Post by DiamondThief on Sept 26, 2017 16:11:44 GMT -8
Here are the recaps of season one of The Orville. Here, there will be summaries of the first season of the show, which is created, written by and stars Seth McFarlane. Each and every episode will be updated shortly after it airs.
Click for our series overview.
MAIN CAST
Seth MacFarlane as Captain Ed Mercer
Adrianne Palicki as Commander Kelly Grayson
Penny Johnson Jerald - Dr. Claire Finn
Scott Grimes as Lieutenant Gordon Malloy
Peter Macon as Lieutenant Commander Bortus
Halston Sage as Chief of Security Alara Kitan
J. Lee as Chief Engineer Lt. Commander John LaMarr
Mark Jackson as Isaac
Chad L. Coleman as Klyden
Larry Joe Campbell as Steve Newton
Rachael McFarlane as Computer Voice
When applicable, click on the actor's name to access their twitter account.
Here we go.
EPISODE 1.01 - OLD WOUNDS
(l-r) Captain Ed Mercer, Dr. Claire Finn, Commander Kelly Grayson, Chief of Security Alara
Kitan and Science Station Director Dr. Aronov.
IMDB Synopsis: Newly promoted Captain, Ed Mercer, is taken back when his ex-wife is assigned as his First Officer.
SCtoC Summary: Very clever opening, and the quips are very McFarlane-esque. During a briefing with the senior staff, we get a nice introduction to the crew, though we had met Lt. Malloy previously as we saw his recruitment by Mercer on this series' version of a holodeck. Mercer and Malloy are old friends. McFarlane and Palicki have immediate chemistry. Commander Bortus has the con when Mercer and Grayson lead an away team, and is quite capable as the . When we meet Malloy, he is battling Justin the Ogre on said holodeck. Justin, despite being an Ogre, has a gregarious personality. The crew visit a science station to deliver supplies. As the away team Mercer, Grayson, Kitan and Dr. Finn) tours the station, we learn there is a threat by the Krill (seemingly The Orville's version of Star Trek's Klingons). Along the way, Mercer is given a sampling of a redwood tree. He snacks on one of the seeds, and puts the rest in his pocket. A young scientist, who had been working at the station for a year, mutinies while Mercer is communicating to The Orville, and opens communications with a Krill ship. He prompts the captain and Grayson to lie to Bortus, to which the latter claims that everything is fine because it's just a monthly birthday pizza party. There are "a whole lot of September birthdays" on the station, Mercer quips. Upon hearing the words "pizza party," Malloy and LaMarr ask Bortus to let them attend. Obviously the answer is no. As Mercer distracts the traitorous young scientist, Kitan throws a piece of machinery and knocks him out. Kitan is from a planet with heavier gravity than the balance of the galaxy (in a sense, think of a version of SuperGirl). What the Krill want is a time accelerator being developed by one of the scientists. Two Krill ships, larger than the away team's suttlecraft, arrive. The away team makes their way to the shuttlecraft via a firefight as the Orville is being pummeled by a larger Krill ship. Once aboard, Mercer speaks via the main viewer screen to the Krill commander who demands that the captain turn over the time accelerator. Mercer and Grayson come up with a plan which leads to the question of which slam is more effective: "Happy Arbor Day!" or "You Got Wood?!" At the end, we see that Grayson has a new secret she is keeping from Mercer. Directed by Jon Favreau (first aired 9/10/17).
EPISODE 1.02 - COMMAND PERFORMANCE
Chief of Security Lt. Alara Kitan.
IMDB Synopsis: Alara must take command of the Orville when Ed and Kelly end up imprisoned in a replica of their old home.
SCtoC Summary: Coming out party for Halston Sage's Lt. Kitan character as Mercer and Grayson are transported to a technologically advanced species' planet. The Union is so concerned about this species' abilities, that they have banned all their ships from visiting that sector. In the beginning of the episode, we are informed that Bortus has laid an egg. Literally. As Bortus explains this to Mercer, the captain quips, and eventually determines that he cannot "try comedy" with Bortus. Bortus and his mate, Kylden, are from a single-species race - male. After a deception results in Mercer and Grayson's transportation to the forbidden planet, they find themselves in a replica of the New York City apartment they shared as a married couple. It turns out to be a zoo with exhibits from around the galaxy, and the captain and commander are their newest, most "popular exhibit." Meanwhile, under her first command, Alara goes from extreme confusion, to questioning her abilities, to accepting the Union's orders, to defying them. In the Orville's caferia (a seemingly comfortable setting), she declares that she was just following orders, but that those issuing these orders, which the crew hates, can "bite me." The crew then rally around her and they proceed to the forbidden planet. She takes Isaac to meet the zoo keeper, who sees her as inferior species, but not that of Isaac. As time is counting down against her superior officers, Alara makes a deal with the zoo keepers. Mercer and Grayson are saved. Later, in the cafeteria, Grayson and Mercer assures here they will have her back for defying the Union's orders. "We we're a crappy couple, but pretty good with office politics," Mercer tells her. Other crew members ask Alara what she traded. Subtlety brazen and confident, she says "They wanted a zoo, I gave them a zoo." The zoo keeper and his assistants are shown watching current reality TV, specifically, a Real Housewives episode. The final scene is of Bortus and Klyden's egg hatching, and it's a girl (cue episode 3). Directed by Robert Duncan McNeill (first aired 9/17/17).
EPISODE 1.03 - ABOUT A GIRL
Klyden, Commander Bortus.
IMDB Synopsis: Bortus and Klyden debate whether their newborn child should have a controversial surgery.
SCtoC Summary: This is an extremely political episode. It is also one the original Star Trek series would have explored. McFarlane's writing is huge here. Bortus and Klyden want to alter their child's female persuasion to make her a male. We are informed that a female is born on their home planet about once every 75 years, so it has happed a number of times before. The Orville, expectedly, makes its way to Bortus and Klyden's home planet. Meanwhile, Bortus's mind is slowly changed by a couple events. the first is when Alara, who is at least a foot shorter and perhaps 200 points lighter, knocks him out during a boxing match. Alara has enhanced strength due to her home planet's sun. Malloy and LaMarr greet Bortus in his quarters with a beer and movie party, where they show him the classic episode of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Bortus sees the equation between Rudolph's red nose and his daughter's femaleness. He has determined that keeping the child as a female is correct. However, Klyden has the tradition in his heart, even reciting the most-recognized writer their lifetimes. During the tribunal, Mercer has an idea. He signals the ship and the find what they are looking for. Mercer and his team bring the evidence to the tribunal. To tell what the evidence is would be to give away Commander Grayson's case. The outcome of the episode is curious, but intriguing and thought provoking. Part of the ending shows that Mercer and Grayson still care for each other. Directed by Brannon Braga (first aired 9/21/17).
EPISODE 1.04 - IF THE STARS SHOULD APPEAR
Captain Ed Mercer, Dr. Claire Finn, Isaac, Tomilin.
IMDB Synopsis: The crew encounters a vessel adrift in space that's about to collide with a star.
SCtoC Summary: Bortus and Klyden are having relationship issues, which lead the latter to find solace in rocky road ice cream and an airing of The Sound of Music ("I am 16 going on 17 ..."). Bortus goes to work an hour early. On the bridge, Malloy does not care for the assignment of star mapping. The Orville discovers a drifting vessel the size of Manhattan, which is slowly drifting into a nearby star, and go to investigate and offer assistance if needed. The vessel is approximately 2,000 years old. Mercer, Grayson, Kitan, Dr. Finn and Isaac head out on the away mission, docking with the alien vessel. Kitan opens a "jar of pickles" (the vessel's docking door) with her strength. The away team splits up and Isaac questions Mercer about relationships of married couples. Mercer, Finn and Isaac encounter a family of farmers, and Isaac discovers that the vessel's inhabitants don't realize they are on a ship floating in space. Grayson and Kitan are walking down a dirt road, discussing relationships, similar to Mercer and Isaac. Grayson and Kitan have become good friends in their short time together on the Orville. The duo are nearly run down by a indigenous security detail who shoot Kitan and knock out Grayson. Kitan has rolled down a long hill. The security detail leaves her and takes Grayson. Mercer, Finn and Isaac are led to a sort of reformer group by Tomilin, the son of the farmers. The group questions the scriptures they have been taught for so long. Back on the Orville, the crew receives a distress call from a Union ship. Bortus orders the helm to answer it, and to leave a communication buoy should the away team attempt to return. "We've long suspected there is more to the universe than we can see, but until now we haven't have proof," the underground leader, Kemka, tells the captain. Hemelac is the guardian of the word of Jahavus Dorahl, who is considered the community's god. Mercer seems not to care for the local cuisine. Kitan is alive and is contacting her crew. She sends a homing beacon and the other half of the away team immediately rushes to her. Grayson is brought to Hemelac, who interrogates her mentally and physically. She repeatedly defies him (excellent Friends reference in this sequence). The captain's team finds Kitan, and Dr. Finn removes three bullets from her chest and revives her. Isaac returns to the shuttle to find that the Orville is no longer there. He relays the distress call information from the bouy to Mercer. The Orville is in a fire fight, and destroys the alien ship which had been attacking the Union ship Druyan. More Hemelac interrogation of Grayson. The rest of the team arrives at Hemelac's headquarters. Mercer uses the old "college buddy" trick to distract and overpower the guard and get into the building. An uncooperative Grayson is drugged. Mercers team makes their way into Hemelac's office and Kitan rips the doors open. Finn gives Grayson an antidote. Mercer questions Hemelac, but he is defiant; it would "shatter our entire way of life" if the people knew they were not alone. Mercer stuns Hemelac and the entire away team departs. Kemka leads the team to a hatchway which leads to an elevator. Mercer is awkward in elevators. They reach the bridge of the vessel where Tomilin and Kemka view space for the first time through a viewer. Isaac finds a recording made by the last occupant (Dorahl), who explains the reasoning and original mission of the vessel (note that Dorahl is played by a very special guest star). Isaac estimates repairs to the vessel will take about a day, and will prevent the vessel from running into the star. He also discovers a sun roof which allows residents to see night, and the stars for the first time. Mercer promises to contact the union fleet to send scientists who can train Kemka and the others to run their vessel after it is repaired. Directed by James L. Conway (first aired 9/28/17).
EPISODE 1.05 - PRIA
Pria Lavesque, Captain Ed Mercer, Commander Kelly Grayson.
IMDB Synopsis: Ed becomes smitten with the captain of a stranded ship, but Kelly suspects all is not what it seems.
