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The Worst Episodes of The Orville

Every episode of The Orville ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of The Orville!

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Follow the crew of the not-so-functional exploratory ship in the Earth's interstellar fleet, 400 years in the future.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    The Orville Season 2 Episode 2 - Primal Urges
    6.6/10(4283 votes)

    #1 - Primal Urges

    S2:E2

    Ed and the crew race to save a small group of survivors on a planet about to be destroyed by its sun. Meanwhile, Bortus and Klyden start marriage counseling when Bortus' obsession with the ship's simulation room gets out of hand.

    Director:Kevin Hooks
    Writer:Wellesley Wild

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  2. The Orville Season 2 Episode 1 - Ja'loja
    7.2/10(4068 votes)

    #2 - Ja'loja

    S2:E1

    As The Orville heads towards Moclus for Bortus' special once-a-year ceremony, Ed discovers Kelly has moved on and has started dating. Meanwhile, Gordon asks for John's help in getting game, and Claire turns to Isaac for parenting advice.

    Director:Seth MacFarlane
    Writer:Seth MacFarlane

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  3. The Orville Season 3 Episode 2 - Shadow Realms
    7.2/10(3345 votes)

    #3 - Shadow Realms

    S3:E2

    The Orville explores a mysterious region of space.

    Director:Jon Cassar
    Writers:Brannon Braga, André Bormanis

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  4. The Orville Season 1 Episode 8 - Into the Fold
    7.3/10(3873 votes)

    #4 - Into the Fold

    S1:E8

    Ed and the crew set out to save Dr. Finn, her two sons and Isaac after their shuttle gets thrown into uncharted space and they crash-land on a moon that is light years from the Orville.

    Director:Brannon Braga
    Writers:Brannon Braga, André Bormanis

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  5. The Orville Season 2 Episode 5 - All the World is Birthday Cake
    7.3/10(3601 votes)

    #5 - All the World is Birthday Cake

    S2:E5

    The Orville makes First Contact and a new crew member joins the ship.

    Director:Robert Duncan McNeill
    Writer:Seth MacFarlane

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  6. The Orville Season 1 Episode 1 - Old Wounds
    7.4/10(5853 votes)

    #6 - Old Wounds

    S1:E1

    It's 2417, and the Planetary Union promotes Ed Mercer to Captain of the exploratory vessel The U.S.S. Orville. Ed's enthusiasm for his new position is dampened when his ex-wife, Kelly Grayson, is assigned to be his First Officer. While on their first routine mission, the Orville crew is ambushed by the Krill, a vicious alien race, who are bent on stealing a device that can cause time to accelerate.

    Director:Jon Favreau
    Writer:Seth MacFarlane

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  7. The Orville Season 3 Episode 1 - Electric Sheep
    7.4/10(4055 votes)

    #7 - Electric Sheep

    S3:E1

    The Orville crew deals with the interpersonal aftermath of the battle against the Kaylon.

    Director:Jon Cassar
    Writer:Seth MacFarlane

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  8. The Orville Season 1 Episode 2 - Command Performance
    7.6/10(5085 votes)

    #8 - Command Performance

    S1:E2

    When Ed and Kelly are tricked by a hologram of a ship in distress and find themselves prisoners in a replica of their former home, Alara must step up in her first command of the Orville and attempt a heroic rescue. Meanwhile, Bortus and Klyden receive some happy, yet unexpected news.

    Director:Robert Duncan McNeill
    Writer:Seth MacFarlane

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  9. The Orville Season 1 Episode 3 - About a Girl
    7.6/10(5495 votes)

    #9 - About a Girl

    S1:E3

    The Orville crew is divided between cultures when Bortus and Klyden debate if their newly born offspring should receive a controversial surgery.

    Director:Brannon Braga
    Writer:Seth MacFarlane

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  10. The Orville Season 2 Episode 7 - Deflectors
    7.6/10(3460 votes)

    #10 - Deflectors

    S2:E7

    One of Bortus's old lovers is assigned to help upgrade the ships defences and makes a surprising admission to Talla.

    Director:Seth MacFarlane
    Writer:David A. Goodman

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  11. The Orville Season 1 Episode 5 - Pria
    7.8/10(4553 votes)

    #11 - Pria

    S1:E5

    After the crew saves a stranded ship and its attractive captain, Ed becomes smitten with the Orville’s new guest, while Kelly suspects all is not what it seems. Meanwhile, Gordon attempts to teach Isaac the art of pulling off a practical joke.

    Director:Jonathan Frakes
    Writer:Seth MacFarlane

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  12. The Orville Season 1 Episode 9 - Cupid's Dagger
    7.8/10(3902 votes)

    #12 - Cupid's Dagger

    S1:E9

    The Orville is called to mediate a peace treaty between two warring cultures, but tensions run even higher between Ed and Kelly when a familiar face boards the ship. Meanwhile Yaphit declares his love for Dr. Finn with surprising results.

