Dann

Dann
Lieutenant Dann played by Mike Henry
Affiliation	Planetary Union
Rank	Lieutenant
Occupation / Position	Engineer
Portrayed by	Mike Henry
First Seen	Cupid's Dagger
Biographical information
Age	unknown
Marital status	Single
Status	Alive
Physical description
Species	Dann's species
Gender	Male

I'm sorry, but do you just ride up and down the fricking elevator all day? Is that your fricking job?— Kelly Grayson

Dann was a Lieutenant and Engineer of an unnamed species stationed on the USS Orville. According to Admiral Tom Halsey, he had been stationed aboard the Orville prior to the promotion of Ed Mercer to captain.

Life

In the winter of 2419, Dann suggested to Captain Ed Mercer and First Officer Kelly Grayson that the ship should have music in the Lift. With their blessing, Dann added a selection of music that played in the ship's elevators.

In April 2420, Dann approached Helmsman Gordon Malloy and Navigator John LaMarr at a farewell reception for Chief Engineer Steve Newton. Gordon and John explained that they had placed a piece of Lieutenant Yaphit in the reception buffet as a practical joke. Dann laughed and hinted he wanted to be included in future pranks.

Dann takes the credit for finding the feedback.

In July 2420, Dann worked in engineering when the Orville seized a rogue Union transport by tractor beam. When John attempted to remotely access the transport's engineering panel to shut down their engines, Dann noted "some weird feedback" from the transport to the Orville. John, however, ignored it.

Soon after, John, Yaphit, and Dann went to Shuttle Bay to repair and investigate the transport, which Dann likened to a "secret mission." There, they found Celeste, a xenoanthropologist. Dann unsuccessfully attempted to flirt by making small talk.

Later, the weird feedback was found to be a malicious program sent by Celeste to take the Orville into Krill space. Dann pointed out that he had detected the feedback, but John told him to ignore it. Dann said Ed should know that it was he who found it.

In August 2420, Dann and John installed an anti-virus in Environmental Simulator 3 to counteract a computer virus and to prevent the Orville from being destroyed by Nyxia's sun.

Dann plays with his Orville cupcake before eating it.

Personality

A disillusioned Dann.

Sweetness!— Dann's catchphrase, used to express delight.

Dann was social and friendly, if a bit awkward. He introduced himself to the engineering team as a man who loves refinishing antique furniture and banana walnut pancakes.

He often tried to make friends with others and be involved in their conversations. Though his behavior was generally tolerated, Ed and Kelly on separate occasions have blown up at him for speaking in the wrong moment.

Dann openly wished to be involved in pranks on others.

Dann, despite his optimistic demeanor, was shown to be very insecure: he was visibly upset when Grayson snapped at him in the lift, self-conscious about the size of his head, and crushed by even mild criticism of his poetry.

Date with Alara Kitan

See also: Ja'loja

In mid-to-late 2420, Dann went on a blind date with Chief of Security Alara Kitan, set up by Second Officer Bortus. He got a massage before meeting her at Mooska's, and then read her a poem written for the occasion:

Yearning. Passion. Search.
Who will feed the coals of joy in the stove of emotion?
My fingers ache to penetrate the hearth.
Love is the fishhook that hooks the fish.

Dann insisted upon critical feedback but grew offended by her analysis: "I didn't say take a dump all over my spirit." She retired to the bathroom; he messaged her "I miss you" via comscanner; and the date came to an abrupt end. Later, Dann read the poem to Helmsman Gordon Malloy, who was impressed and encouraged Dann to write a book, which Dann said he would.

Production

Mike Henry in makeup as Dann

Dann and his unnamed alien species were one of the first designed aliens for the show. In November, 2016, Howard Berger - then make-up department head - dressed Dirk Rogers as the alien and presented him to Seth MacFarlane. MacFarlane was impressed and the character Dann was born: "Oh, my God. I love this character. I'm going to write this character into the script."

Initially, MacFarlane wanted Rogers to play Dann but Berger wanted keep to his co-worker free to work on new design prototypes. Actor Mike Henry was cast in his place, although Rogers does appear as an alien scientist named Samm of the same species in the pilot episode.

On January 29, 2018, Henry revealed that Dann would return in Season 2.

Trivia

• Dann loves refinishing antique furniture and enjoys banana nut pancakes (which he described as a "mouth-gasm").
• He writes poetry as a hobby.
• He claims to have a number of "neat shirts" Isaac is welcome to borrow any time.
• Two members of Dann's as yet unnamed species, wearing grey uniforms, can be seen in the background among the crew as Ed Mercer briefs them before the launch of the Orville in Old Wounds, though Dann himself is absent. Another such alien makes a more prominent appearance as a scientist at the Epsilon Science Station. The comic issue New Beginnings, Pt. 1 features a science officer and school student from Dann's species.
  • According to Howard Berger, the scientist's name is Samm.
• Dann picks out the song "The Straight Life" by Bobby Goldsboro for the Lift.
• He and Ed have the same birthday.
  • As such, Dann would, as per the Regorian astrological system, fall under the sign of either Panaji, Corobahn or Valeigh.
• By his own word, Dann likes music and food.
• Dann attends Ty Finn's piano recital and the Union Symphony concert in December 2420.
• When the Orville received the first interstellar message from the planet Regor 2, Dann high fived Ensign Jenny Turco.
• Dann attended the late joint birthday party of First Officer Kelly Grayson and Second Officer Bortus.
• Dann was present when Locar upgraded the Orville's Deflector Screens. He praised Ensign Turco's good-luck cupcakes, pretending one with an edible miniature of the Orville atop was being pulled into his mouth via a tractor beam.
• While the Orville was docked at Kaylon 1, Dann attended Isaac's farewell party in the Mess Hall. During the party, Dann made an awkward attempt at small talk with the Captain.
• Dann watched Talla Keyali's play the pelpifa, a Xelayan instrument. When Talla said that being required to learn the pelpifa in school meant she "never got laid," Kelly joked that the opposite may be - referring to Dann, who found the melody was "really pretty."
• Dann advocated for a weekly casual day where officers could wear T-shirts.

Appearances

• Episode 1x09: Cupid's Dagger
• Episode 1x11: New Dimensions
• Episode 1.5x03: The Word of Avis, Pt. 1
• Episode 2x01: Ja'loja
• Episode 2x02: Primal Urges
• Episode 2x05: All the World is Birthday Cake
• Episode 2x06: A Happy Refrain
• Episode 2x07: Deflectors
• Episode 2x08: Identity, Pt. 1
• Episode 2x10: Blood of Patriots
• Episode 3x01: Electric Sheep
• Episode 3x08: Midnight Blue
• Episode 3x10: Future Unknown

External links

• Dann the Alien Official Site - Contains many behind-the-scenes production photos from the first two seasons