The Orville

:

Season 1
  • Network: FOX , HULU
  • Series Premiere Date: Sep 10, 2017
Season #: 3, 2, 1
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
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  1. VexxAngel
    Oct 28, 2017
    10
    The first two shows are slow but still have some really funny gags. Seven shows in and I'm totally hooked. Meanwhile Discovery is unwatchable at this point. Thank God for The Orville. Many lols, proper TNG like story. Praying for a season 2.
  2. Ddraig_goch
    Oct 29, 2017
    10
    "The Orville" is certainly hitting a spot as a SF-TV show:
    The script writers are not afraid to tackle current controversial social issues in a mature way without ridiculing any point of view - but still, the series never looses its humour.
    This "balancing act" is not the easiest task for a script writer - and I think, so far, the makers of this show are managing brilliantly. Certainly    "The Orville" is certainly hitting a spot as a SF-TV show:
    The script writers are not afraid to tackle current controversial social issues in a mature way without ridiculing any point of view - but still, the series never looses its humour.
    This "balancing act" is not the easiest task for a script writer - and I think, so far, the makers of this show are managing brilliantly. Certainly worth watching - it's great fun!    … Expand
  3. sgupta
    Oct 29, 2017
    10
    I was dubious but hopeful when I watched the first episode, expecting the humor to be a lot sillier and very little focus on science fiction or character development. Boy, did I underestimate Seth McFarlane. This is, by far, my favorite show of the year. I actually teared up a bit during the premiere because I felt like I was watching a new episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation...aI was dubious but hopeful when I watched the first episode, expecting the humor to be a lot sillier and very little focus on science fiction or character development. Boy, did I underestimate Seth McFarlane. This is, by far, my favorite show of the year. I actually teared up a bit during the premiere because I felt like I was watching a new episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation...a very special feeling I haven't gotten to experience in years. I love the characters, sets, bright future, episodic format, and clever writing. The episode climaxes are generally satisfying, smart, and often humorous, and there's a good dose of heart and philosophy and thought-provoking moments as well. While I'm watching both The Orville and Star Trek: Discovery, I look forward to The Orville much more each week over Discoery, and it's overwhelmingly more appealing to me so far. I hope for many more seasons to come!… Expand
  4. Ickabodx
    Nov 3, 2017
    9
    First off, it's not perfect. What is, is a great reminder of why Star Trek was so great, the hopefulness of this show creates light entertainment that you can sit back and enjoy. It's not hitting you over the head to make you think or feel something. It presents material knowing that it's not looking to win Emmy's or critical acclaim. It exists to entertain you in a bright and positiveFirst off, it's not perfect. What is, is a great reminder of why Star Trek was so great, the hopefulness of this show creates light entertainment that you can sit back and enjoy. It's not hitting you over the head to make you think or feel something. It presents material knowing that it's not looking to win Emmy's or critical acclaim. It exists to entertain you in a bright and positive way without falling into cheesiness. It's just a good mix. I am really looking forward to the rest of the season and what they can improve upon on in season 2. Hopefully with a little bigger budget.… Expand
  5. antina
    Nov 7, 2017
    10
    This show is witty, well written and very well acted. I have seen 8 episodes so far and i am totally in love. This is the "Star Trek" show i've been waiting for twenty years and i can't thank enough Seth McFarlane for this.
    I don't know if the critics are crazy, biased or simply incompetent, but i have learned to don't believe what people writes on magazines and i prefer to see things    This show is witty, well written and very well acted. I have seen 8 episodes so far and i am totally in love. This is the "Star Trek" show i've been waiting for twenty years and i can't thank enough Seth McFarlane for this.
    I don't know if the critics are crazy, biased or simply incompetent, but i have learned to don't believe what people writes on magazines and i prefer to see things with my eyes before forming an opinion.    … Expand
  6. healthnut75
    Nov 7, 2017
    10
    Ok, I'm a Star Trek fan. I think Orville is well written and the best new show of Fall season.
    The first episode was weak, but all the rest have been great.
  7. Daniel_Campbell
    Oct 2, 2017
    2
    The Orville...I don't think it's going to hook me. A self indulgent, unfunny mess. It kind of feels like someone took a mediocre sitcom and removed the laugh track. The show isn't funny enough to be a comedy, not smart enough to be good science fiction, and not well written enough to be a good drama. It's just so...bleh.
  8. sayanmukherjee
    Sep 11, 2017
    5
