Orville had a rough pilot, but episodes 2 and 3 felt like Star Trek: The Next Generation to me with a few jokes. MacFarlane even had a decent dramatic scene and the discussion on human and alien relative moral was interesting to watch unfold. It has flaws, but it comes from a genuine place of love so I appreciate that.
Discovery, despite its massive budget, rang hollow as an "Anti-Star Trek" with the focus on conflict rather than cooperation. I wasn't a fan of set design and make up, but would shrug that off if they got the feel right. For what I saw (first two episodes, and that's it due to CBS All Access paywall) it could easily have been a dozen generic sci-fi series. Nothing besides superficial elements spoke to the core of Star Trek.
My prediction: Discovery will be carried by Netflix deal to get another season, will fail and end up being "black sheep" of Star Trek family. Orville will get another season due to MacFarlane spending capital at Fox, but may have to reduce budget and develop a niche following justifying it being on the air for a few years.
Dream: Star Trek: The Third Generation - A true successor to older series, is released in 2022 restoring the series legacy.
