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The new Star Trek + comedy — Parallax Forums

The new Star Trek + comedy

MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
edited 2017-08-07 15:04 in General Discussion
While the set's look great, I'm not sure the mix of comedy and science fiction have a good track record.

http://www.fox.com/the-orville

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Orville

BTW: Last time I heard they were making jam in Orville.
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Comments

  • The participants are creating a buzz, so it'll likely have a pretty good first episode turnout. The writing will have to sustain the remaining episodes. There's Seth McFarlane, of course, who has a massive following from Family Guy. And, one of the executive producers is Brannon Bragga, a polarizing former Star Trek exec.

    I'm a fan of Galaxy Quest, so I personally think comedy and SF can work well together. It's much, much harder than it looks, though.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,244
    If the jokes & effects are half as good as Galaxy Quest, it's already better than most other series on TV. Can't hurt if there is a Gwen or two in the mix.

    3003310296_a58ca38d28.jpg
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    There has been plenty of good comedy science fiction. For example:

    Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy.
    Red Dwarf
    Star Wreck
    Dark Star
  • Heater. wrote: »
    There has been plenty of good comedy science fiction. For example:

    Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy.
    Red Dwarf
    Star Wreck
    Dark Star

    +1. And...

    My Favorite Martian
    Mork & Mindy
    Third Rock
    Futurama

    Quite a bit of comedy can be made out using non-human cultures to lampoon human culture.
  • erco wrote: »
    If the jokes & effects are half as good as Galaxy Quest

    The effects are likely to be good, given the state-of-the-art, plus McFarlane's experience with producing the updated version of Cosmos, with Neil deGrasse Tyson (Brannon Bragga was also involved in that production, and I imagine it was here that he and McFarlane met). And of course Bragga has had plenty of SF production experience under his belt. These things can get frightfully expensive.

    Such productions turn on the quality of the cast. Galaxy Quest had a formidable cast, with the likes of Sigourney Weaver lending much gravitas. (Erco, that straight line is for you!)

    The timing is curious though, with CBS slated to unveil ST:Discovery at the same time. Not sure if it'll work for or against it. After the premier, Discovery will only be on CBS All Access, and not on a network. Sadly for me, All Access crashes my Roku thanks to their new software, so I can't watch it. In any case, definitely a Trekker's fest this fall.

  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    edited 2017-08-08 00:12
    I guess I haven't seen many of these titles, but comedy, and a technically referenced sci-fi production, are two different genre.

    And I really hadn't looked into a space movie like that, but I will as long as they are PG~, think it would be something I would want to watch with a kid.

    And I just get tired of a lot of cussing, for lack of meaningful content in the script.

    Galaxy Quest
    Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy * seen part.
    Red Dwarf * heard of.
    Star Wreck * heard of.
    Dark Star * heard of.
    My Favorite Martian * seen, kids stuff.
    Mork & Mindy * seen, kids stuff.
    Third Rock * seen a few, technical is there.
    Futurama

    BTW: I know the background on third rock.

    Clearly I'm not up on the subject, and I love a good comedy. But I hope there is a decent plot involved, to keep me watching.

    Mike
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2017-08-08 00:20
    Hitch Hikers Guide To the Galaxy is best not viewed but listened to. The original BBC radio broadcasts from 1978:



    Why? Because as a little girl once said "I like radio drama better than TV because the pictures are better".

    From the destruction of the Earth in the first 10 minutes to the restaurant at the end of the universe I think you will find it has enough plot. And a lot of characters along the way.

  • MikeDYur wrote: »
    And I really hadn't looked into a space movie like that, but I will as long as they are PG~, think it would be something I would want to watch with a kid.

    Knowing the recent direction of Seth McFarland's comedy you may not be comfortable watching it with a child. I'm just guessing, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't fairly suggestive.

    The British have probably done more sci-fi comedies, so if you see a lot of UK TV you're more likely to have seen this genre. They had a Hitchhiker's TV show back in the 80s, and there's also Hyperdrive and several others that have lasted more than one season. The comedy often tends toward the obtuse and absurd, while Americans prefer more direct situations and jokes.

