Ep 1. Ja'loja

Following the success and fan fare of its debut season, The Orville is back with a brand new season 2, and its premiere episode, Ja'loja, sets the tone and heightens the excitement for what's to come.

Ja'loja opens up with the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Claire Finn, taking a much-needed vacation from the USS Orville and spending some time with her family on her home planet, Xelaya. While she's there, she's reminded of the complexities and beauty of her race's biological makeup, which makes her re-think some of her own personal choices.

Meanwhile, the ship's captain, Ed Mercer, is grappling with his own personal demons as his ex-wife Kelly decides to take her own personal leave to focus on her career. The tensions don't end there as the main premise of the episode is the marriage of the Xelayan received aboard the Orville, their Navarian equivalent to the human tradition of a birthday. It's a highly choreographed and formal event that's taken on a much different meaning for one of the ship's crew members.

Ja'loja is a multi-dimensional, character-driven adventure that brings us closer to the inner workings of the crew and the decisions that have shaped who they are. It's a perfect jumping-off point for those who are just discovering the show, as well as a welcome return for fans who are eager to dive back into the lives of their favorite characters.

The season 2 premiere of The Orville was certainly worth the wait and sets up what could be an incredibly exciting sophomore season full of action, adventure, and thrills.