The Orville

:

Season 1
  • Network: FOX , HULU
  • Series Premiere Date: Sep 10, 2017
Season #: 3, 2, 1
Metascore
36

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 21
  3. Negative: 10 out of 21
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Critic Reviews

  1. Yahoo TV
    Reviewed by: Ken Tucker
    Sep 11, 2017
    30
    Except for Norm Macdonald as the voice of an alien made of what looked like quivering gelatin, I didn’t find much that was amusing about The Orville’s space odyssey. ... From its opening scene with Victor Garber assigning Ed his ship to the final, unsuspenseful shootout with alien enemies, The Orville moved from one lull to another.
  2. Vox.com
    Reviewed by: Caroline Framke
    Sep 8, 2017
    30
    It’s almost impossible to know whether there are too many jokes in The Orville or too few, both because the show doesn’t seem at all confident in whether it should even be making jokes at all, and because the jokes that are in the show are bad.
  3. IndieWire
    Reviewed by: Liz Shannon Miller
    Sep 8, 2017
    25
    The lack of creativity is clear, given how it takes the basic framework of a “Trek” series and files off the serial numbers. But morally, it’s hard to imagine how anyone involved with this project could be comfortable with walking onto that set, watching those episodes, and seeing how blatant the imitation is.
  5. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: David Wiegand
    Sep 5, 2017
    25
    At times, Orville feels like an uncomplicated paean to the original “Star Trek.” There are a few moments of humor, but they feel half-hearted, almost as though someone said, “Hey, you created ‘Family Guy.’ Write something funny.” At other times, the show wants to make social commentary.
  6. TVLine
    Reviewed by: Dave Nemetz
    Sep 5, 2017
    25
    The Orville feels like a vanity project, plain and simple, and while it might be fun for MacFarlane to run around shooting phasers and playing Captain Kirk, it’s not much fun to watch. Because it doesn’t work as comedy. It doesn’t work as sci-fi. It just doesn’t work at all.
  7. Collider
    Reviewed by: Chris Cabin
    Sep 6, 2017
    20
    By playing it safe and showing a truly breathtaking lack of creativity, The Orville can’t even claim to be better than the myriad of Star Trek fan films that can currently be found on YouTube.
  8. UPROXX
    Reviewed by: Alan Sepinwall
    Sep 6, 2017
    20
    Virtually every joke in The Orville is out on an island. At times, it’s not even clear what the joke is meant to be, but simply that there is one. And while it’s a relief that Palicki isn’t playing the disapproving woman who rolls her eyes at the naughty dude at the center of the story, none of the writers seem to know what to do with her, either.
  9. USA Today
    Reviewed by: Kelly Lawler
    Sep 6, 2017
    20
    There are too few jokes for it to truly feel like a comedy (despite appearing that way in early promos), but attempts at humor muddy the series' ambitions as a pure sci-fi adventure. By flirting with two genres, MacFarlane has created a messy series that lacks focus.
  10. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Hank Stuever
    Sep 8, 2017
    10
    The show is an airless vacuum, with only a few nominal attempts at ironic wit.
  11. Variety
    Reviewed by: Maureen Ryan
    Sep 6, 2017
    10
    An air of self-congratulation hangs over the entire hour, as if MacFarlane, who wrote it, couldn’t get over his awe at his own bravery in engaging with a difficult, complex topic.

Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Most Discussed TV Season of 2017
47
#47 Most Shared TV Season of 2017

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 1016 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 877 out of 1016
  2. Mixed: 46 out of 1016
  3. Negative: 93 out of 1016
  1. rokweiller
    Sep 11, 2017
    10
    This show did its intended job ... it was funny & entertaining. The cast, set, and story line were spot on. The "pro critics" should eitherThis show did its intended job ... it was funny & entertaining. The cast, set, and story line were spot on. The "pro critics" should either get new jobs or stop reviewing shows of the genre. Generally speaking, pro critics know nothing about entertainment. Fire them all.… Full Review »
  2. auriStar
    Sep 10, 2017
    9
    From my impressions of the first episode, and the previews of episodes to come, I'm seeing a fairly bright future in this. And it's a shame,From my impressions of the first episode, and the previews of episodes to come, I'm seeing a fairly bright future in this. And it's a shame, really, to see the critical misunderstanding most reviewers have had about the show. This is *not* a straight comedy show. It is, at its core, a spiritual successor to Star Trek, while at the same time poking fun at the series, as well as sci fi in general. Many critics seem to be complaining that the show was not consistently funny. This would be a fair complaint if the show had many jokes, most of which fell flat. However, the fact is that the show has a handfull of jokes sprinkled throughout the episode, most of which are chuckle-worthy throwaway lines, and character-building moments.

    However, misunderstandings don't warrant a 9/10 on metacritic. What is actually worth watching about this show?

    The Characters:
    Each character presented in this is fairly well defined and has remarkably interesting synergy with each other. The writing is snappy enough to be interesting while distinct between characters as to not seem as if it's grasping for quotable lines. While the writing is nowhere near on-par with the likes of Xavier, it helps carry the story along fairly nicely, and retains that genuine charm which Star Trek performed so distinctly and prominently in its formative years.

    The Production:
    The show, simply put, looks like Star Trek. It is clear that the editors and effects artists put great thought into making it look authentically like a Star Trek show. Everything from the shots to the lighting evokes the classic style of Star Trek to a tee (though perhaps more DS9 than TNG). While by no means do visuals save or doom a show, the effort put into the aesthetics of the show demonstrate the care which went into it. This work is all in service of portraying a familiar, yet distinct and genuine science fiction world, with meshes of old and new imagery.

    The Plot:
    Though little has been shown as to the overarching narrative, and whether or not the show is serialized, episodic, or a mix of the two, the pacing and content of the plot in this show is strangely compelling. You'd think from what is ostensibly a parody show that the writing plays the whole thing fairly loosey goosey, but in practice, the narrative actually has some stakes. The characters are likeable enough as to where you want to see them make it through to the end, and it is made clear from the offset that characters can and will die if something goes wrong. The only issue I found in the story was that the enemy alien race, The Krill (?), seemed a bit too grunt-y to be considered an actual threat. They're quickly dispatched by the main cast, which is by no means filled with combatants. However, given the glimpses we've seen of the future episodes, this is by no means the biggest threat planned for the cast.

    Overall, I'd say the show is enjoyable so far. I may amend the score in future if the quality declines. However, in a time where we haven't seen anything really interesting come of Star Trek in decades, seeing something like this which tastefully and respectfully evokes the charm of the old show is, perplexingly, a breath of fresh air. Definitely give it a go for yourself.    … Full Review »
  3. Fiestykitten
    Sep 11, 2017
    9
    This show is bright, optimistic and a real breath of fresh air in a genre that has gone dark, serious and gritty - whether we wanted it to orThis show is bright, optimistic and a real breath of fresh air in a genre that has gone dark, serious and gritty - whether we wanted it to or not. If it cuts back on the forced gags, let's the humour flow more naturally and concentrates on sci-fi, it could become a real gem. Good luck Seth. I applaud the vision and critics be damned.… Full Review »
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