Now that Ted Season 2 has hit the 2026 TV schedule and is available to stream with a Peacock subscription, fans had better enjoy it. Unfortunately, it seems like it's going to be the final season of the comedy series. As a fan of the hilariously raunchy show, recent comments from Seth MacFarlane have me bummed. However, as a fan of The Orville, I'm feeling hopeful, and other franchise devotees should be as well.

Despite whispers that The Orville Season 4 would be in production in 2025, the year came and went without any meaningful updates. That may change in 2026, however, as MacFarlane's latest comments about Ted may ultimately lead to his sci-fi series making a big return.

Seth MacFarlane Reveals The Unfortunate Reason Ted Season 3 Likely Won't Happen

Ted Season 2 provides a lot of laughs, but it seems it would cost too much to make more episodes. Seth MacFarlane confirmed as much to The Wrap, sharing what he heard from Peacock:

It seems all the people watching Ted online don't exactly equal the cost of animating the titular stuffed bear in addition to the show's other financial production obligations. This includes an AI-generated shot of Seth MacFarlane as former President Bill Clinton, which the creator told Variety was the only way to effectively make him resemble the former leader.

Season 3 of Ted is so unlikely that MacFarlane continued to say that the ending of Season 2 is meant to be a lead-up to the beginning of the movie. But is there any kind of wiggle room should those decision-makers at Peacock and Universal change their minds? The veteran writer and producer explained:

It's a shame to see a series potentially end due to high costs, especially since I think Ted's TV prequel is arguably better than the movies that preceded it. With all of this in mind, I am still grateful that a second season happened at all. Who knows, maybe it will get a surprise renewal. All the while, there's another part of this situation to consider.

Does Ted Ending Open The Door To The Orville Season 4?

If Ted is ending, I think The Orville's fans should be paying attention to what Seth MacFarlane is up to next. The creator recently updated that he's finished writing Season 4, with over three years having passed since the Season 3 finale.

Disney and Hulu have kept the series in limbo since then, refusing to either cancel or renew the sci-fi romp for a new season. With a new season written and Ted seemingly canceled, it seems MacFarlane may finally has an opening in his schedule to return to star and potentially direct a new season.

A big question, of course, is if he'll be able to get the cast of The Orville back together. While some, like longtime collaborator Scott Grimes, feel like a shoo-in to return, others have vocally expressed reservations about returning. Adrianne Palicki specifically cited the long wait for production in Season 3 as why she'd be apprehensive to return but also said she'd be open to a conversation if MacFarlane called her.

All this to say, Ted ending frees up Seth MacFarlane's schedule, but there is still plenty of work to be done. It's still unclear just how interested Disney and Hulu are in a potential new season, though the fact that MacFarlane has written the entire season does signify confidence. I'm not getting my hopes up for a new season just yet, but I do feel more optimistic about one than I have in a long time.

Watch Ted over on Peacock, while The Orville is available to stream over on Hulu, or with its add-on over at Disney+. I hate that one show could come at the cost of another, but let's just hope we don't get to the end of this year and there are zero updates on both.

The Orville’s lifespan has been anything but easy and smooth. After two seasons on Fox, the best Star Trek series that isn’t actually a Star Trek series moved to Hulu, and while that was a positive on the whole, according to creator and star Seth MacFarlane, it’s been over four years since that third season, which is a long time even in the modern streaming era. At the same time, the show has never been officially cancelled, giving fans reason to continue holding out hope that a new season will one day arrive.

At an event for MacFarlane’s other streaming series, Ted, which launches its second season this week (via Peacock subscription), the actor and writer was asked by THR about the show’s fate. The good news is that Season 4 of The Orville is apparently done, at least as far as scripts go. Unfortunately, that doesn’t actually mean the show will definitely be going into production anytime soon. MacFarlane said:

As a fan of The Orville, the first sentence there certainly says a lot, which is really good news. Up until now, it really wasn’t clear if there was really a chance of another season of The Orville or not. While some Orville cast members indicated production was expected to start already, it never actually did. It was far from clear what was causing the holdup, and fans weren't even fully sure if there was a creative direction to move in.

Now it’s clear that Hulu wants the show, and MacFarlane has written the episodes that will make up the season. That would normally indicate a TV show is in the early stages of production. Unfortunately, Seth MacFarlane still has one problem: himself. He fully admits that he is the bottleneck. He simply has so many projects going right now that he doesn’t know when he’ll have the time to focus on this one. He explained:

As much as it's wonderful to hear that The Orville’s new season is written, this follow-up does not give one confidence. If there was any sort of a plan for when the show might start filming, he’d likely say so, which means that while the show has scripts, those scripts aren’t going in front of cameras anytime soon.

At the same time, it’s difficult to imagine that 10 completed scripts will simply never be filmed. As of now, The Orville is getting another season, and that clarification is good news. I just hope we don’t have to wait another four years for it.

Seth MacFarlane’s The Orville , availablewith a Hulu subscription, started life as a comedic take on classic Star Trek, and while it never lost the humor, over the course of three seasons, the show became a loving homage to the sci-fi franchise, complete with the same positive and inspirational message. A show with such unbridled optimism is somewhat rare today, which is exactly why MacFarlane says he made it.

Appearing on the Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast, hosted by Orville cast member Ted Danson, Seth MacFarlane says he specifically created The Orville as a sort of counterbalance to the rest of television, which he says is too pessimistic. MacFarlane said:

It’s difficult to argue with Seth MacFarlane’s assessment. Optimistic just isn’t a word you would use to describe most shows on television right now. Those shows are still good. MacFarlane himself calls out the dystopian The Handmaid’s Tale by name as a show that he says he loves, but he just thinks there are too many shows that take its same approach,

Seth MacFarlane clearly believes that Hollywood has the power to influence people, but he thinks there’s too much focus on stories that are about characters and worlds that we should try to avoid. He thinks we should also get stories about heroes that we want to be and about worlds that we may be able to live in if people make the right choices. MacFarlane continued:

MacFarlane actually uses the old He-Man cartoon series as an example of a show that gave him the sort of aspirational message that he now thinks is lacking in pop culture. He-Man would occasionally save his own enemies, because he knew that was the right thing to do. MacFarlane doesn’t think we have as many heroes on screen who act as examples of the sort of people we should want to be.

In the end, Seth MacFarlane feels that making those positive stories is something Hollywood should be doing because he believes the industry can impact people in a positive way. While some celebrities try to effect change by speaking out politically, MacFarlane says that doesn’t really work because people don’t care. What people care about are the stories those celebrities tell. He said:

Of course, without The Orville making new episodes, we are without that optimistic viewpoint once again. Interestingly, MacFarlane references a potential Season 4, saying it has yet to be made, which would seem to indicate that might be happening. There were been reports of The Orville Season 4 going into production this year, though it's unclear if another season will ever actually happen. It certainly would be nice to have that optimistic voice again.

The Orville was allegedly supposed to kick off pre-production for Season 4 in 2025, but with over half the year having passed, we're back to wondering if the show will remain in limbo. My perspective on that hasn't exactly changed after executive producer and director Jon Cassar celebrated the anniversary of the awesome Season 3 finale, but it's the fan responses that gave me hope new episodes will eventually get made.

In addition to his duties as a producer, Cassar is the most prolific director on The Orville, and he recently noted that it's been three years since the last episode of the series was first made available with a Hulu subscription. Check out the post below, which had me in my feels after reading the final sentence:

Based on the comments from fans on the post, it sounds like the answer to Jon Cassar's question is a resounding "Yes." An impromptu X poll isn't enough to secure a fourth season, but hopefully the positivity gets noticed by the powers that be.

Plenty of comments addressed the possibility of a fourth season, with much optimism that "Future Unknown" is not the series finale:

• Heard constant buzz about s4. Is it happening? - @thegeeksreviews
• Still holding out hope for season 4. One of my favorite shows ever. Thank you for the fantastic work you guys did. - @TheImpossebulls
• Three years already? That’s insane. We need season 4. - @SonOfAWookiee
• I miss it immensely and look forward to its triumphant return. 🥳 - @xeow

The hope is still strong amongst fans that once Seth McFarlane is done with The Naked Gun (which CinemaBlend praised in our review) and whatever other projects he has cooking in the background, work will eventually continue on The Orville. In case there was any doubt, some wanted to express they still miss the series, if not as much as the ones who worked on it:

I'm not surprised that The Orville fandom is still as hungry for Season 4 as ever, though I'm not all that sure if we'll ever see it happen. While there's been plenty of optimism that new episodes are definitely in play, stars like Adrianne Palicki have hinted they may not be up to return after how the wait went for Season 3.

Part of the reason The Orville has taken so long to make just 33 episodes is that Seth MacFarlane wants to write and direct the series. At the same time, he's doing voice work for his animated shows and working on other big projects both in film and television. That means work on The Orville is halted until he has the time for it, and it's hard to blame the cast for not wanting to stick around until he has time to work on it.

Hilariously enough, there was even one fan who was willing to be the new "Kelly" in the comments if the need arose:

Personally, I would just like an answer one way or another. If Disney and Hulu are not interested in more episodes of The Orville, then just cancel it and let the series rest so we can mourn. If it is happening, maybe Seth MacFarlane and others can problem solve on how exactly we can get a realistic timetable on its arrival and how to bring it back. I'm sure that's easier said than done, or we still wouldn't be waiting on news three years later.

The Orville is available to stream both on Hulu and Disney+. I think we're all due for a rewatch at this point, if only to get someone higher up at the network to remember the series exists!

It took a long time to get there, but a release date was finally revealed a while back for the final season of Stranger Things, arguably the biggest upcoming Netflix show that we know about. Better late than never, though there's been no shortage of jokes that several of the "kids" of the show have been full-blown adults for a while now, a consequence of taking nearly a decade to finish a series. While not everyone has a problem with that, there are some vocal netizens who do, including fans of The Orville.

Stranger Things will end alongside 2025 as a whole after taking nearly a decade to bring the spooky and twisty series to its conclusion. As a user on X pointed out, however, that time frame has not resulted in a ton of episodes. In fact, it's far less than one might expect, if we weren't already painfully aware of how little content we've seen from the series over the years. For those who don't remember, take a look:

To immediately clarify: a fair amount of pushback followed this response in the replies, perhaps by those who were more spellbound than others by the massive Season 5 trailer. So the fandom isn't in danger or dissoving or anything.

That said, I wouldn't point to the above complaint as a hot take either, because there was no shortage of tweets supporting this stance, and readers frustrated that they've only seen a relative handful of episodes with their Netflix subscription, as opposed to a more consistent release schedule:

• The time between seasons is the worst part. I forget a lot of what happened between seasons - @terifcus
• don't even remember what happened - @vladdwavy
• Absolutely awful. I don’t mind high quality and a lower number of episodes, but waiting 3+ years between each season? Come on. They use to crank out 22 episodes in a year with ANOTHER season starting the next year. Surely with good planning they can do 6 - 8 episodes a year - @JoshAquilaDev
• Can you imagine the show 24 today? It would have to be called 6. Besides, between "days," Jack Bauer would age two or three years. - @NeurusC
• It all went downhill once the 10 episodes per season thing took over - @germankontakt

Fans of The Orville were definitely present in the comments, too, noting Stranger Things isn't the only show on streaming to take a long time to release episodes. Fans are still waiting on confirmation or denial that Season 4 is happening, and Alex Hollings explained how frustrating that is for fans:

As someone still trying to make heads or tails of every star's opinion on whether The Orville Season 4 is happening, it's a pain I know all too well. It's undeniable that we've gotten some quality shows with much higher budgets than we would've gotten in the traditional days of television. That said, there has to be a middle ground where we can still get quality shows with a somewhat reasonable timeline for release, right?

Catch the beginning of the end of Stranger Things on Netflix beginning on November 26th. CinemaBlend has the full release schedule for the final season for those having trouble keeping it straight, and our staff will be so excited to see this fun series finally come to a close.

As we roll into summertime on the 2025 TV schedule, sci-fi fans are still wondering when we'll get news on The Orville Season 4. Adrianne Palicki's latest update suggested it may not happen, which contradicts Scott Grimes' announcement last year that the show would be in development. As we wait for more (or any) answers, why not revisit Star Trek's Jonathan Frakes talking about how the series nailed the style of The Next Generation?

Frakes, who has become a Star Trek legend both behind and in front of the camera, spoke at Indiana Comic Con about The Orville and had nothing but love for Seth MacFarlane's series. Collider reported on the legend talking about his time directing on the series, as well as the others from Trek who have helped out on the show:

He didn't even mention that Penny Johnson Jerald appeared on both Star Trek and The Orville, but that might be because she detests comparisons between the two. Even so, it's hardly a secret that Seth MacFarlane's series leaned heavily on the formula that made The Next Generation so successful, and that he himself is a huge fan of Trek. In fact, MacFarlane was once an extra on the cast of Enterprise, which came at the tail-end of the TNG era.

Those who love The Orville are likely aware of the Star Trek influence, and the number of franchise stars from the latter who have made their way to the series. Unfortunately, the series has wound up in the same position as the original Trek series, with an unsure future following three seasons that are available to stream with a Disney+ subscription.

If there's any consolation, Seth MacFarlane set up Season 3 so that the series could continue and have a conclusive ending. The penultimate episode featured some major developments that a new season would likely cover, while the season finale provided a wrap-up point for the characters that could serve as a series finale if needed.

Despite that, I think it's fair to say that many are frustrated with the situation, and wondering why Disney or Hulu hasn't announced anything about whether The Orville is renewed or canceled. We recently passed the three-year mark since Season 3 concluded, and fans were waiting for an answer on Season 4 long before that. I'd like to say I'm optimistic we'll get some sort of update on it when San Diego Comic-Con happens this year, but honestly, I'm kind of expecting it to be ignored yet again.

