Nothing Left on Earth Excepting Fishes

Thank god Star Trek Discovery is back on the air - Why you might ask?

Because it makes it far easier to compare the two and recognize that the Orville is far and away the superior show.

The Orville is NOT a comedy series...it's a legit spacefaring adventure series with comedic elements. The last song of this show? Are you kidding me? No. Seth MacFarlane is a genius..."Hey, guys, I got this great idea for a comedy series, c'mon, it'll be fun" Corporate: "Ok, sure...you're good at comedy." Corporate: "HEY, what is this?? This seems more like an actual spaceship adventure action thingy series!" Seth: "Gotcha"

This episode is the epitome what we used to see in ST:TNG - a well fleshed out story that not only links us to last season, but is also a great stand-alone story. It has some of ST's 'Everyman' tropes in it, but the story still manages to not be preachy. That is a trap so many older franchises have fallen victim to lately (yes, I mean the current ST series and even a certain British sci-fi show we used to love). Seth has allowed Ed to (finally) move on with his personal life and, at the same time, display a willingness to show maturity and respect for his ex-wife in this episode. Ed is growing emotionally which is a hallmark of what Roddenberry did so well. His characters grew and, over time, changed so that they became more than a 2D character. They almost took on lives of their own, a fact we see at nearly all conventions nowadays. We also see this in Gordon in the episode (despite initially being motivated by baser desires). He realizes his value isn't dictated by a title but just being the best person he can be - a valued and vital member of the crew. Overall, Seth, Gene would be so proud of you!

Great story excellent acting special effects outa site orville back on target

Could easily have been a TNG episode, great writing. The best Orville to date