    It's a rather confused mess. I was really looking forward to this, but this show doesn't seem to know where to focus its energies. It's not a complete comedy, not exactly a spoof and definitely not a drama. It tries to do everything, and ends up basically achieving nothing. The characters, scenarios, and settings have a lot of potential, which I hope the show will exploit to the fullest inIt's a rather confused mess. I was really looking forward to this, but this show doesn't seem to know where to focus its energies. It's not a complete comedy, not exactly a spoof and definitely not a drama. It tries to do everything, and ends up basically achieving nothing. The characters, scenarios, and settings have a lot of potential, which I hope the show will exploit to the fullest in the upcoming episodes. As of now, The Orville is a sure that doesn't know where to go, and is just awkwardly floating around in the sci-fi universe.… Expand
  9. Santakrooz
    Sep 11, 2017
    5
    I wanted to like it so much, but something was just off the entire time. It just wasn't funny and the acting seemed mailed in. I love most things Seth MacFarlane, and I thought Galaxy Quest was awesome. So a Seth MacFarlane Star Trek spoof TV series sounded like a great idea. But from the outset the jokes just fell flat and every scene seemed like it contained sustained uncomfortableI wanted to like it so much, but something was just off the entire time. It just wasn't funny and the acting seemed mailed in. I love most things Seth MacFarlane, and I thought Galaxy Quest was awesome. So a Seth MacFarlane Star Trek spoof TV series sounded like a great idea. But from the outset the jokes just fell flat and every scene seemed like it contained sustained uncomfortable silence. I dislike laugh tracks but Orville felt like it really needed one to create some atmosphere. The actors didn't seem too much into their characters, and the storyline was just meh. It kept feeling like a really (mediocre) legit Star Trek show, which is exactly what it shouldn't feel like. It should be over the top, not semi serious. I'm not sure what they can do to save it, but I'll give it a few episodes hoping they just got off to a rough start. I would still love to watch a good Seth MacFarlane Star Trek spoof every week.… Expand
  10. Baelzar
    Sep 22, 2017
    3
    Worst of both worlds; weak humor and weak drama. WHY didn't he go straight comedy on this?! Why try to make a lightweight Trek clone, rather than a farce like Angie Tribeca, Airplane, Spaceballs, A Touch of Cloth...even Family Guy? This is one season and done.
  11. insickness
    Nov 13, 2017
    9
    This show is more star trek than the last few iterations of star trek. The visual effects aren't bad, but it is not eye candy in any way. In fact, the whole aesthetic is somewhat minimal and awkward--almost like the original star trek show. What's beautiful is that they actually take risks with the story lines. Some pay off. Some leave you scratching your head thinking it didn't quiteThis show is more star trek than the last few iterations of star trek. The visual effects aren't bad, but it is not eye candy in any way. In fact, the whole aesthetic is somewhat minimal and awkward--almost like the original star trek show. What's beautiful is that they actually take risks with the story lines. Some pay off. Some leave you scratching your head thinking it didn't quite work, but at least it's thoughtful. It feels like something new. It's lightly funny but takes the sci-fi seriously. This sets it apart from almost any sci-fi out there right now. This show is enjoyable now and once it's gone through its growing pains, it could be truly spectacular.… Expand
  12. Funestis
    Sep 21, 2017
    9
    I think everybody thought that this show will be just a parodic comedy full of bad jokes. Nobody expected a legit light sci Fi show (although if anybody bothered to check, Seth MacFarlane gave an interview in which he said that the show was not a spuf but a legit thing). I like it, it has some edginess in it, the characters are normal people in stressful working environment withI think everybody thought that this show will be just a parodic comedy full of bad jokes. Nobody expected a legit light sci Fi show (although if anybody bothered to check, Seth MacFarlane gave an interview in which he said that the show was not a spuf but a legit thing). I like it, it has some edginess in it, the characters are normal people in stressful working environment with horrifying/&/ly mundane problems plagued with set of prejudices about everybody else around them to full the set (not star-trecky demigod competent judges, don't get me wrong I love that to, a lot). i think this difference will make this show to stand out in this type of genre.… Expand
  13. lenalan
    Sep 21, 2017
    8
    When I first watched this I was expecting something like Galaxy Quest in a Spaceballs style, not Star Trek the college years. So a few days ago I watched the first 2 episodes again and found that I liked it.
    It is Star Trek at its core with a tongue in cheek approach. I wonder if many of the negative reviews come from that initial thought of what the show was advertised as and what it    When I first watched this I was expecting something like Galaxy Quest in a Spaceballs style, not Star Trek the college years. So a few days ago I watched the first 2 episodes again and found that I liked it.
    It is Star Trek at its core with a tongue in cheek approach. I wonder if many of the negative reviews come from that initial thought of what the show was advertised as and what it actually was.    … Expand
  14. bkristman
    Sep 13, 2017
    0
    Terrible show. What effects there are are bad,bad 'humour',lame characters. Whomever made this obviously thinks he's funny and has an overinflated ego.
  15. xcontractx
    Sep 27, 2017
    0
    Seth should stick to the crude humor of 2004 and leave the scifi to others.

