RevBrett

"Supporting FOUR weekly storylines each week doubtless drives up costs. I can see CBS pushing for a cast reduction to reduce costs." Agreed. Ditch Wahlberg. Same character every week, same tantrum every time lack of evidence keeps him from getting the warrant he wants, same Moderately Smudged Harry act to get a confession... The character has rarely been interesting since Linda's death.

"The thing about her only having 'a limited time in off-world gravity each year' seemed odd though." I agree. A clunky way to explain her absence, perhaps. I can see hundreds of smoother ones, just in response to a "How have you been?" question: Met someone in PT and got married, enjoying classes for my new degree, having fun getting to know my sister's new family, been promised a spot on a new ship being built...

There was a lot of funny in this episode, which was good because Claire/Isaac is my least-favorite storyline in the show. Random notations: — Moclan Elvis was very funny; suspect the idea came from a couple of cosplayers who I’ve seen perform as “K’Elvis, the Klingon Elvis Presley.” But well-executed. I kind of wish that they hadn’t gone for the obvious joke and actually had Bortus’ toast be good, in a Bortus sort of way. — The return of first-season-style Gordon (“We should be allowed to listen to music up here.” “My sandwich! I knew that would make me feel better.”) was enjoyable. A mature Gordon removes the reason he’s there. — Lysella is clearly set-up for a Season 4 role, if the show is renewed. After all, her name ends in a vowel sound and features at least one lateral. If she is, I hope the focus is more on her learning about the Union through observation than by expository lectures from other cast members. It’s a good finale if the show isn’t renewed. Although it would probably mean even more Claire/Issac stuff, fast-forwarding was invented for a reason.

I propose a new position on the command chart: A Common Sense Officer. This is how such a position could function: Ed: OK, while you guys scoop up the fuel we need for our time travel doodad, we'll go get Gordon. Hope he's not too weird after living for 10 years in the past. Common Sense Officer: I think we should wait to see if we can get the fuel and repair the doodad. That way we could go back the extra 10 years and get him before he's either had the chance to mess with the timeline, or spent 10 years in hermit misery...or worse! Ed: Well, I ignored the Common Sense Officer, so now we have Gordon making a life for himself in the past with a family and everything and he won't leave them. We'll take Talla for one last chance to bully him into coming, even though three people physically dragging a man down the street would probably be noticed by a lot of people who would call the authorities, and if he won't come then we'll unnecessarily tell him we're going to go back when he first arrived and take him then so we'll wipe out his family and he can know it's his fault. Common Sense Officer: How the hell did you get this job? Of course, they could have written the episode to give reasonable explanations for every step they actually took, but that would have taken work and they might have had to cut the scene where they make Anne Winters say, "I lose, you choose" all dirrrty and everything.

Although I'm sure there are exceptions, I find the show smarter when it's spoofy (earlier seasons) and stupid when it tries to be smart and serious. Someone above mentioned the strategic blunders of putting the Union's only working copy of its Kaylon Krisper and its inventors in the hands of the Kaylon. I also wondered why a race of logical mechanical beings wouldn't realize that, even though they couldn't shoot the Orville down in time to prevent firing the weapon, one or more of those big ol' globes could certainly ram it pretty hard. Part of Ed seeming to be very dumb comes from McFarlane's limited acting range, and part from a script that barely tries to make sense. Ed: I know our culture and society rejects all of the values that yours holds, and vice-versa, but you should send our daughter to be brought up in it by a man you hate. Teleya: Sounds fine. She can be around to visit me when your courts try the elected head of state of a foreign power for war crimes and your testimony helps put me in jail. It will give us something to talk about. I've enjoyed this show. But unless something wildly amazing happens in the season finale, it seems like it's time for me, at least, to move on.

So very nice to see Klyden gone. I suspect that a drinking game which involved how often the phrase “Klyden sputters” appears in scripts would result in planetary inebriation. Very much not hoping for a Claire/Isaac resumption, but a couple of episodes behind so that may already be settled.

Neat to see this forum here; I have a lot of fond memories of discussions and snark on the old site’s boards. I notice the question of RevCam’s denomination is still unresolved ;-)