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Bdave101
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The Orville (2017)
Deftly written comedic spoof of Trek Universe
I rarely watch a show that I instantly fall in love with. This is one of those shows. I do not like everything McFarlane does, but I am a fan of his in general because he is so often politically incorrect. In "The Orville", he plays his character with both dignity and great restraint for a man who normally writes "over the top" comedy. I find his Ed Mercer character to be quite likable, handsome, and fit looking(gym time for Seth?).
I am not a sitcom fan. I am not a fan of laugh tracks. "The Orville" has neither. Spoofs can get silly quickly. I was waiting for a cringy, uncomfortable moment in the script and was so relieved to NOT have that happen. Every single scene does not have to have a gag or a hook to it. I breathed a sigh of relief when I see such deftness and restraint by the show runner(McFarlane?) and the writer, Seth McFarlane.
The CGI is stunning and fills my 52" plasma screen with smooth seamless, high resolution motion worthy of any great sci-fi show or movie. McFarlane and FOX are going out on a limb by spending some significant dollars in post production. I hope it pays off for them. Please give this show a watch. But start from Episode one, please.
The second episode, which I have not seen yet, is directed by Robert Duncan McNeill of Star Trek Voyager fame ... Lieutenant Tom Paris. I look forward to future episodes and the promised cameos from actors who portrayed characters in Roddenbery's Star Trek universe.
Get the FOX NOW (FOX sponsored) app and watch "The Orville" (and other FOX shows) on your smart phone for free.
Taken (2017)
Wonderful new thriller!
The cast consists of well coiffed but unrecognizable (from his Rollo character) Clive Standen(Vikings), the ageless and lovely Jennifer Beals(Fashdance), and the very recognizable Gauis Charles(Friday Night Lights).
Spooks, ex Special Forces, silencers, cutting edge tech, and betrayal combined with a solid cast and fairly good writing. Good camera work, and passable direction. Tight musical score. Plenty of well choreographed action. Movie like quality to many aspects of this pilot.
The good guys and gals don't exactly play by the rules. There is a lot of tough love going around to achieve the greater good. These are ideals I can readily identify with. I love the characters, acting, and the direction of the show. Only time will tell.
I will admit that I am very much looking forward to episode Two. Solid 8 stars from me. I hope that does not change. I could easily commit to this show if continues to deliver.