Continue to enjoy The Orville on Disney+ and Hulu, and maybe we'll eventually get some news from either streamer about whether it'll come back for a new season. As for Star Trek, it's over on Paramount+, and there's no shortage of upcoming Trek shows on the way for sci-fi fans to enjoy.

We're well into the year at this point and, while I didn't expect Season 4 of The Orville to be on the 2025 TV schedule, fans were expecting some official news about its status. Cast member Scott Grimes revealed in the summer of 2024 that Season 4 production would start this year, and yet it's almost May and we still haven't heard any updates on what's happening. Now, Adrianne Palicki is suggesting the exact opposite is happening and that the odds of Seth MacFarlane's sci-fi show returning for Season 4 are slim.

Palicki spoke to MovieWeb at the Dallas International Film Festival ahead of the premiere of her latest movie, The Salamander King. On the topic of whether or not she'll return as Kelly Grayson on The Orville, Palicki shared an answer that now likely isn't what people want to hear if they're hoping to watch Season 4 with a Disney+ subscription anytime soon:

It seems the actress is just as in the dark on whether a new season will happen as we are and, to me, that doesn't sound like good news for The Orville. It also doesn't sound like bad news either, because she's merely stating that she has no idea whether or not a new episodes are being made. Basically, if you've suspected that work on the sci-fi dramedy's forth season hasn't begun or isn't far along, I would imagine that Palicki's comments reflect that.

It's strange that Adrianne Palicki hasn't heard anything about The Orville since the writer's strike but, in fairness, this isn't the first time she's expressed some apprehension about returning to the sci-fi series. Palicki previously confessed she was unsure about doing another season due to Seth MacFarlane's lengthy writing process Season 3.

I think it's possible that Seth MacFarlane is quietly writing Season 4 of The Orville and may be waiting until that project is complete before contacting the cast to share the details. It probably best benefits the actors to have their schedules open rather than waiting around for the scripts to be ready, as they did between the end of Season 2 and the start of Season 3.

Regardless of what may be happening behind the scenes, I can't help but be confused and bummed out about this latest update. It feels like we've taken a step back in what we know about the fourth season, and it seems unlikely we'll ever get some answers about what happens after the finale. Hopefully, we'll receive an update from MacFarlane or another series alum soon and that it makes me feel more hopeful that we haven't seen the last of this show.

You can stream The Orville now on either Disney+ or Hulu. If you're a loyal fan still streaming in hopes it'll lead to a renewal, keep fighting the good fight as we await further updates for the sake of clarity on the series' future.

The Orville: New Horizons Season 3 pushed the franchise to the next level, and when it ended, there was a lot of optimism we'd watch Season 4 with our Disney+ subscriptions before too long. It seems clear at this point it's not going to be a part of the 2025 TV schedule, but there was reason to be optimistic about it eventually returning.

Beyond the fact that The Orville Season 3 ended in a way that opened the story up to more adventures, some news from a cast member last year hinted we should be hearing an update on Seth MacFarlane's sci-fi series pretty soon. Let's revisit what we know and what it means for the new year.

Scott Grimes Claimed The Orville Would Enter Pre-Production For Season 4 In 2025

Some may not remember, but The Orville last aired in August 2022, and we've been desperate for details on a renewal since then. Granted, before Season 3 even came around, rumors about the show's cancellation had fans on edge, though such rumors were later refuted. There was a lot of hope from actors, along with encouraging words from Seth MacFarlane, but it wasn't until August 2024 that star Scott Grimes shared the most promising Season 4 news.

Grimes, during a singing performance at Star Trek Las Vegas, announced The Orville would enter pre-production for Season 4 in "early 2025." While no official confirmation has surfaced since to support his claims, the actor has worked so closely with Seth MacFarlane over the years on American Dad and Peacock's Ted in addition to his role on the sci-fi show, so it seemed his ear-to-the-ground would be a good source of reliable expectations. That said, the fact that neither MacFarlane or Disney has confirmed Season 4 remains disappointing, though not entirely unexpected.

When Will We Get News About The Orville: New Horizons?

Assuming Scott Grimes wasn't innocently mistaken, pre-production very well could be in its earliest stages. The Orville hasn't streamed a new episode in two years, but it's been out of production even longer. This would be the time where Seth MacFarlane & Co. iron out storylines, secure cast members who can return to the fold (since some may not be up to return), and figure out how to utilize whatever budget the producters will have to work with this season.

If and when all that's settled, filming could start later in 2025. Is all of this going to be decided in early January? Not unless the majority of it was set in stone while Season 3 was still being crafted.

. All of that said, I would expect some patience and wouldn't expect to see actors on sets or anything of that nature for quite some time. If this news is true, and I don't think Scott Grimes would have a reason to lie or even tell fans anything he wasn't sure about, maybe Disney or Seth MacFarlane will make more formal announcements in the coming weeks and finally confirm that The Orville Season 4 is happening.

At this point, I would just be thrilled to hear it's not canceled, and hopefully, we'll get that confirmation before this summer. Or, it'll all fall apart, and we'll hear it's canceled. Or, there's a third option, which is that the show is kept in limbo, but I'm sick of that phase, so I'm hoping for any reality other than that.

Until confirmation, The Orville is available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu. If fans start watching the show en masse, it may rush along the approval process and get the ball rolling faster.

It's been a while since fans have heard any updates regarding whether or not The Orville has been cancelled or renewed for Season 4. Creator and star Seth MacFarlane has repeatedly given fans hope that it will return. However, given his busy work schedule, there have been some big questions in terms of how long avid viewers might have to wait to see the new episodes. Now, we have what appears to be a massive update from series star Scott Grimes, and I'm so excited and hopeful that this will pan out.

There's no word of The Orville popping up on the 2024 TV Schedule, which is likely disheartening to fans who are Hulu subscription holders. Yet it would seem that there's good news when it comes to a timetable for the series' next chapter. Here's what Scott Grimes recently had to say about the show during a fan convention and why it's the biggest news of the year thus far for those who have been waiting to see it renewed.

Scott Grimes Shared An Alleged Start Date For The Orville Filming Season 4

Scott Grimes recently performed a show at Star Trek Las Vegas, where stars of The Orville are often welcomed because of the similarities between the two franchises. During his performance, many like X's @Tyranicus and @ParksAndCons tweeted out that the actor made a comment about the status of his sci-fi show. Apparently, Grimes specifically claimed that Season 4 will start filming in 2025. Take a look at TrekProfiles' post:

So, three months after Peter Macon expressed hope for a renewal, Scott Grimes provided the alleged start date for production on The Orville Season 4. Needless to say, this is huge for fans of the franchise, who have waited two years since the release of "Future Unknown" -- an installment that left the fate of the show in question.

Why I'm Cautiously Excited, But Still Waiting For More Answers

While Scott Grimes seemingly didn't go into details about who or where he heard the news about The Orville filming from, it's worth noting he has a pretty good relationship with Seth MacFarlane. They've worked for years together on American Dad! long before the sci-fi series was even around. Not only that, but Grimes is a part of the cast of Peacock's Ted, which was renewed for Season 2. So, if there was someone who would be around the creative enough to hear that information, it would be Grimes.

Unfortunately, one actor sharing a supposed start date for production is not an official confirmation. We don't have any updates from Disney or Hulu about whether the series will return. However, it is worth noting that D23 -- the House of Mouse's massive entertainment expo in Anaheim -- is just around the corner. So could Scott Grimes' declaration be backed up by the streamer at the event this coming? We won't know until it happens, but I'm eager to find out.

For now, The Orville is available to stream if you have Hulu or a Disney+ subscription. As a fan of sci-fi television, I'm stoked about the possibility of seeing another season , and I know I'm not the only one.

It’s that time of 2024 TV schedule, dear friends! The season where TV and streaming networks seem to be abuzz with renewals and greenlights is at hand. And as we head into May Sweeps, some promising signs for the future have already arrived.

Case in point: Peacock has finally renewed the record breaking Ted event series for a second season! But while I’m excited that we’ve finally been given the news we all assumed was in the works, I’m also worried for The Orville fanbase. Let’s talk this out, shall we?

Ted Season 2 Is Officially A Go, Johnny!

In a glorious press release from the folks at NBCUniversal, Ted’s status as the “most watched original series” on Peacock was confirmed. And with that came the news a whole bunch of other renewals for shows like Bel Air, Apples Never Fall, and others. 

Who could blame the streaming platform for making that decision too? Not only was Ted the “the #1 Original Streaming Comedy in the U.S. for more than two consecutive months (per Nielsen),” it also saw the following critical acclaim crop up during its January 2024 debut:

• “‘Ted’ Is the Internet’s New Favorite Show” – The Daily Beast
• “had me laughing harder than any other series in recent memory” – JoBlo
• “It’s silly, juvenile, and will make you laugh plenty” – Rolling Stone
• "Ted is a really funny show ripe for a Season 2 renewal, and I'm not just saying that because of Ted and Johnny's devotion to Jurassic Park." - Mike Reyes, CinemaBlend, not written right this very moment
• “'Ted' just might be one of the best TV adaptations of a movie that's ever been done” – /Film
• “A lot of heart and delightful performances” – Collider
• "Is it too early to cast Charlize Theron as the adult Blair for Season 5?" - Yeah, me again.

That right there is news you can trust, folks. However, there’s another side to this Seth MacFarlane-centric coin. The worrisome part about this good fortune comes from the fact that there’s the other major show from the Family Guy creator that’s been caught in a holding pattern.

Why I’m Worried For The Orville’s Fanbase

While it felt like forever for Ted Season 2 to be announced, it’s practically been an infinity waiting for some sort of movement on Hulu’s The Orville Season 4. After shifting to streaming for the New Horizons season, you would have thought that maybe there would have been a bit more job security for the crew of that intergalactic peacekeeping vessel. 

Unfortunately, the last update we got was from Bortus actor Peter Macon’s Orville comments about Season 4, in which he seemed to claim that Season 4 should have happened already. Clearly the writer’s room knew what it was doing when they titled the Season 3 finale “Future Unknown,” as we’re still nowhere past reassuring whispers that the show is still alive. 

With Ted readily getting its Season 2 renewal, i also wonder what that production schedule commitment means for Seth MacFarlane's workload? Any nascent plans for The Orville’s still unconfirmed next ride would surely need to wait until that's completed, right? 

To be totally honest, the gap between Seasons 2 and 3 is the only reason I fell off of The Orville in Season 3. With roughly three years between the end of its time on Fox and its fateful transition to Hulu, I felt like a stranger after having made those first two seasons appointment viewing. However, I still intend to revisit and complete the journey so far; just as soon as I finish The Bear Season 2. 

With all of that in mind, I’d like to believe that The Orville Season 4 will happen when it needs to happen. Sci-fi shows of the past have proven that the faith of the fans tends to be rewarded, and this should be no exception.

Hopefully the fandom for Captain Ed Mercer and his crew is strong enough that they can get this bird back in the air before we know it. Or, at least before 2025, which is the exact year that would see The Orville matching its previous, pandemic required hiatus. 

For now, let’s put all of the doom and gloom back in the cupboard, shall we? The Orville’s first three seasons are still available on Hulu, so fans and newbies alike can get up to speed pretty quickly. Meanwhile, if you haven’t watched Season 1 of Ted, I highly recommend you get on that immediately. No wishing on a star is required, just a Peacock subscription, and a love of that sweet Norah Jones theme song.

The Orville Season 4 remains a possibility, or at least that's what creator and star Seth MacFarlane assured in recent comments. Now, another star attached to the show can add to that optimism, and his thoughts on the matter have me pumped about the odds of seeing this season eventually happen. I write this because, Bortus actor Peter Macon talked about the renewal odds in a recent interview, and it almost sounds like we could've had a renewal already.  

Macon is currently promoting his project on the 2024 movie schedule, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, but he's, of course, being asked questions about The Orville. Comicbook.com asked the actor about the series' future, and he shared his thoughts, implying that there might've been a renewal sooner, but it was stalled: 

It sounds like there was an expectation, at least from Peter Macon, that The Orville was set to be renewed in the spring of 2023. Then the WGA strike threw a lot of shows for a loop, and now that it's over, perhaps Hollywood is playing catch up or even rethinking prior decisions. The good news is that the actor feels like he's only heard positive news from Seth MacFarlane, so it does seem the creator is as confident with his cast as he is with the public about it eventually returning. 

It seemed possible that a renewal was in the cards when The Orville was first made available with a Disney+ subscription in addition to streaming Hulu, as it seemed efforts were made to get it in front of more eyes. 

There have been some signs pointing toward cancellation, however, as star Adrianne Palicki talked about the show being difficult to shoot. The actress noted that Seth MacFarlane writing most of Season 3 by himself was a factor in why it took so long to produce, and one has to wonder if executives fear it'll become an issue with Season 4. 

MacFarlane is a great prolific creative mind in Hollywood, and he has a lot on his plate. While his voice work for Family Guy and American Dad may be easier to schedule out and set aside time for, I'm sure there's interest from Peacock for Ted Season 2, given how well it did on the platform, and scheduling live-action work is likely a lot harder. I would think MacFarlane couldn't juggle doing something like Ted and The Orville at the same time, especially given the fact that stars like Scott Grimes and Penny Johnson Jerald are also on both shows. Or, maybe he could, but it's the studio that balks at the idea of working around a tricky production schedule. 

What seems to be true is that there is a reason Hulu hasn't renewed or canceled The Orville yet and that the situation is complicated. If the streamer didn't want the show, it might have been canceled already, but these recent words from Peter Macon make it sound like it will be renewed sooner rather than later. I'd like to think the people who were able to go to great lengths to film a Dolly Parton cameo during the pandemic are capable of anything, so let's hope getting Season 4 to happen is easier than that. 

