About a Girl

Our second venture into the episodic form of The Orville and we see the ultra-serious tone that occasionally cropped up in The Next Generation. Some critics of the show use this early episode to claim that The Orville flip flops on what it wants to be – a comedic scifi adventure or a serious allegory on today’s issues (like Star Trek.)

I’m guilty of leveling that criticism on the show as well, however, re-watching this episode I’ve discovered elements that I’d forgotten – the Western simulation provided some relief from the forthcoming dramatic plot as well as a few one liners dotted throughout.

About a Girl shows us that The Orville is going to try to take a serious tone when it needs to, while providing a bit of fun along the way. My opinion has changed, this is a cracking episode… and one that co-producer (and this episode’s editor) Tom Costantino cited to A Trekzone Conversation as one he finds as a turning point for the series.