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TBD is the title of the upcoming premiere for the second season of The Orville. It is scheduled to air on December 30, 2018, a Sunday night.[1] The plot is unknown, although actor Scott Grimes, who plays Gordon Malloy, said that it concerns "love" and "relationships on board [the USS Orville]."[2]
The episode is not to be confused with Primal Urges, an unaired episode from the first season that Fox briefly planned to be the second season premiere. At some date before February, 2018, Fox moved Primal Urges deeper into the season and TBD became the new premiere.
TBD was written by creator Seth MacFarlane. An early leaked script credits MacFarlane as director as well[3] but IMDB later reported that the episode was directed by Jon Cassar.[4]
Production
Filming began February 26, 2018, under the direction of Jon Cassar or MacFarlane.[5] On March 19, editor Tom Costantino confirmed the episode was in post-production.[6]
Production of the opening scene
Information gleaned from fragmentary leaks of production scripts reveal that the opening scene of the episode will feature Captain Ed Mercer, Kanoot, Chief of Security Alara Kitan, and music. In the episode Cupid's Dagger, Kanoot is established as the game master for karoake in the USS Orville's Mess Hall.
On February 15, 2018, a photograph of a production script revealed partial dialogue between Mercer, Kanoot, and a possible third person (though he or she may be Mercer).
Person 1 (Ed Mercer?): . . . [Florit]es have to play all these [depre]ssing songs? Maybe somethin[g] . . . [lit]tle more upbeat?
KANOOT: . . . [i]f I could talk to him . . . Florites have a spe[cial] . . . [langu]age that is [text unclear] . . . to translate.
ED: . . .[7]
Producer Jon Cassar published this photo to his Instagram showing the set of Captain Ed Mercer's office for the episode.
Letters in brackets are inferred, and not present in the picture. Ellipses indicate text missing from the photograph. The name "Florites" is somewhat difficult to read and may be incorrect.
However, this scene was revised. On February 22, actor J. Lee (John LaMarr) published a short video of a partially-obscured updated version of the first page of the script that shows significant revisions and the removal of the "Florite" alien species.
ANGLE ON a 1940s-era phonograph, which plays "As Time Goes By". FAR to find ED, sitting alone at the bar. KANOOT gives him a drink.
ED: How long have you had that thing?
KANOOT: Had the computer replicate it last week. I'm trying to warm this place up a little, y'know? Get a nice vibe goin'.
ED: The late . . . jazz. Depressing . . . at-the- . . . same time. I can help you there.
KANOOT serves . . .: Here you go.
. . .
ED: Y'know what the worst days are, . . . the days when you can't . . . Just watch.
ALARA appears or something like this.
ALARA: Mind if I join you?
ED: Have a seat. I can see . . .[8]
The choice of the 1931 song "As Time Goes By" is particularly interesting as the song is a staple in MacFarlane's work, having recorded the song and used it in an episode of his earlier show Family Guy.[9]
Production of an unknown scene
A third photograph published February 26 (this time from Ivy Thaide of the wardrobe department), revealed another page of the script, this time from a scene somewhere deeper into the story.[10] After speaking with people in his office and reflecting over a photograph or perhaps a memory, Ed decides to fly a shuttle but he feels uncomfortable asking for it.
They exit Ed's office.
INT. ORVILLE - ED'S OFFICE
Ed sits at his desk, [text unclear] . . . [text unclear]: we see a few i[text unclear] . . . picnic, inexorably while th. . . fun, looking very happy.
INT. ORVILLE - SHUTTLE BAY - . . .
Ed enters, stands about awkwardly . . . approaches one of the LIEUTENANTS o[n duty.]
ED: Hey, Lieutenant, I'm gonna... [text unclear]p.
LIEUTENANT (beat; confused): Okay, sir.
ED: I'll be back in a little bit.
LIEUTENANT: Do you want me to assign a pilot?
ED: Oh no, I'm just going to... go for a drive.[11]
Cast
The episode includes the main cast from the previous season. It is unknown who, exactly, Jessica Szohr will portray, if anyone in this episode. Szohr was confirmed to portray a series regular character starting in Season 2 named Talla,[12] but her character's mold was not made until filming the second episode, Home,[13] implying that Szohr will not appear in the show until then.