As mentioned, The Orville is available with a Disney+ or Hulu subscription for anyone to stream their favorite episodes. After Peter Macon's latest comments, I'm inspired to check out Isaac's bachelor party again, if only to see his Elvis performance again. 

The Orville fans have been waiting to hear news about a Season 4 renewal for a while now. Despite promising updates and a shoutout from NASA, official news has yet to arrive on that front. There is a positive update to report, though, which comes courtesy of series producer and lead actor Seth MacFarlane. However, it also leaves me confused about the franchise's future. 

It should come as no surprise that Seth MacFarlane continues to beat the drum that keeps hope for The Orville's future alive. Despite the long wait for a renewal, positive comments from people like the actor/producer are sure to keep fans optimistic. Still, though MacFarlane's latest sentiments indicate that the show might not be finished, you may be like me in that you want to know exactly what he means.

How Seth MacFarlane Confirmed More Of The Orville Is Happening

Amidst unofficial rumors the show is returning, the Family Guy creator recently appeared on The Mike Henry Show and talked about various topics. One subject had to do with how, regardless of your level of success, there are always expected projects creatives must take on in order to get the passion projects they truly want to work on. It was during that part of the conversation that the Peter Griffin actor briefly mentioned The Orville and said the following: 

So, according to the man himself, as of late April 2024, the franchise isn't done. Admittedly, this is a better update than what Seth MacFarlane said about Orville back in January. However, there's still some vagueness that leaves me with more questions than I previously had.

Why I'm Somewhat Confused By The Producer's Latest Comments

Seth MacFarlane is obviously committed to continuing the IP, but his wording isn't very specific, as not to promise anything. He doesn't say for sure whether Disney+ subscription holders should expect to stream a fourth season in the near future or even that the show will continue. MacFarlane could easily be saying that he intends to continue the stories of his fictional crew in book form or through some other medium outside of a TV. It's also possible that he could be planning an eventual movie or spinoff that he plans to make years down the road. 

One unfortunate reality of this uncertainty is that the wait for a new season has left some cast members restless. Some have also been honest about their experiences working on the sci-fi romp in the interim. For instance, Adrianne Palicki saying in late 2023 that shooting The Orville was difficult. Additionally, co-star Penny Johnson openly expressed frustration with the show not being renewed yet. Given that actors have to work to make money, I get why some could be frustrated. The cast of this series may not be available by the time the creator is ready to shoot new episodes, so other options may be explored in that event.

Whatever the future holds for The Orville: New Horizons we'll have to wait and see, In the meantime, you can continue to stream the series on Disney+ or with a Hulu subscription. I'll continue to remain optimistic that fans haven't seen the end of the series but am hoping for some more concrete evidence of that to arrive in the future. 

The conversation surrounding The Orville has more or less exclusively become about whether or not the series will return for Season 4 or if it's canceled. The chatter has even bled into Seth MacFarlane's attempts to promote Ted, and once again, the creative has had to talk about his sci-fi series while doing media for Ted's premiere. MacFarlane was gracious enough to give an update on the series currently available with a Disney+ subscription, but I'm unsure of how I should take his comments.

The Orville was mentioned when Seth MacFarlane spoke to Collider about Ted and was asked about the future of the sci-fi series. MacFarlane was careful with his words and offered the following diplomatic response: 

With these latest comments, I'm left wondering what "not officially over yet" is supposed to mean. Is this Seth MacFarlane saying the show is effectively dead, but no one has told him that is the case? Or is this him merely responding and saying that the series is nowhere close to ending?

At the same time, if The Orville is dead, then Seth MacFarlane could've just said that in clearer terms. The fact that he didn't could mean there is still nuance to the issue and a chance that we'll see what will happen in Season 4 at some point. It might be more of a question of how that will happen and if MacFarlane can find the time in his schedule to return to it. 

Seth MacFarlane's latest comments about The Orville come after star Adrianne Palicki opened up about why shooting the series was so difficult. There's no shortage of cast supporting the show returning, but at the same time, actors like Chad L. Coleman can only provide optimistic updates while taking gigs elsewhere. So much time has passed since Season 3, it could be a difficult task to coordinate the schedules of the cast to do a new season as this point. 

All this to say, if The Orville is returning, it's certainly not a part of the 2024 TV schedule. It would be great, at the very least, if the fans could get some definitive answers sometime this year on whether or not the series will continue. Even if the news is bad, it would be nice to actually mourn the quality sci-fi series rather than maintain false hope that it will return. 

The Orville is available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu. Given the latest update on the series, now might be a great time to hop on streaming and assure whoever is making decisions that it's still a loved show. Regardless, we'll just continue to wait on some concrete update on whether or not it's returning. 

It's unbelievable that we're still waiting to hear whether or not The Orville will return for Season 4 or if the Seth MacFarlane series is over. Desperate for answers, fans have grasped at any little details they learn from actors or creatives about the potential future of the streaming series. On that note, we have some new insight into the situation from actress Adrianne Palicki, who was brutally honest about why shooting the show was difficult. 

Palicki, who plays Kelly Grayson on The Orville, talked about the difficulties of shooting the sci-fi show, which may factor into why it hasn't been renewed or canceled yet, on Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum. The actress initially implied the show was finished, but when Rosenbaum asked her if that was definitive, she responded with what she knew and why shooting the show was an issue:

These recent comments imply there's a greater story to be told behind the problem of renewing The Orville. Seth MacFarlane got real about it taking so long back in March, noting that the shift in the industry factors into why it's taking so long to return. However, Adrianne Palicki has pointed toward a different issue in making the series happen. Thirty-three episodes in six years is a sizable gap in production, and it can put a financial strain on actors who are hanging around waiting to work.

It's possible MacFarlane's busy schedule does impact the rate The Orville can produce episodes, especially given the amount of control he has over the series. Fans are eager for Season 4 to the point they commented on his Ted reveal to make it clear to the star. While Chad L. Coleman's positive update chalked the delay up to studio decision-making, Adrianne Palicki's comments show more nuance to the situation. 

While Palicki didn't explicitly say whether or not she was interested in returning to The Orville for Season 4, there was a definite sense she wasn't thrilled about the show taking six years to make three seasons. It's possible some compromise will need to be made in how production moves forward, though what that means is up in the air. 

Potentially, Seth MacFarlane could relinquish more creative control to streamline the writing process or shift his schedule to knock out a couple of seasons of the series. This would allow the actors to pursue other projects while those seasons air, and keep anyone off saltines and Gatorade for survival. If there was a simple solution to all of this, it's probable we'd have an answer on whether the series was renewed or not by now. As such, we can only take these latest comments and add them to the list, and share that hilariously relatable video of Penny Johnson Jerald wanting some answers on the situation.  

As mentioned, The Orville is currently available to stream with a Disney+ subscription or a Hulu subscription. Check out a few episodes while we continue to wait for some sort of meaningful update on Season 4's status, and hope that whatever news comes is positive. 

In 2012, co-writer/director Seth MacFarlane’s Ted taught us that everybody needs a best friend. That magic bonded Johnny Bennett and the titular talking bear throughout life and, now, we’re about to see their high school years in a new Peacock subscription driver. 

This 2024 TV schedule entry already looks like a fun time, with all of the R-rated hilariousness of the original and a couple Orville stars already on tap, based on the first trailer. While we previously saw a Ted series teaser where Seth MacFarlane’s stuffed source of sass reads a letter from his past self, this is the first footage that really sells us on what’s going on in the plot. 

As 16 year-old Johnny (Max Burkholder) is wading through the hell that is high school, it’s decided by his father, Matty (Scott Grimes), that Ted needs to be a part of that hell. If only to keep him from destroying the house while “protecting” it with things like automatic weapons.

Though this streaming original series may take place in 1993, after Ted’s initial fame has died down, that doesn’t leave our best friends with a shortage of adventures. Bully issues, the pressures of family and school dances are all on the table in Ted’s next chapter. This particular coming-of-age tale just happens to have a lot more cursing from kids and adults and promises that marijuana will only increase the comedy gold emanating from Johnny and Ted’s younger years.

Though this streaming original series may take place in 1993, after Ted’s initial fame has died down, that doesn’t leave our best friends with a shortage of adventures. Bully issues, the pressures of family and school dances are all on the table in Ted’s next chapter. This particular coming-of-age tale just happens to have a lot more cursing from kids and adults and promises that marijuana will only increase the comedy gold emanating from Johnny and Ted’s younger years.

However, as promised, fans of The Orville should spot some familiar faces when checking out the first official looks at the show. Previously, Scott Grimes was reealed in promotional materials, which sparked an interesting Orville/Ted crossover theory question throughout the Internet. So while the potential for Lieutenant Gordon Malloy to have Matty Bennett as a multiversal doppelgänger is still out there, there's no confirmation or denial just yet.

On top of this new footage of crazy '90s teen hijinks, we also saw The Orville's Dr. Claire Finn herself, Penny Johnson Jerald, reveal her own role in the series. By way of X (formerly Twitter), here’s what Ms. Jerald shared with the fans: 

While we ponder ideas for The Orville Season 4’s story, it’s nice to see the crew still working together towards the common goal of laughter. And since Seth MacFarlane is pretty good about bringing valued castmates back to the table, who knows what other familiar faces will pop up throughout the raunchy romp?

The complete first season of Ted will premiere on January 11, 2024. So if you’re looking to watch the insanity first hand, or if you want to go back and cherish the gags in the previous two movies, head to Peacock to study up before the first bell. And don't get your hopes up about that Lt. Malloy theory, as that's probably more than likely just fans being clever.

Seth MacFarlane has a new Ted series on the way, and now that the strikes are over, shared some footage and hilarious jokes with fans eager to stream it with a Peacock subscription. While there was plenty of interest in seeing the fluffy bear come back, there were quite a few fans of The Orville also in his comments. They all are asking the same basic question, and those waiting on Season 4 probably know what is being asked. 

After The Orville: New Horizons debuted on Hulu, fans were eager to find out if it would continue on for Season 4. Unfortunately, The Orville's Season 3 ending split the difference by making a penultimate that teased drastic changes ahead, and a season finale that could wrap up the series with the episode title literally being "Future Unknown." Now that the strikes are concluded, fans are happy to see Seth MacFarlane working but want to know when he'll be back on the sci-fi series they love:

Fans have some ideas on what The Orville Season 4 will be about, but there is still no guarantee that we'll see another season. It's also worth noting that many are eager for renewal news, as a rumor surfaced ahead of Season 3 that Hulu decided it would be the final season. That rumor has since been refuted by many involved in the show, and fan interest and viewership would play a critical factor in the renewal. And yet, the series is still in limbo, and fans like @NatyYifru are making big promises if they can see it again:

Seth MacFarlane's connection to both Ted and The Orville is part of the reason for these comments, but he's not the only connection to the show. The upcoming Peacock series will feature Scott Grimes as the lead, who Orville fans like @Esenbek_Aliev referred to when asking when the sci-fi series may return:

Thankfully, most of the calls for The Orville are friendly, and not at all disparaging of the upcoming release of Ted. Some have even speculated that the series is somehow linked to the yet-to-be renewed show, based on the number of actors featured in one of the images: 

Perhaps with all these calls for The Orville's return, there will be an announcement soon about whether it's coming back or is officially canceled. Until a decision is made one way or another, it seems like comments like this will continue on social media:

Actor Chad L. Coleman told CinemaBlend that the odds of The Orville returning for Season 4 looked positive, but it was still up in the air. Now that Ted is on the way and Hollywood is returning to work, hopefully, we'll hear some positive news about the show soon. 

 The Orville is available to stream right now on Hulu and Disney+. As for Ted, it'll premiere on Peacock on Thursday, January 11th. I can't wait to watch it, and like many other fans of The Orville, I'm waiting to hear more on Season 4 as well. 

The Orville: New Horizons, or The Orville Season 3, was one of the series' best seasons to date. Unfortunately, we're still waiting on word as to whether or not there will be another season of the sci-fi franchise or if that was the end of Seth MacFarlane's project. The series ended in a way that could serve as the finale, but also left open a lot of stories that could be told in Season 4, and I have an idea about where the show could be going... provided it gets renewed of course. 

As we wait to hear more about the fate of The Orville, it's worth revisiting just how wild Season 4's story may be. Let's recap some of the wildness that happened at the end of Season 3 and what it could mean for another season, assuming I get to watch it with my Hulu subscription at some point in the future. 

The Moclan Empire Was Expelled From The Planetary Union

The Planetary Union had been on shaky ground with the Moclan Empire for some time thanks mainly to events that occurred on The Orville. Bortus and Klyden's child Topa changing their gender to female was the final sleight and led to an assassination attempt by the largely all-male empire. For a long time, the Planetary Union looked the other way from how Moclans cast out the women in their society, afraid to lose their alliance during the Kaylon War. 

Fortunately, after what happened with Topa, the Planetary Union decided enough was enough. The Moclans were expelled from the Planetary Union in what was a unanimous decision. Furthermore, the Union declared the settlement established for Moclan women refugees as a sanctuary under its protection, granting them further freedom from their oppressors. 

The Moclans Formed An Alliance With The Krill

The Moclans were out of the Planetary Union and, like most of the world, still at war with the Kaylon Empire. The leaders quickly turned to the Krill, who are no friends of the Planetary Union despite the temporary peace between them to deal with the Kaylon threat. Together, they devised a plan to wipe out the Kaylon and presumably work towards taking out the Planetary Union next. 

With the Kaylons now aligned with the Planetary Union, it doesn't necessarily make them easy pickings for the combined Krill and Kaylon front. With that said, both species are formidable, and the Moclans are known as the main weapons supplier weapons for many in the galaxy. With that gone, I could see the Planetary Union put on its back foot trying to find a new weapons supplier or work on bettering its own weapons cache. Now would not be the best time for them to get involved in another war, though that may be inevitable. 