SCtoC Summary: Charlize Theron guest stars. The Orville bridge crew is watching a classic Seinfeld episode and debating practical jokes. The Orville brings on the captain of a foreign ship which is in dire circumstances. They quickly bond during a reception in Captain Mercer's quarters, and meets him informally afterward and they share an innocent (seemingly) kiss. Malloy previously, in a practical joke style, installs Mr. Potato Head features on an unsuspecting Isaac. Cmdr. Grayson is skeptical of Capt. Lavesque. Grayson enlists Kitan to check out Lavesque. Kitan is resistant, but assists the first officer. Kitan finds a rectangular metallic object which cannot be scanned. Lavesque walks in, and KItan and Grayson make awkward excuses to get out. They refer to Mercer, who dresses each down, and puts a formal reprimand on Kitan's record. Mercer and Grayson argue in his office. The Orville is attacked and pulled in th a bubble-infiltrated back hole. Pria helps them navigate around that, taking over Malloy's helm post. She gets the crew through it. Down time Mercer takes Lavesque to a holodeck planet. He wants to take it slow. Next scene is of Ed and and Pria in bed after the "act." Malloy is the recipient of a payback practical joke by Isaac, who seems to have pulled out all of the stops (as with any good joke in this case, you'll have to watch the episode for the punch line). Pria proves helpful in helping the Orville navigate out of a potential disaster. To effect repairs, the Orville is several days from the furthest star base. Pria offers another option a only day away. Mercer elects to to with Pria's plan, to which Grayson is clearly livid. En route, we find out Pria has an alterior motive. Mercer, Grayson and Chief Newton discover Pria's metallic rectangular object in engineering and it's messing with the engines. After Newton uses an electric drill to get into it (those things are still in use 401 years from now), Isaac tries to infiltrate it, but is attacked by the device, seemingly destroyed. He is taken to Sick Bay where Dr. Finn and Newton tend to him. Mercer and Grayson confront Pria, who discloses that she is from 500 years in the future and that she is there to take over the Orville as an "artifact" to sell to collectors. The ship is taken into a wormhole to Pria's time where she opens up negotiations with an alien (very cool design of a species). Malloy, who has been in Sick Bay as a result of Isaac's practical joke, makes his way to the bridge. Just when things look bleak, Mercer gets a surprising message on his console. It's from Isaac, whose program has been transferred to the ship's computer. It allows Mercer another option. In the final scene, Mercer and Pria are in his office and his decision of how to deal with her is revealed, a bit sadly yet decisively. Directed by Jonathan Frakes (first aired 10/5/17).
EPISODE 1.06 - KRILL
Lt. Gordon Malloy and Captain Ed Mercer (disguised as Krill).
IMDB Synopsis: Ed and Gordon are send on an undercover mission to infiltrate a Krill ship and obtain a copy of their bible.
SCtoC Summary: While the bridge staff is dining in the cafeteria, Isaac propositions Kitan sexually, but she is "working on (herself) right now" following a breakup (men can feel "emasculated" when their girlfriend has 10 times the strength as them). Bortus is confused by sushi, and it is discovered that he can eat nearly anything. The meal is interrupted when when a new Union colony is being attacked by the Krill. Through some creative maneuvering, the Orville destroy the Krill ship, and recover an enemy shuttle. The Orville meets up with Admiral Ozawa (guest star Kelly Hu), who orders Mercer and Malloy to go on an undercover mission on a Krill ship to steal a Krill Bible. She explains that the aliens are extremely faithful and understanding their Bible could help the Union understand them better. Mercer is uneasy at the undercover mission. Isaac designs a mobile holographic emitter which will make the duo look like members of the Krill race. En route to the Krill ship, while listening to Midnight Special by Creedence Clearwater Revival (inside the recovered shuttle), Malloy realizes that they've not come up with undercover Krill names. We find out that the Krill's atmosphere causes them to live in perpetual darkness. They banter about them. Upon coming aboard the Krill ship, Mercer explains that they are the lone survivors of the ship the Orville destroyed and that their names are ... Chris and Devin (very un-Krill-like!). The high priest invites them to services where they worship Avis (begin the string of car rental company jokes). The Ankara (Bible) is at the alter. in the worship chamber, Chris and Devin speak to a young Krill woman, Teleya whose brother was killed when "their" ship was destroyed. After some disturbing services, they sneak into the chamber and begin to take pictures of the Ankana's pages. They are interrupted by the high priest and awkwardly excuse themselves. Chris and Devin return to the chamber at night and continue to take pictures of the Ankana. Captain Haros grants permission to the high priest to have a guard stationed at the chapel. The holo-emitters fails when they are in the chapel. The guard shows up and they hide from him and return to their guest quarters. Interference from a nearby power source has interfered with the holo-emitters. They get the emitters working again and head to the source of the interference which, it turns out, is a bomb which could. In search of more information, they meet with the young woman they met at the chapel. The bomb can destroy an entire continent in seconds. The Krill are going to use it on a remote and defenseless farming community of 100,000.. Chris and Devin devise a plan to prevent the destruction. They meet again with their friend, a school teacher, and follow her to speak to her students. They answer the students' questions, and one of them follows them into the hallway. While answering his questions, Chris (remember, this is Mercer), realizes the key to destroying the Krill ("They're space vampires" and Mercer and Malloy are "Vampire Hunters"). Mercer alters the plan with a caveat to not harm the students. They put the plan into motion, and Malloy is discovered -- as himself. Captain Haros questions Malloy, eventually stabbing him in his "brand new leg" (reference the previous episode.). Mercer battles Krill officers in the corridors in a firefight. The Krill have set the bomb in motion to kill the farming colony. They fire the bomb, then, the "vampires" are attacked. Malloy takes the helm and ... *spoiler* ... Mercer, Malloy and some "guests." return to the Orville. Mercer hears some disturbing works from Teleya. Directed by Jon Cassar (first aired 10/12/17).
EPISODE 1.07 - MAJORITY RULE
(Front of crowd): Dr. Claire Finn, Lt. Alara Kitan, Lt. John LaMarr, and Commander
Kelly Grayson attempt to blend in with locals on an alien planet.
IMDB Synopsis: Kelly leads a team to find two missing Union anthropologists on a planet similar to Earth.
SCtoC Summary: An indictment of sites like YouTube and other website commenting services. A young woman awakens on a seemingly normal day to get ready for work, and turns on the TV to a morning show. At the bottom of the screen, there is a red down arrow, a green up arrow and comments streaming live. The woman, who is upset that a friend has borrowed outfit, vows to give her friend a downvote when the friend returns to town. The Orville arrives at an Earth-like planet called Sargus 4. Mercer assigns Grayson, Kitan, Finn and LaMarr to travel, incognito, to the planet to locate two lost Union anthropologists. On Sargus 4's surface, its citizens are seen giving upvotes and downvotes on badges which each citizen has attached to their clothing. The Orville's landing party is perplexed. They receive the upvote/downvote badges from a street vendor. The foursome begin to talk about Kitan's dating life, and that one of the reasons she broke up with her last boyfriend is because he "grinded" too much while dancing. LaMarr asks for clarification, personally using a statue as a reference; grinding with the statue. Onlookers take videos which are posted online. The landing party searches for the missing anthropologists in a cafe and we meet the woman from the opening scene, Lysella. LaMarr's downvote count begins to escalate quickly. It's due to his "dry-humping" the statue from earlier. Grayson tries to get the team out, but LaMarr is arrested. On the Orville, Mercer makes his case with Admiral Tucker, to no avail. On the planet, LaMarr meets his representation, a publicist (Steven Culp who appeared in several Star Trek: Enterprise episodes). LaMarr needs publicity because the justice system works by downvotes. If a person receives 10,000 downvotes in their lifetime, they are corrected by, essentially, a lobotomy. LaMarr enlists Grayson to help him on his "publicity tour." Finn is unclear of whether she can reverse he "correction procedure." The publicity tour begins with appearances on television and the internet. LaMarr appears on The Chat (take of of The View and The Talk) and blows it, thanks to the show's three judgmental hosts. Grayson and Kitan go back to the cafe to talk to Lysella to better understand the system and ask for their help. Kitan's hat irritates someone from a faction of the populous. He downvotes her and other citizens are taking videos with the threat to upload. Finn rushes Kitan to the restroom, ripping the bottom part of her smock to create an alternative headgear. "New problem" as Lysella walks in on them. She is shocked at Kitan's appearance. They take her for a drink and tell her who they are. Lysella helps lead them the corrected anthropologist Lewis (Claire's husband). He has been "corrected." Finn insists on getting him back to the ship. LaMarr goes on what is passed off as a late night talk show. It does not look good. LaMarr's publicist tells Grayson he has never seen anyone with over 9 million downvotes not be corrected; LaMarr has over 9.3 of them. Mercer decides to bring Lysella on board to get more insight on John's plight. On her way in the shuttle to the Orville, Lysella is breathtaken. Mercer wants refreshments for guests who visit the Orville. She says "the majority knows the truth." LaMarr is being taken for correction. Suspense. Isaac has an idea to turn his tide. He gains access to the "Master Feed." It's a race. Lysella helps Mercer and Isaac turn his upvotes high enough to counteract his downvotes in order to save him. Residents of Sargus 4 take this stuff way too seriously! Mercer thanks Lysella. Finn tells her "her world can do better." Lysette wakes up the next morning and, instead of downvoting the story she sees, she turns off her monitor. Directed by Tucker Gates (first aired 10/26/17).
EPISODE 1.08 - INTO THE FOLD
Dr. Claire Finn, Ty Finn, Captain Ed Mercer and Commander Kelly Grayson.
IMDB Synopsis: The crew set out to save Dr. Finn, her two sons and Isaac, after their shuttle gets thrown into uncharted space.
