Loving the ALIEN
MARK JACKSON returns as fan favourite isaac in seth Macfarlane’s space romp
NEW SCI-FI COMEDY The Orville
Thursday, FOX HD, 9pm
THE CREW OF THE USS Orville report back for duty this week when the sci-fi comedy returns for more mirthful missions around the cosmos 400 years into the future.
Among those back on board is science and engineering officer Isaac, an artificial life form from the planet Kaylon-1, who took on the role in order to observe and understand the human race.
In the first season the deadpan alien grappled with such concepts as sex, pet cats and bedtime stories – while misunderstanding the human fondness for ‘pranks’ when he amputated a crewmate’s leg while he was sleeping.
‘It’s a joy to watch Isaac trying to understand the universe around him. He’s a fast learner, but he still struggles to grasp the human condition,’ says Mark Jackson, the British actor who plays him.
‘We learn more about Isaac in the new season – things about his past and where he has come from. I grew up in Holland, and the Dutch are very forthright, like Isaac. I am fond of him in that way.’
The show received mixed reviews when it debuted in 2017, but was an immediate hit with viewers. ‘The critics were very sniffy at first,’ says Jackson. ‘I remember reading reviews of the first episode and thinking, “Well, that was a nice chapter of my life. Let’s get on with the next project.”
‘But the fans responded so warmly. It’s the kind of show that people hadn’t seen for a while. It’s adventurous, funny and moving
– a winning formula.’
ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES
To play Isaac, Jackson is encased in a headpiece and costume – ‘like a zip-up onesie’ – so it’s no surprise he is rarely recognised in the street.
‘Because most people don’t know I’m Isaac, I’ll often hear them talking about the show in front of me,’ he laughs. ‘I don’t mind not being recognised – it can be a blessing and a curse for an actor.’
Like creator Seth Macfarlane, who also plays Orville captain Ed Mercer, Jackson is a big Star Trek fan, and still gets a thrill from the show’s new planets and aliens.
‘I love the various studios we have full of different planets
– from jungles to moonscapes,’ he says. ‘You could encounter a six-legged alien or a shuttle crash site that our genius design team have whipped up overnight. The possibilities are endless.’