Octopus Overlords

Ive not watched the entire season......have they ever explained why Isaac the robot fro ma super advanced robot species is a crewman aboard an inferior human ship?

No back story that I recall other than “Here to learn”

I thought the same: Early on, it was stated that Isaac is on a diplomatic/scientific mission to learn about the inferior species of the galaxy.

As I do Ill be doing another grumpy running commentary on this ep I am viewing. The one where the Doc takes her kids on vacation and Isaac is the pilot.

Ok to start with the Doc acts just like one of my cousins. Constantly threatening to do something about her unruly kids. But she never does anything. So they continue to do their stupid shit and she continues to do her's. My god woman whip or smack them or take away their toys and sit them down!

Now they've caused a crash. She may say something threatening to them. Maybe.

Im guessing being stuck with Isaac they'll be begging for Mom's attention before its over. And maybe Isaac will learn something. I can only hope its how to smack a kid or two. I dont see a belt on him.

You dont drag someone from a crash moron. Then I realize I have no idea who or what is dragging her.

Whoa whoa whoaaaaaa...chance it? No "Gorden send in a probe"? Just "Gorden take us in"??? Captain I request a ship transfer.

Wow are they ever on the ball. 2 seconds after exiting the glory hole *snicker* they have a full damage report. Amazing.

"Man I hate that story" hahahahaha

Kid sick. Cure will surly be incoming before the end.

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I really enjoy grumpin my way through these eps and writing as I go.
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That guy who has the doc has been in SO much. Usually a bad guy. He was great in Cobra.

OMG how dumb is the Doc? She intentionally severely hurts her arm in her escape attempt. Sigh.

Well damn. Im surprise she killed the guy. He kidnapped her ya but he was trying to save her in his mind and take care of her. Shit. WTH is wrong with this show.

Hahahaha the Doc is "Keep it on stun they may not value life but we do" after she has killed 2 people. Me Id be killing them. If Isaac had been doing that then there would not be so many attacking them now. Stun they just get up and come again.

Ok its over. Liked that ending. And even after all Ive written I loved that episode. Not so much stupid in it. I rate it 8/10

Season 2 trailer from ComicCon:

So looking forward to this. It's the show that's got me most hyped up for.

At the end of that where he is welcoming a new species and he reaches to shake hands Im like "NOOoOo dont make a movement they can perceive as hostile!" Picard would never do that.

Im catching up. I have 4 eps to the end of S1. This is Cupids Arrow where they are doing karaoke at the start. I was hoping Bortis would sing Hammer Time.

Season 2 launched tonight.

I’m behind, and just watched the doctor/Isaac episode tonight.

Yayyy it's back!!!

Season premiere was rather lackluster, kind of similar to the series premiere. Personally I still enjoyed it a lot as they did quite a bit with the interpersonal relationships. What I question is why they chose not to take advantage of the time slot (after football) with something more exciting and engaging to bring in new viewers. It was the perfect opportunity and honestly I think they wasted it. The good news is that the season is supposed to ramp up considerably compared to last, and I thought it was already pretty engaging last year. The bad news is I'm afraid their ratings will continue to slide if they don't find a way to generate some buzz and they will inevitably be cancelled. I don't understand sci-fi fans; they love to bitch and moan about the lack of good sci-fi series but when something like this comes along, only a small percentage of people come out and support it.

rittchard wrote: ↑Wed Jan 02, 2019 2:00 pm I don't understand sci-fi fans; they love to bitch and moan about the lack of good sci-fi series but when something like this comes along, only a small percentage of people come out and support it.

It's on Fox.

Maybe I'm not remembering correctly, but this S2 episode was actually supposed to be the ending of S1 - which makes more sense if you look at it from a story/pacing standpoint.

Regardless, I thought the opening was easily the most Star Trek thing they've done yet (a slow build to get to the main plot - a story about an annual urination ceremony) and I'm still enjoying the hell out of it.

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Wed Jan 02, 2019 2:05 pm

rittchard wrote: ↑Wed Jan 02, 2019 2:00 pm I don't understand sci-fi fans; they love to bitch and moan about the lack of good sci-fi series but when something like this comes along, only a small percentage of people come out and support it.

It's on Fox.

It was also after Football. Not everyone likes Football, and not everyone would think to tune in to a show like this after it. Frankly, it was kind of a stealthy release as I'm sure many would have been blindsided by it not being shown in its usual timeslot. Of course, it means we get two episodes this week, but it would have been rather easy to miss the first one if people weren't already paying attention.

Anyway, yeah lackluster episode, but at this point I was just glad to see the gang again.

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Wed Jan 02, 2019 2:05 pm

rittchard wrote: ↑Wed Jan 02, 2019 2:00 pm I don't understand sci-fi fans; they love to bitch and moan about the lack of good sci-fi series but when something like this comes along, only a small percentage of people come out and support it.

It's on Fox.

And while I continue watching it because my brain thinks MacFarlane is funnier than he is, this show still has a way to go to be "good." Case in point - while it ostensibly pays homage to Star Trek, for some reason they unapologetically lifted the most annoying dynamic, doctor/teenage son, straight from TNG and somehow thought it was a good thing to have in this show. It is not, while the concept of a pee ceremony is funny, the half of the episode dedicated to doctor and her kid made the episode a drag to watch.