    I didn't know how little I needed this show until they aired it, and now I know.
  16. LucaRanieri
    Sep 24, 2017
    1
    From my impressions of the first episode,Garbage. total disappointment.
    Not god, very disappointment tv show ever.
    there is nothing original in this series
    I would like to clear the memory of my mind, really realy really really bad.
    I hope they will cancel it soon.
  17. kdj770
    Oct 28, 2017
    1
    Trying to slog through this show is misery - but episode 7 almost physically hurt it was so bad. Where is the smart humor? The show shoots for idiocy and hits the mark - it is sophomoric and reduced the one black character to a Cliche. This show panders to the lowest common denominator and it needs a reboot to save this mess.
  18. DTums
    Sep 14, 2017
    10
    This is exactly the kind of program that TV needs. Like stepping off of a cold concrete floor into a warm pair of slippers, The Orville's cheerful demeanor and optimistic vision leaves viewers contented by an image of tomorrow that is worth waking up to. It delivers a stark contrast to the cynical, macabre undertones that dominate so much of the industry.

    While some of the pilot's    This is exactly the kind of program that TV needs. Like stepping off of a cold concrete floor into a warm pair of slippers, The Orville's cheerful demeanor and optimistic vision leaves viewers contented by an image of tomorrow that is worth waking up to. It delivers a stark contrast to the cynical, macabre undertones that dominate so much of the industry.

    While some of the pilot's dialogue was clumsy, and the characters still in the process of finding themselves; the relatively straight foward plot moved along at a watchable pace, and the show did a nice job introducing the characters, the premise and the setting. The humor was on point, never drowning the dramatic elements, but reminding viewers of the levity and self-awareness of the series.

