The Orville



The Orville is a comedy science fiction TV series that premiered on FOX in 2017. Created by Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy, American Dad!, Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy) as an homage to Star Trek, the series follows a crew of space explorers abord their ship The Orville. Her captain, Ed Mercer (played by MacFarlane), keeps collectible miniatures on Kermit the Frog on his desk in several episodes.

Muppet Mentions

 * In the pilot episode, "Old Wounds", a plastic Kermit figure adorns Captain Mercer's desk in scenes at the beginning when Mercer greets his ex-wife and at the end when he invites her to stay on the ship.


 * In the second episode "Command Performance", the Kermit figurine is replaced by a plush doll and serves as a minor plot point throughout the episode.


 * The first scene brings attention to Kermit through dialogue between the captain and his second in command Lt. Commander Bortus:
 * Bortus: What is... that?
 * Mercer: That is, uh, Kermit the Frog.
 * Bortus: I do not recognize the species.
 * Mercer: It's an amphibious lifeform from Earth.
 * Bortus: Is it someone you know?
 * Mercer: No, no. He's just a leader I admire. Always keeps his cool in a crisis, inspires greatness in his people, he's... so, what can I do for ya?


 * Later, when Mercer and his first officer Commander Kelly Grayson are held in a recreation of their old apartment on Earth, their captors have also recreated the Kermit plush. Mercer picks the doll up and notes that it's the same one he took with him on The Orville after moving out of the apartment.


 * When chief security officer Lt. Alara Kitan takes command of the ship, she uses Mercer's office to receive orders from her superior. Kermit gets a close-up before Kitan's violent response to her instructions, resulting in the destruction of the desk (Kermit is left unharmed).


 * The Kermit plush is seen on Mercer's desk again in "About a Girl" during another scene between himself and Bortus.

Connections

 * Bruce Broughton wrote the main title music and scored "Old Wounds"
 * John Debney scored seven episodes in the first season
 * Victor Garber played Admiral Halsey in "Old Wounds"
 * Jeffrey Tambor played Ben Mercer in "Command Performance"
 * Charlize Theron played Pria Lavesque in "Pria"