When I first started this show I found it to be a really awkward mix of comedy and seriousness. It had some jokes thrown it at the most inopportune times as some kind of comic relief from a really serious situation. Perhaps the first half of the first season was actually a bit rough or maybe the show just grew on me, but by season 2 I found myself loving this show.
To me it seems as every bit as comfy, intellectually interesting and even funny as some classic Star Treks while still clearly being its own thing. I wish more comfy space shows like this would get made.
What are your thoughts on The Orville? Also I miss Alara.
I love the Orville, but the shift in format with the most recent season, to movie length episodes, made it largely inaccessible to me.
Just pause it and come back to it later, at least that's how we watch some movies during the week, 45 min segments and pick it up the next day
They tend to hit a break about halfway in that would allow the episode to be cut into serial two-parters.