In a conversation with Forbes from 2017, "The Orville" creator Seth MacFarlane discussed the influence "Star Trek" has had on his life and personal philosophy, as well as how his love for the franchise led to the creation of his own spacefaring comedy series. As it turns out, the comedy writer originally wanted to helm an actual "Star Trek" show, but was dismissed by CBS, which controlled the franchise. In lieu of the real deal, MacFarlane decided to put his own spin on the core concept of "Star Trek: The Original Series."
For MacFarlane, the best thing about "Star Trek" was its focus on empathy. "I always loved that the phasers were set to stun," he said, later noting, "There was actually an ethical code, that it wasn't just about shooting faceless bad guys. It was about respect for life."
That same year, he spoke to The New Yorker, explaining how the "Star Trek" universe shaped the way things work on "The Orville," most notably its system of economics. Whether or not money exists on the former franchise has varied over the decades, but it's now established canon that humanity has moved beyond capitalism in future centuries. MacFarlane wanted that concept baked into his show from the start, saying, "It was important to take a cue from Gene Roddenberry that somehow we've gotten past money. Money can't be a factor. It's too primitive."
While "The Orville" is markedly different from and in no way connected to "Star Trek," the beloved franchise provided much of the DNA for the series MacFarlane considers his favorite work. It's not something the showrunner hides. In fact, he could hardly be prouder of it.
