Ting C

I'm a Star Trek: TNG fan and this show is a glorious find. Clearly inspired by Rodenberry's creations but goes boldly where no Star Trek show has gone before. It pushes our imagination of 24th-century living with its mix of grounded satire and thoughtful debate inevitable in a universe filled with hundreds of alien civilisations and cultures. Like the original, the show doesn't shy away from tackling a wide range of complex issues from gender equality and identity, racism, marriage, to addiction, religion, populism, etc. presenting nuanced points of view through the lens of its alien characters. However, where it's superior to its entertainment predecessors is the additional dimension of humanity it displays: humour. Whether through the natural curiosity (and practical jokes!) that bubbles up when one works alongside aliens from all over the galaxy, or the inevitable bloopers with technology (transport rooms are noticeably absent) and faux pas that one imagines should happen more often when encountering a new species for the first time, this to me is what makes the show truly enjoyable and what made the original ST series (especially TNG) stale over time as its characters were always magnanimous, ultra-mature, highly evolved noble role models bordering on stiff. 'The Orville' takes a more down-to-earth approach when showing the crew's struggles among the stars around dating, career advancement, family and friendship --- timeless, unifying themes, regardless if one lives in 2021 or 2421. And I must confess, the frequent references to current-day Earth pop-culture help! ;) Add to all this the quality CG and production design (love the costumes of female aliens) and delightful cameos from A-list celebrities that leave you guessing ('Was that Rob Lowe??")---and this makes for one binge-able show! The reason I'm giving only 4 stars is because I just finished the 2nd season and while some episodes are truly compelling ('Identity', 'Lasting Impression') I can't help but feel the show has dialled down the humour somewhat (a reaction to some critics, maybe?) and has started over-indexing on the relationship between Capt. Mercer and Cmdr. Greyson to provide conflict and move the series forward. I find this a shame as there's rich material to be drawn from all quarters: the rest of the crew's back stories, quantum physics and cosmological science (fiction) itself. Overall, I still can't wait for the 3rd season and will look forward to seeing how well they continue building on what made the series popular in the first place.

Everything about this show is PERFECT: casting, chemistry, costumes, cinematography and story. It's simply beautiful. Have seen it multiple times and cannot recommend it enough. Perfect mix of romance, historical drama, political intrigue... even comedy. A truly great show.