    Wonderful program with tons of room to grow. Looking forward to seeing what adventures The Orville will take us on next.    … Expand
  19. MarcStone2061
    Oct 12, 2017
    6
    Ok, I'm only watching this because I'm a complete sci-fi junkie. But this is basically a Star Trek TNG reboot with darker undertones and fart jokes. Its kinda like a pepperoni pizza with cut up hotdogs on top covered in maple syrup....things I enjoy separately but together I would only eat on a dare.
  20. TheFilmFanatic
    Apr 20, 2018
    9
    This season of The Orville is a fun, entertaining sci-fi dramedy that brings the concept of Galaxy Quest to the small screen. With great characters, lots of comedy, memorable stories and amazing visuals, this series feels more like Star Trek than the real show does.
  21. Hippystank
    Aug 26, 2018
    10
    Disgusted to see how low the critic reviews are for what amounts to one of the best star trek recreations in ages.
  22. southjerseyob
    Feb 19, 2018
    9
    The Orville is both a classic show and a groundbreaking show. Seth McFarland has done it again. AAA+++
  23. Antares8001
    Jul 30, 2018
    8
    How this has been received worse by critics than Star Trek: Discovery is a mystery to me. It captures just about everything about Star Trek that Discovery and the movie reboots fail to do.
    It is obviously derivative of Star Trek, but this is actually rather welcome considering that the newer Star Trek entries don't have much to do with what Star Trek used to be. Which is why it fills a    How this has been received worse by critics than Star Trek: Discovery is a mystery to me. It captures just about everything about Star Trek that Discovery and the movie reboots fail to do.
    It is obviously derivative of Star Trek, but this is actually rather welcome considering that the newer Star Trek entries don't have much to do with what Star Trek used to be. Which is why it fills a niche that has been empty for far to long.
    It features likable characters, mostly solid dialog, the more positive outlook, the focus on diplomacy and exploration and surprisingly solid social criticism, all of which has been sorely missing from the newer Star trek entries.

    The one major thing I would have to criticize is that the humor tends to be way to obvious and rather crude, similar to what you would expect from an american sitcom.
    You might think it is a weird criticism that I'd like a Seth MacFarlane parody to take itself more seriously, but considering that the more dramatic moments are done so well by comparison I think it is justified. On that note there isn't as much of this kind of humor in there as you'd expect, which is why it luckily feels more often like Star Trek than Family Guy.
    However there are actually some genuinely funny moments hidden in there. Ironically those are when the show doesn't try to be overly funny but rather naturally incorporates more subtle believable humor. It's the kind of humor similar to what you might actually see on TNG, DS9 or Voyager.

    In conclusion, seldom have I ever been more positively surprised by a show, especially considering most professional reviews. It manages to capture the feeling of Star Trek much better than Discovery or the Abrams movies could ever hope to and it makes me feel like this is the canonical entry while those are the parody.    … Expand
  24. GarethB
    Jan 16, 2019
    8
    Better Trek than STD.... interesting characters, not every problem is solved with violence, told some interesting tales in the vein of TOS and TNG. In my mind I imagined the star trek skin over seth mcfarlanes copy cat and it just works. The only thing that falls flat on occasion is the jokes, but the story and the characters take me past that.
  25. suelyntorg
    Sep 23, 2017
    3
    Succeeds at no level. I assume they are going for a mild Star Trek spoof with light-hearted comedy laid over an interesting SciFi plot with characters who grow over time. It does not succeed. The jokes are 21st century Family Guy, would be inappropriate/antiquated in the future and fall flat even in the present. As soon as I heard 'dude' and 'bite me' a few times, I knew it wasn't forSucceeds at no level. I assume they are going for a mild Star Trek spoof with light-hearted comedy laid over an interesting SciFi plot with characters who grow over time. It does not succeed. The jokes are 21st century Family Guy, would be inappropriate/antiquated in the future and fall flat even in the present. As soon as I heard 'dude' and 'bite me' a few times, I knew it wasn't for me. I agree it has great special effects. It's such a Star Trek rip-off, it should be a copy-right violation. The characters are blatant rip-offs. But viewers of Family Guy humor may love it. It makes all the mistakes of Star Trek with none of its redeeming qualities. It tries to be Galaxy Quest with none of it's humor or class.… Expand
  26. HarryNuggets
    Oct 21, 2017
    0
    Colour me surprised. A Macfarlane project that is a smug, derivative, piece of garbage? That pretty much describes the man's modus operandi from day one. About as deserving of fame and fortune as Ron Jeremy.
  27. boingo2000
    Sep 11, 2017
    5
    Based on the pilot, this show has no idea what it wants to be. Is it Star Trek-inspired sci-fi light, or is it a comedy? It straddles the line way too much and ends up not succeeding in either category. The few jokes that are thrown in are amusing (assuming you like Seth Macfarlane's humor), but there aren't nearly enough of them. And the sci-fi/drama part is hackneyed and boring. IfBased on the pilot, this show has no idea what it wants to be. Is it Star Trek-inspired sci-fi light, or is it a comedy? It straddles the line way too much and ends up not succeeding in either category. The few jokes that are thrown in are amusing (assuming you like Seth Macfarlane's humor), but there aren't nearly enough of them. And the sci-fi/drama part is hackneyed and boring. If it wants to tilt to the comedy side, I'm in, but right now it's the very definition of "meh".… Expand
  28. masterdirk
    Sep 22, 2017
    7
    I am happy that the postive vibe of Star Trek has returned, although the writing and acting is not as strong as in the days of TNG. But what not is, can still come, although reaching Picard-level is not possible i am afraid.

