History Recap / TheOrvilleS1E11NewDimensions

* ChangeTheUncomfortableSubject: When Gordon muses on how higher-dimensional beings may be observing them as they are observing 2-D space, specifically hinting at ADateWithRosiePalms, Mercer decides to just change the subject without confirming what Gordon is getting at.

* OrificeInvasion: Yaphit has to stick a tentacle down Bortus' throat to grab a piece of himself that Bortus ate by mistake. Bortus initially protests, but Claire notes it's faster than operating on him. Yaphit initially offers him a choice of orifice, too.

* UngratefulBastard: Mercer [[HeelRealization says he was basically this]] to Grayson in the episode's denouement in light of the revelation that she pulled strings for him. Instead of being grateful, he was, in his words, a "whiny bitch".

* TwoDSpace: The anomaly that damages the ship's engines, and that the ship and its crew are forced to travel through to hide from the Krill ships.

* IAteWhat: The teaser has Bortus accidentally eating a piece of Yaphit, thanks to a prank from Gordon and [=LaMarr=].

** [=LaMarr=] thinks he's totally unqualified to lead anyone, and grumbles such right after an excellent display of leadership, which Isaac clearly notices but doesn't comment on. Yet Kelly has faith that he has it in him.

* CharacterDevelopment: For [=LaMarr=]. Up until this point, he was just Gordon's BlackBestFriend who fooled around a lot on the job. Turns out he has a reason [[IJustWantToBeNormal for being so unassuming.]]

** [=LaMarr=] thinks he's totally unqualified to lead anyone, and grumbles such right after an excellent display of leadership, which Isaac clearly notices but doesn't comment on.

* RealitySubtext: Yaphit may have a point about him not getting the promotion because of bias but that anger probably should've been directed at show runner Seth MacFarlane. If all other things are equal, it IS cheaper to film J. Lee than it is to render the CG Yaphit and add him in post (of course, putting J.Lee in some fanciful alien world would be more expensive than Yaphit walking around the hallway but that obviously is everything beside the characters being equal).

* BiggerOnTheInside: The ship's engines are disabled partway through 2D space, so they have to use a shuttle to tow it to the nearest aperture into 3D space. Although the outside is flattened they devised another quantum bubble that keeps the inside in three dimensions. At one point Mercer even gives a ShoutOut to trope namer ''Series/DoctorWho'' while discussing this.

* HypocriticalHumor: [=LaMarr=] warns Mercer that the transition to 2-D space in the shuttle might be disorienting, only to vomit his guts out while Mercer doesn't feel a thing.

* {{Irony}}: It was Yaphit lodging an official complaint against [=LaMarr=] that was the cause for Grayson to look at his file, which resulted in her convincing Mercer to give him a chance to prove himself, which resulted in [=LaMarr=] getting the position of Chief Engineer that Yaphit would have otherwise moved in to.

* MeaningfulLook: After [=LaMarr=] deals with the engineering team's insulting of Yaphit he grumbles that maybe now people will believe he isn't suited to be in command. Isaac looks up from what he's doing and although he can't make expressions, he's clearly in disagreement.

** When discussing the BiggerOnTheInside example above it's likened to the TARDIS, Oscar's trash can, and Snoopy's doghouse.

* BiggerOnTheInside: The ships engines are disabled partway through 2D space, so they have to use a shuttle to tow it to the nearest aperture into 3D space. Although the outside is flattened they devised another quantum bubble that keeps the inside in three dimensions. At one point Mercer even gives a ShoutOut to trope namer ''Series/DoctorWho'' while discussing this.