TV Show review
September 10, 2017 · TV-14 · Returning Series
Woke Score
Lower is better
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for The Orville.
Woke representation / casting
Visible diversity in prominent roles such as black female doctor and black male alien officer plus Asian male crew member and multiple strong female characters in security and command; fits future multi-species setting without mismatches or heavy signaling.
Woke political dialogue
Occasional ethical debates on alien cultural practices like gender norms and personal freedoms appear as story conflicts rather than direct Earth political lectures or ideology.
Identity-driven story themes
Moclan arcs center on gender identity, forced reassignment, and individual choice versus cultural norms, recurring with more focus in season 3; includes visible male-male alien couple raising a child as LGBTQ+ element through alien culture.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Critiques rigid hyper-masculine traditions and female intolerance in Moclan society via crew ethics debates; stays closer to classic sci-fi tolerance themes than explicit modern anti-patriarchy or systemic framing.
Review
The Orville follows the crew of the USS Orville, a mid-level exploratory ship in a 25th-century interstellar alliance, as they handle planet visits, alien encounters, crew dramas, and larger threats with a blend of comedy and drama across three seasons. Created by and starring Seth MacFarlane, it mixes episodic adventures with growing serialized stories about relationships and ethics. Recurring Moclan alien arcs explore gender norms, cultural traditions, and personal choice through debates over sex assignment and identity, with some episodes linking to modern social topics in viewer discussions.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Some viewers and critics call out gender reassignment episodes and season 3 identity stories for pushing modern choice or gender messaging; complaints stay limited and episode-specific.
Creator track record context
Team includes liberal sci-fi veterans from Star Trek with some public political activity like anti-Trump endorsements plus satirical Family Guy writers; pattern favors humor and exploration over identity-first or activist projects.
Production
