Andy Weir on The Orville as Trek substitute
Andy Weir, the author of The Martian and Project Hail Mary, has long celebrated Seth MacFarlane’s The Orville as a living echo of Star Trek’s legacy. The show follows the crew of the USS Orville, a ship on a mission that mirrors Star Trek’s exploration ethos.
Weir’s praise extends beyond premise: in 2022 he told MacFarlane on X that The Orville was the best Star Trek on the air. The series shares actors and directors with Star Trek, and even features Jonathan Frakes directing two episodes.
The Orville is often described as an unofficial member of the Star Trek family, a sentiment born from the creator’s affection for the franchise. In the 2022 moment, Trekkies were weighing Discovery, Short Treks, Picard, Lower Decks, Prodigy, and Strange New Worlds, while The Orville offered a lighter, more optimistic take on spacefaring adventures.
Weir also values the show’s scientific grounding. He praised its handling of time travel for using Einsteinian physics and for visibly showing stars blue-shift and red-shift as ships approach relativistic speeds, a level of plausibility he associates with Star Trek’s thoughtful science explainer.
Looking ahead, the Trek landscape around that time felt darker and more complex, whereas The Orville leaned into curiosity and exploration. As of writing, Star Trek is winding down some current shows, and The Orville has signaled plans for a fourth season.
Weir’s science‑minded approach shines through in his praise for The Orville’s handling of science and storytelling.
Source: Original article
