The Orville: A Fun and Entertaining Romp for Fans of the Lighter Side of Sci-Fi

The Orville: A Fun and Entertaining Romp for Fans of the Lighter Side of Sci-Fi

If you are a regular reader of this blog (hopefully there are a few), you know that I invest a lot of my almost nonexistent free time to reading. My DVR is half full of shows that I have put on hold until I actually have time to watch, but never seem to find the time for. Well, I have been making time lately to see at least two new shows and thought I would share a few observations on one of them for now, later I will share my thoughts on Star Trek: Discovery as well.

The Orville

When I first heard about that this show was being done and that Seth MacFarlane was to be the showrunner, I made up my mind that it would probably be far too stupid for me. I had no interest in it whatsoever. It’s not that I don’t like Mr. MacFarlane, On the contrary, I have a lot of respect for him; he is, afterall, responsible for the 2014 remake of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. I admire his respect for science as well as his respect for Science Fiction. On the other hand, his brand of humor is often not mine. So, consequently, I was ready to dismiss The Orville out of hand and not be bothered with it.

I am not sure what possessed me to program the DVR to record the first episode, but I did. I suppose that I decided to give it at least a look so I could discuss with others the reasons I thought I would dislike it. I also have to admit that I decided to give it a look out of sheer curiosity. After all, what could it hurt to just watch the pilot and have my apprehensions confirmed? As of the time I am writing this, the show is six episodes into its first season and I find that it is something I look forward to every week. Yes, I was wrong and am not afraid to admit it.

The show’s premise is set on the titular USS Orville, a somewhat unimportant exploratory starship charged with roaming through the galaxy in service to the Planetary Union. The Planetary Union is much like Star Trek’s United Federation of Planets in that it encompasses Earth and many other worlds. Orville is commanded by Captain Ed Mercer (MacFarlane) who before discovering that his wife, Kelly (Adrianne Palicki) was involved with an alien, was on the fast track to commanding his own heavy cruiser. Unfortunately, after discovering his wife’s affair, he started drinking heavily and became lax in his duties. It is only because of a shortage of command officers that Mercer is given command of the ship. Mercer is joined by Kelly Grayson as his first officer, who also happens to be his ex-wife. Mercer is outraged when he learns that Kelly is appointed to be his on the ship, but they manage to put their differences aside and work together, however not without some considerable tension between them. What Mercer doesn’t know is that Kelly is, in a large part, responsible for Mercer getting his own command.

Other members of the crew include:

• Dr. Claire Finn (Penny Johnson Jerald): The ship’s surgeon and Chief Medical Officer. She is a brilliant doctor who could have been CMO on any ship she chose, but chose Orville because that is where she felt most needed. Star Trek fans will remember her as the love interest of Benjamin Sisco on Deep Space Nine.
• Lt. Gordon Malloy (Scott Grimes): Helmsman and Mercer’s best friend. He is considered to be the best helmsman in the fleet, but because of an accident, he is relegated to serve on the Orville.
• Lt. Commander Bortus (Peter Macon): An alien and Second Officer. A member of a single gender species known as the Moclans that seem to be very Klingon like in their sense of honor and duty.
• Lt. Alara Kitan (Halston Sage): A very young Chief of Security who possesses super-strength because of the high gravity environment on her home planet of Xelayan.
• Lt. John LaMarr (J. Lee): Navigator.
• Issac (Mark Jackson): Science and Engineering Officer. A member of an artificial race from Kaylon-1 who views all biological life as inferior.

I am not sure how or why I got hooked on The Orville. All I know is I am enjoying it for a number of reasons. The show does have a definite Star Trek flavor to it I find appealing. Some might even call it a Next Generation ripoff/parody. As I watch, I note several nods to Trek in the show, and MacFarlane himself openly admits that Star Trek is one of his inspirations for The Orville. So far (six episodes into the first season) I would say that the references to Star Trek have been both tasteful and respectful.

The stories themselves, at least following the pilot episode, have been interesting stories with some serious undertones to them. For instance, the episode entitled “About a Girl” goes into some depth about attempting to change a society's views which they have held for their entire existence. Another episode shows what an individual is capable of when they have the support of their friends. Another episode shows how practical jokes can backfire, and yet another deals with a population that is being deceived by a theocratic dictator who knowingly maintains control over his followers by keeping them ignorant of the truth. All of these themes are what make up some of the best episodes of Star Trek, but they are interspersed with varying degrees of humor that makes The Orville feel fresh and fun to watch.

Humor permeates the more serious side of The Orville as one might expect from the mind of Seth MacFarlane. The range of humorous elements include some very subtle remarks between characters to some very ridiculous juvenile stunts. On one episode, the bridge officers minus Mercer and Kelly are enjoying a meal together when Malloy and LaMarr (both self professed “jerks”) learn that Bortas can eat anything after he downs a large amount of wasabi in one gulp. So, the two begin giving Bortas all sorts of things to eat, and the scene comes to an end when the officers are mercifully called to the bridge for an emergency. But not all of the humor is so obvious. One has to really pay attention to the dialog between characters and have a pretty good knowledge of pop culture to get the full appreciation of the more subtle aspects. Sometimes I find myself laughing out loud, and other times I am rolling my eyes, but I do appreciate what I have seen so far.

Along with the stories, and to a lesser degree, the humor, I very much appreciate the attention to supporting aspects of the show. The makeup and prosthetic work on The Orville is top notch and very convincing. The visual effects are state of the art and stunning, but my favorite of all is the music used to punctuate the action taking place on the screen. While it is all original, the music is very much in the tradition what one might expect from a best of Star Trek album collection.

