Alexx Aplin
Alexx AplinThis Review contains spoilers for The Orville’s third episode. You have been warned.
So far, I’ve enjoyed my time with The Orville. In fact, I’d say that it is something I would have been dying to watch far sooner, had Fox’s marketing not branded it as a low-brow Star Trek spoof when it first released. Granted, I’m only on episode 3, and there is plenty of time for my opinion to change, however, with the balancing of humor and world-building, I think The Orville is on to something special here.
To recap Episode 2, Ed and Kelly were whisked off to a Calivon museum, acting as an exhibit against their will. Also, Bortus laid an egg, Alara and Isaac worked together to save Ed and Kelly, and there was a surprising reveal at the end of the episode. Bortus and Klyden’s child was born female, which is strange considering their race consists of only men.
I’ll admit, I have a few misgivings about this episode going in. However, sometimes tough topics have to be touched on. In shows like this, showing different cultures (good or bad) is a part of building the world. So, let’s see where this goes, shall we?
Episode spoilers begin here!
The episode begins with the entire Orville crew fawning over Bortus and Klyden’s bouncing baby girl. There is a bit of information provided, including the knowledge that a Moclan female is born once every 75 years. The crew is excited, but Bortus and Klyden are especially quiet. When the crew leaves, Klyden tells Bortus that “it must be done,” and Bortus agrees to make the arrangements.
Next, we see a scene between Yaphit (the blob-like alien) and Doctor Finn. Yaphit has been in the sickbay 3 times this week, but hasn’t actually been sick. He offers to take Claire on a date, and she tells him that they are incompatible species, and that she isn’t interested. She asks him to leave and as he does, Bortus walks in.
Bortus asks Claire for her help. It would take two weeks to reach Moclus, the Moclan home planet, and he does not believe that the captain would want to take the ship that far off-course. Bortus wants Claire to essentially perform a gender reassignment surgery, to “conform” their daughter to the Moclan norm. Oh boy, here we go on this minefield of a subject matter.
Claire sensibly refuses, and shares my indignant confusion and outrage about the idea. She refuses to perform a sex-change on a healthy newborn baby. Bortus’ next words REALLY don’t help matters, suggesting that as a doctor, Claire’s job is to “cure illness.” Claire’s response is basically that female babies are born all the time and that she will not help him.
Bortus insists that because Moclan culture is different, having a female child isn’t the blessing she thinks it is. Claire insists that as a Union doctor, aboard a Union ship, she will not perform the operation on a newborn infant, Moclan or otherwise.
Next, we see Ed, John, and Gordon in a Wild West scenario that starts off normal and quickly becomes strange. It turns out this is another hologram recreation by Gordon, much like the one we saw in the first episode. Instead of a standoff, their villain wants to have a dance-off. Luckily, Bortus interrupts, wanting to talk to Ed.
Bortus hopes that Ed will order Claire to perform the operation, and instead, Ed is just as confused. Bortus tries to compare it with humans being born with a cleft palate, which is not even close to the same thing. He also suggests that while in human culture this procedure would be unethical, his world would find it unethical to not operate.
Bortus finds it unfair that they are measuring this by human standards, but Ed explains that even if he weren’t against it, they’re on a union ship and Moclus is a part of the union. Agreeing to do so, it would be a violation of multiple laws. This is a cultural divide that the Orville crew isn’t going to get past quickly.
Ed denies Bortus’ request, and the crew continues on their mission. They have to destroy a meteor that is on a collision course with a nearby planet. The crew takes the time to discuss this new development, and for once, the crew is almost like an analog for the audience. They see it clearly, the moral implications, the possible psychological damage, everything.
They are contacted afterwards by Minister Kabrak of Moclus, who informs the crew that Bortus requested a rendezvous ship to come and take their child for a gender reassignment operation on Moclus. Ed is furious with Bortus, explaining that the child’s safety is his responsibility because she was born on the Orville. Bortus doesn’t see it that way, and implies that if Ed interferes it will lead to a military conflict.
I’m just going to interject here and say that this episode frustrated me in a big way while watching it. I love the representation I’ve seen so far with Bortus and his partner. Yet I want to strangle both of them for this. Yes, I understand that is the point of this arguably heavy-handed exercise, but still, it is infuriating. Ed ultimately relieves Bortus of his duty, and the crew prepares for the upcoming rendezvous.
Kelly and Ed share a drink, during which they discuss the cultural differences between themselves and the Moclan race. They ultimately decide to try to prove the value of the female sex, by having Alara fight with Bortus in a boxing match. This backfires, as Bortus insists that he will decide what is best for his child.
Next, Bortus goes back to his room, only to be ambushed by Gordon and John, who offer beers and an old Earth movie. You may have heard of it, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer? This “accidentally” causes Bortus to have an epiphany about his daughter. He takes this epiphany to Klyden, and it is revealed that Klyden was born female, thus he is not willing to change his mind.
I can understand his view to a degree. If he opens himself up to the idea that changing his daughter’s biological sex is wrong, then it calls into question the actions of his parents, not to mention thousands of other Moclan families. Klyden reveals that he found out, when he moved onto another ship with Bortus, after they got together; it was his first examination by a non-Moclan doctor, and he was afraid to tell Bortus out of fear of losing him.
Bortus is angry that Klyden didn’t tell him the truth, now with the truth out there, and his feelings being different, it calls into question their decision to change their daughter’s sex. The Moclan vessel arrives, and Bortus is called to the bridge to greet them.
