10 TV Shows That Wanted To Be Star Trek
1. The Orville
The Orville is creator Seth McFarlane's long-gestating love letter to Star Trek. To say that it is inspired by the franchise is the understatement of the century - McFarlane, time and again, has been vocal about his love for Gene Roddenberry's long-running saga.
The Orville came at a time when Star Trek was continuing to get darker. In many ways, it's the antithesis of Star Trek: Discovery, and a more slapstick comedy version of The Next Generation, from which it took many markers and directions. While the comedy aspect is quite different from what one might see on the Enterprise, the show is meticulous in how it presents this brighter future.
It relies heavily on its ensemble cast, something that Star Trek is at its best when it manages. The interpersonal relationships often feature strife, which was against Roddenberry's hope for the future, though in line with just about every writer on Trek. The visuals are a callback to the actual models of the '80s and '90s, without relying too heavily on CGI. Its episodic nature is straight of the classic Star Trek playbook.
The series is considered by many, like Galaxy Quest in the movie universe, to be an unofficial entry in Trek canon - quite a feat, coming from a self-confessed fanboy who just wanted to see a brighter future.