    I really hope they will find a more refined way of humor in stead of the childish rudeness and swearing that constantly feels like something that doesnt fit.    I am happy that the postive vibe of Star Trek has returned, although the writing and acting is not as strong as in the days of TNG. But what not is, can still come, although reaching Picard-level is not possible i am afraid.

    I really hope they will find a more refined way of humor in stead of the childish rudeness and swearing that constantly feels like something that doesnt fit.

    This age of HD tv makes the furniture look cheap, although i assume, back in the days it was cheaper. I also hope they will find a way to improve the sound of the voices. It sounds like they are in a studio with nothing on the walls and not in a ship where you would expect they would have pleasant acoustics.    … Expand
  29. ethanstraffin
    Sep 11, 2017
    2
    Based on the premiere alone: this series has no idea what it wants to be. Call it an homage, possibly a parody, but to call it either a comedy or a credible drama is really pushing it. So far, it appears to be a vanity soap, from a guy who simply isn't up to writing this kind of thing and who indisputably cannot act his way out of a paper bag.

    +1 for the state-of-the-art shots of flying    Based on the premiere alone: this series has no idea what it wants to be. Call it an homage, possibly a parody, but to call it either a comedy or a credible drama is really pushing it. So far, it appears to be a vanity soap, from a guy who simply isn't up to writing this kind of thing and who indisputably cannot act his way out of a paper bag.

    +1 for the state-of-the-art shots of flying spaceships and the general look of the thing, if that's what floats your boat, and another +1 for the racist robot, who deserves his own immediate spinoff to let his humanitarialnly incorrect freak flag fly. Ideally he'll kill MacFarlane's character off in the very first episode and go from there.

    If this POS lasts longer on Fox than "Firefly," which was at least 10x better and funnier and more interesting, it's on the network and us alike.    … Expand
  30. Iamcritical86
    Oct 18, 2017
    2
    The Orville has some cool special effects. It has it's moments of being entertaining and comical, but overall, it's a disappointment. I've tried, but I'm having a hard time getting into it. Sorry kids, in MY personal opinion it's a flop.
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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
  1. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Michael Starr
    Sep 21, 2017
    50
    It’s got top-notch special effects and terrific makeup (for its space-alien characters). But it just doesn’t quite gel. At least not yet, anyway.
    Read full review
  2. TV Guide Magazine
    Reviewed by: Matt Roush
    Sep 14, 2017
    50
    The show's smirky tone, embodied in MacFarlane's smug frat-boy demeanor as the captain, never quite gels with the universal humanism the episode is aiming for. [18 Sep - 1 Oct 2017, p.27]
  3. 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.
    Read full review
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