I just finished "All The World is Birthday Cake" and I fucking hated it. I also hated "Home."

I feel like I'm the victim of a bait and switch. I thought this was a COMEDY show and it keeps pulling these super dark and fucked up scenes on me.

Does this get better? Or does it just keep going in this same vein from here on out?

For clarity: I don't want to watch a show that's filled with scenes of sadism and torture. And season 2 seems riddled with it so far.

I just want to know if there are any 'must watch' episodes that I'd be missing if I just gave up and moved on to something else.

  • Yeah it is worth watching, but the show I don't think the show is for you. McFarlane has more or less Said he presented the show as a comedy in space to fox, and once that succeeded toned down the comedy a bit and focused a bit more on serious ideas and concepts.

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    Note how fast the humor level changed after the first few episodes of S1. He definitely did it to sell the show.

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    I remember the original marketing around Season 1's release made it look like a standard MacFarlane comedy project but in space

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    In a 2022 interview, MacFarlane said he had "read a lot of...online speculation that Fox demanded Family Guy in space, but they really did not. They were really generally supportive of what the show was." – However:

    "... The only objection I had was that the show was launched as a hard comedy. They [Fox] really leaned into the jokes. And that was part of it, so that’s not all their fault, but they leaned into the jokes and the comedy to a disproportionate degree. And they really presented it as a sitcom in space, which it wasn’t. It was a show that was attempting to tell serious sci-fi stories while cracking jokes at the same time, and…that’s not really something that is sustainable hand in hand on a television series."

    In another interview, MacFarlane said Season 3 was "certainly the season that felt like what I always wanted the show to be."

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    I think the advertising shown on Fox played up the humorous aspects more than what popped up elsewhere.

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    Its crazy how McFarlane is just "the funny man" in the eyes of studios and has to basically fib to get a show pushed. But Orville shows how deep the man can get. I didn't care too much for it as a comedy anyways, as I was watching it as a star trek fan. But I get why a lot of people feel baited or deceived.

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  • If you tuned in for the comedy, then yes your hunch is right. The show does become less of a comedy as it goes on.

    I think Seth sold the show as a comedy so he could just make own Star Trek. It’s not unheard of. Orange is the new black barely featured the main character by the end. She was used as a Trojan horse to get the show off the ground.

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  • If you want a comedy show go watch Star Trek Lower Decks. The Orville is more like a slightly funnier TNG. I think this is partially an expectations issue, if you come in thinking it’s a comedy show then you’re gonna be disappointed when it isn’t.

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    The comedy in lower decks is much better executed than the comedy in the Orville imo

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    Since The Orville isn’t a comedy, that should be an automatic.

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  • Definitely! I really enjoyed it all the way through

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  • Season 1 is Star Trek TNG with Family Guy Jokes Season 2 is the same but with some more serious topics thrown in Season 3 is TNG Don't get me wrong, there are Kaylon strippers in season 3 and there are definitely jokes, but if you have a daughter you'll be brought to tears at points (because of sadism and torture). It's dark but hopeful if that makes sense.

    If that doesn't sound interesting, don't watch it! The storyline that is most popular is Topa (the baby from episode 3), but those episodes definitely get dark.

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  • Watch it and find out. We have no idea if you’ll like it or not.

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  • It's good, but if you're looking for dick and fart jokes in space, watch Spaceballs.

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  • That’s the problem. You thought it was a comedy. It never was. It has always been a loving homage to TNG era Star Trek with a sense of humor, but after mid S1, the humor level started being lessened to the level Seth, instead of Fox, wanted it to be, and Disney/Hulu allowed him to do S3 the way the series was always intended.

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  • Season 2 definitely gets more serious but is pretty light hearted.

    Season 3 gets even more serious and lost me a bit.

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  • You could probably skip around and find a few more light hearted episodes in season 2 you'll enjoy, but Season 3 is probably not something you will enjoy at all so stop by the end of season 2.

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  • It's a comedic show, but it's more scifi drama than comedy as a whole in my opinion

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    Points to you for using “comedic” instead of “comedy.” So few actually understand… 😎

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  • I enjoy the show, but it sounds like it may not be for you. Season 3 does have darker scenes and themes. Question… how did you do with the torture scene in Season 1?

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  • The humor does tone down but if you just don't like McFarlane's style then the show might not be for you.

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  • If you are looking for a comedy show it get less comedic as it goes. It's fine if the show is not for you.

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  • Has some good eps

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  • It gets more serious as a story/world half way through season two. If it's comedy you are after, it's not for you. Identity part 1 and 2 is when it kicks off with space battles and a more serious tone and it's epic. I love it for that but other people may not. Seth MacFarlane wanted to make something similar to Star Trek/Star Wars but had to start off with a bit of comedy in season one to get Fox on board. It's not space Family Guy is what I'm trying to say I guess.

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  • Show is awesome. It doesn't seem like you'll enjoy it.

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  • no the third season isn't as good as the first two unfortunately.

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