[I was originally very skeptical of whether I could enjoy The Orville only to find it a fun, interesting, and relaxing weekly diversion from the day to day business of being a responsible adult. I will continue to watch and enjoy and hope that the series continues with a full first season and more seasons to follow.

Well, there it is…

Qapla’!

Fog & Fate (Dust & Cannibals Book 4) By Bruce I. Schindler - The People Of Harlan County Are On The Move!

Fog & Fate (Dust & Cannibals Book 4) by Bruce I. Schindler

I first met Bruce and learned about his writing at the Buffalo County Fair a few years ago while he was manning a table with the Central Nebraska Writers Guild. After visiting with him for a few minutes, I knew I had to read his Dust & Cannibals novel. He described it as a post apocalyptic cowboy/Sci-Fi mashup that takes place in and around Harlan County, Nebraska. Since reading that first novel, Bruce and I have become friends and I await every installment of the series with great eagerness. I finished reading Fog & Fate and am all the more chomping at the bit to read the next book which is promised to be released soon.

The Dust & Cannibals series opens somewhat innocently enough with a single rider headed into the town of Alma, the county seat of Harlan County (or simply Harlan as it is known to the people there). This rider, a man named Lyle Lillard happens to be on a “green-broke” horse with a saddle that is too small. When he is about halfway to his destination, he is set upon by a large group of people who are intending to have him for dinner, but not as a guest, but rather as the main course! It is only thanks to his horse being spooked that he escapes. As the story unfolds, we learn that a series of disasters, both natural and man-made, have made the world into a place where chaos is the rule rather than the exception. Those that have survived the disasters find themselves in a position in which only the fittest will continue to survive.

Fog & Fate moves forward with an imminent threat from the a large group of terrorists to the south near Colorado Springs. It is not known what capabilities the terrorists have to wage war against Harlan, but the possibility of a nuclear threat is a real concern. It is determined that a small group from Harlan needs to go on a recon mission to determine what numbers and capabilities they are facing. It would seem that the terrorists really don’t have anything against the people of Harlan, that is, other than a difference of philosophical points of view. Actually, they are determined to kill all the men and enslave the women for nefarious purposes. An altogether unacceptable situation for the citizens of Harlan.

It is soon determined that there are far too many terrorists to fight and that mass relocation is necessary for continued survival. When the idea of using the existing railway system and steam engines comes up, preparations are made to leave. But where can they go? There are so many places that are unsafe either because of the terrorists reach, or the climate conditions, the choices are very limited. While things are looking grave for the people of Harlan, there is still hope and determination driving them forward.

Each book of the Dust & Cannibals series focuses on a different character. This installment takes a close look on Josh Morgan, a former soldier who survived the war in Afghanistan and made his way back the the U.S. on an aircraft carrier. He, along with his friend, Mark Tahner, made their way across the country on foot. Upon arrival in Harlan, Josh and Mark’s skills came in very handy and they were readily accepted into the fold. Josh is a likable character who is not too outspoken and willing to take orders. He and his wife, Alicia are expecting one of the first babies to be born after the threat of the devastating Omega Dust (a weapon of mass destruction) has passed.

Josh is sent to command a mission to reconnoiter the terrorists in Colorado. During this mission, we find that Josh is not a strong commander, but he shows great personal growth after the birth of Baby Grace. From then on, the people of Harlan find that they can depend on him to get the jobs done and that he does a fairly good job of assessing a situation and solves problems. There is only one situation that he finds himself in where his soldier’s sense fails him and he gets pinned down during a firefight.

Bruce really ramps up the action in Fog & Fate with several firefights of varying size. This action tends to drive home the point that things are very tense for the people of Harlan. Some of that tension is very palpable when Josh’s wife, Alicia stands outside of the Lillard home with an automatic weapon gunning down attacking terrorists en masse. There are many other smaller scale skirmishes along the way, and the descriptions of those are also charged with the same sense of tension; as I read, I felt a true sense of relief that the situation had been resolved. The apprehension of what might happen next always hung in the air and there are many surprises along the way.

As each novel is released, there is more and more territory revealed and the conditions therein. Fog & Fate ranges from Cheyenne, Wyoming to the west to near Omaha, and south to Colorado Springs. All along the way, Bruce gives us a picture of devastation that evoked some sad feelings for me since the story is set so close to home. In other words, he is doing what a great author should do by making the reader feel what one should.

As it is throughout the series, the theme in Fog and Fate is survival. The people of Harlan are being targeted by the terrorists and decide that they have to leave the area, especially in light of a possible nuclear threat. There are many things to consider when outfitting the trains they will use as their transportation, as well as their homes away from home. First they have to make sure that everyone has plenty of food and water, then there are the horses they will continue to depend upon that also need to be fed. While the trip will not be the most comfortable, many considerations are given to make things as pleasant as possible. The people of Harlan will only survive as long as they work together and stay focused on their goal.

While I have enjoyed every novel in the Dust & Cannibals series, this one is my favorite so far because of the author’s brilliant world-building and character development. He has really made me care about what happens to the people of Harlan. Add to that, Bruce’s style of storytelling that is quite non-formulaic allowing for surprises along the way. I give my highest recommendations for this book and all of the rest in the series. We are promised a fifth book in the series entitled Steam & Trust, for which I am eagerly awaiting as the people of Harlan try to find a place that they can find peace.

Well, there it is…

Qapla’!

Edited By Benjamin Arrowood