After a short hiatus, The Orville returned last week with a new episode that borrowed a page out of the “Classic Trek Encyclopedia Of Plotline Mayhem,” a good old fashion shuttle crash! Who doesn’t like a wholesome struggle for survival while MacGyvering random pieces of shuttle to A. send a distress call or B. fly away like a remake of Flight Of The Phoenix?
Road Trip!
While the Orville sits in dock for some upgrades, Dr. Finn decides to take her kids and an unexpected Uncle Isaac on a short road trip to the planet of fun. Her children show various degrees of enthusiasm, while Isaac takes it as an opportunity to study human behavior in his quest to understand inferior beings.
During the descent, Finn has to unbuckle to fix an issue in the back of the shuttle. The entire hull separates in two, separating her from her children and Isaac as they crash land.
Finding Fuel
Meeting the Locals
Finn, meanwhile, wakes up to the sight of a concrete room and a rather ugly visitor. Realizing she’s now being held against her well after her captor found her at the crash site, Finn quickly takes steps to change her circumstances. We, the audience, are also treated to a lovely bit of exposition where we discover the planet’s locals basically destroyed themselves by poisoning the water. Thankfully, crazy doomsday preppers survived, so I’m going to go order that bomb shelter I’ve been putting off for the upcoming [insert category here] apocalypse.
The Daring Rescue
Back at the shuttle, Isaac manages to hook up the magical energy rock known as dysonium to send a quick distress call. Finn reunites with the group and begins to take care of her sick child. Unfortunately, the illness is progressing quickly and the poor kid has little time left. Without her properly equipped medical lab, Finn knows there is little she can do.
Unfortunately, the tag team defense play runs its course. Just as all hope seems lost, a series of blasts shoot down from the sky, taking care of the enemy. The cavalry has clearly arrived.
Due to an alien hotel that clearly cares about its customers who fail to show up for a reservation, the Orville managed to track the shuttle’s course and receive the distress call just in time. Back on board, Finn creates a cure for her son, Isaac experiences a bit of human emotion, and everyone else lives happily ever after…
Until next week at least.
The Status Report
Alright, so this one wasn’t the most original storyline. Crashed shuttles, logical/emotionless beings learning about humanity, it’s nothing we haven’t seen before. Let’s just be grateful no red shirts had to die during the filming of this episode.
It was nice to see the show focusing on some up-to-this-point minor characters. We also were treated to Penny Johnson Jerald’s underrated acting chops when Finn was faced with the realization she might get a front row seat to her son’s untimely demise. It was obvious nothing bad was going to happen (this isn’t Battlestar Galactica after all) but she managed to sell that fear like a set of $29.99 cooking knives.
It was also good to explore Isaac’s quest to understand human behavior. This endeavour is less robot-becoming-human and more biologist-observing-apes, but it did convey a more personal side to Isaac we haven’t seen yet.
Plus, who knows? Maybe Finn and Isaac will hook up!
Can’t a nerdy blog writer dream of a future where Finsaac is a thing?