Warning: The Following Review contains spoilers for Season 2 of The Orville, as well as episode 1 of Season 3 “Electric Sheep”

This is a review series that I intended to start writing shortly after Season 3 debuted in 2022. Between my own health issues and several setbacks, it kept needing to be put off. Ironically, this review series was delayed much in the same way as Season 3 was delayed, first intending to be released in 2020 yet getting delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Season 3 is also the first season to be released specifically for streaming on Hulu (and now Disney+) thus the episodes are a little longer. Additionally, there are a few refinements to costuming, budget, and character designs. This also unfortunately is the final season that will contain Yahphit, as Norm MacDonald passed away in September 2021.

To recap the finale of Season 2, there was a bit of a time-travel episode. “The Road Not Taken,” a what-if scenario where Kelly and Ed never married, and thus never served together on The Orville. As a direct consequence, Claire and Isaac never fell in love, and thus Isaac never defected, leading to a dire outcome in the Kaylon Invasion. This was thwarted by the end, and the timeline was restored, but the Kaylon threat still looms large over Season 3.

Getting into the first episode of Season 3, titled “Electric Sheep,” we see direct consequences of the Kaylon turning on the Union. It begins with a battle between the Union and the Kaylon, with Krill assisting the Union. We see the battle from a myriad of perspectives, particularly that of Marcus, Claire’s older son. Marcus narrowly survives major injury at several points, or at least we think that is the case. Shortly after, it becomes apparent that the battle we were seeing was a nightmare, which gives clear motivation for him as the episode progresses.

In reality, The Orville is being repaired after the battle with the Kaylon Fleet, but not all is well amongst the crew. Things are awkward between Isaac and the crew, which is understandable. Some of them, including new crew member Ensign Charly Burke cannot seem to separate who Isaac has become from his origins as a member of the Kaylon.

Where once he was regarded as family, a member of the crew like any other, now he is treated with suspicion and fear. It is particularly hard to see it come from Marcus as well, though the trauma of what the young man has witnessed (and Isaac’s temporary turn last season) makes it somewhat understandable. His dreams of Isaac turning on his family are not fully unfounded, but it is still hard to watch.

This ostracism eventually leads to Isaac taking action to effectively kill himself, which allows The Orville to take on the concept of suicide and depression from an angle you wouldn’t expect. Luckily Isaac doesn’t stay permanently dead, but the effect of all of this on Isaac’s mental health will likely be a topic throughout the season.

Particularly, it is difficult to see a character that we know is capable of so much good, be ostracized by the people that he protects. It is even more obvious after watching the finale of season 2, that without Isaac joining the crew and defecting from his people, the reality of the war would be so much worse. At the same time, Charly’s introduction to the crew leaves me in a complicated place.

Understanding Charly’s background over the course of the episode makes you feel for her. She lost people in the battle just like everyone else. However, there were moments when she felt cruel and flippant, which soured her introduction, for me. I might feel differently as we get to know her, but for now, even though she helped get Isaac back online she feels like a character I’ll find myself tolerating rather than liking.

On a practical level, it makes sense to have this reaction. To many people, including some of the nameless and faceless members of the crew, Isaac is just another one of the Kaylon. This is war, people die, but many see him as a poster child for what they have lost. However, this is also a reminder that people have a tendency to misplace blame and turn on each other when times get hard. As a plot device, it is brilliant, but that doesn’t make it easier to watch.

To the credit of the writers, I am happy that characters such as Kelly, Claire, Ty, and Talla stand up for Isaac. This episode alone shines a light on how hatred, prejudice, and bullying can be both subtle and overt. I’m glad the writers didn’t just have the established cast overlook the situation because Isaac is a robot that on paper can’t feel.

On the other hand, I’m mildly frustrated by Ed. Ed being unsure as to whether he made the right decision reactivating Isaac is… infuriating, to put it mildly. As the captain, I can somewhat understand his perspective, but Ed mentioned moments prior to questioning his decision that Isaac is the reason they were saved. Stick to your decision, you are the leader of that ship and at the end of the day, you have to live with the choice you made.

Diverting from my thoughts on the main plot for a moment, The Orville is just as gorgeous as ever with its visual effects and cinematic space sequences. Watching Gordon test out the new equipment, as well as the scenes involving the repairs, was a feast for the eyes. I’m glad they gave Isaac’s plot the focus, but it was a great way to show off the new budget.