SCtoC Summary: Dr. Finn wakes up to the sound of her rambunctious sons, Marcus and Ty, giving each other grief. This is a common theme through the first two-thirds of the episode. Their family is headed to a recreation planet on a vacation. Ty is excited to be going; Marcus, not so much. LaMarr is scheduled to pilot their shuttle, but Grayson needs him to repair the navigational array. The commander replaces LaMarr with Isaac, much to Claire's chagrin. In the meantime, The Orville crew is performing maintenance on the ship. As Claire and her family and Isaac are headed to the recreation planet, the doctor shows her impatience with her sons, as they engage in never-ending arguing. Isaac asks why Claire does not have a husband, to which she explains that she does not want a Through a series of events, the shuttle is thrown toward an spacial anomaly (gravitational fold). They are thrown to a part of unidentified space and find a system with a life-sustaining moon on which to land. Not only do they land, they crash with Claire in back of the shuttle. The craft is severed and she is separated from Isaac and her sons. Isaac, now the boys' babysitter, "repairs" Marcus' dislocated knee. Claire is dragged away by an indigenous man. They look for tools to repair the ship with no avail. Isaac is unable to repair the ship nor get out a distress call. He leaves the kids, with a pistol in Marcus' hand for defense, to search for Claire. He finds the rear of the shuttle, but no Claire. It is night and the boys are alone as another local, looking sick, tries to attack them. Isaac returns to the boys just in time to fight off the attacker. The boys grab his arms in security and appreciation. Meanwhile, on the Orville, maintenance in engineering is underway. LaMarr criticizes Newton's selection of music. It's Barry Manilow's "Somewhere Down the Road." Mercer walks in; "Oh God, Manilow was a genius." Grayson notifies Mercer that Claire's shuttle never reached its destination. On the planet, the boys are being as combative as ever. Isaac notes that the shuttle as an inadequate fuel supply. Marcus mentions he learned that the fuel supply is common and that they may find some on the moon. After scanning, he finds traces of the fuel, and the trio head out to retrieve some of it in the morning. Claire wakes up in what looks like a dungeon cell. The local man who dragged her away has taken her to a "safe place." He wants her to eat. It appears the alien may have an affection for her. His name is Drogan (played by X-Files alum Brian Thompson). Claire wants to escape and uses her eating utensil to begin prying open a hatch. (she will eventually get it open). Isaac questions the Marcus' defiance of his mother. Three locals approach and Isaac stuns them. Ty holds Isaac's hand and he is persuaded by Marcus to reciprocate. Drogan explains that there were massive biological wars and that most of the inhabitants were killed and or diseased. Drogan escaped this fate, but survives in solitude. While crossing a river, Ty falls in and is soaked. He later becomes sick. The boys seem to be listening to Isaac now. The Orville has tracked the shuttle's trajectory and enters the gravitational fold. Mercer, intent on finding his people orders that they search every moon. Marcus feels bad that his last words to his mother were that she "sucked." Isaac tells the boys a bedtime story in Claire's voice. Marcus realizes that Ty is seriously ill from a water born toxin. Claire needs medical attention, but does not wish to stay. She climbs a ledge to Drogan's quarters and finds her communicator. Isaac and the boys are returning with the fuel. Claire tells Marcus that she loves he and Ty unconditionally, despite their constant fighting. Marcus understands and tells her Ty is ill. After a battle with Drogan, she escapes. She takes a blood sample of an ill local who she had subdued. She finds the others. She breaks down when she discovered how sick Ty is, and is in despair at how she, a doctor, cannot help him because she needs her medical lab on the Orville. Isaac has been able to send a brief blip toward what they hope will be the Orville. On board the ship, Alara identifies the blip. Mercer order to proceed. Two dozen life forms are approaching the quartet. Isaac and Marcus attempt to hold them off. Mercer orders Malloy to head down in a shuttle to rescue the group. The second shuttle fires from the atmosphere dispersing the aliens. Back on the ship, Claire has found a cure for the toxin which has infected Ty. He will be all right. Grayson will contact the Union to see if they can help the residents of the moon. Mercer mentions that he has gotten Isaac's report, but not hers. She says she has something to do first and leaves her medical lab to go to Isaac to thank him and tell him Ty will be all right. Isaac agrees to visit Ty, who has been missing him. She formally thanks him, telling him "The boys adore you; I don't know why or how you managed to keep them in line, but I'm sure glad you did." Isaac makes a final observation about the boys: "Your children are unruly, disrespectful, volatile and highly unpredictable. I am quite fond of them," he says from an observational and nearly human standpoint. Claire responds: "Welcome to the family." Directed by Brannon Braga (first aired 11/2/17).
EPISODE 1.09 - CUPID'S DAGGER
Commander Kelly Grayson and Captain Ed Mercer.
IMDB Synopsis: While the crew attempts to mediate a peace treaty between two warring cultures, tensions rise between Ed and Kelly when a familiar face comes aboard.
SCtoC Summary: During an evening of recreation, Grayson is singing Journey's "Any Way You Want it" to Karaoke. Bortus is up next and set to sing "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion (from the Titanic soundtrack) when an urgent call interrupts. Mercer and Grayson go to the briefing room to speak to Admiral Halsey (who we've not seen since the first episode). Two warring species, the Navarians and the Bruidians, are in conflict over their planet which each feels they colonized first. A recently recovered artifact could provide evidence that of which one that may be. An independent archaeologist has been dispatched to examine the artifact, and Halsey tasks Mercer to try to negotiate peace talks. The Orville meets the Olympia and the archaeologist shuttles over. Kitan discovers his identity and rushes to warn her two senior officers, but she is too late. Darulio disembarks and greets Mercer and Grayson. Darulio (special guest star Rob Lowe) is the alien who Grayson cheated on Mercer with, leading to their divorce. Kitan is charged with leading him to his guest quarters, and Mercer and Grayson have an argument over their relationship in the turbolift. Crewman Dann interrupts them and suggests music in the lift might be a nice addition. While being led to his quarters Kitan, Darulio walks through Yaphit, the lone gelatinous life form on the ship. Yaphit is carrying flowers and a guitar. Finn examines Bortus and Klyden's son, giving him a clean bill of health. Yaphit enters the medical bay, giving her the flowers and serenading her with a song. He professes his love for her, but she rejects him. Grayson meets Darulio in his lab, and they talk for a bit. Mercer is looking for Grayson, and finds her in her quarters in bed with Darulio. Mercer and Grayson argue on the way to the bridge. They enter the turbolift, and Dann is there. The Navarian and Brudian ambassadors are arguing, and Mercer persuades them to talk peace. Kitan questions Grayson's description of Darulio as "gorgeous" and compares his looks to her parents' remodeled bathroom. Grayson tells Kitan that Darulio is her soul mate. A similar conversation is going on with Mercer and Malloy, and the former heads to the lab to fire the alien. As he tried, Darulio shows him microscopic DNA. It's progress. Mercer and Darulio agree to meet for a drink, The captain's mood has changed. Finn is dressed seductively and enters Yaphit's quarters They talk. They kiss. Malloy visits Mercer in his quarters. He is man grooming, getting ready for drinks with Darulio. Mercer is truly "interested" in Darulio and Malloy is confused. The ambassadors are growing restless. Mercer meets Darulio for drinks, and Grayson is already there. The alien goes to get a round of drinks while Mercer and Grayson argue. Kitan, Bortus and Malloy discuss .the recent behavior of their senior officers. Claire's children come to the bridge looking for their mother, and Kitan goes to investigate. What she finds is a visual she surely will not get out of her head any time soon (can you say sex between a gelatinous life form and a human?). Kitan meets Finn shortly after in sick bay and Finn tells her that she just had never given Yaphit a chance, that she loves him and that they're soul mates. Bortus calls Kitan from the bridge. The ambassadors are restless; Kitan rushes to find Mercer and Grayson, telling Yaphit to stay away from Finn. In the lab, Grayson is adoring Darulio when Mercer comes in with a picnic basket. Kitan convinces Mercer and Grayson to tend to the ambassadors. She then interrogates Darulio. He tells her that his species mates once a year and there are increased pheromones which can be transferred through touch. It's not serious and the worst thing that can happen is that they all have "great sex." She sternly addresses him and, if the distractions he is causing to the crew halt peace talks, then it "is all (his) fault." Kitan escorts him to sick bay. Mercer boasts to Grayson that Drulion is more interested in him than her. The enter the turbolift, which stops when Dann comes in. He mentions that he got music installed in the lift. Grayson explodes at him and Mercer compliments him. Mercer and Grayson meet the delegates for talks. They are irritated at the length of time it has taken to verify the artifact. They Threaten war. Clearly not himself, Mercer leaves, citing he has "a date." Isaac and a nurse are evaluating Darulio's DNA. Nothing out of the ordinary. Still, Kitan confines him to quarters. The fleets of the two races are approaching each other above the planet, ready to do battle. Bortus, who has been in command the whole time, calls captain. Darulio is naked in the captain's bed and Mercer comes out to tell him to ignore the call. Grayson is in her quarters eating chocolate and listening to Carly Simon's "It's too Late." because she lost Darulio's affection's to her ex-husband. Darulio promts the captain to go to the bridge to stop the war which appears to be starting between the races. Kitan escorts the ambassadors to the bridge where Bortus orders them to order their fleets to stand down. Each of them refuse. Bortus re-issues the directive. Isaac devises a plan to use the ships deflector tocover both fleets. He needs Newton's help, and Newton needs Yaphit's help to get into small spaces. Bortus calls Yaphit to engineering, and the gelatin is on his way. Darulio enters the bridge and Bortus is wary of him. Darulio thinks he can help. Finn stops Yaphit complaining that she has been ignored since their encounter. The Navarian and Brudian ships begin firing upon one another. Yaphit has not made it to engineering. Kitan asks for a channel to both fleets. Bortus agrees. The ambassadors, holding hands, call down their fleets, then kiss (the Darulio effect). Nurse Park informs the captain that they manipulated Darulio's sweat glands and transferred them to the ambassadors' via hand shake. The pheromones will wear off in a few days. Mercer meets Grayson in her office. They agree to never speak again of the recent events. Darulio informs them that the artifact is common to both species. Grayson asks him a question, and he responds, crypticfally. More To come. Directed by Jamie Babbit (first aired 11/9/17).
EPISODE 1.10 - FIRESTORM
Chief of Security, Lt. Alara Kitan.
IMDB Synopsis: Alara questions whether she's fit for her job when a fire breaks out on the Orville and a crew member dies.