The Planetary Union Reached A Truce With The Kaylon Empire (For Now)

The Kaylon threat was a major obstacle for the Planetary Union and even those outside of its fold. There was no stopping them for a time, until Ensign Charly Burke and Isaac developed a weapon that could effectively wipe out the Kaylons. As the Union debated the ethics in using the weapon, Admiral Perry stole the weapon and gave it to the aligned Moclan and Krill forces who fully intended to use it. Captain Ed Mercer and crew rushed to the Kaylon home world and offered to help Kaylon Primary and his forces destroy the weapon. 

Their efforts were successful and gained tremendous goodwill between the Planetary Union and Kaylon Empire. The Kaylons were present for Isaac's wedding to Claire Finn, and for now, they appear to be allies to the Planetary Union. One has to question for how long, however, as we know Kaylons are concerned with being forced into subservience by other species again. I wouldn't expect those issues to spring up immediately, but I would say it's entirely too optimistic to assume all Kaylons are 100% on board with this alliance. 

Krill Supreme Chancellor Teleya Is In Custody With The Planetary Union 

Teleya attempted to try and wipe out the Kaylon threat, but as previously mentioned, this was thwarted by the united front of the Planetary Union and Kaylon Empire. Teleya was arrested by the Union and brought to Earth on charges of war crimes. Teleya had yet to officially stand trial by the end of Season 3, so it's presumed that it will happen in Season 4, assuming that is greenlit. 

It's unlikely that the Krill will idly stand by and allow their Supreme Chancellor to rot in a jail cell on Earth. Her capture might've started the next major war for the Planetary Union, and I wouldn't be surprised if Teleya is freed from imprisonment before she ever stands trial. If she does make it to trial, I don't expect her to get much leniency from the Planetary Union. 

Ed And Teleya's Daughter Anaya Is Still In Hiding

The Orville fans may remember the romantic trist Ed and Teleya had when she was posing as human "Janel Tyler" under Ed's command. That brief romance between them resulted in a hybrid Krill and human daughter named Anaya, which Teleya keeps hidden in seclusion. The Krill people's knowledge of Anaya would undermine Teleya's platform as Chancellor and would almost certainly result in a rebellion against her. 

With Teleya in custody and Ed back on Earth, one has to wonder what this means for Anaya. Will she be able to remain in hiding during her mother's imprisonment, or will she be found by Krill forces adamant on maintaining order and their values in her absence? I can imagine that if Anaya is in any danger, Ed will not hesitate to rescue his daughter, even if he only just learned of her existence. Whether or not her rescue would be an official one or off the books without Planetary Union approval is another story. 

As mentioned, we have no idea if or when The Orville may get a renewal order for Season 4. All we can do is remain as optimistic as others involved in the show that it will get another season and hope that the adventures of Captain Ed Mercer and his crew are far from over. 

The Orville is available to stream on both Hulu and Disney+ right now. Some might be waiting for word on Season 4 before starting their binge, but personally, I'd say there's no sense torturing yourself by missing out on a great series that still has much more room to grow. 

It's been over half a year since The Orville: New Horizons concluded Season 3 on Hulu; now, just on the heels of some promising news from Chad L. Coleman about Season 4, we have an update on the situation from Seth MacFarlane. While we still don't know for sure if a new season is happening, the creator did offer some insight as to why it's taking so long for a decision to be made. 

Fans are beyond tired of waiting for news on a renewal, which might've been why one Twitter user asked what it's going to take for The Orville to get Season 4. Seth MacFarlane quote-tweeted the question and laid out the situation for everyone curious as best he could: 

Seth MacFarlane is likely talking about the streaming industry as a whole, in which it appears the honeymoon phase for all services is coming to an end. Flagship shows that helped launch platforms are coming to an end, and some services are scrubbing original shows from their library entirely after cancellation. All that to say that while it may have once seemed like anyone and their brother could get green-lit for a series or new season on streaming, the times might be changing. 

The good news to report from this is that the star and creator of The Orville is "cautiously optimistic" about where things stand for the show's renewal. CinemaBlend learned from Chad L. Coleman that there have been "promising meetings" regarding a new season. If Seth MacFarlane is willing to publicly state he's feeling good about the situation, then I'm feeling better than I was a few weeks ago. So, while another day will pass without any certainty on what will become of The Orville, it's certainly nice to get an update from MacFarlane himself.

The Orville completed Season 3 back in late 2022, but fans have been asking about a Season 4 since well before the third season ended. A rumor surfaced ahead of the Season 3 premiere that Hulu already planned to conclude the series after the season was completed, but that rumor was refuted by many involved in the production once the season got rolling. 

 What was true was that The Orville was not guaranteed an automatic renewal, and the cast and crew explained that it would be on the fans to watch and talk about the series on social media in order for Season 4 to happen. Fans and even stars of the series, like Penny Johnson Jerald, have kept the conversation going online, but we're still waiting on some definitive news about the series' status. Hopefully Seth MacFarlane's optimism is a sign that the wait for good news won't be much longer.

The Orville: New Horizons is available to stream right now, so put that Hulu or Disney+ subscription to good use and check out one of its best episodes right now. Who knows? It might just tip the scales in these promising times for the streaming series. 

It's been over half a year since The Orville Season 3 ended, and the fate of Seth MacFarlane's beloved sci-fi series still hangs in the balance between renewal and cancellation, and for so long, no one involved had a clear answer on where things stand. Fortunately, CinemaBlend received some fresh comments from actor Chad L. Coleman, which might be the best positive news we've heard about Season 4 happening so far. 

CinemaBlend's Adam Holmes spoke to Chad L. Coleman about his stint as Bruno Mannheim on Superman & Lois, and also asked if he's heard anything about The Orville: New Horizons. Coleman, who plays Bortus' husband Klyden on the Hulu and Disney+ series, laid out the renewal situation and sounded optimistic about the odds of it happening: 

Shoutout to Chad L. Coleman for giving fans the clearest explanation of what's going on with The Orville's renewal! It sounds like there's more happening behind the scenes than just settling on whether the series is cancelled or renewed, and some of it may have nothing to do with the series specifically. Coleman mentioned that he and others are optimistic it'll happen and pointed to Seth MacFarlane's great relationship with Dana Walden, who is the acting co-chairman of Disney Entertainment. 

There hadn't been any noteworthy news to report in regard to The Orville's Season 4 renewal in some time. Rumors that the series would end with Season 3 popped up before the season even aired. The cast later refuted the rumors the show had no shot at renewal but added that fan interest and viewership would play a key factor in the show's renewal. Basically, if you're an Orville fan, now would be a great time to rewatch the series' best episodes with that Disney+ subscription. 

Series creator and star Seth MacFarlane has been working on other projects in the meantime but has indicated many times in various ways that his passion for continuing The Orville remains strong. In fact, he even recently showed off one of the Planetary Union's finest ships to the U.S. Navy with a post on Twitter that should give fans a chuckle: 

The Orville: New Horizons played it safe with its final two episodes in Season 3, with a game plan in place for whether it was canceled or renewed. The penultimate episode, "Domino," was jam-packed with new developments and clear setups for where Season 4 will go, assuming the series is renewed. The Season 3 finale, ironically titled "Future Unknown," served as more of a cap on the adventures the show has had so far and could serve as a proper series finale. 

With that said, Chad L. Coleman's recent comments have me more optimistic than ever that The Orville will live on to see Season 4. I really want to see how the new alliance between the Planetary Union and Kaylons will fare against the Moclan and Krill allies they lost, so here's hoping more positive Season 4 news isn't far off. 

If you're looking to watch The Orville: New Horizons right now, Disney+ and Hulu are the places to do it. Hopefully, we'll have some updates on the series before too long, and maybe even news that we won't have to worry about the show ending for a while. 

Fans of The Orville: New Horizons are still petitioning for Hulu to renew the series for Season 4, and now it's even getting name-checked by a seriously prestigious organization. NASA recently dropped a great reference to the Seth MacFarlane show in the middle of an informative document, and I think that should be all it takes to convince anyone who needs persuading that Season 4 should happen. 

Readers might not be familiar with NASA's Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science (ROSES) report, but The Orville fans will be familiar with the names featured on Page 24 of the lengthy document. Check out the example below for "Table of Personnel and Work Effort" and how NASA used the names of some of the show's greatest characters: 

It's super cool to see that someone at NASA is a fan of The Orville, though super uncool how they dissed Alara Kitan! I'd hardly list her accomplishments in her time on the ship as "de minimus," though that may just be there to highlight how to properly format this table and not a testament to her actual skill.  

The Orville's nod from an actual space organization feels like another notch in the belt of the beloved science fiction series and another step toward solidifying its place amongst some of the best space shows out there. While this is certainly worth celebrating for fans, I wouldn't blame anybody who may have a hard time partying given that it's not the news they've been waiting for when it comes to The Orville.

The big question about the show is whether fans will be able to use their Hulu subscription to binge Season 4 of The Orville: New Horizons, or if it will go no farther than three seasons. Yes, we're still waiting on renewal news! The show's future has been uncertain ever since a rumor prior to Season 3 that Hulu had no plans to renew beyond the season it had already signed on for when it acquired the show from Fox. 

The rumor was refuted by the cast and creatives behind The Orville, who later added that fan engagement and viewership of Season 3 would play a factor in Season 4 happening. Yet Season 3 ended back in August of 2022, and we're still waiting on an answer to whether it's cancelled or renewed six months later in 2023. 

Naturally, that has been frustrating for fans, and even stars like Penny Johnson Jerald have expressed their anguish about the situation online. Now, we have NASA swooping in to get the series in the news cycle once again, and I can only be hopeful that someone at Hulu with the power to renew sees it as yet another sign that there are many people who want to see the show return. 

The good news is that if The Orville: New Horizons does return, we already have an idea of where it's going. The "Domino" episode laid out a roadmap for where to take Season 4 should it return, so it's all on decision-makers to pull the trigger so that writers can get to work plotting out a new season. Hopefully it happens, and we'll get to see Captain Ed Mercer and others' names in content beyond NASA documents. 

Those with a Hulu or Disney+ account can stream all three seasons of The Orville right now. I would certainly recommend doing it if you're hoping to see the show continue for a new season, though who really knows what it will take at this point for a decision to be made? 

The Orville: New Horizons ended Season 3 over at Hulu in August of 2022, and fans are still no closer to learning whether or not Seth MacFarlane's series will return for Season 4. Just days after actress Penny Johnson Jerald posted a video about the situation, fans received an update from one of Hulu's top brass about the show's renewal odds. Unfortunately, the response is super wishy-washy, and it's a little frustrating. 

Craig Erwich, formally known as ABC Entertainment's President for Hulu & Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals, was approached for comment by TVLine about the odds of The Orville coming back for Season 4. Sadly, he didn't have much to offer. Erwich said:

"Nothing to share" is quite an ambiguous statement to make, as well as annoying for the fans who have been waiting for news for a long time on the subject. To be clear, fans have worried about The Orville's status since before Season 3 even premiered on Hulu. Rumors circulated at the time that Hulu didn't intend to renew the series and that Season 3 would be the end of Seth MacFarlane's show. But nothing in this statement indicates it's officially over, either. 

Interviews with the cast and Seth MacFarlane since have indicated cancellation wasn't a sure thing, but that viewership and fan interaction online could certainly play a factor in the show's renewal. The Orville: New Horizons has been made available to those with a Disney+ subscription in addition to Hulu in recent months, but that's about the biggest development from the series in a while. 

If the show is over, why doesn't Hulu just announce it? Perhaps it's because Hulu would like more episodes but there's another roadblock standing in the way. 

As it stands right now, The Orville: New Horizons played out the back half of Season 3 in such a way that it could prepare for both renewal and cancellation. The penultimate episode "Domino" made major changes within the show's universe that would undoubtedly pick up in Season 4. The ironically titled Season 3 finale, "Future Unknown," could definitely serve as a series finale if need be, though there are still fans out there hoping that's not the case. 

The Orville's current situation actually feels even worse to me than outright cancellation, however, because the show's just hanging around in limbo. At least if it were cancelled, fans could rally around encouraging networks to save the series or have some closure. Instead, many are still waiting for any sign that Season 4 might happen, and if it does, there's no telling how long it'll take for anyone to see it. 

We're still no closer to answers on The Orville returning for Season 4, but the series is available to stream on Hulu and Disney+. More eyes on the series might just help someone make a decision on whether to renew it, so stream early and stream often. 

We're a few weeks into 2023 now, and The Orville: New Horizons fans are still waiting for a sign about whether or not the series will return. Despite the sci-fi dramedy being made available to anyone with a Disney+ subscription months ago, we're still no closer to learning whether or not Seth MacFarlane & Co. will return for Season 4. Co-star Penny Johnson Jerald is apparently tired of waiting, as she uploaded a humorously relatable video echoing the thoughts and feelings of many fans as we continue to wait for updates. 

It looks like Penny Johnson Jerald is ready to get back to playing Dr. Claire Finn, or just can't take the suspense any longer regarding Season 4's chances of happening. The actress uploaded a video to Twitter sharing her blunt thoughts on the wait for The Orville renewal, and I can't agree with her enough: 

It's encouraging, if perhaps not entirely positive, to see that even some of the actors of The Orville: New Horizons are just as impatient as fans when it comes to wanting to know the fate of the series. Penny Johnson Jerald likely played up her frustration a bit with the exasperated look in the above video, but that only adds to the hilarity and illustrates the point of how agonizing the wait has been for some. 

It's also worth noting that fans have been waiting on news about The Orville's fate since before Season 3 ever aired on Hulu. Reports surfaced back in 2020 alleging that Season 3 would be the final season, and while the cast and crew have expressed since then that isn't the case, there's still no definitive word one way or another. 

