Finale Unknown

It was a cute little season finale for The Orville last night, possibly the series finale. It was a little odd following from a big, extravagant battle episode but I felt a little better about it when one character mentioned three months had passed.

This episode was written and directed by Seth MacFarlane and, despite the fact that it has a strong romantic comedy vibe to it, he faithfully maintains Isaac's emotionlessness throughout. Despite the fact that it's about him getting married to Claire.

Sometimes it almost feels like MacFarlane is playing a joke on the audience, especially during the wedding vows, when the best Isaac can still manage to say is that he prefers efficiency and seeks to avoid error. Claire says she believes, on some level, that Isaac really loves her. That's a lot of faith.

It was mainly a comedy episode, especially all the stuff with Bortus and Clyden. But, in addition to the surprisingly thoughtful stuff with Isaac, this episode also had a b-plot with the surprising return of Lysella (Giorgia Whigham). She's from a season one episode about a world driven mad by social media. Looks like she'll be the replacement hot party girl now that Charly's gone. This episode also featured a surprising return of season one's hot party girl, Halston Sage, at Isaac and Claire's wedding.

So it's nice to see MacFarlane stays on good terms with these young ladies, something that may bode well for his potential future relationship with Disney, and therefore a potential return of The Orville.

Lysella's story involves The Orville's version of the Prime Directive. The scenes where Kelly explains the nature of the Union confirms it is, essentially, Star Trek's Federation.

When she explained that reputation has replaced money in the Union, I wondered if maybe MacFarlane momentarily forgot that reputation is king on Lysella's world, too. Kelly needed to explain why the things in the Union were worthier of good or bad reputations. But those might have been tricky waters to navigate, which goes to show just how easy it is to slide into cancel culture.

I do hope Disney brings the show back. But more than anything, I'm hoping they took notes in the interest of improving their version of Star Wars.

Twitter Sonnet #1608

Surprising water waits in glowing glass.
Beneath the surface, ancient coins appear.
Competing kilts arrive in business class.
The scribble proved the map was insincere.
A dreaming woman plays the saxophone.
But ancient stones surpass the joys of sax.
Important time inscribed the fossil bone.
To ride the bull she paid a heavy tax.
A fragile glass supported yards of ore.
Recited spells were switched around the tube.
Reluctant phones would rarely ring for war.
A leading role designed a stagey cube.
Above, the palms resembled spiky clocks.
Another pack of guns has claimed the docks.