SCtoC Summary: The Orville is flying through a storm, a "screen saver" as Malloy notes. The ship is taking heavy damage; Newton in engineering is trying to stabilize systems when a bulkhead falls on a crew member Newton calls for Kitan's help and she rushes from the bridge to engineering. She gets to engineering and takes a look at the situation. As she begins to approach the injured crew member, a fire blast breaks out and she freezes. When she finally makes it to the crew member, he has already died. Kitan blames herself for not being able to reach him in times and becomes pensive. Mercer leads a service for the fallen man and Newton, a longtime friend of Lt. Payne, delivers the eulogy. Kitan is in the holographic gym boxing out her frustrations. Grayson and Finn visit her and try to reassure her that things are not her fault. Finn informs her of the autopsy results, that Payne probably would have died from his injuries from the bulkhead strike. Kitan blames herself. Malloy and LaMarr enter with a reservation a Revolutionary War era adventure and leave. Grayson and Finn leave, and Kitan goes back to the punching bag. Bortus begins to enter, dressed in Revolutionary War garb. Definitely a site. Mercer is having trouble writing the condolence letter to Payne's family, Malloy is a bit of help, but eventually Mercer sends him to write the skeleton of the letter. Kitan enters and offers her resignation, as she feels she is unqualified to continue in her role as chief of security. Mercer tells Kitan about his skepticism about her when they met, but now he would want no one on his side more than her. He refuses to accept her resignation. In her quarters, Kitan contacts her parents on Xelaya (played by Star Trek Voyager's Robert Picardo and veteran actress Molly Hagen). They criticize her choice of joining the military. She points out that military service is honorable in many cultures, including earth. Her father refers to humans as the "Hillbillies of the Galaxy." Strange things begin happening on the ship. Kitan encounters a clown in a corridor. It rushes her and she tries to track it down, but it disappears. The investigates the clown, and Kitan ends up battling it in a dark cargo bay. After a fierce fight, Kitan vaporizes the clown. Just when things appear to be getting back to normal, other events begin to occur. As Grayson and Kitan are walking down the corridor to Grayson's quarters, they agree to meet for a drink. Grayson's quarters are an abyss with her clinging for dear life. Kitan saves her. Mercer, Grayson, Kitan and Finn meet in Finn's office. Mercer ponders whether they are being affected by an alien source. Bortus walks in to inform them he had just crushed an alligator in the cargo bay with a chair. Finn decides to run brain scans. Kitan is first. Finn instructs her to lay down on the table. Suddenly, metal restraints are put on Kitan, and Finn begins to act as a mad scientist, informing Kitan that the restraints have been reinforced to account for her elevated strength. Finn's staff is nowhere to be seen. Nurse Park walks in, confused, and he tries to release Kitan. Finn shoots him in the back. Kitan is scared. Kitan finds the strength to break out of her restraints and throws Finn against a wall. In a brig cell, Mercer interrogates Finn. The latter creeps out Kitan (again). In the briefing room, the senior members meet. Suddenly, the room is overrun with tarantulas. They escape the room and the spiders disappear. Mercer decides to take the Orville back into the Storm, as this is where the events started happening. Malloy is worried about a spider having laid an egg in his nose. A giant spider emerges from the elevator and ends up eating Malloy, leaving Kitan distraught. Kitan ends up at an engineering station with Isaac. She catches him in a lie. They battle (a "toss-up" per her words in Ep. 4.). She subdues him, grabs a rifle, but he follows. he tells her she will not fire, but she does. She runs for an escape shuttle. But ... from an observatory deck, Finn tells Mercer and Grayson that they need to "stop the simulation now." Kitan is seen running down a corridor. It's a simulation in which Kitan has evoked an executive order to not stop, even preventing the captain from stopping it. No, it's not bare feet in engineering. Her adrenaline levels are rising to her critical. The real Isaac tells them the program has to run out. The previous Isaac, from the simulation, attacks Kitan and she appears to defeat him and make it to a shuttle. As she embarks, he lights a fire to try and prevent her from leaving the ship. She stares the fire in the face and flies through it, and sees the Orville be destroyed. She then falls to the ground of the simulation room. It is revealed that she had ordered the simulation. She had asked Isaac to present her with fear scenarios which would test her abilities to deal with dangerous situations. Isaac had formulated the simulation based on various fear from the crew (a bit of a Wizard of Oz scenario, but with non-matching fears among the staff). Mercer threatens to court-martial Kitan for invoking article 38, preventing the captain from ending the program. She does not remember, as she ordered a memory wipe to prevent her from knowing it was a simulation. He let's it slide and commends her that she "owned" every fear scenario Isaac threw at her. Kitan seemed to regain her confidence. Finally, she seems at peace with her abilities. Directed by Brannon Braga (first aired 11/16/17).
EPISODE 1.11 - NEW DIMENSIONS
Lt. Gordon Malloy, crewman Dann, Lt. John LaMarr.
IMDB SYNOPSIS: The Orville gets damaged by a spatial anomaly causing harrowing effects to all living things.
SCtoC Summary: The crew is having a banquet for Newton, who is leaving to help design a space station. Malloy and LaMarr "borrow" a piece of Yaphit, drop it in the buffetand Bortus ends up eating it. In Sick Bay, Yaphit retrieves it from Bortus. Grayson scolds Malloy and LaMarr. When she is putting a reprimand on LaMarr's record, she discovers he possesses a high intelligence quotient. Grayson asks Mercer to consider LaMarr as Newton's replacement as chief engineer. Mercer is hesitant, noting that LaMarr has never shown a desire to use his intelligence to forward his career. The ship encounters a spacial anomaly. The captain orders an analysis of the engine from Isaac. Grayson suggests LaMarr help him and Mercer agrees with her. Mercer can never remember crew member Palovis' name ("Hey, there he is!"). Grayson visits Mercer to reiterate her request that LaMarr be promoted to chief engineer. He tells her that since the post needs to be filled immediately, he is promoting the next man on the roster, Yaphit. Grayson puts LaMarr in charge of the team to analyze the anomaly. Grayson slips and Mercer concludes that Grayson requested Mercer get this command (reference Ep. 1.01). Mercer takes exception contacts Admiral Halsey, who confirms and says he has "validated (their) trust in him" through his command. Still, Mercer begins to doubt himself. Malloy wants to get a "bridge cat." Kitan likes the idea, but Isaac does not understand. Grayson confronts LaMarr about his intelligence. He prefers to keep things simple. A small Horbalak ship encounters the Orville. Mercer tries to warn him to change course to avoid the anomaly. He ignores the warning. A landing team goes to the Horbalak ship to find the captain dead, and that his cargo included 20 crates of Krill weapons. Mercer and Grayson talk in the corridor. Yaphit meets with Mercer, questioning LaMarr's consideration. He accuses Mercer of being racist against gelatinous life forms. LaMarr assumes control of the analysis team and it's sketchy. Yaphit criticizes him, and LaMarr agrees with him. LaMarr and Isaac discover the anomaly is not an anomaly, but a doorway to another dimension, specifically a two-dimensional reality. Three Krill ships show up, and LaMarr suggests that he can create a quantum bubble to allow them to enter two-dimensional space and hide from the Krill. Once inside, the crew sees a grid of moving energy. Isaac eventually speculates that these are the two-dimensional life forms, essentially, going about their business (think a bright digital traffic grid). The crew watches the activity. They are watching a two-dimensional civilization, and Malloy questions if fourth or fifth dimensional species may be watching them. Grayson and Mercer attempt to reconcile. The ship floats through the other dimension, the bubble begins to deteriorate and the ship is unable to escape because the doorway has closed. LaMarr has another idea. He can create a quantum bubble inside a shuttlecraft and use it to tow the Orville with a "beefed-up" tractor beam. LaMarr and Mercer pilot the shuttle. During the mission, Mercer offers LaMarr the chief engineer job. The shuttle bubble is becoming unstable. Mercer takes it to quantum speed and out of the other dimension. Mercer reconciles his issues with Grayson regarding her recommendation. The Orville has a new chief engineer. Directed by Kelly Cronin (first aired 11/30/17).
EPISODE 1.12 - MAD IDOLATRY (season finale)
Captain Ed Mercer, Commander Kelly Grayson, Lt. Commander John LaMarr, Lt. Gordon Malloy.
IMDB SYNOPSIS: The crew crash land on a planet from another universe; Ed and Kelly consider getting back together.
SCtoC Summary: Mercer is getting off shift and is calling on crew members to invite them for a drink. Malloy is heading off to bed and LaMarr is entertaining an ensign. Bortus invites him in for a drink and a game. Mercer “wins” a vicious round of a Moclan version of hot potato. In his quarters, he messages Grayson. They meet for a drink in the empty cafeteria. They speak of what might have been and agree to go on a date. They celebrate the idea. The next morning, on the bridge, Mercer and Grayson are clearly hungover as the ship is charting a new section of space. They are getting some anomalous readings, so Grayson, Malloy and Isaac head down in a shuttle to get a closer look. Suddenly the ship is caught in the atmosphere of a planet which has just emerged from another dimension, and makes an emergency landing. While Mercer and Isaac work on the shuttle, Grayson scouts the planet. She spies a village comparable to Earth's Bronze Age (seventh century) and goes in further to investigate. A young girl is frightened and falls, cutting her forehead. Grayson introduces herself and heals the girl, as villagers emerge. She runs off as the girl repeats her name to the villagers; “Kel-ly.” Mercer reports the phenomenon of the planet to Admiral Ozawa, but leaves out Grayson's interaction with the girl. The planet disappears, prompting Isaac to come to the conclusion that the planet comes into the Orville's universe every 11 days. The crew waits for the re-emergence which occurs. Mercer and Grayson have gone on their date, which has gone well. Mercer, Grayson, Malloy, Kitan and LaMarr take a shuttle down to the planet, after Isaac has reported from his scans that the planet has decidedly grown in architecture and in population since they last saw it. The planet now resembles 14 century Earth. A farmer asks Kelly to bless her child. The landing team encounters five people by the road who have been executed because they did not follow the “word of Kelly.” As they wander through a village square, they witness three others being judged in the name of Kelly. Grayson is visibly upset. LaMarr leads them to a central religious structure where, upon entering, the are met by a statue of Kelly (in uniform as she appeared when she saved the young girl with the cut on her head). Back on the Orville, Ozawa dresses down Mercer for not mentioning Kelly's encounter with the girl. The admiral orders Mercer and the crew to not return to the planet's surface. Eventually, Mercer refutes the order and the landing party returns to the religious structure. Kelly shocks Valondis, the religious leader, but convinces him that she is not a god and asks that he spreads that word. After the landing party departs, Valondis is considering what just happened and how to break the news to the people of his home world when he is stabbed and killed by an aide before he can inform the people of the truth. The planet disappears, then, 11 days later, reappears. There are artificial satellites in orbit and Isaac's scans conclude that 700 years have passed since their last encounter. Mercer orders a scan of mentions of “Kelly” (hoping for none). There are over 700,000 mentions of her, including a televangelist, a talk show pundit debate and a news report of the destruction of the “Temple of Kelly.” Grayson is severely shaken. The senior staff discusses the situation with Grayson asking to go back to the planet to convince them that she is not a god, even though it would mean she would spend the rest of her life there. Mercer denies the request. It is decided that Isaac, whose construction can survive millions of years, will spend 700 years on the planet (in the other universe) to set the record straight. Eleven days/700 years have passed and the planet emerges with space docks in orbit of it. A ship is approaching. They ask to come aboard. Two leaders from the planet, Baleth and Fadolin, beam over to return Isaac to the ship. Grayson is still shook by the outcome of her act of kindness. Baleth and Fadolin explain that Isaac has been a part of their culture for the past 700 years, and he mentions his fascination about seeing, up close, the evolution of the planet over that time. Baleth and Fadolin comfort Grayson and the crew by telling her that their civilization is thriving and that if it had not been her that their ancestors worshiped, it would have been someone else. It was the way their species was intended to evolve, Baleth tells her. Later, Grayson and Mercer discuss their future together. Directed by Brannon Braga (first aired 12/7/17).
