Spoilers follow. You have been warned.

This week’s episode of The Orville took a step back from the action and tension of the last three episodes, and delivered a more character focused social commentary, in the vein of Star Trek Voyager or Next Generation. Oh, and we can’t forget to mention that it featured Tim Russ who played Tuvok on Star Trek: Voyager.

This review will not be a blow-by-blow recap of the episode, but rather, a breakdown of what made the episode tick.

An Exploration of Addiction

At it’s core, “Lasting Impressions” is a look at addiction. It’s all framed around the discovery of a time capsule from 2015. Gordon becomes intrigued by the discovery of a cellphone and Bortus becomes intrigued by the discovery of cigarettes. This is typical of most addictions, which usually begin with innocent intrigue.

Bortus becomes intrigued by the discovery of a cigarette.

When John figures out how to reactivate the phone, Gordon has the epiphany that contained within this device is more than just a record of history; it’s someone’s life. Up until this point, the time capsule was merely artifacts that gave them a little insight into a particular time period, but the phone, with all its personal messages and pictures represented the life of a real person who existed and didn’t want to be forgotten in the mass number of humans who have existed and will exist.

Gordon has the epiphany that contained within this device is someone’s life

This is a very noble and relatable motivation, but things become complicated when Gordon gets the computer to extrapolate a holographic simulation based on all the content in the phone, and meets the owner of the phone “in person”. Laura Huggins is a compelling character with hopes, dreams, aspirations and issues that anyone can relate to, regardless of time.

Laura Huggins is a compelling character that anyone can relate to, regardless of time.

I could nitpick about how easy it was for the computer to put together this simulation, but we really don’t have any previous canon to draw from to say whether or not this was too convenient.

Meanwhile Bortus and Clyden indulge in smoking for the first time, in innocent exploration (after Clyden eats the first one). This was a rather funny subplot for the episode.

Bortus and Clyden indulge in smoking for the first time

From Intrigue To Addiction

At the risk of sounding like Dr. Phil, the ultimate sign that something is a problem, is when it interferes with the natural course of your life. Running a simulation is one thing, even having coitus with holographic characters, but when Gordon synthesizes a phone and syncs it up to the simulator computer, the lines are blurred between simulation and reality. He is now able to continue his relationship with this girl in the real world, and while I am grateful to The Orville for giving me the visual of a 25th century Union officer using a cellphone on the bridge, that’s when you know your intrigue has become an addiction.

I am grateful to The Orville for giving me this visual

Bortus, likewise, brings his cigarette to work, inundating the bridge with second hand smoke. this, too, was a red flag.

Intervention

Well, you can’t tell a proper addiction story without an intervention. Ed and Kelly intervene in Bortus’ smoking situation when they discover how far gone it has become. The imagery of them walking into the quarters to find Bortus and Clyden smoking stacks of cigarettes was entirely satisfying to watch. Dr. Finn then has a serious talk with them about the danger of addiction.

Bortus and Clyden smoking stacks of cigarettes was entirely satisfying to watch.

Ed, Kelly, Talla and John attempt to intervene in Gordon’s holo-addiction after a pictionary party on the simulator. This intervention, however, doesn’t go so well. Gordon feels somewhat justified in his indulgence of the simulation because it’s not something he or someone else scripted; it’s literally the life of a real person. This was an interesting angle because while you can say that you are meeting this person almost exactly as they were, you still can’t deny the fact that it’s just a simulation, and the person is long dead. Gordon makes some decent arguments, especially the notion that Isaac is not that different from a hologram. However, when he attacks Ed for sleeping with a Krill, I think Ed hit the nail on the head when he said “She lied to me, I didn’t lie to myself. There’s a difference”.

Withdrawal

There were two withdrawal stories in the episode; one was voluntary and the other was forced.

Bortus and Clyden volunteered to withdraw from cigarettes, but the voluntary nature of the decision didn’t make it any easier, with Clyden sneaking out to the air lock to smoke, and Bortus hiding a factory’s worth of cigarettes in various locations around the quarters. This eventually led to a fight, because, well, I guess, they’re Moclans and that’s how most thing are resolved. Dr. Finn ultimately saves the day (and saves the rest of their quarters from destruction) with a medical solution.







While this was an easy solution, it worked well for this as the comedic subplot. Gordon and his A-plot however, was not so easy.

Gordon refused to terminate the relationship but soon had to come to grips with the fact that the simulation was extrapolated from the contents of the phone. the whole thing is based on Laura’s real life and as such, the course of her life cannot be altered; she hooks back up with her old boyfriend.

At first, Gordon seems to accept this, acknowledging that the data was all there in the phone and it was inevitable. However, in a move straight out of the Star Trek : Voyager playbook, he deletes the boyfriend from the simulation.

In a move straight out of the Star Trek : Voyager playbook, he deletes the boyfriend…

This doesn’t go well though, as he discovers that the boyfriend is a big part of what makes her Laura, so he can’t remove Greg without altering the life of the person he has fallen in love with. So, in true Orville musical style, he keeps a promise made to sing a duet with her, before withdrawing from the simulation altogether.

Conclusion

This reminded me of many TNG and VOY episodes that revolved around the holodeck, so I know it’s possible to tell some really heartfelt stories with holographic characters. However, I’ve never quite seen it done like this. Very nice unique touches throughout, like the phone that’s synced to the simulator and a very funny subplot. But all in all, the episode told a bigger story and made us think about bigger themes and it’s a home run for The Orville in my books.