Not only that but with an emasculated male character.

Nothing like a CGI space battle (with Orville-typical idiotic dialog) to make people forget they are being brainwashed.

Don't miss Part 2 - the American way saved by illegal aliens after the stupid, wimpy white guys fail, as usual.

Loved the series so far. I agree that the first episode is a lot about setting up for the rest of the series, but I love the actual character development and variety (rather than diversity). The one flaw

One of my favorite episodes is when the navigator is trying to teach the robot about practical jokes. The robot retaliates by cutting off the navigator's leg while he's sleeping.

Here is part of a serious Orville space battle to protect Earth,
https://youtu.be/cENOaERdJhc

You are accusing Fox of socialism. How novel. Not that I disagree, but I think that many others here would.

I agree with Solve: Keep watching past the first episode. I only watched Season One. It's like TOS but not trying to be taken too seriously. It gets more serious later without trying to be serious sci-fi with dark themes. I like it and will watch the next season when I have a chance.

In TOS, the main characters deliver absurd lines with total seriousness:
MCCOY: Take him where?
KIRK: In search of his brain, Doctor.
MCCOY: Jim, where are you going to look? In this whole galaxy, where are you going to look for Spock's brain? How are you going to find it?
KIRK: I'll find it.
MCCOY: Even if you do, I can't restore it.
KIRK: It was taken out. It can be put back in.
MCCOY: But I don't know how.
KIRK: The thief that took it has the knowledge. I'll force it out of her.

Orville is similar but it knows it's asking viewers to watch the show and not focus on the silliness of space opera premises.

A dumbed-down Cheers in space without Ted Danson's comic timing. Formula sitcom transferred to a space ship in an attempt to get viewers who like sci-fi. On top of that "winning formula" it's another socialist propaganda vehicle.

The Orville has some really great episodes, some on par with the Star Trek movies, but I don’t remember the first episode being one of them.