The Orville airs each Thursday at 9 p.m. pacific time on Fox. Check your local listings.
Click for our series overview.
MAIN CAST
Seth MacFarlane as Captain Ed Mercer
Adrianne Palicki as Commander Kelly Grayson
Penny Johnson Jerald - Dr. Claire Finn
Scott Grimes as Lieutenant Gordon Malloy
Peter Macon as Lieutenant Commander Bortus
Halston Sage as Chief of Security Alara Kitan
J. Lee as Chief Engineer Lt. Commander John LaMarr
Mark Jackson as Isaac
Chad L. Coleman as Klyden
Larry Joe Campbell as Steve Newton
Rachael McFarlane as Computer Voice
When applicable, click on the actor's name to access their twitter account.
Here we go.
EPISODE 1.01 - OLD WOUNDS
(l-r) Captain Ed Mercer, Dr. Claire Finn, Commander Kelly Grayson, Chief of Security Alara
Kitan and Science Station Director Dr. Aronov.
IMDB Synopsis: Newly promoted Captain, Ed Mercer, is taken back when his ex-wife is assigned as his First Officer.
SCtoC Summary: Very clever opening, and the quips are very McFarlane-esque. During a briefing with the senior staff, we get a nice introduction to the crew, though we had met Lt. Malloy previously as we saw his recruitment by Mercer on this series' version of a holodeck. Mercer and Malloy are old friends. McFarlane and Palicki have immediate chemistry. Commander Bortus has the con when Mercer and Grayson lead an away team, and is quite capable as the . When we meet Malloy, he is battling Justin the Ogre on said holodeck. Justin, despite being an Ogre, has a gregarious personality. The crew visit a science station to deliver supplies. As the away team Mercer, Grayson, Kitan and Dr. Finn) tours the station, we learn there is a threat by the Krill (seemingly The Orville's version of Star Trek's Klingons). Along the way, Mercer is given a sampling of a redwood tree. He snacks on one of the seeds, and puts the rest in his pocket. A young scientist, who had been working at the station for a year, mutinies while Mercer is communicating to The Orville, and opens communications with a Krill ship. He prompts the captain and Grayson to lie to Bortus, to which the latter claims that everything is fine because it's just a monthly birthday pizza party. There are "a whole lot of September birthdays" on the station, Mercer quips. Upon hearing the words "pizza party," Malloy and LaMarr ask Bortus to let them attend. Obviously the answer is no. As Mercer distracts the traitorous young scientist, Kitan throws a piece of machinery and knocks him out. Kitan is from a planet with heavier gravity than the balance of the galaxy (in a sense, think of a version of SuperGirl). What the Krill want is a time accelerator being developed by one of the scientists. Two Krill ships, larger than the away team's suttlecraft, arrive. The away team makes their way to the shuttlecraft via a firefight as the Orville is being pummeled by a larger Krill ship. Once aboard, Mercer speaks via the main viewer screen to the Krill commander who demands that the captain turn over the time accelerator. Mercer and Grayson come up with a plan which leads to the question of which slam is more effective: "Happy Arbor Day!" or "You Got Wood?!" At the end, we see that Grayson has a new secret she is keeping from Mercer. Directed by Jon Favreau (first aired 9/10/17).
EPISODE 1.02 - COMMAND PERFORMANCE
Chief of Security Lt. Alara Kitan.
IMDB Synopsis: Alara must take command of the Orville when Ed and Kelly end up imprisoned in a replica of their old home.
SCtoC Summary: Coming out party for Halston Sage's Lt. Kitan character as Mercer and Grayson are transported to a technologically advanced species' planet. The Union is so concerned about this species' abilities, that they have banned all their ships from visiting that sector. In the beginning of the episode, we are informed that Bortus has laid an egg. Literally. As Bortus explains this to Mercer, the captain quips, and eventually determines that he cannot "try comedy" with Bortus. Bortus and his mate, Kylden, are from a single-species race - male. After a deception results in Mercer and Grayson's transportation to the forbidden planet, they find themselves in a replica of the New York City apartment they shared as a married couple. It turns out to be a zoo with exhibits from around the galaxy, and the captain and commander are their newest, most "popular exhibit." Meanwhile, under her first command, Alara goes from extreme confusion, to questioning her abilities, to accepting the Union's orders, to defying them. In the Orville's caferia (a seemingly comfortable setting), she declares that she was just following orders, but that those issuing these orders, which the crew hates, can "bite me." The crew then rally around her and they proceed to the forbidden planet. She takes Isaac to meet the zoo keeper, who sees her as inferior species, but not that of Isaac. As time is counting down against her superior officers, Alara makes a deal with the zoo keepers. Mercer and Grayson are saved. Later, in the cafeteria, Grayson and Mercer assures here they will have her back for defying the Union's orders. "We we're a crappy couple, but pretty good with office politics," Mercer tells her. Other crew members ask Alara what she traded. Subtlety brazen and confident, she says "They wanted a zoo, I gave them a zoo." The zoo keeper and his assistants are shown watching current reality TV, specifically, a Real Housewives episode. The final scene is of Bortus and Klyden's egg hatching, and it's a girl (cue episode 3). Directed by Robert Duncan McNeill (first aired 9/17/17).
EPISODE 1.03 - ABOUT A GIRL
Klyden, Commander Bortus.
IMDB Synopsis: Bortus and Klyden debate whether their newborn child should have a controversial surgery.
SCtoC Summary: This is an extremely political episode. It is also one the original Star Trek series would have explored. McFarlane's writing is huge here. Bortus and Klyden want to alter their child's female persuasion to make her a male. We are informed that a female is born on their home planet about once every 75 years, so it has happed a number of times before. The Orville, expectedly, makes its way to Bortus and Klyden's home planet. Meanwhile, Bortus's mind is slowly changed by a couple events. the first is when Alara, who is at least a foot shorter and perhaps 200 points lighter, knocks him out during a boxing match. Alara has enhanced strength due to her home planet's sun. Malloy and LaMarr greet Bortus in his quarters with a beer and movie party, where they show him the classic episode of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Bortus sees the equation between Rudolph's red nose and his daughter's femaleness. He has determined that keeping the child as a female is correct. However, Klyden has the tradition in his heart, even reciting the most-recognized writer their lifetimes. During the tribunal, Mercer has an idea. He signals the ship and the find what they are looking for. Mercer and his team bring the evidence to the tribunal. To tell what the evidence is would be to give away Commander Grayson's case. The outcome of the episode is curious, but intriguing and thought provoking. Part of the ending shows that Mercer and Grayson still care for each other. Directed by Brannon Braga (first aired 9/21/17).
EPISODE 1.04 - IF THE STARS SHOULD APPEAR
Captain Ed Mercer, Dr. Claire Finn, Isaac, Tomilin.
IMDB Synopsis: The crew encounters a vessel adrift in space that's about to collide with a star.
SCtoC Summary: Bortus and Klyden are having relationship issues, which lead the latter to find solace in rocky road ice cream and an airing of The Sound of Music ("I am 16 going on 17 ..."). Bortus goes to work an hour early. On the bridge, Malloy does not care for the assignment of star mapping. The Orville discovers a drifting vessel the size of Manhattan, which is slowly drifting into a nearby star, and go to investigate and offer assistance if needed. The vessel is approximately 2,000 years old. Mercer, Grayson, Kitan, Dr. Finn and Isaac head out on the away mission, docking with the alien vessel. Kitan opens a "jar of pickles" (the vessel's docking door) with her strength. The away team splits up and Isaac questions Mercer about relationships of married couples. Mercer, Finn and Isaac encounter a family of farmers, and Isaac discovers that the vessel's inhabitants don't realize they are on a ship floating in space. Grayson and Kitan are walking down a dirt road, discussing relationships, similar to Mercer and Isaac. Grayson and Kitan have become good friends in their short time together on the Orville. The duo are nearly run down by a indigenous security detail who shoot Kitan and knock out Grayson. Kitan has rolled down a long hill. The security detail leaves her and takes Grayson. Mercer, Finn and Isaac are led to a sort of reformer group by Tomilin, the son of the farmers. The group questions the scriptures they have been taught for so long. Back on the Orville, the crew receives a distress call from a Union ship. Bortus orders the helm to answer it, and to leave a communication buoy should the away team attempt to return. "We've long suspected there is more to the universe than we can see, but until now we haven't have proof," the underground leader, Kemka, tells the captain. Hemelac is the guardian of the word of Jahavus Dorahl, who is considered the community's god. Mercer seems not to care for the local cuisine. Kitan is alive and is contacting her crew. She sends a homing beacon and the other half of the away team immediately rushes to her. Grayson is brought to Hemelac, who interrogates her mentally and physically. She repeatedly defies him (excellent Friends reference in this sequence). The captain's team finds Kitan, and Dr. Finn removes three bullets from her chest and revives her. Isaac returns to the shuttle to find that the Orville is no longer there. He relays the distress call information from the bouy to Mercer. The Orville is in a fire fight, and destroys the alien ship which had been attacking the Union ship Druyan. More Hemelac interrogation of Grayson. The rest of the team arrives at Hemelac's headquarters. Mercer uses the old "college buddy" trick to distract and overpower the guard and get into the building. An uncooperative Grayson is drugged. Mercers team makes their way into Hemelac's office and Kitan rips the doors open. Finn gives Grayson an antidote. Mercer questions Hemelac, but he is defiant; it would "shatter our entire way of life" if the people knew they were not alone. Mercer stuns Hemelac and the entire away team departs. Kemka leads the team to a hatchway which leads to an elevator. Mercer is awkward in elevators. They reach the bridge of the vessel where Tomilin and Kemka view space for the first time through a viewer. Isaac finds a recording made by the last occupant (Dorahl), who explains the reasoning and original mission of the vessel (note that Dorahl is played by a very special guest star). Isaac estimates repairs to the vessel will take about a day, and will prevent the vessel from running into the star. He also discovers a sun roof which allows residents to see night, and the stars for the first time. Mercer promises to contact the union fleet to send scientists who can train Kemka and the others to run their vessel after it is repaired. Directed by James L. Conway (first aired 9/28/17).
EPISODE 1.05 - PRIA
Pria Lavesque, Captain Ed Mercer, Commander Kelly Grayson.
IMDB Synopsis: Ed becomes smitten with the captain of a stranded ship, but Kelly suspects all is not what it seems.
