This review of The Orville: New Horizons contains spoilers.

The Orville: New Horizons Season 3 Episode 8

When Den of Geek spoke to the creative team of The Orville: New Horizons, director Jon Cassar, and executive-producers David A. Goodman and Brannon Braga spoke of how many of the episodes in this third season felt like making small films. There is no doubt “Midnight Blue” is the ultimate example of that creative approach.

This third season has far surpassed the outreach of the previous two outings of The Orville in terms of scope, scale, and more importantly: social commentary. Only three episodes ago, in “A Tale of Two Topas”, the show dealt with an immensely important and topical issue when Topa (Imani Pullum), felt unhappy in their existence. While Topa had the support of one of her fathers, Bortus (Peter Macon), they truly only found themselves when they transitioned to female and once again claimed who she is.