After three episodes, I have to say I’m firmly in the camp of enjoying The Orville.  It’s basically an unapologetic love letter to the Trek universe with modern updates and a slightly raunchier humor.  In fact, the humor is probably the most polarizing aspect of the entire series.  On the one hand, it makes the characters seem more down to earth that they can and do joke about things, when it doesn’t feel forced.  But when it feels forced, it falls flat.  Luckily, the humor quotient seems to even out as you get into the season.

In fact, the third episode was really an interesting allegory of modern issues where the only conflict was ideas.  There was no bad guy, just two sides firmly believing in their ideals.  This clash of ideology was riveting and the fact they didn’t preach and presented good, and sometimes humorous, arguments for both sides made it feel ever more poignant.

Compare that to the new war-torn dramatic Star Trek series that is trying to feel more relevant and I’ll take the fun, folly, and fantasy of The Orville any day.  I haven’t seen the new Trek and I doubt I will because of the politics of it and the principle of not paying for it.  I am not subscribing to CBS for one show, especially when it seems like one that will be divisive.  So again, big thanks to Seth and crew for bringing back the wonder and hope of Trek in the Orville, because that’s what we need today.