Even someone who had never seen an episode ofStar Trekwould know, within the first five minutes ofThe Orville’s first episode, that it was intended to emulate the legendary sci-fi franchise. Everything fromthe ship designsto the crew’s uniforms to the soaring, adventurous music is engineered to make Trekkies feel right at home. As the show’s creator’s have affirmed,The Orvilleis indeed both an homage and a lighthearted parody ofStar Trek,mainly theOriginal SeriesandThe Next Generationshows.
However, over the course of its run, it progresses to more complex topics and tackling bigger storylines.The Orvilledoesn’t simply coast onStar Treknostalgia. Alongside its irreverent humor, it also makes a point of telling interesting stories, posing what-ifs and exploring philosophical questions — all the things that science fiction does best.
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Fascinating World-Building
During its first season,The Orvillesets up a world more or less analogous to the one thatStar Trekfans are familiar with. The Union is, essentially, this world’s version of the Federation and Starfleet. Like the Enterprise, the Orville’s mission is to explore the galaxy and map uncharted territory, while tryingnot to interfere in undeveloped cultures. Meanwhile, the Krill, enemies of the Union, combine elements of variousStar Trekvillains, such as Romulans and early Klingons.
Many other races introduced throughout the series draw inspiration fromStar Trekaliens as well. The Moclans are reminiscent ofTNG-era Klingons; the intellectualism of the Xelayanscalls the Vulcans to mind. However, they’re not direct rip-offs. Rather than simply giving new names to familiar faces, each species is based on a collection of influences as well as original ideas. And as the show progresses, that philosophy becomes the blueprint as the world-building expands and grows more complex.
With each episode, the audience learns more about the universe that The Orville is exploring. Many stories serve to expand the lore of the universe, and convey new knowledge to the audience about this unfamiliar sci-fi setting. For example, the early episodes “Command Performance” and “Majority Rule” offer more insight into the Union’s structure and policies — and how much the crew of the Orville can get away with bending them. “Pria,” “Into the Fold,” and “New Dimensions” all deal with exploringthe possibilities of technologyand the dangers of exploring the universe. And in the episode “Krill,” both the viewers and the characters in the show gain a deeper understanding of the titular alien race, in terms of their beliefs, motivations, strengths, and weaknesses. They gain insight into their enemies, and for those watching, foreshadow further conflicts. It’s an example not only of world-building, but the storytelling element that the show gets right.
Strong Storytelling
The Orvillemay draw plenty of inspiration for its structure and aesthetic from variousStar Trekmedia. However, its most memorable stories are those that center around concepts unique to its world. For example, the Season 1 episode “About a Girl” explores a defining aspect of the Moclan alien species, and the implications and consequences of a society that only views one gender as acceptable. It prompts viewers to think about their own world, a key aspect of science fiction stories.
The storytelling only improves as the show progresses. LikeStar Trek’sTOSandTNG, its primary focus is on exploration and discovery.Some early episodescould have easily been plucked right from aStar Trekseries — such as “Mad Idolatry,” which tells the story of a primitive culture developing a religion after witnessing Union technology. ButThe Orvilleis at its best when it delves into its own lore.
As each episode builds upon the characters and the universe,The Orvillebecomes less reliant on itsStar Trekinspiration. Instead, it leans more into the aspects that make it distinctive. In Season 2, several episodes revolve aroundexploring planets and alien culturesimportant to the show’s universe: Alara’s home planet, Xelaya; Isaac’s world of Kaylon 1; and again Moclus. Once again, these episodes not only serve to deepen viewers' understanding of the show’s universe, but tell fascinating stories that couldn’t be found anywhere else. The core elements that make them engaging are concepts unique toThe Orville, as opposed to aspects derived from other media.
The Orvillebegan as aStar Trekparody/homage, and it maintains elements of that throughout its run. But as the series, the characters, and the world of the show have grown, it has expanded beyond paying tribute to its predecessor. Instead, it has grown into a show that can fascinate and entertain audiences regardless of whether they’reStar Trekfans. It’s a well-made love letter to the famous franchise and what it did for the genre, but it’s also solid science fiction that stands on its own. Part of the reason thatit captures that classicStar Trekmagicis because it tells original stories, exploring new ideas about what life would be like out on the final frontier.
