Leighton Meester | The Orville

 

• Genre: Action-adventure, Science fiction, Comedy-drama
• Created by: Seth MacFarlane
• Showrunner: Seth MacFarlane
• Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Adrianne Palicki, Penny Johnson Jerald, Halston Sage, Scott Grimes, Peter Macon, J. Lee, Mark Jackson, Jessica Szohr, Anne Winters
• Theme music composer: Bruce Broughton
• Composers: Bruce Broughton, Joel McNeely, John Debney, Andrew Cottee, Kevin Kaska
• No. of seasons: 3
• No. of episodes: 36
• Executive producers: Seth MacFarlane, Brannon Braga, David A. Goodman, Jason Clark, Jon Favreau, Liz Heldens, Jon Cassar
• Running time: 43–45 minutes, 48 minutes, 60–86 minutes
• Production companies: Fuzzy Door Productions, 20th Television
• Network: Fox
• Release: September 10, 2017 – April 25, 2019
• Network: Hulu
• Release: June 2 – August 4, 2022

The Orville is set on the titular spacecraft: USS Orville (ECV-197), a mid-level exploratory vessel in the Planetary Union, a 25th-century interstellar alliance of Earth and many other planets. The series begins in the year 2417, and consists of adventures encountered by the ship's crew, usually involving planet exploration and visits to various parts of the galaxy.

"Lasting Impressions"

The crew examines a time capsule from 2015 Saratoga Springs, New York. One recovered item is a cell phone contributed by Laura Huggins, a young 21st century woman who wanted future discoverers to know about her and her life. Impressed with her candor, Gordon uploads the phone's data to the ship's computer and requests a simulation of Laura's environment and life. Once inside the simulation, Gordon grows increasingly infatuated with Laura and soon falls in love, stoking his crewmates' concern that the fantasy relationship has gone too far. When Gordon deletes Laura's recurring ex-boyfriend, Greg, from the program, the action erases her willingness to sing publicly because it was Greg who had encouraged her. To restore her authentic personality, Gordon returns Greg to the simulation, despite knowing his and Laura's romance will end. Gordon arranges a final meeting to sing with Laura at a small club and bid her farewell, assuring Laura she will be remembered. Among the time capsule's other items is a pack of cigarettes, which leads Bortus and Klyden to develop a debilitating smoking habit, eventually smoking 500 cigarettes at a time. Dr. Finn determines Moclans are highly susceptible to nicotine addiction and formulates a treatment.

"Twice in a Lifetime"

Lamarr upgrades the Aronov device to send an entire ship back in time. The Union orders the device be transferred to a secure research facility. Upon arriving, Orville and its escorting convoy are attacked by the Kaylon. Gordon attempts to destroy the device but a core overload hits the device and accidentally transports him to 2015. The crew mount a rescue but arrive ten years later in the year 2025. Gordon has made a family with Laura, the real-life version of the woman he had a holographic relationship with ("Lasting Impressions"). Gordon insists on remaining in the past, defying Union law and Ed and Kelly's insistence. Meanwhile, Isaac and Charly search for dysonium for the ship's core. Isaac, disguised holographically as a human, attempts to bond with her but is rebuffed. Charly reveals the woman she loved was killed during the Kaylon attack on Earth, and she blames on Isaac. Gordon again refuses to return, so the crew use the dysonium to jump back to 2015, rescuing Gordon roughly a month after his arrival but erasing his time with Laura. The strain of the trip burns out the Aronov device, so the Orville utilizes time dilation to return to their time. Ed and Kelly tell Gordon the whole story. He sympathizes with their guilt, but assures them it was the right decision.