CinemaBlend had a chance to speak to Penny Johnson Jerald back when The Orville: New Horizons was airing, and she shared her insight back then on the odds of Season 4 happening. She confessed the cast wasn't told at the time if Season 3 would be the end or not, but had assured the season ended in a way where the show could have another season and more if it was in the cards. 

Unfortunately, The Orville: New Horizons ended Season 3 in a way that suggested its writers were also unsure of if more adventures were on the table. The Season 3 penultimate episode, "Domino," moved the show's story forward with a lot of developments in the universe that will likely be addressed if The Orville is renewed.  

The following Season 3 finale episode, ironically titled "Future Unknown," stepped away from much of the drama of the previous episode and instead served as an endcap to the season that could serve as a series finale if need be. Obviously, actors like Penny Johnson Jerald would like news on whether or not that was the finale or not, but they're no closer to getting answers. 

Even Seth MacFarlane recently admitted he's still waiting for answers on if Season 4 of The Orville: New Horizons will happen. At this point,  I'm just hoping that we get some news before the end of the year one way or another because, obviously, the anxiety of not knowing is driving everyone up a wall. 

Fans and new viewers alike can stream The Orville Seasons 1 through 3 on Disney+ and Hulu. Hopefully, there will be some meaningful news to report on the show's future before too long, and fans will have more to react to than the actors' reactions to waiting on updates. 

The Orville saw some changes for its third season in 2022. Not only did it move from Fox to Hulu, but it also rebranded. The Orville: New Horizons finale included some surprises, but with the episode airing in August, there hasn’t been any news yet on the show's future and a fourth season. Now, creator and star Seth MacFarlane is getting candid about the possibility of a future season.

Seth MacFarlane has been keeping fans updated on a possible Season 4 of The Orville, and that includes storylines that could happen. In an interview with TVLine, MacFarlane was asked whether Giorgia Whigham/Lysella will be upped to series regular if there is another season, but it was hard for him to answer, not knowing if there even will be one:

It’s definitely hard to plan something if you don’t even know if it’s going to happen. If it does, it sounds like it doesn’t always go the way you originally planned it. It’s unknown when and if Hulu will make the announcement that The Orville is coming back. However, since fans had to wait over three years for Season 3, they might be able to wait it out a little longer. Hopefully, it will be worth the wait if it gets picked up.

It's also hard to tell whether Season 4 will also have a name like New Horizons, but it’s likely more details on plans will come out after Hulu (hopefully) renews it. Ahead of the season finale, Seth MacFarlane opened up about the impact Disney+ could have on The Orville, noting at the time that there’s a 50/50 chance of renewal, but he was hopeful that the streamer could boost the show’s popularity.

As for the main point of the question, Giorgia Whigham portrays barista Lysella and has appeared in two episodes of the series. While her return seems up in the air for now, hopefully, if there is another season, she’ll make another appearance, even if it is just for a single episode again. Maybe if not as a series regular, perhaps she could be upped to recurring, so she'd be on the show a bit more frequently. As of now, fans will just have to hope for Season 4 before they start asking for storylines.

While it’s uncertain if The Orville will be part of the 2023 TV schedule, Seth MacFarlane is just as anxious as ever, as are fans. With the number of shows canceled in 2022, The Orville managed to escape that fate, so who knows what could happen in the new year? In the meantime, MacFarlane seems to be keeping fans updated on any and all news. I just need it to be good the next time he updates.

While waiting for news on Season 4 of The Orville, be sure to watch all three seasons with a Hulu subscription. 

The Orville: New Horizons really pulled off some impressive feats with the show's transition from Fox to Hulu, and that upgrade in quality, while paired with its arrival on Disney+, had fans optimistic that Season 4 was a lock. Unfortunately, months have passed since the conclusion of Season 3, with fans still wondering if a new season is on the way, or the House of Mouse effective cancelled the sci-fi series with this extended bubble status. If there’s any positive news to be had, it appears the situation is still being figured out, as creator and star Seth MacFarlane recently shared an update on a new season of The Orville. 

So the good news is that The Orville: New Horizons has not been canceled. The bad news, as it were, is that Seth MacFarlane himself doesn’t really know enough to share anything more dense or impactful. But at least he remained as hopeful as anyone else in a recent response tweet to a fan wondering about the status of Season 4. Here's how he put it:

When it comes to TV cancellations, no news is sometimes way better than finding out. Which isn't optimism exactly, but if the space boot fits...

Rumors of The Orville’s demise first hit back in 2020, when it was reported that Hulu had supposedly shot down the prospect of a fourth season ahead of its official return. CinemaBlend spoke with several cast members and crew throughout Season 3's airing, however, with everyone more or less agreeing that it would come down to fan engagement and viewership stats in regard to whether or not another season would happen. Director Jon Cassar added that he felt the show’s move to Disney+ was a positive shift, as it would give even more sci-fi fans access to the series, possibly making the odds of a Season 4 order more likely. Seth MacFarlane expressed the same sentiment, and has long felt that the show is capable of landing a massive audience so long as people take the time to watch. 

Yet, it’s been over three months since the finale of The Orville: New Horizons, and viewers don’t know any more about the future of the series now than they did then. To make matters even more confusing, Season 3 featured a penultimate episode that set the stage for everything that could happen if the series returned for Season 4, but then wrapped with an ep that would absolutely work as an effective series finale if it had to. It seems like the cast and crew aren’t bluffing when they claim they’re as in the dark as fans, so why is it taking so long for a decision to be made behind the scenes? 

If there’s one positive for The Orville: New Horizons Season 4, it’s that Seth MacFarlane and others continue to share their interest in making a new season happen, when and if that day ever comes. Scott Grimes shared with CinemaBlend his continued commitment to working with MacFarlane, which is likely why they’re back together for Peacock’s adaptation of Ted. Hopefully, the rest of the actors will find their way back to the series should Disney give it the green light, but the longer they’re kept in the dark, it’s hard to imagine they’ll just wait and not pursue roles on other shows elsewhere. 

The Orville: New Horizons is available to stream both on Disney+ and with a Hulu subscription, and I’m sure a play on either platform would only help its renewal chances for Season 4. Hopefully, fans will have some sort of answer as to what’s happening with the series before the new year arrives.

The Orville: New Horizons is quickly becoming one of the sci-fi treasures of pop culture, and the latest season really kicked things up a notch on all levels. Now, it’s available for fans with a Hulu subscription or Disney+ subscription to binge to their heart’s delight, or for anyone just looking to get into a great show.  

With the possibility of The Orville: New Horizons Season 4 still up in the air, according to the cast, now is a great time to revisit some of the best episodes the show has done to date (especially if streaming numbers factor into the show’s renewal). Hopefully, these won’t be the only ones, as revisiting these iconic episodes (spoiler free) and recalling what makes them so special really has me wanting more.

10. “Mad Idolatry,” Season 1, Episode 12

“Mad Idolatry” takes The Orville on a wild ride, when Kelly Grayson is mistaken for a goddess while on a planet the crew is visiting. What follows is a deep analysis of religion in society, and an episode that served as an excellent capstone to Season 1. 

This episode isn't near the top of the list, but make no mistake, it’s a wonderful episode just as great as some of the latter ones. This is especially true if you’re someone who checked out the franchise due to its similarities to Star Trek: The Next Generation, as it emulates similar episodes of the franchise. 

9. “Home,” Season 2, Episode 3

After Alara breaks her arm during an arm-wrestling match with Isaac, she’s told by Claire she needs to return home in order to help regain her Xelayan strength. This episode centers around the character and her strained relationship with her family, and ultimately leads to an unexpected gut-punch of a twist. 

It’s hard to encapsulate what makes “Home” an all-time episode of The Orville without jumping into spoilers, but suffice it to say this is a huge episode for actress Halston Sage. Break out the tissues for this one, as it’ll be a tear-jerker. 

8. “The Road Not Taken,” Season 2, Episode 14

The Season 2 finale of The Orville has a lot of moving pieces, as the timeline is drastically shifted thanks to Kelly Grayson’s decision in the previous episode. It’s a finale loaded with action that can be disorienting at times for reasons regular watchers will quickly pick up on, but for spoiler purposes, it’s best to say as little about this one as possible.  

I wouldn’t suggest jumping into “The Road Not Taken” as the first episode to watch, but it is one that those who watched everything in the series to that point will love. The “elseworlds” type story that shows the ripple effect of just a few actions drastically alters the paths of the crew. This episode is one of my personal favorites, but because of the foreknowledge needed to appreciate it, it’s much lower on the list. 

7. “Majority Rule,” Season 1, Episode 7

Social media feels like a big part of modern society, but what if it was a mandatory element of it? The series explored this concept to the fullest when the ship encounters a planet in which people’s social standing and others' opinions of them means everything. The crew is forced to inject themselves into the chaos when John is imprisoned, and subject themselves to a system of absolutely unstructured democracy. 

The Orville isn’t the first science fiction series to tackle this type of story, but hey, what’s one more to the list? This story is a fun one from start to finish, and one that really challenges the idea of “majority rule” and how that would impact us as a society.

6. “Future Unknown,” Season 3, Episode 10

“Future Unknown” is a joyous episode in the show's library, as it all centers around a big wedding that impacts the ship’s crew. It’s a surprisingly light-hearted episode given how heavy Season 3 is overall, in terms of serious storytelling. There’s also a pretty awesome cameo that happens towards the end, but as we’ve stated, no spoilers on who or why. Overall, it’s a feel-good episode and one that might serve as the series finale. 

I have “Future Unknown” on the list because it works as a series finale in a world where The Orville doesn’t return for Season 4, but in a world where it’s renewed, it’s a valuable and fun episode. It’s hard to express the satisfaction of paying off a major character arc without getting into spoilers, but the wedding is certainly one that is satisfying to see after all these years. Hopefully, there will be additional episodes to come, but if not, this is still a fitting end. 

5. “About A Girl,” Season 1, Episode 3

The crew is blindsided with a massive debate when the Mocclans, Bortus and Klyden, give birth to a baby girl. As many on the crew soon learn, Mocclans aren’t all male as some would believe, and any females born often undergo sex change surgery at birth to switch genders. The crew struggles with this Mocclan custom, especially after discovering a colony of women living on the Mocclan home world. 

“About A Girl” is the first time watching The Orville where I was like, “Ok, this is more than just a comedic space drama.” This episode feels like it hits Star Trek levels of presentation in its moral quandary, although it takes the issue much further than I’d reckon the heads at Trek would be willing to take. That’s a trend that will re-emerge with other storylines, as viewers continue watching, because this show can get pretty heavy when it wants. 

4. “Domino,” Season 3, Episode 9

It’s hard to find an episode more impactful than “Domino.” This episode effectively changed the course of some major alliances in the series and is absolutely stacked with breadcrumbs that tease there’s still a much larger story to tell with this crew. Alliances crumble, new ones are forged, and ultimately, we’re left with a lot to think about with the show’s universe at the end. Unfortunately, that’s about all I can say without spoiling the story, but rest assured, this is one to watch (once you do, be sure to check out this recap for a rundown of all that happens)!

We don’t know right now if The Orville: New Horizons will return for Season 4, but if it does, this episode will ultimately be vital for fans. It effectively laid the framework for where this story will go, and the larger story Captain Ed Mercer will lead his team through in future episodes. It’s also just a damn good episode, because it resolves a lot of long-running storylines in the series up to that point, and has such a satisfying conclusion.

3. “Twice In A Lifetime,” Season 3, Episode 6

Gordon is usually the comic relief, but there was nothing funny about the journey he went on in this episode. Gordon is accidentally left in the past, and by the time the ship travels to where he’s located, many years have passed. Gordon has established a life on Earth centuries out of his own time period, which is a major Union violation. 

“Twice In A Lifetime” is an emotional episode for Scott Grimes’ Gordon Malloy, and a true masterclass in all the talents he brings to The Orville: New Horizons. The episode itself also presents a great moral quandary in terms of the consequences of time travel, on levels beyond whether or not it’s something that should be done. Anyone who is a fan of the show’s serious storytelling will immediately fall in love with this one, and should watch it immediately. 

2. “Identity Part 1 And 2,” Season 2, Episodes 8 And 9

Isaac shuts down in “Identity Part 1,” which ultimately sends the crew off to the Kaylon home world in an attempt to fix him. That trip results in an incredibly complex journey that outlines the history of the Kaylon empire, and reveals a dark secret about Isaac’s true purpose on the ship. It all culminates in a huge game-changing episode that effectively altered The Orville as we know it. 

The “Identity” two-parter is the point where this sci-fi show really turned a corner. From that point on, it established that this series can do a serious science fiction plot without the classic Seth MacFarlane jokes, and just tell an intense and action-packed story set entirely within its own universe. Even for those watching on streaming, I’m sure they’ll feel the shift in the series while watching these exciting episodes from start to finish.

1. “A Tale Of Two Topas,” Season 3, Episode 5

Kelly finds herself at odds with the Mocclans in “A Tale Of Two Topas,” when Bortus and Klyden’s son, Topa, deals with sadness while preparing for the Union Point entrance exam. Kelly soon realizes this is due to Topa’s gender reassignment surgery that happened way back during “About A Girl” and attempts to convince Bortus and Klyden to tell Topa the truth about their background. 

“About A Girl” is such an instant classic of an episode, it’s wild to think The Orville: New Horizons wanted to revisit this story and risk lessening its message. The plot not only succeeds at honoring the original point of the initial episode, but expands upon it with a very relatable story on sex change operations and how they impact the people involved. It’s the type of social commentary that is desperately needed in this modern era, and one the cast’s actors like J. Lee gave a lot of praise to the series for tackling. Good on the writers for telling Topa's story, and expanding it to show more beyond the original story of the sex change. 

