And Guest Starring…
The show ended and Tori turned down the sound on the TV as the credits rolled. There was a mindset from their years at HA that made them sit through the credits at movies and leave the credits to run on TV or streaming shows. Sikowitz was especially insistent, telling his classes that all the people involved in any production deserved recognition.
That didn't stop the group from talking after a show ended. This one was no different. Well, in truth, it was a little different. One of them was a guest star on this particular episode of The Orville.
The show, created and starring Seth MacFarlane, started as both a spoof and an homage to the Star Trek franchise. The spoofing was not a parody but a nudge-nudge teasing. With production handled by more than a few Trek veterans, it was funny, exciting, gripping and a decent SF series.
After three seasons on Fox, the show moved to the Hulu streaming network. Over the three previous seasons, the show kept it's fun overtones but became a more serious homage to Trek and actually a good stand-alone.
The first to speak was Beck, who was visiting his friends in L.A. He timed his visit to coincide with The Orville premier on Hulu. "That was a lot of fun. Nice change from the previous episode with the arachnid things."
"That one was scary," Cat added. Trina hugged her wife and whispered to her. "I know it's make-believe, Treen! Still it was creepy."
Andre brought the subject back, "That was great and you looked great in that costume. Motion capture?"
Rob and Courtney both nodded. They were so much in sync as a couple, it was scary. Whenever one said something but left it unfinished, the other one immediately finished the statement. The running joke was that they would state each other's vows when they finally got married later in the summer.
"It was really cool, like their version of…"
"… Q but much cuter."
"Yeah," Andre agreed. "You the new Q?"
Beck's wife, Phoebe, said, "If they ask you, you should do it. At least once more."
Cat cut in, "How'd they get rid of your boobs?"
Tori then chimed in, "Whoa, whoa, whoa… Slow down, people!"
Jade sat back, enjoying all the attention before she said, "I might be brought back. Seth mentioned it. He told me he was impressed with the idea of a Trelayne or Q who was so far above humanity that they could do anything that he had to introduce his version."
"How'd he pick you for the role? I don't remember you saying anything about auditions…"
Jade glanced at Andre. "Remember when I went on that short tour a few years ago with Seth and his jazz band? He loved that I knew old lounge and jazz pieces and could belt them out with the best of them. And he said he wanted to do something like this with me."
"Longest summer season for me ever," Tori moaned. Jade smiled and wrapped an arm around her girlfriend's shoulder.
Courtney asked, "Was the role written specifically for you?"
"Or did he just pick you after it was written?" Rob asked. He dropped the "-bie" when he dropped Rex. Courtney hated Rex and helped Rob get used to dealing with people without his wooden shield.
"Creepy how they do that, isn't it?"
"Man, Andre, I thought it was just me. You know, being up in Vancouver for so long…"
Phoebe, in her Aussie accent, said, "I think it's cute."
"What happened to your boobs?" Cat asked again.
"They were edited out using motion capture, weren't they?" Rob offered.
Courtney nodded. While it was rare, they didn't always finish each other's sentences.
"They didn't use motion capture. My costume was lit on a green screen stage to give it that diluted 'Tron' effect. By the way, Seth thought that line was hilarious and is trying to figure out how to work it into one of his shows."
"Tron effect! That's good," Andre said with a laugh.
"Are you in any more?" Courtney asked.
"Episodes this season?" Rob finished.
"No. The season is done but the show has got a fourth season. And I think it'll be on Dingo Plus now."
Cat persisted, "What happened to your boobs?"
"Is it just me or did Jade seem kinda flirty with Ed, the captain?" Beck suggested.
"Well, that's the character. And I wasn't just flirty with him but with the entire away team."
"Do I need to be jealous?" Tori asked.
Jade pulled her in for a kiss and said, "No. My heart is yours. Always."
Tori smiled happily.
"Tori here was a big help too!"
"Running lines?" Beck suggested.
"Rehearsing?" was Andre's offering.
"Staying out of the way?" Trina said from the front door.
Cat leaped up and ran to hug her wife, "TREEENNNAAA! I missed you! And you missed the show!"
The two kissed then walked into the condo, arms wrapped around each other. "Sorry, rehearsal on Victoriosa ran over. I couldn't get away. But I did see the show. Jade, you were pretty good." A significant pause and Tori held her hand out, palm up, in Trina's direction, "But I would've been fabulous!"
"Victorio?" Beck asked.
"No, Victoriosa. My latest telenovela. It's a comedy about high school students in a music school. I'm the lead teacher. There's already talk of doing an English version with the entire cast."
Cat humphed. "What about the boobs?!"
Trina kissed her and said, "They're fine, baby."
"So is HA your inspiration?" Rob asked.
"For the show?" Courtney finished.
"That's not creepy at all… Well, it's not my story but I have suggested some incidents. And, the female leads are slowly becoming a couple. This may be a first for Spanish-language TV where the stars become openly gay. Lesbian. Whatever."
Beck whispered to Jade and Tori, "Wow, Trina's mellowed out a lot since we were all in school."
"Cat's had a lot to do with it and her on-air work has helped too. A producer on an earlier show had a heart-to-heart with her about this show and… Bam! New Trina."
"So what did I interrupt?" Trina asked, sitting down and pulling Cat into her lap to cuddle.
"How Tori was helping Jade for the role."
Tori blushed and lowered her head onto Jade's shoulder while Jade said, "Well, the costume was pretty restrictive so Tori helped me out like she did with that damned hamburger. Then, afterwards, when we got home, she massaged all areas that were compressed too tightly. And I mean all! She's pretty good at that too…"
Jade finished with a wink to the hoots wolf whistles from the gang. Tori moaned into Jade's shoulder, "I'm going to kill you then I'm going to die…"
Cat chimed in again, "But what happened to your boobs?!"
Notes: Posting for Liz Gillies' birthday. And for her guest starring role on The Orville as Dinal in the third episode of the third season: Mortality Paradox.