SCtoC Summary: Charlize Theron guest stars. The Orville bridge crew is watching a classic Seinfeld episode and debating practical jokes. The Orville brings on the captain of a foreign ship which is in dire circumstances. They quickly bond during a reception in Captain Mercer's quarters, and meets him informally afterward and they share an innocent (seemingly) kiss. Malloy previously, in a practical joke style, installs Mr. Potato Head features on an unsuspecting Isaac. Cmdr. Grayson is skeptical of Capt. Lavesque. Grayson enlists Kitan to check out Lavesque. Kitan is resistant, but assists the first officer. Kitan finds a rectangular metallic object which cannot be scanned. Lavesque walks in, and KItan and Grayson make awkward excuses to get out. They refer to Mercer, who dresses each down, and puts a formal reprimand on Kitan's record. Mercer and Grayson argue in his office. The Orville is attacked and pulled in th a bubble-infiltrated back hole. Pria helps them navigate around that, taking over Malloy's helm post. She gets the crew through it. Down time Mercer takes Lavesque to a holodeck planet. He wants to take it slow. Next scene is of Ed and and Pria in bed after the "act." Malloy is the recipient of a payback practical joke by Isaac, who seems to have pulled out all of the stops (as with any good joke in this case, you'll have to watch the episode for the punch line). Pria proves helpful in helping the Orville navigate out of a potential disaster. To effect repairs, the Orville is several days from the furthest star base. Pria offers another option a only day away. Mercer elects to to with Pria's plan, to which Grayson is clearly livid. En route, we find out Pria has an alterior motive. Mercer, Grayson and Chief Newton discover Pria's metallic rectangular object in engineering and it's messing with the engines. After Newton uses an electric drill to get into it (those things are still in use 401 years from now), Isaac tries to infiltrate it, but is attacked by the device, seemingly destroyed. He is taken to Sick Bay where Dr. Finn and Newton tend to him. Mercer and Grayson confront Pria, who discloses that she is from 500 years in the future and that she is there to take over the Orville as an "artifact" to sell to collectors. The ship is taken into a wormhole to Pria's time where she opens up negotiations with an alien (very cool design of a species). Malloy, who has been in Sick Bay as a result of Isaac's practical joke, makes his way to the bridge. Just when things look bleak, Mercer gets a surprising message on his console. It's from Isaac, whose program has been transferred to the ship's computer. It allows Mercer another option. In the final scene, Mercer and Pria are in his office and his decision of how to deal with her is revealed, a bit sadly yet decisively. Directed by Jonathan Frakes (first aired 10/5/17).
EPISODE 1.06 - KRILL
Lt. Gordon Malloy and Captain Ed Mercer (disguised as Krill).
IMDB Synopsis: Ed and Gordon are send on an undercover mission to infiltrate a Krill ship and obtain a copy of their bible.
SCtoC Summary: While the bridge staff is dining in the cafeteria, Isaac propositions Kitan sexually, but she is "working on (herself) right now" following a breakup (men can feel "emasculated" when their girlfriend has 10 times the strength as them). Bortus is confused by sushi, and it is discovered that he can eat nearly anything. The meal is interrupted when when a new Union colony is being attacked by the Krill. Through some creative maneuvering, the Orville destroy the Krill ship, and recover an enemy shuttle. The Orville meets up with Admiral Ozawa (guest star Kelly Hu), who orders Mercer and Malloy to go on an undercover mission on a Krill ship to steal a Krill Bible. She explains that the aliens are extremely faithful and understanding their Bible could help the Union understand them better. Mercer is uneasy at the undercover mission. Isaac designs a mobile holographic emitter which will make the duo look like members of the Krill race. En route to the Krill ship, while listening to Midnight Special by Creedence Clearwater Revival (inside the recovered shuttle), Malloy realizes that they've not come up with undercover Krill names. We find out that the Krill's atmosphere causes them to live in perpetual darkness. They banter about them. Upon coming aboard the Krill ship, Mercer explains that they are the lone survivors of the ship the Orville destroyed and that their names are ... Chris and Devin (very un-Krill-like!). The high priest invites them to services where they worship Avis (begin the string of car rental company jokes). The Ankara (Bible) is at the alter. in the worship chamber, Chris and Devin speak to a young Krill woman, Teleya whose brother was killed when "their" ship was destroyed. After some disturbing services, they sneak into the chamber and begin to take pictures of the Ankana's pages. They are interrupted by the high priest and awkwardly excuse themselves. Chris and Devin return to the chamber at night and continue to take pictures of the Ankana. Captain Haros grants permission to the high priest to have a guard stationed at the chapel. The holo-emitters fails when they are in the chapel. The guard shows up and they hide from him and return to their guest quarters. Interference from a nearby power source has interfered with the holo-emitters. They get the emitters working again and head to the source of the interference which, it turns out, is a bomb which could. In search of more information, they meet with the young woman they met at the chapel. The bomb can destroy an entire continent in seconds. The Krill are going to use it on a remote and defenseless farming community of 100,000.. Chris and Devin devise a plan to prevent the destruction. They meet again with their friend, a school teacher, and follow her to speak to her students. They answer the students' questions, and one of them follows them into the hallway. While answering his questions, Chris (remember, this is Mercer), realizes the key to destroying the Krill ("They're space vampires" and Mercer and Malloy are "Vampire Hunters"). Mercer alters the plan with a caveat to not harm the students. They put the plan into motion, and Malloy is discovered -- as himself. Captain Haros questions Malloy, eventually stabbing him in his "brand new leg" (reference the previous episode.). Mercer battles Krill officers in the corridors in a firefight. The Krill have set the bomb in motion to kill the farming colony. They fire the bomb, then, the "vampires" are attacked. Malloy takes the helm and ... *spoiler* ... Mercer, Malloy and some "guests." return to the Orville. Mercer hears some disturbing works from Teleya. Directed by Jon Cassar (first aired 10/12/17).
EPISODE 1.07 - MAJORITY RULE
(Front of crowd): Dr. Claire Finn, Lt. Alara Kitan, Lt. John LaMarr, and Commander
Kelly Grayson attempt to blend in with locals on an alien planet.
IMDB Synopsis: Kelly leads a team to find two missing Union anthropologists on a planet similar to Earth.
SCtoC Summary: An indictment of sites like YouTube and other website commenting services. A young woman awakens on a seemingly normal day to get ready for work, and turns on the TV to a morning show. At the bottom of the screen, there is a red down arrow, a green up arrow and comments streaming live. The woman, who is upset that a friend has borrowed outfit, vows to give her friend a downvote when the friend returns to town. The Orville arrives at an Earth-like planet called Sargus 4. Mercer assigns Grayson, Kitan, Finn and LaMarr to travel, incognito, to the planet to locate two lost Union anthropologists. On Sargus 4's surface, its citizens are seen giving upvotes and downvotes on badges which each citizen has attached to their clothing. The Orville's landing party is perplexed. They receive the upvote/downvote badges from a street vendor. The foursome begin to talk about Kitan's dating life, and that one of the reasons she broke up with her last boyfriend is because he "grinded" too much while dancing. LaMarr asks for clarification, personally using a statue as a reference; grinding with the statue. Onlookers take videos which are posted online. The landing party searches for the missing anthropologists in a cafe and we meet the woman from the opening scene, Lysella. LaMarr's downvote count begins to escalate quickly. It's due to his "dry-humping" the statue from earlier. Grayson tries to get the team out, but LaMarr is arrested. On the Orville, Mercer makes his case with Admiral Tucker, to no avail. On the planet, LaMarr meets his representation, a publicist (Steven Culp who appeared in several Star Trek: Enterprise episodes). LaMarr needs publicity because the justice system works by downvotes. If a person receives 10,000 downvotes in their lifetime, they are corrected by, essentially, a lobotomy. LaMarr enlists Grayson to help him on his "publicity tour." Finn is unclear of whether she can reverse he "correction procedure." The publicity tour begins with appearances on television and the internet. LaMarr appears on The Chat (take of of The View and The Talk) and blows it, thanks to the show's three judgmental hosts. Grayson and Kitan go back to the cafe to talk to Lysella to better understand the system and ask for their help. Kitan's hat irritates someone from a faction of the populous. He downvotes her and other citizens are taking videos with the threat to upload. Finn rushes Kitan to the restroom, ripping the bottom part of her smock to create an alternative headgear. "New problem" as Lysella walks in on them. She is shocked at Kitan's appearance. They take her for a drink and tell her who they are. Lysella helps lead them the corrected anthropologist Lewis (Claire's husband). He has been "corrected." Finn insists on getting him back to the ship. LaMarr goes on what is passed off as a late night talk show. It does not look good. LaMarr's publicist tells Grayson he has never seen anyone with over 9 million downvotes not be corrected; LaMarr has over 9.3 of them. Mercer decides to bring Lysella on board to get more insight on John's plight. On her way in the shuttle to the Orville, Lysella is breathtaken. Mercer wants refreshments for guests who visit the Orville. She says "the majority knows the truth." LaMarr is being taken for correction. Suspense. Isaac has an idea to turn his tide. He gains access to the "Master Feed." It's a race. Lysella helps Mercer and Isaac turn his upvotes high enough to counteract his downvotes in order to save him. Residents of Sargus 4 take this stuff way too seriously! Mercer thanks Lysella. Finn tells her "her world can do better." Lysette wakes up the next morning and, instead of downvoting the story she sees, she turns off her monitor. Directed by Tucker Gates (first aired 10/26/17).
EPISODE 1.08 - INTO THE FOLD
Dr. Claire Finn, Ty Finn, Captain Ed Mercer and Commander Kelly Grayson.
IMDB Synopsis: The crew set out to save Dr. Finn, her two sons and Isaac, after their shuttle gets thrown into uncharted space.
