FOX’s first-ever sci-fi series, Seth MacFarlane’s “The Orville,” premiered this past week, and trust me—give it a chance before writing it off.

If you are not a fan of MacFarlane’s humor from “Family Guy,” there is no need to worry. There is so little of it, you most likely won’t even notice it. While there is humor, it is not as juvenile as his other comedies. Many people are criticizing the new series because of the humorous side of MacFarlane; what they don’t know is that he took it to a different level. Instead of having the typical childish humor, which is the focal point of “Family Guy” and “American Dad!,” “The Orville” contains a perfect amount of adult humor that doesn’t overpower the show.

During the first episode, set 400 years in the future, Ed Mercer (Seth MacFarlane), finally gets the chance to be the captain of a spaceship, the Orville, after a long year of confusion following his divorce. This benefits the plot of the show, because after taking the position, Mercer’s ex-wife, Kelly Grayson (Adrianne Palicki), who he caught having an affair, comes aboard the ship as first officer, per her request. The two main character keep the show lively by allowing the viewers to vicariously live through their real-life arguments as a divorced couple, while still keeping it humorous.

The two end up defeating a group of aliens known as the Krill, which is the most climatic part of the premier, and showcases amazing special effects. The special effects can either make or break a sci-fi show, and in this case, it made it. They were definitely well-planned and executed, as the show looks as if it were truly set in space during some scenes. The effects used to create the characters, some human and some alien, were also executed well. While the characters are fictional, they are created by a computer genius, but they manage not to look too fake.

Overall, I really enjoyed the premier of “The Orville.” It’s not a perfect show, and sometimes the jokes do fall flat. But what I do love is the fact that MacFarlane is actually trying to make a “Star Trek” inspired show that isn’t filled with only explosions and graphic action.

4/5 Stars