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Jan 02, 2019 2:09 pm this S2 episode was actually supposed to be the ending of S1 - which makes more sense if you look at it from a

That's what it felt like. Like it was supposed to close the door on the obsession of relationships past, metaphorically taking that huge piss you've been holding all night before hitting the road or ending the evening. We'll see if that's the case or not.

Jeff V wrote: ↑Wed Jan 02, 2019 3:04 pm And while I continue watching it because my brain thinks MacFarlane is funnier than he is

That's me in general, but not for this. I don't think this intends to be funny but it drowns itself in the pining for lost loves that is a background plot of all of his cartoons.

Here, it's simply omnipresent instead of looming.


I caught up and I'm still TiVoing, so it is what is.

I’m still watching but it has a long way to go before I would call it even Star Trek TNG lite. Although reigning in McFarlane might help. I’m with Jeff when he says McFarlane thinks he’s funnier than he really is. But his ego seems to prevent him from making that leap to good science fiction and/or comedy, instead keeping it weighed down with his need to inject pure McFarlane into the formula.

I guess I'm in the minority, but I thought this episode struck (so far) the best balance between humor and drama. I felt most of the first season couldn't determine if they were a comedy or STNG Lite.

Buatha wrote: ↑Thu Jan 03, 2019 2:20 am I guess I'm in the minority, but I thought this episode struck (so far) the best balance between humor and drama. I felt most of the first season couldn't determine if they were a comedy or STNG Lite.

I agree that it was balanced better. Finding the line between spoof and homage is their biggest challenge. I also think that McFarlane is the weakest link. His gags are hit-or-miss, but I really dislike his smarmy persona. The show would have been better if they'd cast somebody else as the captain.

This is the only show I regularly watch with my kids (15, 13 and 10). They absolutely love it. For me, I see it’s flaws, but I’m still enjoying it very much. I did find the Season 2 premier to be kind of lackluster - they never really did much with the whole pee ceremony thing, and much of the interpersonal stuff kind of dragged for me (although the bit with McFarlane doing the “drive by” was pretty funny). But, overall, I was ok with it and am very much looking forward to this season.

Kurth wrote: ↑Thu Jan 03, 2019 12:03 pm This is the only show I regularly watch with my kids (15, 13 and 10). They absolutely love it. For me, I see it’s flaws, but I’m still enjoying it very much. I did find the Season 2 premier to be kind of lackluster - they never really did much with the whole pee ceremony thing, and much of the interpersonal stuff kind of dragged for me (although the bit with McFarlane doing the “drive by” was pretty funny). But, overall, I was ok with it and am very much looking forward to this season.

We watch it with my younger (15) son who spends most of the episode staring at his phone. Wife and I are huge STNG junkies, so it sort of hits that spot (or maybe it's just Brannon Braga's name in the credits).

Jag wrote: ↑Thu Jan 03, 2019 6:31 pm We watch it with my younger (15) son who spends most of the episode staring at his phone.

I’m coming to a point in my life where I want to install signal jammers in my apartment so guests don’t do that.

Well that episode was ... interesting.

*very* adult in nature - I'm glad I'm not one of y'all that watches with your kids. OTOH, I thought it was handled rather well, and the show continues to occasionally surprise me with it's better-than-expected addressing of actual grown up topics while (sort of) minimizing the toilet humor.

geezer wrote: ↑Fri Jan 04, 2019 2:48 pmminimizing the toilet humor.

Wait, wasn't the main focus of S2E1 about someone needing to pee?

Paingod wrote: ↑Fri Jan 04, 2019 3:29 pm

geezer wrote: ↑Fri Jan 04, 2019 2:48 pmminimizing the toilet humor.

Wait, wasn't the main focus of S2E1 about someone needing to pee?

I was going to respond until I realized he was probably talking about the episode that aired last night (I'll watch it sometime this weekend) and bit my tongue.

Uhhhh yeah, S2E2 was kind of crazy. When I saw the warning for "sexual situations" that was not at all what I'd expected.

While there were echoes of a number of TNG episodes that dealt with holodeck addiction, they certainly took it one step further with the (gay) porn angle. Honestly I kept thinking/hoping there was going to be something more to it, like an alien virus or mind control or whatever. I guess in retrospect I should give them kudos for actually tackling the issue "head on" (no pun intended) without extraneous sci-fi shenanigans.

But again, I have to question the show runners and producers (or whoever makes the decisions) for putting these two episodes out back to back. It's as if they just don't care about their ratings or drawing new fans, etc. Either (or potentially both) of these episodes had the opportunity to re-invigorate the series. If it were me I would have planned an epic 2 parter, maybe introduced some sort of ongoing villain or antagonist plotline.

I know this is a different era but I still have flashbacks of watching Firefly die. I remember how they chose arguably one of the worst episodes to premiere with and chose to hold back the original premiere until after the show had been cancelled. And then watching how the show got better and better with every episode up through the finale. I'd say it's still my biggest disappointment in TV history.