It is revealed through a meeting with the Moclan captain, that in instances of a dispute, the Moclan government automatically sides with the parent in favor of the gender reassignment operation. It’s an absolutely barbaric idea, but it makes sense within the culture. I love Kelly’s sassy commentary at the captain. She’s clearly just as frustrated by this as everyone else, and her frustration comes off in a way that brings levity to this tense subject.
Ultimately, after tensions boil over, Bortus requests a “Tribunal,” which will effectively allow the matter to be settled in a Moclan court. The captain suggests that no Moclan would take such a case, but Bortus asserts that their representation doesn’t have to be Moclan. Bortus requests that Ed be his advocate during the Tribunal, to try and convince the Moclans that this procedure isn’t ethical or morally correct.
Ed lacks the skillset to do the job, so he asks a reluctant Kelly to be their advocate. She has a year of interplanetary law courses under her belt, so she is technically more qualified. Thus, the Orville sets its course for Moclus. As insurance, Klyden, Bortus and the child ride with the Moclans to their home planet, so that they aren’t able to flee the tribunal.
As they land on the Moclan planet, we see that Moclus is an industrialized planet, where in Claire’s words “It is a wonder they can even breathe” from all the pollutants and factories. Moclus’ primary industry is weapons manufacturing, so not only are there factories everywhere, but they also test weapons anywhere they want.
A few minutes, and a new pair of pants for Gordan later, the tribunal begins. The Moclan “lawyer” suggests that by denying their child the procedure, they are dooming her to a life of being an outcast. A life of shame and distance from her peers that would make her resent her parents. Bortus asserts that it should be their daughter’s choice, and that they cannot predict the future.
Kelly provides a counterargument and calls Alara to join her, before asking the Moclan counsel to explain why being a female Moclan is such a problem. He suggests that biologically, female Moclans are weaker, and do not have the physical strength to participate in Moclan society. Kelly uses Alara’s strength to counter this point, but because Alara is Xelayan, it isn’t effective.
She then uses Gordon to counter the Moclan assessment that males are smarter. Seeing Gordon being unable to answer the simplest of questions was both hilarious and not surprising at all. Kelly explains that there are no grounds for gender-based superiority amongst Humans, Xelayans, or Moclans.
The Moclan counsel then compares the sex change operation to circumcision, questioning Claire as to whether she would have performed a circumcision without ethical complaint. She asserts that circumcision is not a life-altering procedure, and a life-altering procedure would be unfair to the child. This is then used to reinforce the idea that the child being shunned by Moclan society would be unfair.
This gives Ed an idea, and he has Isaac run a scan of the Moclan planet. He takes Alara and John with him to the Moclan Mountains, where they find a Moclan woman in a cave. Ed and the others arrive back at the Tribunal just in time, with the Moclan woman in tow.
She testifies that when she was born, her parents made the choice to allow her to remain female. She believes that her parents gave her a gift, and taught her the tools she needed to not only question and learn, but be happy. She reveals that she is Gondus Elden, the renowned Moclan author, always thought to be male. It was a pseudonym, of course, but her words are not less true because of it.
The Tribunal ends, and they have twelve hours for the decision to be made. Kelly and Ed meet with Bortus at the nursery where the baby is being held. Bortus thanks Kelly for what she did, though Kelly hopes it was enough. Klyden still believes that their child should undergo the procedure, but the Arbitration council still hasn’t given their verdict yet. Ed has a good feeling about the outcome, but I’m not so sure. It is difficult to change the minds of a regime, especially one so secular and tightly wound.
Bortus admits that regardless of what happens, he will love their child the same. Kelly is surprised that Bortus wants to stay with Klyden, but Bortus says that Klyden is still his mate, and they must at least try to work things out. The council rules that the procedure must take place, and it is a tough blow for Kelly, Bortus, and the crew.
In private, Klyden apologizes for everything that has happened, suggesting that he was trying to do what was right. Bortus says that all that matters is that their child has a good life. They must take care of him and love him properly. This episode ended on a mildly sour note for me, but I have to give The Orville credit for something in particular.
I expected them to be very glib about this topic. I expected it to be the butt of every joke and for them to take a more low-brow approach to such a serious subject. However, I think this episode actually balanced the severity of the issues, with humor that was not related to the topic. The jokes were used just as a way of keeping the viewer from being too bogged down the entire way through the episode.
I think as much as we might wish otherwise, the events of this episode are a fairly realistic idea. We can see parallels in how various societies in the Eastern countries treat women, for example. For many years, China killed female babies because male babies were the ideal. Still, in some Middle Eastern countries, women are treated as little more than cattle.
So, I think this episode of The Orville serves as a reminder for us to continue striving for a better tomorrow. Perhaps the fact that the Moclan woman, Haveena, was their most popular writer under a male pseudonym, this will lead that culture to change its ways in the future. We don’t know for sure, but it isn’t as bleak of an ending as I would have expected.
This is where The Orville seems to excel, subverting expectations in positive ways, but also in ways that aren’t out of the realm of possibility for the world it has created. I’m looking forward to more episodes, if only so I can take the time to see if other serious topics are handled in careful, almost graceful ways. This episode was less fun than previous ones, but I think that’s okay. Sometimes serious topics need to be touched on, if only to make us think about our lives and prejudices.
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🔥629The Orville
Pros
- Subject matter is taken seriously
- Lighthearted moments keep the episode from being too dark
- A Clear explanation of a cultural divide
- More solid worldbuilding
- Room for hopeful ambiguity
Cons
- Mildly unsatisfying ending
- Certain characters are frustrating