In fact, while I mentioned being frustrated by Ed, I think I’m even more frustrated with the way Marcus’ reaction was handled. The fact that Ty was able to put aside what happened and Marcus wasn’t frustrates me. I mentioned before that Marcus is young, and I stand by that. However, Isaac saved Marcus and Ty from the Kaylon. While an irrational fear makes sense (hence the nightmares) I think Marcus painting “Murderer” in Isaac’s lab is a step too far.

Hearing what amounts to Isaac’s suicide note was nothing short of heartbreaking. Even as he plans to take his own life, he is trying to help The Orville. This is where the episode both infuriates me and feels exactly the way it should. Don’t get me wrong here, while there are characters in this episode that make me angry, I can understand why so many feel this episode is effective. It is absolutely effective.

Isaac’s story in the first half of the episode echoes what so many people face before they take their own lives. LGBTQ+ people face ostracism, isolation, and hatred, all for something that is part of who they are. Isaac is just the same. He is a Kaylon, that is no more removable from his being than any other character’s eye color, sexual orientation, or skin color.

In my anger, as I watched this episode, I wanted every single one of the characters to understand the gravity of what happened. Life is precious, and knowing people who have taken their own lives makes this episode hit harder. I was angry to see Claire try to justify to Marcus that Isaac chose to end his life. After calming down I understood what she meant, but Marcus’ actions contributed to the problem and he should have struggled with that more.

With that all being said, it was interesting to watch Claire’s grieving process, along with seeing how she tried to help Ty and Marcus individually. Separating myself from the subject matter as best I can, from a purely observational level, the acting in this episode is nothing short of superb. The Orville always manages to bring the heavy-hitting moments, and in an episode like this, I’m glad it stayed away from humor. It would have cheapened the message.

In the same way, I understand why they used this episode as an introduction to Charly’s character. It gave her a purpose, along with a way to integrate her with the team at large. However, her introduction was so abrupt that we didn’t really get the chance to care about her before she was saying terrible things and being generally unappealing to watch. The actress did a great job, but this episode didn’t make me want to know her more.

I look at her character from the same lens I looked at Talla’s introduction. I was skeptical about Talla, mostly because I liked Alara. However, Talla’s character grew on me because she was given room to do so without me having to really grapple with her presence. Charly’s introduction forces you to tolerate her, rather than giving you a chance to feel her out and want to understand her.

Her insistence on digging her feet in because she lost her best friend, and in Ed’s words acting like she has “a monopoly on grief” makes me instantly dislike her. Yes, she helps Isaac in the end, and maybe she learns her lesson, but her self-righteous attitude and inability to be professional made me want to strangle her. I hope she grows on me in subsequent episodes, but right now she’s insufferable.

Her actions in the episode are directly at odds with her words to Marcus. On one hand, she says any death is a tragedy, but she actively wanted Isaac dead. Those two statements are directly at odds with each other. I could make another comparison here, but it would not be a kind one considering the state of our world right now. The fact that it took Marcus to convince her is somewhat shameful.

Getting down to my final thoughts on “Electric Sheep,” I find myself at a conclusion that is something of an oxymoron. “Electric Sheep” is a fantastic episode, but it is not enjoyable to watch. This episode was a fantastic exploration of the concept of suicide, and how it is a permanent response that eliminates the possibility of growth, change, and acceptance. It isn’t a solution to anything; it simply is the loss of life in a way that affects everyone around that person.

If I were to come back and start The Orville from the beginning, I could easily see myself skipping this episode on a future rewatch. Not because it isn’t well made, or because it isn’t important, but because it is painful to watch on an emotional level. With that being said, the seeds were planted in this episode for a lot of character growth and development.

Isaac’s story is one of identity. What makes a human being? What is the difference between an emotionless machine and an artificial intelligence that is learning to love and care for others? Isaac turned his back on his people to help The Orville’s crew. Let’s just hope that the crew of The Orville can learn to rally around him.

If you or someone you know struggles with suicidal thoughts or feelings, there are resources to help. You can contact the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 in the United States and Canada. For the contact information for other regions, check Open Counseling’s roundup of international hotlines and other resources.

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The Orville

8

Score

8.0/10

Pros

• Powerful Social Commentary on bullying/suicide
• Great visual effects
• Great acting from the cast

Cons

• Some of the character-work is inconsistent
• Charly's introduction is too rushed
• Painful episode to watch