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The Orville: A Tale of Two Topas (2022)
The Orville's magnum opus, whether you like it or not.
People have been misinterpreting this season since the first episode. It's clear that the series has gone a different direction with this new season, and for some reason people can't understand that. Every TV show you'll ever find went through changes, some for the better, some for the worse, but it baffles me that some fans of the Orville cannot see this new direction for the genius move that it is. You may not like the lack of jokes, but to say that this episode is anything short of brilliant is disregarding everything that science fiction as a whole has striven to achieve for decades.
This episode is the Orville's magnum opus. It beautifully executes the telling of a story that is extremely relevant both in the context of the show's world and, especially, in our own. Again, the jokes are not here like they are in seasons 1 and 2, but - and I can't stress this enough - they don't have to be! As a fan of this show, I have watched it reach both comedic and dramatic heights, but not until this episode have I seen it reach heights of cultural significance quite like this. The Orville hasn't always been concerned predominantly with making you fall out of your chair laughing, or with holding you on the edge of your seat in suspense, but it has ALWAYS been concerned with confronting the issues relevant to our culture through the lens of the universe. And this episode does that better than any other.
Have there been funnier episodes? Of course. Have there been more dramatic episodes? Yes. But this episode, more than any other, boldly confronts a divisive aspect of our culture - gender identity - in a beautiful and perfectly executed manner, which is precisely what the point this show has always been.
Cabbage Patch Kids: The New Kid (1996)
Nostalgia Bias
I used to watch this all the time as a kid. I had a copy of this and the rest of the Cabbage Patch Kids video series on DVD. Yes, most of my feeling on this special are based purely on nostalgia, but like, this is also a really good show. The doll-like animation style is super unique, and while it may not be for everyone, there's definitely something to find in it. The story, while obviously a generic 90s kids' special arc, is charming in that sense alone. The music is honestly brilliant and a fun aspect of the show, especially the closing number, though I'm not a huge fan of the ballad prior. The characters introduced in this special would not all carry over to the next videos, but the ones who do, like "the sisters," Barry, Travis, get a great introduction to the series.
This special is hard to find, and I'm lucky to have it on DVD. You should defintiely seek it out and enjoy it for the absolute 90s bliss that it is.