FOX
Season 2 of The Orville has had a surprising focus on the Moclan race. Many episodes so far have been dedicated to Bortus and his husband’s relationships, Bortus’ feelings, and the history and customs of Moclans. The newest episode, ‘Deflectors’, offers one of the most relevant episodes the series has had so far.
Moclans board the Orville to assist Ed Mercer in upgrading the ship’s deflectors. Coming aboard the ship is Bortus’ ex, Locar, who just wants to have a friendly relationship with Bortus despite Bortus harvesting ill feelings towards him. Locar, Bortus’ ex, pulls Lt. Talla Keyali off to the side after he meets her on the ship. He tells her that he has feelings for her, and he can’t shake them. If you remember, Moclan’s mate with other male Moclans and it is against traditions to date anyone outside their race. It is frowned upon and could result in punishment if ever discovered. Lt. Keyali has the same feelings for Locar and secretly takes him on a date in the simulator room where it takes the place of New York City. She leaves to respond to a call and leaves Locar there, which leads him to being shot, but the Orville crew doesn’t know who did it.
For a good 20 minutes or so, I wasn’t impressed with the episode. I wasn’t sure where it was going. I thought it might have been just an episode focusing on Locar and Keyali or even just an episode about fixing the ship’s deflectors. Where the episode ended up was not expected but I was happy with that. One element that shined in this episode is the performance from Jessica Szohr playing Lt. Keyali. She recently replaced Lt. Alara Kitan and is doing a fine job on the show so far. I really enjoy her presence and she provides an emotional moment in the show where she stands for Locar and how he feels about her. It is a relevant episode because it battled prejudice and people’s ideas of relationships. She understands that certain cultures have customs, but people, including Moclans, should be open to different relationships when the only thing they want out of it is love. The message of love and accepting others is strong in and Szohr adds a lot of depth to her character and the show.
I was also surprised with the thrilling moments of the episode. As Keyali leaves Locar in the simulator room, we see his killer enter the room, but that might not be the right person since the simulator room’s projections where tampered with. I was surprised with who was in the simulator room with Locar who ended up shooting him, but I was even more surprised to hear that it could have been someone else. There were a few other possibilities presented to Mercer and I believed every single one of them, but the suspenseful moments were trying to figure out whodunit.
This was an episode I was wildly impressed with. I didn’t have many expectations with the initial set up, but as the episode progressed, it became something relevant and meaningful. Lt. Keyali gave such a memorable performance that I can safely say that she is my favorite character on the show right now. This episode challenged many characters on board to think about their customs and how it affects people. My only hope is that this episode moves forward with the story, and MacFarlane doesn’t abandon this storyline. The Orville feels like a bunch of random episodes that don’t feel connected and I would love to see storylines get some more screen time.
The Orville airs Thursdays at 9:00 PM on Fox.
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