The Orville has incorporated many elements from the Star Trek franchise, but there's one facet of the iconic sci-fi universe that Seth MacFarlane's space opera has avoided. Although The Orville isn't set at any point in the Star Trek timeline, the intentional similarities between the two have inevitably caused them to become intertwined in popular culture. All the ideas The Orville borrowed from Star Trek helped the former become much more accessible from the beginning. However, there's still one big thing missing from The Orville that would complete its Star Trek tribute.

The tech and alien races in the Star Trek universe are some of the most recognizable in sci-fi. The Orville has made a conscious effort to ensure it has a counterpart for many of Star Trek's famous elements. Despite evolving into an impressively dramatic saga in its own right, The Orville did begin as a loving parody of Star Trek,...