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Penny Arcade - Comic - Orvillainy
Dog
Registered User, Administrator, Vanilla Staff admin
Registered User, Administrator, Vanilla Staff admin
Penny Arcade - Comic - Orvillainy
Videogaming-related online strip by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins. Includes news and commentary.
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The hot dog fairy is gold because
kudos to whoever donated.
I don't mind the Bortus-focused episodes that much because it's basically an exploration of how dealing with cultures of other species would be like... obviously exaggerated because it's a comedy but the idea that there would be cultural clashes in such a scenario. And in the end it is a comedy, so things like a porn virus nearly destroying the ship has to be viewed in that light... kind of how like the 90s Street Fighter you have to remember that it was meant to be an action/comedy and not straight up action. They do rely on Bortus too much for those plot hooks, I'll concede, but I think by now they'll be focusing more on the Krill.
The way they do it, in a serious space opera? Yeah, porn virus destroying a military ship and everyone being more or less okay with it wouldn't fly. But it's not 100% serious.
Season 2 has heavily overdone Moclan stories with Bortus, but they've had two really good ones among it - in one he had a holodeck porn addiction that not only endangered his marriage but downloaded malware into the ship's network. In another he learned about tobacco and every scene about it was a welcome laugh to offset an incredibly creepy and uncomfortable A plot with Gordon and his make believe waifu.
That’s definitely where my mind first went, but I feel like to an American the connotation is one of the Wright Brothers
Popcorn is a close second, though.
It's best when the characters switch off who's the idiot/crazy person and who's the straight-man/voice of reason based on context (one of the strengths of PA).
Orville generally does a decent job of this. Gordon's always an idiot, but depending on the situation and who's on the away team sometimes it's LaMarr or Bortus filling in as the designated stupid person for an episode. Isaac also does a great "stupid smart guy" routine.
http://www.paxsignaturegenerator.com:8080/signature.png
It's even a little better on the single trait species thing. It's got those certainly, but the three aliens in the main cast were all fake outs in that way, seemingly one Trekish architype and then being revealed either slowly or abruptly in Isaac's case to be something entirely different. The show's Vulcan knockoff was abruptly revealed to be the Borg like three episodes ago.
Wait, isn't that "parody" rather than "homage"?
I think the distinction is that an homage pays respect, while parody is mocking. So, as far as I know (having never watched The Orville), it is both.
He must be jazzed every time a ST alum agrees to a cameo (Robert Picardo in 2 eps, Marina Sirtis in the most recent). Even though her role in DS9 was secondary at best, having Penny Johnson as a main crew regular still makes me happy.