Otherworldly Odyssey: Week of 3/14/2019

Despite my claims last week, The Orville has NOT had it’s season finale. Thank you to the reader who pointed out my error. This week brings new episodes of The Orville, Star Trek Discovery, and Roswell, New Mexico. Let’s see what’s been going on.

The Orville (Fox) – 2.10 The Blood of Patriots

Peace with the Krill is put at risk when a Krill shuttle containing humans, and there’s a bigger surprise when Lt. Malloy recognizes them. Orrin and Leyna Channing have been held captive in a Krill prison for 20 years, and they only recently escaped…but the Krill are claiming that they’re responsible for the destruction of several Krill ships.

L-R: Seth MacFarlane and Adrianne Palicki. Photo by Kevin Estrada/FOX

The captain and Talla are uneasy about Orrin, but Malloy’s loyalty to a man who saved his life is strong. Unfortunately, the suspicions about Orrin prove to have merit, and Malloy is forced to make a difficult choice. Ultimately Malloy and the captain work together on a ruse to find out what Orrin is up to. Meanwhile, Talla discovers that Leyla isn’t what she seems.

In the end, the Orville crew is able to avoid an incident that would jeopardize the cease fire, and the peace is kept, for now.

It might be trivial, but I was happy to see the musical instrument from Talla’s home world. A friend pointed out to me how often the show relies on references to Earth, and after that I couldn’t help but notice it. The Earth references are entertaining, but in a broad universe, there’s so much more that could exist, so I hope the show branches out more into the cultures and worlds of the non-human crew.

The Orville airs Thursdays at 7:30 on Fox. See past coverage of  The Orville here.

Star Trek Discovery (CBS All Access) – 2.8 If Memory Serves

Star Trek Discovery has been renewed for a third season, with Michelle Paradise as showrunner, and I am happy to hear it. I love this show, and I like the direction it’s been going so far this season. I am especially in love with the sassy Saru that we saw in this episode. The development of his character has been great to watch.

I have a colleague who absolutely hates that Star Trek Discovery takes place in Star Trek’s Prime Universe, so I expect he’ll have a lot to say about “If Memory Serves” which takes Spock back to Talos IV and reunites Captain Pike with Vina. But Pike’s not the only one taking a trip down memory lane in this episode.

While Section 31 seeks them, Spock leads Michael to Talos. The Talosians offer to help clear Spock’s mind, but only in exchange for some of Michael and Spock’s most painful memories.  She sees Spock’s memories, and through the Red Angel, Spock saw what appears to be the end of the universe. She also confirms her mother’s belief that Spock did not kill anyone. Unfortunately, Michael’s response did not do much to repair their relationship, and their interaction is rough at best. These two have a long way to go before they repair their relationship, if it can be repaired at all.

Back on Discovery, Pike is being distracted by Section 31, but that doesn’t keep him from doing what he can to find Michael and Spock. An unexpected visit from Vina gets Discovery on the way to Talos. None of this is sitting well with Section 31, who seem to have gone a little further into the gray areas than they’d like to admit.

Hugh is struggling after his return to life, and all of Stamets’ attempts to help him backfire. Hugh ultimately leads him to confront and attack Ash, who has his own issues with his new identity. Hugh tells Stamets that they need to move forward, but Stamets isn’t able to process this yet. I imagine that we’re due to see Hugh in further crisis, and I don’t imagine Stamets will walk away so easily. Corruption in the spore drive stalls their attempts to travel, and all evidence points to Tyler, but they are leaving room to blame Section 31. Ultimately Ash is going to have to find a way to demonstrate both his loyalty and who he really is.

Ash may get his chance when he learns that Spock and Michael have tricked them, sending Discovery fleeing. Will he side with Captain Pike or Section 31? My money is that he’ll land on whatever side Michael is on.

Star Trek Discovery airs Thursdays on CBS All Access.

Roswell, New Mexico (The CW) – 1.8 Don’t Speak

I don’t know, folks. I find it hard to get excited about this show. I didn’t watch the original, so I don’t have the same nostalgic memories as others. Overall, I find the show very mediocre. It has a lot of the same diversity and nods to social issues that we see on other CW shows, but it doesn’t have the clever camp of a show like Riverdale or the engaging storylines that a show like Black Lightning offers.

Liz finally catches Kyle up on what she’s learned and tells him about the serum she made, admitting she never planned to use it. Unfortunately, Kyle is not so level-headed…or someone influencing his mind isn’t.

Isobel is thrilled that the serum has removed her powers, but her brothers aren’t so confident, and Michael confronts Liz about how her actions might affect Max. Panic ensues when the serum’s effect becomes harmful.

Max and Liz are digging into the sibling’s past to find anything that will help, and when Michael confronts Liz about inaction, she enlists him in her search for answers. He shows his hideaway to her, and finally reveals that Isobel is the reason Liz left town. Finally on the same side, the two of them just might be able to save Isobel by placing her back into the pod she arrived in. The scene where Liz is bathing her in the silver concoction that she created was a little bit more dramatic than it probably needed to be, but regardless Isobel is cocooned for the time being.

Alex finally forces his father to give him answers, but what he learns might not make his life easier. He gives his father an ultimatum, but it’s hard to imagine that Jesse will just walk away. He’s going out of town, but not without first drawing on the leverage he has on Cameron.

Near the end, an offhand comment might just have given Michael the clue he needs to solve the mystery of the symbol that keeps reappearing in their lives.

Roswell airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on the CW. See all our coverage of Roswell here.

Coming Up:

Tuesday

Roswell, New Mexico: 1.9 Songs About Texas (CW)

Thursday

Star Trek Discovery: 2.9 Project Daedalus (CBS All Access)

The Orville: 2.11 Lasting Impressions (Fox)

Friday

Love, Death, and Robots (Netflix) – animated anthology series of dark, funny shorts.

Catch up on past installments of Otherworldly Odyssey here.