Jeff V wrote: ↑Fri Jan 04, 2019 3:36 pm

Paingod wrote: ↑Fri Jan 04, 2019 3:29 pm

geezer wrote: ↑Fri Jan 04, 2019 2:48 pmminimizing the toilet humor.

Wait, wasn't the main focus of S2E1 about someone needing to pee?

I was going to respond until I realized he was probably talking about the episode that aired last night (I'll watch it sometime this weekend) and bit my tongue.

Yeah - I was talking about ep 2, but yes, ep 1 WAS about someone needing to pee. . That said, there was a pretty serious lack of pee jokes for an episode about someone needing to pee.

rittchard wrote: ↑Fri Jan 04, 2019 3:48 pm But again, I have to question the show runners and producers (or whoever makes the decisions) for putting these two episodes out back to back. It's as if they just don't care about their ratings or drawing new fans, etc. Either (or potentially both) of these episodes had the opportunity to re-invigorate the series. If it were me I would have planned an epic 2 parter, maybe introduced some sort of ongoing villain or antagonist plotline.

And yet the season premiere of The Orville did great numbers, drawing more viewers than all but the first two episodes of Season 1.

pr0ner wrote: ↑Fri Jan 04, 2019 4:28 pm

rittchard wrote: ↑Fri Jan 04, 2019 3:48 pm But again, I have to question the show runners and producers (or whoever makes the decisions) for putting these two episodes out back to back. It's as if they just don't care about their ratings or drawing new fans, etc. Either (or potentially both) of these episodes had the opportunity to re-invigorate the series. If it were me I would have planned an epic 2 parter, maybe introduced some sort of ongoing villain or antagonist plotline.

And yet the season premiere of The Orville did great numbers, drawing more viewers than all but the first two episodes of Season 1.

All of which, IIRC, were on Sunday night. Didn't they move to Thursday on or after Ep.3 last year?

geezer wrote: ↑Fri Jan 04, 2019 4:28 pm That said, there was a pretty serious lack of pee jokes for an episode about someone needing to pee.

Urine for it now...

That's number one...

Jeff V wrote: ↑Fri Jan 04, 2019 4:40 pm

pr0ner wrote: ↑Fri Jan 04, 2019 4:28 pm

rittchard wrote: ↑Fri Jan 04, 2019 3:48 pm But again, I have to question the show runners and producers (or whoever makes the decisions) for putting these two episodes out back to back. It's as if they just don't care about their ratings or drawing new fans, etc. Either (or potentially both) of these episodes had the opportunity to re-invigorate the series. If it were me I would have planned an epic 2 parter, maybe introduced some sort of ongoing villain or antagonist plotline.

And yet the season premiere of The Orville did great numbers, drawing more viewers than all but the first two episodes of Season 1.

All of which, IIRC, were on Sunday night. Didn't they move to Thursday on or after Ep.3 last year?

Correct. Will be interesting to see where the numbers for yesterday come in. Gotham is a pretty solid lead in show, at least, even if it's not as good a lead in as football.

With football, I'm reminded that it's on and unless there is more pressing football to watch, I'll catch it when it airs. Otherwise, it gets watched on demand, so as far as I'm concerned, the lead-in is irrelevant.

So it appears this episode was originally supposed to be Ep 12 from Season 1, which makes more sense to me in terms of the content, but not much sense to me in terms of the promotion value when trying to bridge from a Sunday night premiere to a Thursday night second episode. I'm guessing they are relying on their fairly strong established audience (and DVR numbers) which averaged around 3 million for most of the Thursday episodes last season.

https://www.tvfanatic.com/2019/01/the-o ... mal-urges/

Hmmm, I feel this was a step backward. It was very little humor (other than the situation) and I was making up my own jokes with my kids.

"I guess you have no lawyers".
"He really 'got to the point'".

I guess the actress playing Alara is doing something with Netflix and they wrote her out of the show (temporarily?) to let her? I liked her character. I hope she comes back.

Though "Space Brock" (or Space Puddy if you're old and not into newer, funny things) was entertaining. And the unofficial Star Trek reunion was pretty funny too.

That was...well, better than the gay porn episode, at least.

I liked her character, and giving the cute little girl super-strength was a clever conceit, but it always bothered me logically -- given a human-like physiology, a high-g species would have short, thick bones and heavy muscles. They'd look more like space dwarves than space elves. Sure, you could write your way around that by making their bones from adamantium or something, but it bugged me right from the start.

The jar of pickles was an excellent call-back, though.

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Fri Jan 11, 2019 2:04 pm I guess the actress playing Alara is doing something with Netflix and they wrote her out of the show (temporarily?) to let her? I liked her character. I hope she comes back.

So...that implies either Netflix > Fox (hard to believe since Netflix is less pervasive) or the show is on really shaking ground ratings-wise and that actress is going with what seems to be a safer option.

Edited to move the text here to a different post

Netflix is definitely > Fox money-wise at the moment. The part was probably more important. It sounds like it was a starring role alongside KJ Apa who is white hot right now versus a part in an ensemble sci-fi show. And sci-fi is pretty sticky. People have trouble getting away from the genre.