Section 1[]
Commentators have compared The Orville with other science fiction project since at least July 2017.
Ref: "The Orville Producers Interview (Comic Con)". Showbiz Junkies. July 28, 2017.
The show's liberal mix of comedy with drama sometimes confused reviewers who wondered if the show was an homage to previous science fiction or a parody.The executive producers have distanced the show from one particular franchise, citing not only Star Trek but Lost in Space;
Ref: The Orville Fan Podcast w/ Bruce Broughton (07). Planetary Union Network. Oct. 30, 2017.
The Twilight Zone;
Ref: Pascale, Anthony. "Interview: Brannon Braga On How ‘The Orville’ Pays Tribute To Star Trek While Setting A New Course". Trekmovie.com. Sept. 17, 2017.
and, while never explicitly referenced, the Star Wars franchise (most notably in The Road Not Taken).
Section 2[]
Most members of the cast and crew have backgrounds in science fiction, and many of them have been previously involved in Star Trek - including MacFarlane himself, who was a guest star on Star Trek: Enterprise. Some of the most notable staff members are executive producers Brannon Braga and David A. Goodman, directors Jonathan Frakes and Robert Duncan McNeill, director of photography Marvin V. Rush, and writer Joe Menosky.
Writers have drawn comparisons for legal reasons as well. In August 2017, an unidentified reporter asked Dana Walden, then-CEO of 20th Century Fox, if he was "worried about being sued." According to reporter James Hibberd of Entertainment Weekly,
- At first, Walden made a joke about wishing somebody else on the panel (like Fox entertainment president David Madden) would answer the question on her behalf, but he didn’t. So she plowed ahead: “We’re not really concerned,” she said. “We obviously have a big legal team. We vet things, so it’s not like we’re just flying by the seat of our pants out here. Seth’s intention is to do something that clearly pays homage to Star Trek.... Most shows have some DNA of previous shows."
Ref: Hibberd, James. "Fox: We're not worried Star Trek will sue us for Orville". Entertainment Weekly. Aug. 8, 2017.