A " new frontier" on Fox

# 2 series overview by Jordan Beter (former CATv member)

    Your Thursday nights just got interesting. A new series from the hilarious mind of creator Seth MacFarlane, whom we all know to have birthed and voiced our beloved cartoon series Family Guy has collabed with visual mastermind Jon Faverau, who smashed box offices with his visually stunning adaptation of Disney's The Jungle Book.    

In just an hour's time, you are teleported into a futuristic and fun space adventure, unlike the Syfy we already know and love, with Fox's The Orville. MacFarlane takes the helm as Ed Mercer, new fleet commander of the craft to which the series is named. Trust me when I tell you that this is a space fantasy we can all "get on board with".     

The show has aired only three episodes, yet has already captivated my imagination and kept me engaged. Do you like funky looking aliens and creatures? Crave some good old fashioned slapstick comedy amidst a well written cosmic plot? How about a musical backdrop of blazing horn sections and ominous string rivalling even the best known space franchise? Well you can check off the boxes with The Orville because it's got them all.

The show will also see MacFarlane reuniting with Charlize Theron, who appeared in his 2014 film A Million Ways to Die in the West. He was quoted by Tv Guide stating,“I can’t tell you anything!” MacFarlane said about Theron’s guest-starring role. “I can tell you that she’s in the show, and she’s fantastic.”  

He did share how he got her to agree to join, however: It only took a simple phone call. “I called and asked her to do the show. She astonishingly said, ‘Yes, I’ll come do your little TV show,” MacFarlane joked. So rest assured, this show has big names everywhere and it will be interesting to watch just how many Hollywood heroes we will see.

I think the most impressive thing about this show is the capability to entertain just about anyone. It has all the comedic timing we love from MacFarlane's previous creations, a caliber of casting which has a blend of familiar and fresh faces to get to know, a love interest, and enough sophistication zapped in that even the die-hard Trek lover can respect.

Will MacFarlanes love affair with futuristic fantasy translate to epic entertainment? Will it earn is place in our galaxy as a sign of intelligence or fizzle between frequencies? Keep up with Captain Mercer and his 400 years in the future crew Thursdays at 9 on Fox, and we'll find out together.