About a Girl proved that The Orville could be serious and meaningful, Identity is where it earned its wings.

A mid-season two-parter in leu of the lack of any guarantee that there would ever be another season after the one they're currently in, one that really tests the show's integrity. Was it possible to have a serious (and somewhat grave) plot that ends with the obliteration of the show's entire FX budget and puts the entire dynamic of the show on its ear? Had The Orville earned the ability to do such a thing without it coming out as shallow fan fiction that is just cool stuff for the sake of cool stuff? Yes.

In one and a half season The Orville went from a joke to a threat to.... other science fiction franchises that were more than happy to rest on someone else's laurels. This is where The Orville became its own thing and worthy of being treated like a serious sci-fi with a meaningful story and real characters.

There was an expectation that season 2 would go further that season 1, and it already had. These episodes catapulted the show past anything anyone hoped it would be. In 2025, it is still just as thrilling to watch them. They earned their PEWPEWPEWs.

And they still managed to throw in a handful of stupid jokes just to remind us which show we're watching. Some of which are still actually funny. And if you don't laugh at them, you will be banished to the pee corner!