Before the Orville, there was another Star Trek (spoof). The proposed show was called Star Patrol. Heck, they even wear blue uniforms similar to the Orville and Discovery. I had no idea this TV pilot even existed until yesterday. There are a few funny jokes, but overall the show isn’t funny. And, the Me Too-ed stuff is a bit creepy. And, there is an underage joke thrown in that doesn’t sit well today.
They pitched The Orville as a spoof of Trek, but it turned into its own thing, leaving behind many of the jokes. This show was going to be a sitcom, without the laugh track, through and through it seems. Anyway, I discovered this strange pilot over at the podcast site Drop the Pilot. Make sure to listen to their entry on this strange artifact.
-Jonathan Frakes directed this pilot: Yes, one of the best Trek directors directed this thing.
-This pilot was proposed to the FOX network:
-Jason Alexander is a major Trek fan: He actually showed up in an episode of VOY as well.
-The lead actor is named Charles Rocket: Yes, his name is Rocket. Kind of funny. The kicker is he’s been in Star Trek and Star Wars franchises. Was his name made up? Rocket passed away back in 2005 with his throat cut. I am not making this up.