Catch up on The Orville by streaming the series on Disney+ or Hulu. As mentioned, now is as good a time as any to catch up, especially while we wait for Disney to make a decision about whether or not it will return for Season 4. 

The Orville: New Horizons recently bowed for Season 3 over at Hulu, and there's still no word on whether or not it'll return for Season 4. Fans knew from the stars of the show that the series needed loyal viewership from anyone with a Hulu subscription and social media interaction to make it happen, and they're still waiting to see if it's enough. While everyone waits to hear the show's fate, Seth MacFarlane spoke about how the series' upcoming premiere on Disney+ could move the needle towards a renewal. 

Seth MacFarlane, who created The Orville and stars as Captain Ed Mercer on the series, recently spoke to TVLine about the odds of renewal. MacFarlane mentioned the current odds were about a "50-50" chance but noted that the upcoming premiere of the show on Disney+ on August 10th may help the series: 

Seth MacFarlane believes that if people give The Orville Seasons 1-3 a chance on Disney+, it's possible they'll grow their audience on the platform. CinemaBlend spoke to franchise director Jon Cassar who essentially stated the same thing and only saw the arrival as a positive for renewal odds. 

Purely speculating on that comment, it's possible The Orville: New Horizons' streaming numbers on Hulu didn't make this a clear-cut decision towards renewal. If that's the case, then it seems obvious that opening the show up to another platform of subscribers on Disney+ could only help. 

The Orville: New Horizons certainly set itself up for both realities, and decided to split the difference between setting up the future of its universe and creating a happy ending for fans. The penultimate episode featured many game-changing events like the end of the Kaylon war and an alliance between the Moclan and Krill forces. Should a Season 4 renewal happen, there is more than enough ideas to explore in those two events alone. 

The Season 3 finale, however, was more of a lighthearted affair. Fans witnessed the marriage of Isaac and Dr. Claire Finn, and the episode overall felt like a series finale with joyous moments and unexpected cameos (though not quite as unexpected as the Dolly Parton cameo the show moved a set across the country for). Should this be the end of the line it'll certainly be a bummer, but it also would be better than a show with no proper ending and cliffhangers galore. 

Another good thing is that Seth MacFarlane also confirmed that despite his increasingly busy schedule with Scott Grimes and the upcoming Ted television adaptation, he's still very much into continuing The Orville. MacFarlane went on the record and said he'll do Season 4, even if his schedule is hectic going forward: 

Seth MacFarlane made a promise, so now it's on the fans to do what they can to spread the word and get more folks on board with binging The Orville: New Horizons. Fan-led campaigns for show renewals have power in Hollywood these days, so it's definitely possible they could help to make Season 4 happen. 

The Orville Seasons 1 through 3 arrives on Disney+ on Wednesday, August 10th.  Here's hoping for a new season, especially after the emphasis on serious storytelling led to some of the best episodes of the entire run. 

Warning! The following contains spoilers for The Orville: New Horizons episode “Future Unknown.” Read at your own risk!

The Orville: New Horizons had the opportunity to do something different when it moved to Hulu, and it’s fair to say Seth MacFarlane and crew fully embraced that in Season 3. Anyone with a Hulu subscription who caught this season witnessed some of the best episodes the series aired to date, as well as a serviceable season finale that had some awesome surprises. It’s all very exciting, though I won’t lie – the finale episode left me worried about Season 4. 

The Season 3 finale of The Orville wasn’t quite as eventful as the penultimate episode that majorly shook up the universe, but there were some other big moments and surprises that happened. Let’s break it all down below, including why the tone of the episode really has me wondering about the future. 

Isaac And Claire Got Married

After witnessing Bortus and Klyden’s bonding ceremony to rekindle their relationship, Isaac decided it was only logical to propose to Claire. Claire felt weird about accepting at first, but after some conversations with friends and her two sons, she accepted Isaac’s offer. They married on the ship and were even joined by Kaylon Primary and just about the entirety of the Kaylon empire. It was a sweet ceremony and brought me joy as a fan. 

Alara Made An Unexpected Appearance

The Orville: New Horizons had a surprise for fans in the Season 3 finale, as an unexpected guest at the wedding surprised the crew. Alara, played by actress Halston Sage, made her return for the first time this season to attend Claire’s wedding. It was nice to see Sage return for the ceremony, especially after she was written off in Season 2 (possibly because Prodigal Son was picked up by Fox). It was great to see her back in the fold and chatting with the other characters, if only for a short while. 

The Whole Episode Felt Like Classic Orville In The Best Way

I’ll be the first to say that I appreciated that The Orville: New Horizons was the furthest step away from Season 1 and that Season 3 delivered consistently serious storytelling most of the way through (Scott Grimes noted serious storytelling was a necessity). With that said, the season finale was strangely reminiscent of Season 1 and brought the comedy in spades as Claire and Isaac prepared for the big day. Bortus’ tenure as Isaac’s best man had several noteworthy moments, as did Isaac’s attempt to try and date more women before marriage by propositioning Kelly in a rather forward way. I love when The Orville is serious, but the season finale certainly reminded me the show can also be just as good when it’s wholesome and funny. 

The Season Finale Felt Like A Series Finale

The only troubling thing about The Orville: New Horizons’ Season 3 finale is how much it felt like a series finale. Season 4 is not guaranteed, which might be why the episode was titled “Future Unknown.” Its renewal is reportedly still up in the air over at Hulu, with cast members telling CinemaBlend it’ll depend on viewership and buzz on social media. It’s also possible that how well the series does on Disney+ when it launches will also factor in, and director Jon Cassar said it can only help. Still, seeing such a happy ending with a surprise cameo made it feel real that The Orville won’t return, which is certainly disappointing. 

Conversely, The Orville: New Horizons took an opportunity to create a finale in case it didn’t return, and a fine one at that. Should the show return for Season 4, the events of the penultimate episode will likely serve as fodder to set up where Captain Ed Mercer and the crew head next. Speaking of which, Ed and Gordon are still alive, which some speculated wouldn’t be the case after Seth MacFarlane and Scott Grimes signed on for that Ted adaptation. Overall, I’d say the story is still in great shape for Season 4, should a renewal happen. 

The Orville: New Horizons fans will need to wait and see if Hulu renews the series for Season 4. In the meantime, they can keep an eye out for the Disney+ launch, which will go down on Wednesday, August 10th. 

The Orville: New Horizons delivered just about the most mind-blowing cameo in science fiction since politician Stacey Abrams appeared in Star Trek: Discovery, and that seemed like it’d be hard to top. Country singing icon Dolly Parton played herself in the recent episode “Midnight Blue,” which is something I’m not sure Hulu subscribers saw coming. It may not be something the crew even saw happening at one point, considering – as the director shared with CinemaBlend – they had to move a set across the country to make it happen. 

I had the honor of speaking to The Orville’s Jon Cassar, who split directing duties of Season 3 with Seth MacFarlane and personally helmed the episode “Midnight Blue.” Given the substantial cameo, I had to ask him about working with Dolly Parton (who manages to stay busy in unexpected ways these days). He explained how great it was to work with her and the challenges in pulling it off during the era of COVID restrictions. Cassar broke down the experience and how they built and shipped half of a Hollywood set across the country specifically for her scene: 

The Orville: New Horizons moved a set from Los Angeles all the way to Nashville so that Dolly Parton could do her pivotal scene in which a historical hologram of herself swayed the Moclan Haveena to come clean about breaking the treaty in order to protect Topa. It was a surreal scene to see to witness, considering Parton isn’t exactly someone commonly associated with science fiction, but that made it all the more incredible to see. 

Jon Cassar continued on with the story about the scene, which was filmed in two different places. Only Dolly Parton’s bit of the conversation filmed in Nashville, but Cassar explained that she did allow actress Rena Owen to come anyway so they could work on the scene together: 

It all sounds like a tremendous amount of work that the casual viewer wouldn't know about if Jon Cassar and others weren’t telling the story of the lengths The Orville crew went to make it happen. It certainly would’ve been much easier to scrap the idea and replace Dolly Parton with someone else, so fans should appreciate the scene that much more. 

No doubt some of The Orville fans are interested in the work it took to get Dolly Parton in the episode, but obviously, many also want to know what it was like filming with the country singer. Jon Cassar didn’t exactly shock with his response and confirmed that Parton was as warm and professional as fans might expect: 

The Orville: New Horizons is nearly finished with Season 3, and after that, fans will wait and see if they watched and supported the show enough for Hulu to greenlight it for Season 4. After the massive universe-changing events of the penultimate episode, I know I’m hoping to see it happen, but only time will tell.

Fans can catch up on The Orville: New Horizons right now by streaming Seasons 1-3 over on Hulu. The series will also arrive on Disney+ on Wednesday, August 10th, which should be a great opportunity for new audiences to check it out. 

Warning! The following contains spoilers for The Orville: New Horizons episode “Domino.” Read at your own risk!

The Orville: New Horizons just set the stage for the Season 3 finale with some drastic changes to its universe in the penultimate episode. Fans who still have yet to pick up their Hulu subscription and watch the new season should do so as soon as humanly possible because we’re all going to want to see Season 4 after some of the big developments in this episode. 

If you haven’t had a chance to watch the episode yet and don’t want to be spoiled, now is the time to check out. This is one of the most important episodes the series has released to date, and it lays some groundwork for stories that might be revisited in a fourth season. Let’s dive in, and break down the major parts of the episode that will change this universe forever. 

The Planetary Union Developed A Weapon That Temporarily Ended The Kaylon War

It took some time, but thanks to the combined efforts of Isaac and Charly Burke, the duo developed a weapon that could effectively erase the Kaylon threat. The Planetary Union held a meeting and decided to allow Captain Ed, Admiral Halsey, and The Orville crew to negotiate a ceasefire with the Kaylons. The Kaylon leader, Kaylon Primary, conceded that they had no answer to The Union’s powerful weapon and said it gave them no other option than to cooperate. It was a pretty huge moment and a big win for the universe with the Kaylon threat temporarily over (though Mark Jackson’s comments on the Kaylon threat have me suspicious). 

The Moclans Aligned With The Krill

Unfortunately, the Moclans and Krill immediately threatened the new peace after they decided to align and end the Kaylon threat themselves. Thanks to an assist by Union Admiral Perry, they retrieved the Kaylon-destroying weapon and went to work reverse engineering it to kill all Kaylons in the galaxy. After that threat was finished, it seemed they’d then turn to the Planetary Union and go against the organization that criticized their extremist values. 

The Planetary Union learned of the now-dead Admiral Perry’s betrayal and went to the Kaylons for help in stopping the device. The Kaylons, with no other choice besides death, agreed to aid the Union and raid the planet where a prominent Moclan scientist worked on the weapon. (It looked a lot like the space battle scene in the trailer). These are pretty massive alliances, and ones I hope we continue to see further developed should Season 4 happen. 

Ensign Charly Burke Sacrificed Her Life For The Kaylons

The Kaylons and Union forces successfully destroyed the weapon and thwarted the combined Krill and Moclan forces, but it came at a price. Ensign Charly Burke had to lay down her life for the Kaylons to survive, which as many of The Orville’s fans might know, is a bit ironic. Charly hated the Kaylons for an attack that took her best friend (and potential lover) and made no effort to hide it during her time on the ship. 

Her sacrifice greatly confused Kaylon Primary, who couldn’t comprehend why someone who so deeply hated their species would give up their life to protect them. (Anne Winters did warn us not to judge her.) For once, the villainous Kaylon leader was speechless, and there was a sense that even with the destruction of the weapon that forced the Kaylons to surrender, the Union didn’t have to fear them any longer. That is a good thing because I can’t imagine the Union surviving attacks from the Moclans, Krill, and Kaylon all at once. 

The Orville Crew Captured Supreme Chancellor Teleya 

The assault on the Moclan planet also yielded a big-time hostage for the Planetary Union: Krill Supreme Chancellor Teleya. Teleya, as some may remember, had a romantic encounter with Captain Ed Mercer that resulted in the birth of their half-human/half-Krill love child Anaya. Teleya was able to orchestrate Ed and the crew’s escape when they were taken captive on Krill, but as Ed told her this time around, he couldn’t do the same. 

The Orville: New Horizons left fans hanging on what Ed might do to ensure his daughter’s future and safety. Ed doesn’t have enough pull to get Keleya out of answering for her war crimes, and it may cost him his chance of ever seeing Anaya again. Hopefully we’ll get more answers in the Season 3 finale, and then wait and see if Hulu thinks the viewership was high enough for another season. The the upcoming premiere on Disney+ could help the odds of renewal even further. 

What's Ahead For The Season Finale? 

With the Kaylon threat allegedly over, one might wonder if The Orville: New Horizons didn't jump the gun with its finale. The giant space battle, the collaboration with the Kaylons, and the unexpected alliance between the Krill and Moclans were some real game-changing reveals, so is it fair to assume the season finale will just be a lot of falling action? 

Personally, I wouldn't bet on it. The fact that Ed has an ultimatum from Teleya on the table and she saved him and others on Krill by using her influence has me suspicious that she won't actually make it in front of the Union Planetary counsel. I'd also expect the Krill to want to mount an attack to save their leader, and the Moclans to aid just out of spite for the Planetary Union. I feel relatively sure one or both of those things might happen, but honestly, I can't be certain. 

I also can't help but think of Timmis, the Kaylon with emotions we met in the previous episode. Kaylon Primary was able to understand and grow from his shared experience with the humans in this episode, which kind of indicates that the Union's belief that Timmis' emotions could be vital to peace with Kaylons was unnecessary.

