‘The Orville: New Horizons’ Recap – ‘Twice in a Lifetime’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 306 of ‘The Orville: New Horizons’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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One particular question that comes up during the course of our lives… is that if we were given the chance to go back in time and stop someone from history from doing the harm they did, who would it be? Some of course, instantly cite Hitler as their target since the man was an outright monster. While others would prefer to save John F. Kennedy from dying to see how the world might have turned out with more of his leadership in place. Of course, others, might be keen to handle a more intimate monster they’ve known, or perhaps they just want to go back in time and keep Fred Trump from meeting his wife so the world could have been spared the embarrassment of Donald J. Trump. 
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But what matters more, is that each of us have a moment in time and a person in mind that we would be okay with removing from the equation in the hopes of keeping the world from suffering and this idea is so enthralling, it has become a staple of storytelling, where writers have taken the time to explore the potential of those changes in great detail. But what we don’t often think about… is flipping that question around, and we should. Because that could offer quality thought, especially if we pondered upon what would happen if our actions could directly impact creating a better tomorrow. Because that in its own right could be messy and difficult to face, especially if we had to hurt someone to make it happen and well… that particular concept is top of mind today, simply because it served as the central theme of this week’s episode of The Orville: New Horizons.

A feat that ‘Twice in a Lifetime’ accomplished by putting the crew of the Orville in quite the difficult spot. For Lieutenant Commander LaMarr and Isaac were able to make the Aronov Device that was introduced in ‘Old Wounds’ work in an even more efficient manner. To the point where it could serve as a true time travel device and well… the Kaylon got wind of this and were quick to attack and in the midst of a battle to keep it safe, the device was accidentally activated and it sent Lieutenant Malloy hundreds of years into the past, to 2015 to be exact. Prompting Ed to mount a rescue mission. But there was… just one problem with that, no… several. In that, the device used up the ship’s fuel before hitting the target date, dropping the ship in 2025 and prompting a secondary re-fueling mission to take place.

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But while Isaac and Ensign Burke handled that, Ed and Kelly made contact with Gordon and found themselves in a difficult spot with their old friend. Because he came to believe after a few years of isolation per Union guidelines, that his friends weren’t coming. So, he set out into the world and found Laura, the woman who enchanted him across time in ‘Lasting Impressions’, and married her and started a family with her. Plus, he even started a new career for himself as a pilot and well… being a family man at last and knowing that Ed and Kelly were there to rip him away from that… was unacceptable in his eyes and he fought tooth and nail and stay and that is what allowed for the exploration in question to come into play, since Ed was faced with one hell of a decision.
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In that, he could either break the rules… and give his old friend the happiness and joy he clearly found in life and potentially change the future greatly in the process. Or do whatever had to be done in order to stand by his duty as a Union Officer and preserve the timeline and well, the former option wasn’t one that Ed could live with. So once Isaac and Charly finished their mission and hashed out their differences as best as they could, courtesy of a fascinating gambit on Isaac’s part… Ed once again took the ship through time to rescue Gordon before any trouble could take place, allowing for the timeline to be preserved and for the crew to return home safely. But what matters most, is that in this instance, Ed’s decision made it clear that if one man’s happiness being set aside… would ensure peace and prosperity for billions… then that sacrifice should take place.

However, Ed’s close ties to Gordon and his reaction to this decision, didn’t make the simplicity of this decision easy for the viewer. Since there was real emotional gravity to this conundrum, which brought forth one incredible episode. Where Scott Grimes once again was able to show off his acting chops since he sold every emotional moment with a raw honesty that moved this writer to tears, and it also featured a bold and refreshing take on this age-old question. Not to mention, it was great to see Mark Jackson get to do his thing outside of the suit once again, and have a little fun in doing so, since Isaac and Charly’s storyline offered up some great comic relief. If anything, this episode is just another fine example of how The Orville: New Horizons is the smartest science fiction series out there and once again, we are left in awe and wonder of a series that is always happy to take risks in the name of great storytelling. Until next time.

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