    Director:Jamie Babbit
    Writer:Liz Heldens

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  13. The Orville Season 2 Episode 10 - Blood of Patriots
    7.8/10(3039 votes)

    #13 - Blood of Patriots

    S2:E10

    Ed must initiate peace talks with the Krill.

    Director:Rebecca Rodriguez
    Writer:Seth MacFarlane

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  14. The Orville Season 3 Episode 3 - Mortality Paradox
    7.8/10(3317 votes)

    #14 - Mortality Paradox

    S3:E3

    The Orville crew discovers signs of a modern civilization on a planet known to be uninhabited.

    Director:Jon Cassar
    Writer:Seth MacFarlane

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  15. The Orville Season 1 Episode 6 - Krill
    7.9/10(4366 votes)

    #15 - Krill

    S1:E6

    After the Orville crew defeats a Krill attack on a brand-new colony, the Union sends Ed and Gordon on a dangerous undercover mission to infiltrate a Krill ship and obtain a copy of the Krill bible, the "Anhkana," to better understand the enemy.

    Director:Jon Cassar
    Writer:David A. Goodman

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  16. The Orville Season 1 Episode 11 - New Dimensions
    7.9/10(3280 votes)

    #16 - New Dimensions

    S1:E11

    Kelly discovers that Lt. John Lamarr is smarter than he lets on. So, she pushes Ed to consider him for a key leadership position on the ship after The Orville gets damaged by a mysterious spatial anomaly causing harrowing effects to all things living.

    Director:Kelly Cronin
    Writer:Seth MacFarlane

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  17. The Orville Season 3 Episode 5 - A Tale of Two Topas
    7.9/10(4990 votes)

    #17 - A Tale of Two Topas

    S3:E5

    Tensions between Kelly and the Moclans result when she helps Topa prepare for the Union Point entrance exam.

    Director:Seth MacFarlane
    Writer:Seth MacFarlane

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  18. The Orville Season 1 Episode 10 - Firestorm
    8.0/10(3703 votes)

    #18 - Firestorm

    S1:E10

    When a fire breaks out on The Orville and a crew member dies, Alara begins to question if she is fit for her job, just as unusual and terrifying things start happening on the ship.

    Director:Brannon Braga
    Writer:Cherry Chevapravatdumrong

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  19. The Orville Season 2 Episode 3 - Home
    8.1/10(4213 votes)

    #19 - Home

    S2:E3

    Ed, Gordon and Alara visit Alara's home planet of Xelayah.

    Director:Jon Cassar
    Writer:Cherry Chevapravatdumrong

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  20. The Orville Season 2 Episode 6 - A Happy Refrain
    8.1/10(4314 votes)

    #20 - A Happy Refrain

    S2:E6

    The Orville crew is surprised when Claire's personal life takes an unexpected turn, and Gordon makes an unusual grooming suggestion to Bortus.

    Director:Seth MacFarlane
    Writer:Seth MacFarlane

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  21. The Orville Season 3 Episode 8 - Midnight Blue
    8.1/10(3400 votes)

    #21 - Midnight Blue

    S3:E8

    The crew visit Haveena's sanctuary world and embark on a journey that may leave the Union more vulnerable.

    Director:Jon Cassar
    Writers:Brannon Braga, André Bormanis

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  22. The Orville Season 3 Episode 10 - Future Unknown
    8.1/10(2835 votes)

    #22 - Future Unknown

    S3:E10

    A celebration is underway aboard the ship.

    Director:Seth MacFarlane
    Writer:Seth MacFarlane

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  23. The Orville Season 1 Episode 4 - If the Stars Should Appear
    8.2/10(5076 votes)

    #23 - If the Stars Should Appear

    S1:E4

    Ed and the Orville crew encounter a massive vessel adrift in space, which is in danger of colliding with a star. While some of the crew set out to help the ship's inhabitants, Bortus, Gordon, and John stay behind and fend off a Krill attack on another Union ship

    Director:James L. Conway
    Writer:Seth MacFarlane

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  24. The Orville Season 1 Episode 7 - Majority Rule
    8.2/10(5012 votes)

    #24 - Majority Rule

    S1:E7

    When two Union anthropologists go missing on a planet similar to 21st century Earth, Ed sends a team led by Kelly to find them, but the mission quickly goes awry when they realize the society’s government is completely based on a public voting system to determine punishment.

    Director:Tucker Gates
    Writer:Seth MacFarlane

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  25. The Orville Season 2 Episode 4 - Nothing Left on Earth Excepting Fishes
    8.2/10(3923 votes)

    #25 - Nothing Left on Earth Excepting Fishes

    S2:E4

    Ed finds himself behind enemy lines when he crash-lands on a mysterious planet. Meanwhile, Kelly questions why Gordon wants to take the Command Test.

    Director:Robert Duncan McNeill
    Writers:Brannon Braga, André Bormanis

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Primal Urges" is the worst rated episode of "The Orville". It scored 6.6/10 based on 4283 votes. Directed by Kevin Hooks and written by Wellesley Wild, it aired on 1/3/2019. This episode scored 0.6 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Ja'loja".