’s a prequel series, a major step BACKWARD, the show creators couldn’t come up with a new antagonist and settled on the Klingons, a race that we have already seen countless times from TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY to ENT, not to mention the various movies.
No surprise that hack Braga wouldn’t be able to find work in proper drama, so has ended up on McFarlane’s project. As if running the franchise proper into the ground wasn’t enough, he now wants to dine out the vapours of whatever little good will people still have for that period in Trek history.
Looking on the bright side: I suppose while he’s involved with this he won’t be able to screw up anything genuinely important anymore – you know, like beloved futuristic TV shows adored by millions around the globe that’d made countless dollars for their studio before ‘you know who’ got control of them.
Funny thing… The bar seems a better fit on the Orville than on the Enterprise D!
I am really looking forward to The Orville, more than to DIS right now. It is just that DIS seems to go the “dark and gritty” route, just what Stargate did with Stargate Universe, which I absolutely hated. I fear a repeat of that debacle. I want Star Trek to portray a positive future. It shouldn’t be dark and depressing. I really hope DIS is better than the trailer and interviews make it appear.
@Mel — going dark isn’t what hurt SGU. Mostly it was the stories, and the writing, and the directing — the pacing in particular. Almost everything else was brilliant.
@Mel — PS, I watch some old Stargate now, and it appears campy compared to what I’m used to.
Looking forward to this show! and Adrianne Palicki too ;)
…Orville looks to be great! =)
…but as usual, haters gotta hate (sad) =(
This doesn’t exactly instill confidence in the show. I’m already iffy about McFarlane’s involvement as it is. Having Braga being influenced by one fan’s glowing comment doesn’t help. I’m curious enough to want to see it, but I’m not holding my breath.
I trust Orville hiring Braga to write scripts more than I trust Discovery hiring Akiva Goldsman to write scripts. Braga has written some the greatest episodes in Star Trek history.
Looking forward to this, big fan of MacFarlane’s humor and his love of Trek is well-documented. Since it’s on Fox I expect it’ll be cancelled sooner than later (especially if it’s any good), but I’m up for some Trek-centric fun.