A Planetary Step

***A Planetary Step*** is the name of a fan film series by Eric Moran of Together Brothers Productions. The franchise started with the pilot film *A Planetary Step*, directed by Jason Richardson of J1 Studios. The pilot premiered on YouTube, April 7, 2020.

Afterward the success of the pilot, Eric Moran, Brian Terranova, and Jason Griffin collaborated to produce a fan series of the same name, which premiered on November 20, 2020.

## *A Planetary Step:* *The Pilot Episode*

The original movie *A Planetary Step* was written by Eric Moran, Brian Terranova, and Justin Poole of Egotastic FunTime and directed by Jason Richardson. Justin Poole joined as David's friend Alex and as the narrator.

### Plot

Lorraine Emmett greets Commander David Gerald in his office, elated to be be promoted to captain of the USS *Starlight*. The Planetary Union's admiralty has offered David a similar promotion four times, but he turned them down each time. David is riddled with self-doubt, worried that the offers were extended merely because his powerful father pulled strings behind the scenes on his behalf. Lorraine cautions that if he continues to decline command, Planetary Union Central will stop offering the job.

David calls his friend Alex. Alex is excited to hear that Admiral Perry offered him captaincy of the USS *Eisenberg*. David begins to speak about his self-doubt again, but Alex cuts him off and emphasizes that he is more than qualified for command.

David calls Perry and accepts command of the Eisenberg.

## *A Planetary Step* (Pilot)

### Writer

Eric MoranBrian Terranova

Justin JP Pool

### Composer

Adam Mullen

After the success of *A Planetary Step* movie, the team re-organized under Eric Moran and added new cast and crew members to make a fan television series on the internet.

The main theme consists of the USS *Eisenberg* (ECV-169) flying through space as title credits play, highly reminiscent of *The Orville*'s main theme.

### *The Send Off*

The episode cold open replays highlights from the original movie before jumping to November 2422. Aboard the Eisenberg, which is docked in space, Julian McCollum asks Lieutenant Commander Jes Tyler for a report before ship begins its inaugural voyage. Jes states that most systems are ready, albeit with some hiccups. Julian is skeptical she adjusted the inducers, but Admiral Minard interrupts Jes to say that the Planetary Union is eager to send the Eisenberg off because the ship is the first in a new class.

As soon as the admiral leaves, David Gerald, now captain of the Eisenberg, calls. Jes states that the crew is ready to rendezvous with him on Earth. Julian wishes Jes good luck before Jes orders the bridge to fly to Earth, but the ship goes to red alert as soon as it takes off - Jes had forgotten to adjust the inducers. A quick fix, and the Eisenberg takes off again.

Once the Eisenberg reaches Earth, David hails Shuttlecraft 1 from just outside Planetary Union Central in New York City. Before he leaves, Admiral Perry approaches to wish him well. David takes his place in the captain's chair on the bridge. Once Engineering reports the quantum drive is ready, he states, "Let's make history."

### *No Strings to Hold Me Down*

David is transformed into a puppet after mistakenly walking over an Algarfian glyph of ascension. The glyph was a device used in ancient times as a rite of passage for juvenile Algarfians.

The situation is kept quiet by the government due to its religious sensitivity. While most Algarfians are non-religious, some cling to an antiquated prophecy that an outsider would one day come to the planet and appear as an Algarfian. Meanwhile, government officials determine that the captain has three hours to reverse the transformation lest it become permanent.

The reversal is a success, and the captain is returned to his duties. At the end of the episode, Lorraine shows up as a puppet herself, evidently having walked over the glyph.

### *One Has to Expect Death in War*

David enters the Environmental Simulator and runs a program, a simulated man named Frankie, sitting in a chair and smoking a chair. Frankie calls David his "old friend," but immediately berates David for small grievances. After a brief argument, Frankie says that he knows that David ran the program because he has problems that he does not feel comfortable discussing with "real people."

David admits he has been seeing faces, including a new one. His problem began with a mission on Vancadiv, where his orders lead to the death of many Planetary Union officers. During that mission, he remembers sheltering in a bunker during a Kaylon attack when he found a mysterious man hiding. The man protested his innocence, but when he motioned towards a Plasma Pistol, David shot and killed him. David cannot remember the man's face, and he begins to cry over the guilt he feels.

David recounts that Lorraine entered and identified the unknown man as a civilian. Val-Dor entered, injured and limping. Frankie encourages David to move past his "baggage," then urges David to continue his story.

Lorraine tried to placate David, but Val-Dor pointed out that if David had not shot the man, all three of them would likely have died. David confesses to Frankie that even though the mission to Vancadiv was a success thanks to recovering an 'item,' he is still plagued by self-doubt, and Frankie (appearing as the mysterious man) responds, "That's the burden of command."

Frankie tells David to tell his friends what he is thinking, but David refuses. Just then, Lorraine and Val-Dor interrupt, leading to a humorous conversation and providing David an opportunity to avoid dealing with his problems.

## Production

A mini-documentary *The Making of 'A Planetary Step'* was released on April 10, 2020 featuring interviews with the actors and the director Jason Richardson.

According to writer Eric Moran, the purpose of *A Planetary Step* was to encourage others to make fan films of The Orville.

## Trivia

* The movie is dedicated to Aron Eisenberg and Rene Auberjonois, two *Star Trek: Deep Space Nine* actors who died shortly before the film's release.
* The USS *Eisenberg* is named after Aron Eisenberg, an old friend of writer Eric Moran.
* It is not clear whether the Admiral Perry seen on screen is meant to be the same Admiral Perry in the television show played by Ted Danson.
* The story bears similarities to the episode *New Dimensions*; David is hesitant to accept a promotion as John LaMarr was, while his self-doubt is similar to that which Ed Mercer experienced following the revelation that Admiral Tom Halsey offered him command of the USS *Orville* only after Kelly Grayson put in a good word for him.

### Timeline

* The movie is set after the Kaylon conflict, which began in January 2421.
* *The Send Off* takes place in November 2422.

### References

* The title, *A Planetary Step*, refers to the new step in David Gerald's career in the Planetary Union as captain.
* In the episode *The Send Off*, Tyler reports that the deflectors use "modified Krill technology" and "not even a tree could stop [them]." This is a joke based on the events in *Old Wounds* where a redwood tree pierces the hull of a Krill destroyer.

## Cast

### *A Planetary Step* movie

* Eric Moran as David Gerald
* Joe Colton as Lorraine Emmett
* Justin Poole as Alex
* Justin Poole as Narrator
* John Royster as Admiral Perry

### *A Planetary Step* television series

* Eric Moran as Capt. David M. Gerald
* Jason Griffin as Julian McCollum
* Jamila Howard as Lt. Cmdr. Jes Tyler
* M. Hammerhand as Lt. Thomas Hall
* William Jay as Cmdr. Gabriel Williams
* Kelly Davis as Lt. Val-Dor
* Adya Moran as Dr. Lori Greene
* John Royster as Adm. Perry
* Vance Owen as Adm. Minard
* Justin "JP" Poole as Lt. Cmdr. Alex Stevens
* Joe Colton as Capt. Lorraine Emmett
* Adam Mullen as Shuttle Pilot
* Robert Franzese as Frankie King
* Randy Booz as Faceless Man
* Brian Terranova as The Other Guy

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 TALKING THE ORVILLE SPECIAL LIVE STREAM | A Planetary Step 'Splosion. Egotastic FunTime. May 16, 2020.