One of the continuing arcs in The Orville is getting interesting now:
It's a curious inversion of the real world where one of the alien species, the Moclan, enforce rigid M-to-F transition on all girls born to their species as soon as possible after birth. There are various cultural traditions around this but this isn't just plan mysoginy. This is a cultural blanket assumption that females are in some way defective and which demands that they not exist within their own species (and be demeaned and mistreated in all other species as far as they can get away with). Last night, it got worse when it became plain that the very existence of a rogue colony of Moclan women and girls was threatening enough for their government to risk an interstellar war in order to eradicate them in some way.
The thing is that I now realise that Seth MacFarlane has cleverly started addressing transphobia by inversion. Instead of saying wanting to transition is somehow taboo, the Moclans believe that not transitioning is wrong and that non-transitioned women are an intrinsic threat to them. Just reverse the nature of the 'other' considered threatening and suddenly you see the position of transphobes being repeated in a sci-fi setting. We naturally are appalled at the Moclans' proposal for a 'solution' to the female problem on the Sanctuary colony so, we have to ask: Why are we not appalled by the otherwise-similar attitudes towards and proposed 'solutions' to RL trans* folk?
I think thats the beauty of the early star treks (TOS and TNG) is that they asked these kind of philosophical, sociological, and cultural questions through the lens of the crew and aliens. Usually the crew is on the other side of the debate as the Federation has already evolved to the point where the stuff we consider taboo today has already been resolved. Like the episode in TOS where the man with the white left side and black right side is chasing down a man with a black left side and white right side because he is a different "race" and is to be persecuted, only for the crew to scratch their head on why there is segregation based on skin color. Another example is in TNG where Riker meets aliens with no gender and develops a relationship with one that wants to have a gender. The crew again scratches their head on why people can't have the gender they want. The Orville seems to follow that tradition brilliantly and not just with the Moclans, however the Moclans do seem to be the go-to for discussions about gender, identity, relationships, and even trans issues.
I did think that the Moclans have too much pull on the council, strictly because they are the main weapons manufacturer in the Union. Thats a load of BS. And the fact they told the battlecrusier to abduct the woman before the council made a decisions just goes to show they do not respect the Union at all. The council needs to do something about the power the Moclans have over the entire union.
Also, I am patiently waiting for Bortus to divorce Klyden. And with his understanding of the crew's reaction to Klyden's divorce attempt the Moclan way, I am sure Bortus may resort to a more Union approach than Moclan. I just hope Topa stays with Bortus. Then again if he divorces Klyden the Moclan way, custody of Topa shouldn't be an issue, but his job may be in jeopardy.
Also also, props to a story about how Moclan's view woman as inferior (with Topa's behavior at the beginning of the episode) only to have Mercer leave the ship to put Kelly in charge and then for Kelly to go to the planet with Bortus to fight and leave Talla in charge of the ship. They gave the Moclans what for! I know its probably a narrative reason on why just Kelly and Bortus went down to the planet, but I am sure they could have brought more redshirts in the transport with them when they went down to the surface. Just thinking tactically is all.
Also also also, awesome having counselor Troi on the Orville as the new teacher! :-D