    SF can easily venture into fantasy, like Terry Pratchett's Discworld books. The TV miniseries of Going Postal would be more speculative fiction than pure SF. It has a a strong streak of abnormal humor (the protagonist's name is Moist von Lipwig), typical of a Pratchett story. And it's British.

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,244
    Heater. wrote: »
    Hitch Hikers Guide To the Galaxy is best not viewed but listened to.

    Not a comedy, but one of my all-time favorite SF books is the 1961 Hugo Award-winning "A Canticle for Liebowitz", which was made into a 15-part series on NPR. I've had a CD of this for years, and love listening to it on long car trips. Just saw the whole thing is downloadable on MP3s at http://www.oldradioworld.com/shows/A_Canticle_for_Liebowitz.php

    A great mashup of technology vs religion, dogma, ignorance, violence, hope and the rise & fall of civilizations.

    Set in a Roman Catholic monastery in the desert of the southwestern United States after a devastating nuclear war, the story spans thousands of years as civilization rebuilds itself. The monks of the Albertian Order of Leibowitz take up the mission of preserving the surviving remnants of man's scientific knowledge until the day the outside world is again ready for it.

  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    Sorry guys. I linked to youtube. Turns out most of the episodes of Hitch Hickers Guide are deleted from there.

    This is better: http://www.induceddyslexia.com/hitchhiker.htm`

    Starting to listen to it again it is amazing. There is a hundred jokes and a hundred deep thoughts in the first few minutes.

  • Heater. wrote: »
    ...and a hundred deep thoughts in the first few minutes.

    ...and a large DT later on.

    Anything called 'The Orville' isn't going to do well on this side of the pond, is it? There is only one Orville:

    281888F900000578-0-image-m-17_1430216287801.jpg

  • Heater. wrote: »
    Sorry guys. I linked to youtube. Turns out most of the episodes of Hitch Hickers Guide are deleted from there.

    This is better: http://www.induceddyslexia.com/hitchhiker.htm`

    Starting to listen to it again it is amazing. There is a hundred jokes and a hundred deep thoughts in the first few minutes.


    They may have removed the content there too.

    The hundred jokes and deep thoughts in the first few minutes, has me compelled to hear this work. I'll keep searching for it.
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    edited 2017-08-08 13:20
    MikeDYur wrote: »
    Heater. wrote: »
    Sorry guys. I linked to youtube. Turns out most of the episodes of Hitch Hickers Guide are deleted from there.

    This is better: http://www.induceddyslexia.com/hitchhiker.htm`

    Starting to listen to it again it is amazing. There is a hundred jokes and a hundred deep thoughts in the first few minutes.


    They may have removed the content there too.

    The hundred jokes and deep thoughts in the first few minutes, has me compelled to hear this work. I'll keep searching for it.

    Found the same link, and it works now.

    Thanks Heater!

    http://www.induceddyslexia.com/hitchhiker.htm
  • erco wrote: »
    I've had a CD of this for years, and love listening to it on long car trips. Just saw the whole thing is downloadable on MP3s at http://www.oldradioworld.com/shows/A_Canticle_for_Liebowitz.php

    A great mashup of technology vs religion, dogma, ignorance, violence, hope and the rise & fall of civilizations.

    Set in a Roman Catholic monastery in the desert of the southwestern United States after a devastating nuclear war, the story spans thousands of years as civilization rebuilds itself. The monks of the Albertian Order of Leibowitz take up the mission of preserving the surviving remnants of man's scientific knowledge until the day the outside world is again ready for it.

    Thanks erco, with all this new material to listen to, I need to plan a long car trip.
  • yetiyeti Posts: 818
    edited 2017-08-08 16:05
    Heater. wrote: »
    Sorry guys. I linked to youtube. Turns out most of the episodes of Hitch Hickers Guide are deleted from there.
    (2.Hitchhiker 33,126) "That's it. That's all there is."
  • @Heater,

    the HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy is brilliantly funny. After a while I started laughing when the next character came in, just from their past performances.