 I'm not sure what it all means, but Timmis seems to fall into the classic trope of the character who seems so good that he's absolutely secretly evil. Perhaps his true purpose was to try and leave a memorable impact on Charly that ultimately led to her sacrifice, but I'm still leery of him. If he shows up, I'm expecting trouble. 

Finally, let's remember that while plenty in the cast are hoping for another season, Seth MacFarlane and Scott Grimes are working on a Ted adaptation for Peacock. I'm just saying, I wouldn't be surprised if more people die before the season ends, but perhaps both actors can make time in their schedules for both Ted and The Orville: New Horizons. We'll just have to wait, see, and hope an announcement about Season 4 is on the way. 

The Orville: New Horizons season finale streams on Hulu on Thursday, August 4. Tune in for what might be a very exciting episode, and hopefully not a series finale. 

The Orville: New Horizons is nearing the end of Season 3, and fans are getting increasingly curious about whether or not they’ll hear about a renewal for Season 4 soon. Many hoped news about a new season might arrive during the show’s recent panel at San Diego Comic-Con, but instead, we learned that Seasons 1-3 will arrive on Disney+ in the United States soon. Some fans might not know how to feel about that, but according to director Jon Cassar, it’s a good thing. 

Disney+ will add The Orville to its library on Wednesday, August 10, and I had the honor of asking director Jon Cassar how fans should feel about this. Cassar, who directed half of the episodes of Season 3, shared his thoughts on why this is good news for fans and likened the announcement to when the show announced the move from Fox to Hulu: 

Jon Cassar makes a great point that not everyone has a Hulu subscription, and Disney+ is a popular streaming platform. The Orville’s arrival could expose the series to a much wider audience and maybe even some former fans who wanted to check Season 3 out but didn’t want to spring for Hulu. 

The Orville: New Horizons’ arrival coincides with Disney+ allowing more mature content on its platform, such as Logan and Deadpool. Jon Cassar added that while it may be strange for folks living in the United States that The Orville will be on Disney+, it’s actually the norm in other countries like Canada: 

As a fan of The Orville, it does sound pretty exciting that it’ll exist on a platform that also houses Star Wars, The Muppets, and other franchises that the Seth MacFarlane series regularly references. I know many are thankful for the more serious storylines, but wouldn’t it be wild to see Captain Ed Mercer consult Kermit the Frog for advice in a hologram sequence? 

It’s even possible that The Orville’s homages and quotes could eventually pull in folks who are fans of other big franchises but never gave the series a chance. Jon Cassar stated that Disney+ is a great home for a sci-fi series, where there’s possibly an audience who hasn’t found it yet:

Fans already know from the cast that The Orville: New Horizons’ continuation largely relies on streaming numbers and fans talking it up on social media. If nothing else, at least the premiere on Disney+ will give the show another chance to prove it can be a viable asset to Disney and a series worth continuing well into the future like its major franchises. 

The Orville: New Horizons still has new episodes premiering on Hulu on Thursdays. Tune in for the final episodes there, and be ready to stream Seasons 1-3 over on Disney+ when it arrives on Wednesday, August 10.

The Orville: New Horizons is nearing the end of its third season, and things are getting wild. The Union lost the intriguing but complicated Moclans as critical allies in its fight against the Kaylons, and there’s a good deal of uncertainty regarding whether or not the Planetary Union can win the war without them. As Hulu subscribers wait to see what happens and wonder if Season 4 will happen, Isaac actor Mark Jackson teased a bit about what’s to come. 

CinemaBlend got a chance to catch up with Mark Jackson at San Diego Comic-Con to talk about what’s come in the final weeks of The Orville: New Horizons and, while Jackson kept things spoiler-free, what he did say should get viewers excited. Based on the actor's sentiments, fans are in for a few major twists before the season closes out:

The final few episodes of a season of any show can be thrilling, and it’s certainly good to hear that The Orville: New Horizons has some surprises planned for the pair of installments. Unfortunately, Mark Jackson's comments don't provide any indication as to whether the season will leave door open for more stories in potential future seasons. 

I don’t know what the actor is teasing for the upcoming episodes of New Horizons, but the star did speak to CinemaBlend on a separate occasion ahead of SDCC. During that chat, he discussed Isaac and the Kaylon War. I asked if there was a chance that the season would show provide a resolution between the Kaylon and Union forces, and Mark Jackson shared what he could on the storyline:

The star made mention of Timmis -- the Kaylon that Captain Ed Mercer and the crew discovered, who had the ability to process emotions to the point that he even softened the heart of Anne Winters' Kaylon-hating Ensign Charly Burke just a bit. Timmis agreed to be observed by the Union’s scientists, in order for them to see if his empathy could serve as a key to finally ending the conflict with the Kaylons. Given these teases of twists, it’s certainly possible the Union will be successful, and fans will see the end of the war. 

Conversely, I’ve seen enough deceptively evil robots in science-fiction to wonder if Timmis is a Kaylon spy, one who will ultimately bring the Union to its knees with some kind of surprise attack. One outcome would give The Orville some kind of finality, while the other feels like a storyline that fans would need to see more of. 

At the present, we still don’t know whether or not Hulu will renew the series for a fourth season. We’ve learned from the stars that it’ll likely come down to New Horizons' viewership numbers and buzz from social media. Hopefully, this new season is doing enough to move the needle, and the show will have a chance to give characters like J. Lee's LaMarr more stories and continue dive deeper into more serious storytelling. But before all of that, let's just hope for some kind of closure when it comes to this Kaylon war.

The Orville: New Horizons is currently streaming new episodes on Hulu on Thursdays, and Seasons 1-3 are slated to land on Disney+ on Wednesday, August 10th.

The Orville: New Horizons is churning out some of the series’ best episodes and laying out some emotional arcs and serious storylines for the characters. “A Tale Of Two Topas” might be the most emotional of them all, as it revisits Bortus and Klyden’s son Topa as he has questions about himself but can’t figure out why. The episode serves as the latest follow-up to Season 1’s “About A Girl,” and according to actor J. Lee, it features a performance from one of his co-stars that deserves a lot of credit. 

The follow-up episode in Season 3 features Topa experiencing a lot of questions and confusion. Many on The Orville crew know the underlying reason why but don’t wish to directly reveal that Topa's sex was changed at birth due to Moclan customs prioritizing a male-dominant species. Topa ultimately discovers the truth due to a hidden file and decides to change back to female with the help of the ship’s robot Isaac. The move enrages Klyden, who tries to no avail to convince Topa that the sex change was ultimately much better than the cultural stigma associated with being a Moclan woman. 

By the episode’s end, Klyden leaves The Orville, but not before ending his marriage with Bortus and telling Topa that he wished she was never born. John LaMarr actor J. Lee gave major props to the storyline when speaking to CinemaBlend, and praised actor Chad Coleman’s performance: 

Topa’s storyline on The Orville is incredibly heavy so far, and Chad Coleman’s Klyden serves as an integral piece to the story. His actions at the end of “A Tale Of Two Topas” are upsetting, but fans and those keeping up with their Hulu subscription are aware of his history with the issue. Klyden's knowledge that he was born female served as a massive trauma in his life, and as such, he hoped to prevent Topa from feeling that. Meanwhile, Bortus worried that if they didn’t tell Topa the truth, their child may never truly be happy. 

Stories like “A Tale Of Two Topas” show off the effects of Seth MacFarlane’s decision to take The Orville: New Horizons even further in a serious direction and presents a strong case for the series to continue to tell more serious stories in Season 4 (which isn't guaranteed). It’s also a chance for the show to work in more adventures that center on John LaMarr, which is something the actor confirmed to CinemaBlend he wouldn’t mind seeing more of. Hopefully we’ll see a lot more of him in another season, and maybe even Chad Coleman’s Klyden as well. 

The Orville: New Horizons releases new episodes on Hulu on Thursdays. If we're lucky, we’ll get some news on a renewal soon, and fans will be able to enjoy the back half of the season without the weight of uncertainty about the show's future.

The Orville: New Horizons is taking some narrative leaps in Season 3 and really leaning into serious storylines that further the arcs of its characters. Among such advancements, viewers might wonder whether or not the end of the season will feature some big developments for crew members like Ed Mercer and Kelly Grayson, who have displayed temporary flashes where it seemed they could rekindle the romantic feelings they shared after their divorce that occurred before the events of the show. Fans have long wondered if they’ll ever get back together, and Seth MacFarlane shared his perspective on that in a recent interview. 

Adrianne Palicki's Kelly and MacFarlane's Ed haven’t made any major strides in advancing their relationship on a romantic level in Season 3 of The Orville, and it might very well stay that way. Speaking with TVLine, Seth MacFarlane revealed how he changed direction for the characters' story in that respect, and that he had a good reason for doing so. In his words:

Ed and Kelly have a great dynamic as Captain and First Officer, and it’s looking like it will remain that way on The Orville: New Horizons. Seth MacFarlane didn’t give any indication that he intended to have them get back together, and with Season 4's chances relying heavily on steady viewership from anybody with a Hulu subscription, there’s a big chance they could keep their current dynamic going until the end of the series. 

With that said, Seth MacFarlane and the cast of The Orville: New Horizons haven’t been privy to revealing anything that might be considered a spoiler in this latest season. In that respect, there’s a definite possibility that fans will see some romantic development between Ed and Kelly before the season’s end, even if it doesn't turn into anything longterm and permanent. Since MacFarlane isn’t too willing to dole out extra information before upcoming episodes air, we'll just have to keep the faith while waiting. 

The Orville has certainly been privy to romances between its walls prior, though not so much with Ed and Kelly. LaMarr and Talla recently entered a steamy (and painful) relationship, and there’s a chance we’ll see that develop further in the future, assuming they can overcome one big hurdle, and that LaMarr gets showcased in more episodes. 

As for Ed and Kelly, there is some speculation that Ed could face fatal consequences, considering Seth MacFarlane and co-star Scott Grimes are working on a Ted series together. That, paired with the fact that The Orville: New Horizons might be the final season of the series should Hulu opt out of renewal, makes the odds slightly higher that we’ll won't see the crew together after this season, romantically or otherwise. Hulu originally picked up the series due to loyal viewing on the platform, however, so it seems that means Season 4 is a definite possibility. In short, there's hope for Kelly and Ed fans yet, even if Seth MacFarlane likes what he's doing with the characters now. 

The Orville: New Horizons streams on Hulu on Thursdays. Season 3 is hands-down the best season to date, so now is as good a time as any to tune in and see where this season ends up. Personally, I’m hoping for many more seasons with Ed and the crew, but I can’t deny I’m a little worried to see what’s coming up as the Kaylon war continues. 

The Orville: New Horizons is on a roll lately, with episode after episode delivering exciting developments for its characters and some heavy storylines that’ll stick with the fans for a long time. New characters like Charly Burke are making waves on the ship, while others, like Gordon, are going on life-altering adventures. Fans might wonder why more isn’t happening with others like John LaMarr, and actor J. Lee has something to say to that crowd. 

I had a wonderful conversation with J. Lee recently about The Orville, and I inquired about when we might see an episode that’s a little heavier on LaMarr’s story. After all, he has some big things going on with his promotion and even a little something happening with Talla. I asked Lee about what he had to say to viewers wanting to see more of LaMarr, and the actor shared the following:

J. Lee wasn’t too willing to mention whether or not John had a heavy storyline coming up in Season 3, but The Orville’s cast and crew are very apprehensive about revealing spoilers for the current season in general. Lee also mentioned the possibility of more John-heavy episodes in Season 4, and like other members of the cast stated in previous interviews, indicated the potential season has a chance if fans keep the “energy” going. Presumably that means fans need to keep tuning in for new episodes and talking about the show online. 

The Orville: New Horizons has kept John LaMarr around for most of the season, but his stories haven’t had as much meat as others. J. Lee admitted he’s happy to hear there are fans who want to see more of LaMarr, and he’d be up for it as well: 

As previously mentioned, The Orville opened up a new subplot for John recently when he got hot and heavy with Talla, but things are still new between them. There definitely is more room for that relationship to develop though, so there’s hope that future episodes might given them more screentime to explore that dynamic. I’d certainly love to see them become the next it couple of the show, especially after the recent separation of Bortus and Klyden. 

It’s still too soon to say whether or not Season 4 will happen and give the show more territory to continue its serious storytelling and flesh out characters like John LaMarr. Fans can hope in the meantime that Seth MacFarlane can work it into his potential plans for future seasons. 

Sci-fi fans can use their Hulu subscriptions to stream The Orville: New Horizons all they want. In fact, that might be beneficial to do as the show’s fate hangs in the balance and people wait for news on renewal or cancellation. 

The Orville: New Horizons is a show that, much like other Seth MacFarlane projects, occasionally shows some love to plays and musicals. So, it's no surprise that the star and creator brought accomplished stage actor Victor Garber on set in the recurring role of Admiral Halsey. It turns out that the two do talk about the arts when they’re together, and Garber recently revealed that MacFarlane actually uses Annie to “embarrass” the actor when he’s on set. 

I asked Victor Garber about Seth MacFarlane’s love of musicals and other stage performances and whether or not they ever talked about that when he’s around. Garber confirmed it is something they like to talk about and noted that The Orville star and creator likes to poke fun at him by using a song from his performance as Daddy Warbucks in Disney’s 1999 version of Annie:

Victor Garber might blush a little while Seth MacFarlane plays Annie songs during his scenes for The Orville: New Horizons, but it’s not like the actor’s stage career is anything to be ashamed of. In addition to being a celebrated actor in television and film (he even almost appeared in Star Trek), he’s a four-time Tony-nominated stage actor. With memorable roles across the board in Broadway productions, MacFarlane's prank feels like more of a celebration of Garber's accomplishments than a form of mockery.

