Much like John Carter and The Lone Ranger, The Orville seems to be one of those ventures that professional critics and fanboys alike hated before a single frame was viewed; it became cool to deride them.

Here are a few examples of why this criticism seems unfair. And a word of caution: everything from here on will be SPOILERS.

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Hive
Trade Paperback
Story by Brannon Braga
Script by Terry Matalas & Travis Fickett
Art by Joe Corroney
Ink Assists by Matt & Shawn Fillbach
Colors by Hi-Fi
Letters by Shawn Lee
Original Series Edits by Scott Dunboer
IDW Publishing
Release Date: March 27, 2013
Cover Price: $17.99 | Sale price: $9.88

The Star Trek: The Next Generation: Hive trade paperback collects the hit IDW mini-series from 2012, written by legendary Star Trek writer/producer Brannon Braga.

Script writers Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett take story writer Brannon Braga’s concept and carve together a passable script. What the big problem is, is that Braga tries to tell THE definitive Star Trek: The Next Generation story here, but it feels more like an expanded episode of the TV series. In short, The Borg has launched and finally taken over the Alpha Quadrant. All that stands between them and total domination is, of course, Jean-Luc Picard. Picard comes up with a plan to finish The Borg once and for all, but he needs help from another former Borg, Seven of Nine. Will they succeed? I think you know the really predictable answer to that.

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Hive #3
Story by Brannon Braga
Script by Terry Matalas & Travis Fickett
Art by Joe Corroney
Ink Assist by Matt Fillback & Shawn Fillback
Colors by Hi-Fi
Lettering by Shawn Lee
Edited by Scott Dunbier
Covers by Joe Corroney, David Messina & Ilaria Traversi
IDW Publishing
Release Date: December 19, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Hive #3 is the penultimate chapter in this 4-issue mini series that spans the Star Trek: The Next Generation era and beyond. The Federations in trouble, the Borg are everywhere and it ends with a pretty big shocker.

Once I started reading this, I realized just how much writer Brannon Braga loved time travel. Too much. Too much to the point where it hurts the story. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not bad, it’s just not good. While reading this issue I felt no sense of urgency, danger, or, well…anything. It felt like I was reading an old episode of TNG. The comic DOES have some good, true to character dialogue, but it’s just not firing on all cylinders. And as I stated, it does end with a pretty big shock ending, so I have high hopes for the next issue.