SCtoC Summary: Dr. Finn wakes up to the sound of her rambunctious sons, Marcus and Ty, giving each other grief. This is a common theme through the first two-thirds of the episode. Their family is headed to a recreation planet on a vacation. Ty is excited to be going; Marcus, not so much. LaMarr is scheduled to pilot their shuttle, but Grayson needs him to repair the navigational array. The commander replaces LaMarr with Isaac, much to Claire's chagrin. In the meantime, The Orville crew is performing maintenance on the ship. As Claire and her family and Isaac are headed to the recreation planet, the doctor shows her impatience with her sons, as they engage in never-ending arguing. Isaac asks why Claire does not have a husband, to which she explains that she does not want a Through a series of events, the shuttle is thrown toward an spacial anomaly (gravitational fold). They are thrown to a part of unidentified space and find a system with a life-sustaining moon on which to land. Not only do they land, they crash with Claire in back of the shuttle. The craft is severed and she is separated from Isaac and her sons. Isaac, now the boys' babysitter, "repairs" Marcus' dislocated knee. Claire is dragged away by an indigenous man. They look for tools to repair the ship with no avail. Isaac is unable to repair the ship nor get out a distress call. He leaves the kids, with a pistol in Marcus' hand for defense, to search for Claire. He finds the rear of the shuttle, but no Claire. It is night and the boys are alone as another local, looking sick, tries to attack them. Isaac returns to the boys just in time to fight off the attacker. The boys grab his arms in security and appreciation. Meanwhile, on the Orville, maintenance in engineering is underway. LaMarr criticizes Newton's selection of music. It's Barry Manilow's "Somewhere Down the Road." Mercer walks in; "Oh God, Manilow was a genius." Grayson notifies Mercer that Claire's shuttle never reached its destination. On the planet, the boys are being as combative as ever. Isaac notes that the shuttle as an inadequate fuel supply. Marcus mentions he learned that the fuel supply is common and that they may find some on the moon. After scanning, he finds traces of the fuel, and the trio head out to retrieve some of it in the morning. Claire wakes up in what looks like a dungeon cell. The local man who dragged her away has taken her to a "safe place." He wants her to eat. It appears the alien may have an affection for her. His name is Drogan (played by X-Files alum Brian Thompson). Claire wants to escape and uses her eating utensil to begin prying open a hatch. (she will eventually get it open). Isaac questions the Marcus' defiance of his mother. Three locals approach and Isaac stuns them. Ty holds Isaac's hand and he is persuaded by Marcus to reciprocate. Drogan explains that there were massive biological wars and that most of the inhabitants were killed and or diseased. Drogan escaped this fate, but survives in solitude. While crossing a river, Ty falls in and is soaked. He later becomes sick. The boys seem to be listening to Isaac now. The Orville has tracked the shuttle's trajectory and enters the gravitational fold. Mercer, intent on finding his people orders that they search every moon. Marcus feels bad that his last words to his mother were that she "sucked." Isaac tells the boys a bedtime story in Claire's voice. Marcus realizes that Ty is seriously ill from a water born toxin. Claire needs medical attention, but does not wish to stay. She climbs a ledge to Drogan's quarters and finds her communicator. Isaac and the boys are returning with the fuel. Claire tells Marcus that she loves he and Ty unconditionally, despite their constant fighting. Marcus understands and tells her Ty is ill. After a battle with Drogan, she escapes. She takes a blood sample of an ill local who she had subdued. She finds the others. She breaks down when she discovered how sick Ty is, and is in despair at how she, a doctor, cannot help him because she needs her medical lab on the Orville. Isaac has been able to send a brief blip toward what they hope will be the Orville. On board the ship, Alara identifies the blip. Mercer order to proceed. Two dozen life forms are approaching the quartet. Isaac and Marcus attempt to hold them off. Mercer orders Malloy to head down in a shuttle to rescue the group. The second shuttle fires from the atmosphere dispersing the aliens. Back on the ship, Claire has found a cure for the toxin which has infected Ty. He will be all right. Grayson will contact the Union to see if they can help the residents of the moon. Mercer mentions that he has gotten Isaac's report, but not hers. She says she has something to do first and leaves her medical lab to go to Isaac to thank him and tell him Ty will be all right. Isaac agrees to visit Ty, who has been missing him. She formally thanks him, telling him "The boys adore you; I don't know why or how you managed to keep them in line, but I'm sure glad you did." Isaac makes a final observation about the boys: "Your children are unruly, disrespectful, volatile and highly unpredictable. I am quite fond of them," he says from an observational and nearly human standpoint. Claire responds: "Welcome to the family." Directed by Brannon Braga (first aired 11/2/17).
EPISODE 1.09 - CUPID'S DAGGER
Commander Kelly Grayson and Captain Ed Mercer.
IMDB Synopsis: While the crew attempts to mediate a peace treaty between two warring cultures, tensions rise between Ed and Kelly when a familiar face comes aboard.
SCtoC Summary: During an evening of recreation, Grayson is singing Journey's "Any Way You Want it" to Karaoke. Bortus is up next and set to sing "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion (from the Titanic soundtrack) when an urgent call interrupts. Mercer and Grayson go to the briefing room to speak to Admiral Halsey (who we've not seen since the first episode). Two warring species, the Navarians and the Bruidians, are in conflict over their planet which each feels they colonized first. A recently recovered artifact could provide evidence that of which one that may be. An independent archaeologist has been dispatched to examine the artifact, and Halsey tasks Mercer to try to negotiate peace talks. The Orville meets the Olympia and the archaeologist shuttles over. Kitan discovers his identity and rushes to warn her two senior officers, but she is too late. Darulio disembarks and greets Mercer and Grayson. Darulio (special guest star Rob Lowe) is the alien who Grayson cheated on Mercer with, leading to their divorce. Kitan is charged with leading him to his guest quarters, and Mercer and Grayson have an argument over their relationship in the turbolift. Crewman Dann interrupts them and suggests music in the lift might be a nice addition. While being led to his quarters Kitan, Darulio walks through Yaphit, the lone gelatinous life form on the ship. Yaphit is carrying flowers and a guitar. Finn examines Bortus and Klyden's son, giving him a clean bill of health. Yaphit enters the medical bay, giving her the flowers and serenading her with a song. He professes his love for her, but she rejects him. Grayson meets Darulio in his lab, and they talk for a bit. Mercer is looking for Grayson, and finds her in her quarters in bed with Darulio. Mercer and Grayson argue on the way to the bridge. They enter the turbolift, and Dann is there. The Navarian and Brudian ambassadors are arguing, and Mercer persuades them to talk peace. Kitan questions Grayson's description of Darulio as "gorgeous" and compares his looks to her parents' remodeled bathroom. Grayson tells Kitan that Darulio is her soul mate. A similar conversation is going on with Mercer and Malloy, and the former heads to the lab to fire the alien. As he tried, Darulio shows him microscopic DNA. It's progress. Mercer and Darulio agree to meet for a drink, The captain's mood has changed. Finn is dressed seductively and enters Yaphit's quarters They talk. They kiss. Malloy visits Mercer in his quarters. He is man grooming, getting ready for drinks with Darulio. Mercer is truly "interested" in Darulio and Malloy is confused. The ambassadors are growing restless. Mercer meets Darulio for drinks, and Grayson is already there. The alien goes to get a round of drinks while Mercer and Grayson argue. Kitan, Bortus and Malloy discuss .the recent behavior of their senior officers. Claire's children come to the bridge looking for their mother, and Kitan goes to investigate. What she finds is a visual she surely will not get out of her head any time soon (can you say sex between a gelatinous life form and a human?). Kitan meets Finn shortly after in sick bay and Finn tells her that she just had never given Yaphit a chance, that she loves him and that they're soul mates. Bortus calls Kitan from the bridge. The ambassadors are restless; Kitan rushes to find Mercer and Grayson, telling Yaphit to stay away from Finn. In the lab, Grayson is adoring Darulio when Mercer comes in with a picnic basket. Kitan convinces Mercer and Grayson to tend to the ambassadors. She then interrogates Darulio. He tells her that his species mates once a year and there are increased pheromones which can be transferred through touch. It's not serious and the worst thing that can happen is that they all have "great sex." She sternly addresses him and, if the distractions he is causing to the crew halt peace talks, then it "is all (his) fault." Kitan escorts him to sick bay. Mercer boasts to Grayson that Drulion is more interested in him than her. The enter the turbolift, which stops when Dann comes in. He mentions that he got music installed in the lift. Grayson explodes at him and Mercer compliments him. Mercer and Grayson meet the delegates for talks. They are irritated at the length of time it has taken to verify the artifact. They Threaten war. Clearly not himself, Mercer leaves, citing he has "a date." Isaac and a nurse are evaluating Darulio's DNA. Nothing out of the ordinary. Still, Kitan confines him to quarters. The fleets of the two races are approaching each other above the planet, ready to do battle. Bortus, who has been in command the whole time, calls captain. Darulio is naked in the captain's bed and Mercer comes out to tell him to ignore the call. Grayson is in her quarters eating chocolate and listening to Carly Simon's "It's too Late." because she lost Darulio's affection's to her ex-husband. Darulio promts the captain to go to the bridge to stop the war which appears to be starting between the races. Kitan escorts the ambassadors to the bridge where Bortus orders them to order their fleets to stand down. Each of them refuse. Bortus re-issues the directive. Isaac devises a plan to use the ships deflector tocover both fleets. He needs Newton's help, and Newton needs Yaphit's help to get into small spaces. Bortus calls Yaphit to engineering, and the gelatin is on his way. Darulio enters the bridge and Bortus is wary of him. Darulio thinks he can help. Finn stops Yaphit complaining that she has been ignored since their encounter. The Navarian and Brudian ships begin firing upon one another. Yaphit has not made it to engineering. Kitan asks for a channel to both fleets. Bortus agrees. The ambassadors, holding hands, call down their fleets, then kiss (the Darulio effect). Nurse Park informs the captain that they manipulated Darulio's sweat glands and transferred them to the ambassadors' via hand shake. The pheromones will wear off in a few days. Mercer meets Grayson in her office. They agree to never speak again of the recent events. Darulio informs them that the artifact is common to both species. Grayson asks him a question, and he responds, crypticfally. More To come. Directed by Jamie Babbit (first aired 11/9/17).
EPISODE 1.10 - FIRESTORM
Chief of Security, Lt. Alara Kitan.
IMDB Synopsis: Alara questions whether she's fit for her job when a fire breaks out on the Orville and a crew member dies.
