In the wake of the Kaylon assault, the Orville is sent to initiate peace talks with a Krill vessel. But when they arrive, they discover it firing on a Krill shuttle. One piloted by a friend Gordon thought had died twenty years ago…

If I tell you one of my all time favourite Star Trek: TNG episodes is ‘The Wounded’ you’ll have a pretty good idea of how I feel about this episode. Where that story saw Chief O’Brien forced to try to talk a former CO down off an ethical ledge (one the show later revealed to be correct, albeit for different reasons), this focuses on Gordon and Orrin, an excellent guest turn from Mackenzie Astin.

Gordon was one of the characters the least successful humour last year hinged on and it’s been great to see Grimes, always a highlight of any cast, get more to do this year. He excels here and we get a good idea of why Gordon is like he is. The endlessly amiable, good natured pilot carries a lot of hard choices behind him and the biggest of those is the fact Orrin sacrificed himself to save Gordon’s life. Grimes and MacFarlane butt heads here and they do a really good job of portraying the difficult layers of Ed and Gordon’s friendship, all of which are exposed by Oren’s return. The moment towards the end where Ed admits he was maybe a little jealous is especially brave and well done.

But this is Grimes’ episode and he excels. Gordon Molloy is a fundamentally good man and this week just why he’s like that is sorely tested. He’s genuine when he says how much he sympathizes with Oren and just as genuinely horrified by Orrin’s methods. The final scene between the two men, Orrin unable to let go of his past and dying for it, is especially powerful. Beautifully shot too and Rebecca Rodriguez can come back any time she likes, definitely a director to watch.

Verdict: This season really does keep getting better and better. Building off the new status quo established last episode, exploring one of the show’s often overlooked characters and telling a story about impossible choices with intelligence, compassion and action this is yet another exceptional episode of The Orville. 10/10

Alasdair Stuart