Martin Carr reviews the fifth episode of The Orville season 2…
To say that Seth MacFarlane is taking a sideswipe at astrology and more specifically those who hold stock in such predictions is selling him short. This episode is shining a light on not just belief systems but cultural constructs, hive mind dictatorships and intolerance on a wider scale. It also explores the consequences of beliefs opening The Orville up to ethical and moral debates far removed from mainstream television.
By touching on class issues, unsound incarceration tactics and governing bodies with narrow minded ideals MacFarlane uses The Orville as his own personal soapbox. This also snowballs into discussions around religion even if indirectly, which lead into internment camps, forced labour scenarios and harks back to Nazi Germany ethnic cleansing methods. Locked away at birth for being borne under the wrong sign takes a social control method to ludicrous extremes, which in turn leads to questionable medical procedures being condoned. There is little light relief evident throughout and even when things are resolved through further trickery and deceit a happy ending remains elusive.
First contact here is normally an event worthy of celebration but MacFarlane has no intention of letting his audience off easy. He proposes that advancement through technology may not necessarily suggest the society are as civilised as their progress might imply. Belief in ancient doctrines, religious texts and holy crusades are things which still impact hugely in certain regions and their blind faith and its consequences are perhaps his point. Babies being handed in like firearms during a cease fire only highlights the seedy underbelly of such actions in contemporary terms, where one man’s belief is currently holding a country to ransom.
To say that The Orville consistently adds depth, breadth and forethought into every episode is an understatement. By touching on provocative and challenging topics this programme continues to trail blaze a path and dominate debate. For the time being at least MacFarlane has given us a season two which matches the bar and raises the ante, whilst informing, educating and entertaining in equal measure.
Martin Carr