SCtoC Summary: The Orville is flying through a storm, a "screen saver" as Malloy notes. The ship is taking heavy damage; Newton in engineering is trying to stabilize systems when a bulkhead falls on a crew member Newton calls for Kitan's help and she rushes from the bridge to engineering. She gets to engineering and takes a look at the situation. As she begins to approach the injured crew member, a fire blast breaks out and she freezes. When she finally makes it to the crew member, he has already died. Kitan blames herself for not being able to reach him in times and becomes pensive. Mercer leads a service for the fallen man and Newton, a longtime friend of Lt. Payne, delivers the eulogy. Kitan is in the holographic gym boxing out her frustrations. Grayson and Finn visit her and try to reassure her that things are not her fault. Finn informs her of the autopsy results, that Payne probably would have died from his injuries from the bulkhead strike. Kitan blames herself. Malloy and LaMarr enter with a reservation a Revolutionary War era adventure and leave. Grayson and Finn leave, and Kitan goes back to the punching bag. Bortus begins to enter, dressed in Revolutionary War garb. Definitely a site. Mercer is having trouble writing the condolence letter to Payne's family, Malloy is a bit of help, but eventually Mercer sends him to write the skeleton of the letter. Kitan enters and offers her resignation, as she feels she is unqualified to continue in her role as chief of security. Mercer tells Kitan about his skepticism about her when they met, but now he would want no one on his side more than her. He refuses to accept her resignation. In her quarters, Kitan contacts her parents on Xelaya (played by Star Trek Voyager's Robert Picardo and veteran actress Molly Hagen). They criticize her choice of joining the military. She points out that military service is honorable in many cultures, including earth. Her father refers to humans as the "Hillbillies of the Galaxy." Strange things begin happening on the ship. Kitan encounters a clown in a corridor. It rushes her and she tries to track it down, but it disappears. The investigates the clown, and Kitan ends up battling it in a dark cargo bay. After a fierce fight, Kitan vaporizes the clown. Just when things appear to be getting back to normal, other events begin to occur. As Grayson and Kitan are walking down the corridor to Grayson's quarters, they agree to meet for a drink. Grayson's quarters are an abyss with her clinging for dear life. Kitan saves her. Mercer, Grayson, Kitan and Finn meet in Finn's office. Mercer ponders whether they are being affected by an alien source. Bortus walks in to inform them he had just crushed an alligator in the cargo bay with a chair. Finn decides to run brain scans. Kitan is first. Finn instructs her to lay down on the table. Suddenly, metal restraints are put on Kitan, and Finn begins to act as a mad scientist, informing Kitan that the restraints have been reinforced to account for her elevated strength. Finn's staff is nowhere to be seen. Nurse Park walks in, confused, and he tries to release Kitan. Finn shoots him in the back. Kitan is scared. Kitan finds the strength to break out of her restraints and throws Finn against a wall. In a brig cell, Mercer interrogates Finn. The latter creeps out Kitan (again). In the briefing room, the senior members meet. Suddenly, the room is overrun with tarantulas. They escape the room and the spiders disappear. Mercer decides to take the Orville back into the Storm, as this is where the events started happening. Malloy is worried about a spider having laid an egg in his nose. A giant spider emerges from the elevator and ends up eating Malloy, leaving Kitan distraught. Kitan ends up at an engineering station with Isaac. She catches him in a lie. They battle (a "toss-up" per her words in Ep. 4.). She subdues him, grabs a rifle, but he follows. he tells her she will not fire, but she does. She runs for an escape shuttle. But ... from an observatory deck, Finn tells Mercer and Grayson that they need to "stop the simulation now." Kitan is seen running down a corridor. It's a simulation in which Kitan has evoked an executive order to not stop, even preventing the captain from stopping it. No, it's not bare feet in engineering. Her adrenaline levels are rising to her critical. The real Isaac tells them the program has to run out. The previous Isaac, from the simulation, attacks Kitan and she appears to defeat him and make it to a shuttle. As she embarks, he lights a fire to try and prevent her from leaving the ship. She stares the fire in the face and flies through it, and sees the Orville be destroyed. She then falls to the ground of the simulation room. It is revealed that she had ordered the simulation. She had asked Isaac to present her with fear scenarios which would test her abilities to deal with dangerous situations. Isaac had formulated the simulation based on various fear from the crew (a bit of a Wizard of Oz scenario, but with non-matching fears among the staff). Mercer threatens to court-martial Kitan for invoking article 38, preventing the captain from ending the program. She does not remember, as she ordered a memory wipe to prevent her from knowing it was a simulation. He let's it slide and commends her that she "owned" every fear scenario Isaac threw at her. Kitan seemed to regain her confidence. Finally, she seems at peace with her abilities. Directed by Brannon Braga (first aired 11/16/17).
EPISODE 1.11 - NEW DIMENSIONS
Lt. Gordon Malloy, crewman Dann, Lt. John LaMarr.
IMDB SYNOPSIS: The Orville gets damaged by a spatial anomaly causing harrowing effects to all living things.
SCtoC Summary: The crew is having a banquet for Newton, who is leaving to help design a space station. Malloy and LaMarr "borrow" a piece of Yaphit, drop it in the buffetand Bortus ends up eating it. In Sick Bay, Yaphit retrieves it from Bortus. Grayson scolds Malloy and LaMarr. When she is putting a reprimand on LaMarr's record, she discovers he possesses a high intelligence quotient. Grayson asks Mercer to consider LaMarr as Newton's replacement as chief engineer. Mercer is hesitant, noting that LaMarr has never shown a desire to use his intelligence to forward his career. The ship encounters a spacial anomaly. The captain orders an analysis of the engine from Isaac. Grayson suggests LaMarr help him and Mercer agrees with her. Mercer can never remember crew member Palovis' name ("Hey, there he is!"). Grayson visits Mercer to reiterate her request that LaMarr be promoted to chief engineer. He tells her that since the post needs to be filled immediately, he is promoting the next man on the roster, Yaphit. Grayson puts LaMarr in charge of the team to analyze the anomaly. Grayson slips and Mercer concludes that Grayson requested Mercer get this command (reference Ep. 1.01). Mercer takes exception contacts Admiral Halsey, who confirms and says he has "validated (their) trust in him" through his command. Still, Mercer begins to doubt himself. Malloy wants to get a "bridge cat." Kitan likes the idea, but Isaac does not understand. Grayson confronts LaMarr about his intelligence. He prefers to keep things simple. A small Horbalak ship encounters the Orville. Mercer tries to warn him to change course to avoid the anomaly. He ignores the warning. A landing team goes to the Horbalak ship to find the captain dead, and that his cargo included 20 crates of Krill weapons. Mercer and Grayson talk in the corridor. Yaphit meets with Mercer, questioning LaMarr's consideration. He accuses Mercer of being racist against gelatinous life forms. LaMarr assumes control of the analysis team and it's sketchy. Yaphit criticizes him, and LaMarr agrees with him. LaMarr and Isaac discover the anomaly is not an anomaly, but a doorway to another dimension, specifically a two-dimensional reality. Three Krill ships show up, and LaMarr suggests that he can create a quantum bubble to allow them to enter two-dimensional space and hide from the Krill. Once inside, the crew sees a grid of moving energy. Isaac eventually speculates that these are the two-dimensional life forms, essentially, going about their business (think a bright digital traffic grid). The crew watches the activity. They are watching a two-dimensional civilization, and Malloy questions if fourth or fifth dimensional species may be watching them. Grayson and Mercer attempt to reconcile. The ship floats through the other dimension, the bubble begins to deteriorate and the ship is unable to escape because the doorway has closed. LaMarr has another idea. He can create a quantum bubble inside a shuttlecraft and use it to tow the Orville with a "beefed-up" tractor beam. LaMarr and Mercer pilot the shuttle. During the mission, Mercer offers LaMarr the chief engineer job. The shuttle bubble is becoming unstable. Mercer takes it to quantum speed and out of the other dimension. Mercer reconciles his issues with Grayson regarding her recommendation. The Orville has a new chief engineer. Directed by Kelly Cronin (first aired 11/30/17).
EPISODE 1.12 - MAD IDOLATRY (season finale)
Captain Ed Mercer, Commander Kelly Grayson, Lt. Commander John LaMarr, Lt. Gordon Malloy.
IMDB SYNOPSIS: The crew crash land on a planet from another universe; Ed and Kelly consider getting back together.
SCtoC Summary: Mercer is getting off shift and is calling on crew members to invite them for a drink. Malloy is heading off to bed and LaMarr is entertaining an ensign. Bortus invites him in for a drink and a game. Mercer “wins” a vicious round of a Moclan version of hot potato. In his quarters, he messages Grayson. They meet for a drink in the empty cafeteria. They speak of what might have been and agree to go on a date. They celebrate the idea. The next morning, on the bridge, Mercer and Grayson are clearly hungover as the ship is charting a new section of space. They are getting some anomalous readings, so Grayson, Malloy and Isaac head down in a shuttle to get a closer look. Suddenly the ship is caught in the atmosphere of a planet which has just emerged from another dimension, and makes an emergency landing. While Mercer and Isaac work on the shuttle, Grayson scouts the planet. She spies a village comparable to Earth's Bronze Age (seventh century) and goes in further to investigate. A young girl is frightened and falls, cutting her forehead. Grayson introduces herself and heals the girl, as villagers emerge. She runs off as the girl repeats her name to the villagers; “Kel-ly.” Mercer reports the phenomenon of the planet to Admiral Ozawa, but leaves out Grayson's interaction with the girl. The planet disappears, prompting Isaac to come to the conclusion that the planet comes into the Orville's universe every 11 days. The crew waits for the re-emergence which occurs. Mercer and Grayson have gone on their date, which has gone well. Mercer, Grayson, Malloy, Kitan and LaMarr take a shuttle down to the planet, after Isaac has reported from his scans that the planet has decidedly grown in architecture and in population since they last saw it. The planet now resembles 14 century Earth. A farmer asks Kelly to bless her child. The landing team encounters five people by the road who have been executed because they did not follow the “word of Kelly.” As they wander through a village square, they witness three others being judged in the name of Kelly. Grayson is visibly upset. LaMarr leads them to a central religious structure where, upon entering, the are met by a statue of Kelly (in uniform as she appeared when she saved the young girl with the cut on her head). Back on the Orville, Ozawa dresses down Mercer for not mentioning Kelly's encounter with the girl. The admiral orders Mercer and the crew to not return to the planet's surface. Eventually, Mercer refutes the order and the landing party returns to the religious structure. Kelly shocks Valondis, the religious leader, but convinces him that she is not a god and asks that he spreads that word. After the landing party departs, Valondis is considering what just happened and how to break the news to the people of his home world when he is stabbed and killed by an aide before he can inform the people of the truth. The planet disappears, then, 11 days later, reappears. There are artificial satellites in orbit and Isaac's scans conclude that 700 years have passed since their last encounter. Mercer orders a scan of mentions of “Kelly” (hoping for none). There are over 700,000 mentions of her, including a televangelist, a talk show pundit debate and a news report of the destruction of the “Temple of Kelly.” Grayson is severely shaken. The senior staff discusses the situation with Grayson asking to go back to the planet to convince them that she is not a god, even though it would mean she would spend the rest of her life there. Mercer denies the request. It is decided that Isaac, whose construction can survive millions of years, will spend 700 years on the planet (in the other universe) to set the record straight. Eleven days/700 years have passed and the planet emerges with space docks in orbit of it. A ship is approaching. They ask to come aboard. Two leaders from the planet, Baleth and Fadolin, beam over to return Isaac to the ship. Grayson is still shook by the outcome of her act of kindness. Baleth and Fadolin explain that Isaac has been a part of their culture for the past 700 years, and he mentions his fascination about seeing, up close, the evolution of the planet over that time. Baleth and Fadolin comfort Grayson and the crew by telling her that their civilization is thriving and that if it had not been her that their ancestors worshiped, it would have been someone else. It was the way their species was intended to evolve, Baleth tells her. Later, Grayson and Mercer discuss their future together. Directed by Brannon Braga (first aired 12/7/17).
The Orville airs each Thursday at 9 p.m. pacific time on Fox. Check your local listings.
Graphic courtesy of David.
