According to Fox they are billing it as a 'Special Two-Night Premiere Event'.

https://www.fox.com/the-orville/article/special-two-night-premiere-event-597d5093ef528f0026dc0342#article-597d50e468db7e0021a1570b

The episodes as presented don't seem to hold up to that. Next Sunday's episode, by all appearances/description, is a completely separate story. Not "part 2." I think the first episode would have worked better if the story elements had been spread over two episodes instead of being crammed into one.

What Fox might be doing is premiering the show on Sundays and calling that a "two-night premiere event" before moving it to a time slot on some other day of the week.

I would agree. I had low expectations but it really was very good and very polished. I mean, the shots of NYC, the space dock, the clean ship and uniforms etc. The casting could've been done better and I think this would have worked very well as a serious show. The ex wife is pretty good looking and acts very well.

The budget is good looking at the effects and vistas. Felt very much Star Trek rather than the dark forced-diverse crap that is ST:Discovery.

I really hope they abandon this comic nature and remake the Orville with a better name and cast and keep rest of it same.

@fanirama said:

I really hope they abandon this comic nature and remake the Orville with a better name and cast and keep rest of it same.

Well I don't think THAT'S going to happen. Fortunately it's enjoyable as it is.

@Knixon said:

Well I don't think THAT'S going to happen. Fortunately it's enjoyable as it is.

True. But I was expecting it to be absolute garbage. I think its average. Has some potential, I must admit. I'll give it a few episodes.

"I really hope they abandon this comic nature"

I agree. It's not really that funny, and in particular the bickering between the captain and his ex-wife is getting old fast. It would be better if they treated it as a straightforward drama with some comic relief, like BUFFY.

They very easily might do that. it's only 2 episodes in so far.

"I really hope they abandon this comic nature"

"They very easily might do that. it's only 2 episodes in so far."

Seth Macfarlane abandon the comic nature of his own show

Not going to happen.

He might if enough people borrow an old radio quote and say "Tain't funny, McFarland.

That is what he does- comedy. So not going to happen- no matter how many people say it. It may get cancelled, but he is not going to change it into a serious drama because some say so.

@CharlesTheBold said:

"I really hope they abandon this comic nature"

I agree. It's not really that funny, and in particular the bickering between the captain and his ex-wife is getting old fast. It would be better if they treated it as a straightforward drama with some comic relief, like BUFFY.

Thing is, have you watched Buffy Season 1 recently? It aint exactly 'polished'...

Most shows stutter a little bit early on in the run. If rating remain at all respectable, I say Fox need to keep faith, give this show a second season, and then we will see just whether this show can begin to realise its potential. Because thia show could become very good, it just needs some strong writers to get it where it can be. I hope it works out!

I remember some time ago, I read a story about how actual police officers in a survey said the most accurate TV representation of real-life police work was.... Barney Miller. The mixture of comedy and drama in real life is unavoidable except for some very unfortunate people who have no humor in them. So it's the totally serious and humorless shows that are unrealistic.

That said, a few details in The Orville might be going a little far. Such as wanting to join the "pizza party" on Epsilon 2 when the enemy ships are already on the way down.

@Knixon said:

I remember some time ago, I read a story about how actual police officers in a survey said the most accurate TV representation of real-life police work was.... Barney Miller. The mixture of comedy and drama in real life is unavoidable except for some very unfortunate people who have no humor in them. So it's the totally serious and humorless shows that are unrealistic.

Absolutely. Another analogy is how TV-News makes organisations out to be so professional and proper, all black and white.... when behind the scenes.... the culture of a lot of organisations is not quite so fanciful. People are human, make mistakes, sometimes act in reckless ways. People can do misbehave and make wrong choices.