The upcoming show "The Orville" will not be like "Star Trek" but will draw inspiration from it, according to the show's creator Seth McFarlane.
McFarlane told reporters at the Television Critics Association (TCA) summer press tour this week that "The Orville" is not trying to be like "Star Trek" but it does borrow the usual tropes used in science-fiction shows like the latter.
He reasoned, "'Star Trek' itself sprang from a lot of different shows before it."
McFarlane added that the show will be a comedy mixed with drama in a space adventure setting. This approach will be breaking new ground.
"It's not something that has been done on TV in recent years, at least in the hour-long format ... We really do see it as a sci-fi comedic drama. We allow ourselves room for levity in the ways that a traditional hour-long show doesn't," he explained.
"The Orville" is about recently divorced Planetary Union officer Ed Mercer (McFarlane) who gets the opportunity to command a spaceship called the U.S.S Orville and explore the galaxy. However, the First Officer assigned to him is his ex-wife, Kelly Grayson (Adrianne Palicki).
Together with a group of other officers, they go on space adventures across the universe. It remains to be seen how similar "The Orville" will be to the "Star Trek" shows of yesteryear.
McFarlane also said he wants to bring back the fun, optimistic storylines of the sci-fi shows. He apparently got tired of all the dystopian and post-apocalyptic content on TV and in movies.
He stated, "I miss the forward thinking, optimistic, aspirational space that 'Star Trek' used to offer."
Movies and shows with dystopian narratives include the likes of "The Hunger Games," "Divergent," "The Maze Runner," "The 100," "The Colony" and "Z Nation."
"The Orville" premieres on Sunday, Sept. 10 at 8 p.m. EDT on FOX.