    Listened to the first five this morning moving stone with shovel and wheelbarrow, and actually made it enjoyable.

    Good clean intelligent humor, set in the future it will never get old. I wish I had the full version of the intro/exit tune, it has a catchy rhythm.

    Excellent recommendation, thanks again.
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    edited 2017-08-08 21:09
    <deleted>
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2017-08-08 22:24
    That theme music is "Journey of the Sourcer" by the Eagles. From their "One of these nights" album. 1975.
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    edited 2017-08-08 23:28
    Heater. wrote: »
    That theme music is "Journey of the Sourcer" by the Eagles. From their "One of these nights" album. 1975.

    Thanks, the wife just played it, now I need to record it.


    One of my favorite bands. Caught Lee Kerslake's drumstick at a concert way back when, I would have to look at my tickets.

    Their music is really out there though.



    http://www.uriah-heep.com/newa/index.php
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    So, no browncoats here huh?
  • W9GFO wrote: »
    So, no browncoats here huh?

    Heck, yeah! But I wouldn't classify Firefly as comedy.

  • So, according to the early reviews, apparently you cannot mix space sci-fi and comedy. McFarlane lays a Horta egg.
  • Seairth wrote: »
    W9GFO wrote: »
    So, no browncoats here huh?

    Heck, yeah! But I wouldn't classify Firefly as comedy.

    Tragic comedy perhaps?


    There's another Star Trek Series coming as well.
    cbs.com/shows/star-trek-discovery/

    Is Seth trying to compete with the actual Star Trek shows?
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    edited 2017-09-09 12:07
    I managed to miss the first episode, but looking at the reviews which all come to the same conclusion, the comedy missed the point. Something that creative writing may overcome in future episodes, as long as there is still an audience.

    I learned a new word: Dramady
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    edited 2017-09-11 01:25
    Caught some of The Orville today, I got a few laughs, and seen some great scenes. I think there is potential here, the cast just has to get comfortable with each other. Same as Star Trek Next Generation, it takes awhile to achieve a polish that makes the whole thing believable.

    BTW: Does the robot have to act without vision?
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,244
    MikeDYur wrote: »

    I learned a new word: Dramady

    I think AnDramedy is a Nuke-U-Lar galaxy over yonder.

  • Found The Orville a bit flat and predictable. Have heard that the second episode is better so I'll probably give it another chance, but not exactly an engaging first dance.
  • Seriously?!?!?!? No one mentioned Spaceballs???
  • So far, The Orville is a bad copy of Star Trek: The Next Generation. With dumb inappropriate jokes tossed in.

    Spoiler: In the first episode, they defeat the bad guys via a dumb frat-boy stunt. Rendered with the best CGI available to TV.

    I can't see this lasting, not with all the much better alternatives out there on multiple channels.

    If they wanted to do a comedy, they should have gone another way and put him in charge of a space-going dump truck, or similar low-end assignment. Then his crew of misfits could bumble around each week and try not to get shot. The type of jokes in the show would fit that crew. And make it half an hour!

    Or if they wanted to do dramedy, then dump the frat-boy humor, put the characters in a much tougher situation they don't have control over, and have black humor as they try to deal with it. No perfect shiny ship, either. The creators already mentioned M*A*S*H, that would be how to get there. A bit similar to Firefly, but it could be good.

    Oh well.
  • erco wrote: »
    MikeDYur wrote: »

    I learned a new word: Dramady

    I think AnDramedy is a Nuke-U-Lar galaxy over yonder.

    I see I spelled it wrong.

    AnDramedy is a hollow shell of a planet. on an extreme elliptical path around our sun, the inhabitants walk around on the inside of the shell through artificial gravity, in climate controled comfort. A planet of internet trolls, that make life miserable for us here on Earth.

    They tell sci-fi related jokes on AnDramedy, but falls flat there too.

    As far as The Orville, to get the few laughs you need to be in a good mood, have a clear mind, and also a six pack helps.
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