Intriguingly, the character of Cassius is not listed in the cast list below, but was present for the episode's script's table reading.[14]
Main Cast
- Seth MacFarlane as Cpt. Ed Mercer
- Adrianne Palicki as Cmdr. Kelly Grayson
- Penny Johnson Jerald as Doctor Claire Finn
- Scott Grimes as Lt. Gordon Malloy
- J. Lee as Lt. Cmdr. John LaMarr
- Halston Sage as Lt. Alara Kitan
- Peter Macon as Lt. Cmdr. Bortus
- Mark Jackson as Isaac
Recurring Cast
- Ralph Garman as Kanoot[3]
- Kai Wener as Ty Finn[3]
- BJ Tanner as Marcus Finn[3]
- Mike Henry as Dann[3]
- Rachael MacFarlane as Computer[3] (voice only)
- Chad L. Coleman as Klyden[3]
Other
Aside from the list below, an actor is expected to be added who will play the Lieutenant identified in the fragment of a leaked script. Note that a Shuttle Bay officer is included in IMDB's version further below.
- Unknown as Janet Miller[3]
- Unknown as Gabbino[3]
- Unknown as Nathan[3]
- Unknown as Woman[3]
- Unknown as Xelayan female[3]
- Unkonwn as Mooska[3]
IMDB cast list
A separate, incomplete cast list was published to IMDB a couple weeks later, though this list has not been independently verified. The names resemble, though do not match, the older script.[4]
- Jake Brennan as James Duncan
- (IMDB) Luke Clark as Kid #1
- Chris Johnson as Cassius
- Kristen O'Meara as Jody Duncan
- Adam J. Smith as Nathan Duncan
- Jessica Szohr as Talla
- Kai Wener as Ty Finn
- (IMDB) Christian Telesmar as ND Officer
- (IMDB) Melvin Diggs as Shuttle Bay Lt.
References
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie. "Fox Fall 2018-19 Schedule: Multi-Camera Comedy Block On Friday, ‘9-1-1’ Moves To Monday, ‘The Orville’ Returns In December". Deadline. May 14, 2018.
- ↑ Topel, Fred. "SETH MACFARLANE ADDRESSES CRITICS’ HARSH TAKE ON THE ORVILLE STORY LINE". Rotten Tomatoes. March 18, 2018.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DWGg9W2VwAA6A0d.jpg
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Episode 2.1 Full Cast & Crew. IMDB. Last accessed May 17, 2018. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name ":1" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Cassar, Jon. "Here we go #TheOrville season 2 starts shooting. Stay tuned." Instagram. Feb. 26, 2018.
- ↑ "The Orville Fan Podcast w/ Tom Costantino, Scott Powell, Bart Rachmil & Hillary Wills". Planetary Union Network. March 19, 2018.
- ↑ @maxhair706. "And so we begin Season 2 #THEORVILLE". Instagram. Feb. 15, 2018.
- ↑ Snapchat videos of @jleefilms compiled by /u/arrosofshield. "The First Table Read of Season 2 is today!" Reddit.com. Feb. 22, 2018. Script transcribed by /u/u_suck_paterson.
- ↑ "Seth MacFarlane - As time goes by". Youtube. Published Feb. 8, 2011. Last accessed Feb. 23, 2018.
- ↑ Thaide, Ivy. "Here we go! Season 2 Day 1 of our first Ep. May the costume Gods be ever in our favor #firstday #hollywood #theorville #costumedept #syfy". Instagram. Feb. 26, 2018.
- ↑ Transcription by /u/xeow. "Page from the Season 2, Ep 1 script has been posted. Can we read it?" Reddit. Feb. 27, 2018.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie. ‘The Orville’: Jessica Szohr Cast As Series Regular For Season 2 Of Fox Series. Deadline. Feb. 12, 2018.
- ↑ Photo by @StJerome of an Instagram video by @jessicaszohr. "So @jessicaszohr just posted a IGstory.........." Twitter. March 9, 2018.
- ↑ Snapchat videos by jleefilms. Compiled by /u/arrowsofshield. "The first table read of season 2 is today!" Reddit.com. Feb. 23, 2018.