Seth MacFarlane also worked another reference to Annie into one of Victor Garber’s recent episodes of The Orville: New Horizons, called “Gently Falling Rain.” Admiral Halsey and other members of the Union delegation attend an alien performance of Annie with members of the Krill there to observe. The moment was definitely a great moment of the episode and one that Garber appreciated immensely:

The Orville: New Horizons might be more serious now than it's ever been, but that doesn’t mean there can’t be fun every once in a while. This is especially true in the latest batch of episodes, where some levity was almost necessary to dissect some incredibly heavy topics. The alien-filled Annie performance was definitely a great funny moment for the season, so I can certainly understand why Garber enjoyed it so much. 

There’s still no word on whether or not The Orville: New Horizons will return for Season 4. CinemaBlend reported from other members of the cast that it appeared audience reception would play a factor in the renewal. Luckily, the show's latest episodes have been well-received online, so provided fans have a Hulu subscription, one would think Season 4 is a possibility. 

The Orville: New Horizons streams new episodes on Hulu on Thursdays. Season 3 is underway, so now is a good time to keep current on the show or even rewatch some of the new season’s best episodes. 

The Orville: New Horizons got off to the shocking start, as Isaac decided to end his life following backlash from the crew that was tied to the ongoing Kaylon war. A good amount of that hatred came from the new Ensign Charly Burke, who is played by a franchise newcomer Netflix alum Anne Winters. Winters’ character definitely received criticism from fans due to her attitude towards Isaac, and the hate is still coming. Well, the actress is aware of the backlash and, while discussing her character's arc, she issued a response.

I spoke to Anne Winters shortly after The Orville: New Horizons premiered and asked her about the experience of not only coming into an established series as a newcomer but also playing someone who serves as an antagonist of sorts for a key character. Winters assured me that Charly Burke's rough introduction didn’t deter her from the role. And as a matter of fact, she actually found it exciting:

Anne Winters didn’t reveal much regarding Charly’s future when we spoke but, so far, it doesn’t seem as though she’s changed her perception much regarding Isaac. Charly resented Isaac’s presence on the ship, because a Kaylon attack on her previous assignment, the Quimby, resulted in her losing a friend. Burke openly voiced her concern about him to Captain Mercer, as well as other members on the ship. 

When Isaac deactivated himself, Burke ultimately brought him back to life using skills no one else on the crew possessed. She made it clear she didn’t do it because she liked Isaac, and the episode implied that she might’ve done so in order to ease the guilt of Claire’s son, Marcus, who also participated in bullying Isaac. 

The ship's new second navigator still hasn’t found easy footing with Isaac at this point, which might certainly lead some fans to judge the character. Anne Winters had a rather blunt response to anyone who might be tempted to do so, essentially warned them against it: 

Charly Burke does seem to be a good person, based on her relationships with others, so it’s possible she’ll ultimately grow to better understand Isaac with time. However, one has to consider whether how much time The Orville could get cancelled (again), as Season 4 is not a guarantee. CinemaBlend spoke to Anne Winters and others about the possibility of a new season, and the responses implied that it might come down to how Hulu Subscribers tune in and how much buzz it drums up among social media users. I think it’s fair to say the series definitely took a step up with its serious storytelling in Season 3, so it would be great to see how that affects Charly's arc and others.

The Orville: New Horizons streams new episodes on Hulu on Thursdays. Tune in for new installments or catch up on the old ones to see why so many people love this series. And be sure to check out CinemaBlend's 2022 TV schedule for more quality viewing options.

Seth MacFarlane has worked with a lot of talent in Hollywood, and among those he's worked with the longest is ER and Justified vet Scott Grimes. The pair have worked together on the animation side for American Dad and Family Guy — no one delivers fictional earworms like Grimes' Steve Smith — and on the live-action side, they're currently sharing the screen for Hulu's The Orville: New Horizons, with the upcoming television adaptation of Ted as their next shared endeavor. Understandably, Grimes totally loves working with MacFarlane, and part of that appreciation ties into how their work together is always a true collaboration. 

When Scott Grimes spoke with CinemaBlend about the current season of the sci-fi dramedy The Orville, he shared that while he doesn’t work much with Seth MacFarlane currently on either of the animated shows, he definitely remembers the earlier days when MacFarlane was more hands-on in the creative process. Here's what he told me about how MacFarlane’s work as a director back then compares to The Orville, and how finding the same groove is the recipe to success:

Scott Grimes' praise of Seth MacFarlane is a clear show of why they've continued to work together over the past couple of decades, and certainly plays into why Gordon and Mercer have such a great dynamic on The Orville. The two haven’t shared a ton of moments in Season 3 so far, but there are so many great examples from previous episodes that it just makes fans more anticipatory for whenever they’re on screen together next.

And while Seth MacFarlane is the Captain and main creative voice when it comes to The Orville, it’s on the set of the show that Scott Grimes gets to help out his co-star.  Grimes revealed that MacFarlane would also come to him and ask for consultation in terms of acting:

Seth MacFarlane is an iconic public figure and accomplished voice actor, but in the world of live-action, his credits aren’t so numerous. (Yet, anyway.) Even so, MacFarlane has ruled the roost as the star of The Orville for three seasons now, and does a fine job as Captain Ed Mercer week in and week out. 

Scott Grimes continued on with talking about helping Seth MacFarlane grow more comfortable with acting, and noted one of MacFarlane’s few notable feature performances ahead of the series. Grimes noted that while MacFarlane warmed up to his duties, it was a struggle at first:

Seth MacFarlane and Scott Grimes are only getting better on The Orville: New Horizons, which adopted an even more serious tone after leaving Fox and moving to Hulu. There’s still no word on whether or not Season 4 will happen, though conversations CinemaBlend had with other cast members suggested that the number of Hulu subscribers who tune into the current season and the online response will play a factor, so anyone thinking this was already the final season can hold out hope. Until then, we can only continue to enjoy the adventures, as well as future, fuzzier collaborations between Grimes and MacFarlane. 

The Orville: New Horizons debuts new episodes on Hulu on Thursdays. So much about this season is being kept under wraps, so streaming weekly in is the only way to learn what’s coming up and what the future may hold for the ship’s crew. 

The Orville: New Horizons, a.k.a. Season 3 of Seth MacFarlane’s live-action sci-fi series, is currently on streaming. Hulu subscribers who've tuned in have more than likely noticed by now that the latest season is building on the serious tone that was established back during the second season. (Though the series does still find opportunities to incorporate humor from time to time.) This creative transition is certainly a departure from the tone that was introduced in Season 1 but, according to series star Scott Grimes, the adoption of such storytelling is something that needed to happen. 

I had the pleasure of speaking to Scott Grimes not long after the release of “Gently Falling Rain.” The actor mentioned that the serious storytelling and the way that Seth MacFarlane presents it are some of the biggest things he appreciates about the show and, ultimately, he thinks it was the right move for MacFarlane, from a creative standpoint:

Shows like Family Guy and American Dad are great but, when crafting Orville, Seth MacFarlane wasn't exactly aiming to give viewers a show that mirrors the animate series they've been watching for years. Scott Grimes explained that MacFarlane wanted his cosmic series to be more than that, which is why the show began a slow shift towards more serious storylines in Season 2. 

Scott Grimes stressed that The Orville: New Horizons' new approach falls more in line with what his colleague has wanted to do. Not only that, but Grimes says he’s grateful that the show went that direction (following its departure from Fox). Grimes further explained why he’s “happy” about the current vision of the show, and why it’s important that things are being handled this way now:

The Orville: New Horizons’ premiere certainly proved that the series is willing to engage in the most serious of storylines. In the episode, the crew was up in arms when Isaac, the ship’s Kaylon engineer, committed suicide. The show, as Scott Grimes mentioned earlier, presented a lot of different perspectives on the matter. While Isaac’s actions were ultimately undone (he’s an A.I.), it was the series' heaviest installment to date. It’s certainly not something that I would imagine being tackled on the first season of The Orville or something that would’ve gone over without some sort of controversy if the show was still on network television. 

As for how many more episodes The Orville: New Horizons will drop on Hulu, that remains to be seen. There’s also no word, at the moment, as to whether Season 4 will happen, though members of the cast hinted that fan response and viewership will factor into the show's future. Hopefully, if it does happen, Seth MacFarlane will be allowed to continue showing his fully-realized vision for the series, which just seems to be getting better with age. 

The Orville: New Horizons is finally out after a long wait, and Hulu subscribers can enjoy new episodes of a series they’ve followed since it was on Fox. Seth MacFarlane’s live-action show has gained fans within the Star Trek fandom, who likened it to classic installments in the franchise like The Next Generation. As it turns out, one prominent member of the cast has ties to both franchises, and Penny Johnson Jerald “detests” comparisons between the two shows. 

CinemaBlend recently spoke to Penny Johnson Jerald, who plays Dr. Claire Finn on The Orville and played Kasidy Yates-Sisko on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Given her connection to both franchises, I asked if she felt The Orville: New Horizons has successfully escaped comparisons to Star Trek at this stage. The actress shared her thoughts about the matter:

Penny Johnson Jerald didn’t like the idea that some considered The Orville a funnier version of Star Trek, and she certainly has a point about the Fox-turned-Hulu series setting itself apart by this point. At the same time, she did note that there are similar elements between the two shows, which I’d imagine played a large part in the series pulling in Star Trek fans over the years. 

As The Orville went on to Season 2, Penny Johnson Jerald said she saw the similarities between it and Star Trek fade even more. The actress talked about the key difference she saw between the two shows that truly sets them apart, based on her experience: 

The former Star Trek: Deep Space Nine actress and current star of The Orville: New Horizons makes a great point. Star Trek tends to tackle modern issues with the futuristic mindset of a society that’s worked to conquer many of humanity's issues, whereas The Orville often feels like people from our era directly injected into the future. 

Of course, just because Penny Johnson Jerald doesn't appreciate the comparisons between the two doesn't mean that Star Trek fans won't see some of what they love about that franchise in The Orville. The series has an episodic style of space adventure that calls back to the more classic adventures of Star Trek, and debuted on Fox not long before the launch of the very serialized Star Trek: Discovery. 

The Orville: New Horizons certainly seems to be the series' greatest step forward in establishing its own legacy in sci-fi, though there is always the question of how long the ride can last. Speaking with members of the cast, CinemaBlend learned that while Season 4 of The Orville isn’t off the table, it seems viewership and fan engagement will play a role in its renewal or cancellation. 

We’ll have to wait and see if that renewal happens and if Seth MacFarlane’s series will further escape the shadows of other franchises as Season 3 continues. The Orville: New Horizons streams new episodes on Hulu on Thursdays. Tune in to see what adventures the crew will get into, especially with so much uncharted territory ahead of them. 

The Orville: New Horizons is in full swing, and while Hulu subscribers are happy to finally see the new season after long delays, some want reassurance that its return isn’t short-lived after the move from Fox. After all, rumors swirled at one point that Season 3 was the end of the line for the series, and with no word on Season 4 thus far, I asked actresses Anne Winters and Penny Johnson Jerald about what the future holds. 

Anne Winters is a new addition to The Orville: New Horizon’s cast and made a big splash as Ensign Charly Burke in the Season 3 premiere. I spoke to Winters about whether or not Season 4 seemed like a possibility based on what she knows from filming, and she spoke about the limitless potential of the series:

Anne Winters confirmed that there’s no word on a Season 4 renewal and teased something rather interesting. Her mention of the ability to bring people back to life is rather curious, and I’m not sure what that means for The Orville crew as they continue their way into new territory. 

I also spoke to Penny Johnson Jerald about Dr. Claire Finn, and of course asked her about the possibility of The Orville Season 4 as well. The actress shared a few more details on the situation, which painted a more detailed picture of where things stand:

The good news here is that Hulu hasn’t already told The Orville crew that it’s not getting renewed. With that said, she also mentioned a potential shakeup of the crew, which certainly doesn’t help dissuade me from the idea that the show might lose a major character by the end of the season. Remember the news that Scott Grimes and Seth MacFarlane will both be involved in Peacock’s Ted series? It does make me wonder how they'd be involved with both shows.

Penny Johnson Jerald continued to speak about the possibility of Season 4, and had a message specifically for fans. Jerald noted that she’d be sending a similar message on her social media channels:

The implication, without being directly said, is that Hulu is looking at how many people are watching and reacting to The Orville: New Horizons, and that presumably factors into whether or not the series returns for Season 4. Fan movements continue to be effective these days, so showing support now could be the best thing for the future of the series on Hulu.

The Orville: New Horizons streams new episodes on Hulu on Thursdays. Tune in for some fresh drama in what has already proven to be an exciting start to the new season. 

With The Orville: New Horizons going strong at Hulu, and a prequel to the feature-originated world of Ted happening at Peacock (among other projects), Seth MacFarlane has quite notably distanced himself from his former home of Fox, save for his work on the stalwart animated comedy Family Guy. Having exited his overall deal with the network in 2020, MacFarlane signed on for a new deal with NBCUniversal, but has obviously also maintained a relationship with Fox’s parent company Disney during the extended production of The Orville’s third season. And given how outspoken and opinionated the multi-hyphenate entertainer has been in the past, it should surprise no one that he has opinions about how working for Fox and Disney compare and contrast. 

As part of the 13th annual Produced By conference (via Deadline), Seth MacFarlane spoke rather candidly about how things are going with both Fox and Disney, while still refraining from delivering censorable profanities or going into roast mode (as he did during The Orville’s Season 3 premiere event). Instead, he offered a more authentic explanation for how he felt about both corporations. 

What Seth MacFarlane Said About Working With Fox 

Though Seth MacFarlane has always taken shots at Fox over the past 23 years, sometimes through his animated series themselves, things became more noticeably fraught in recent years thanks to the creator’s views on Fox News, and the cable channel’s own heightened reliance on opinion-driven programming. Here’s how he first explained things:

The separation between Fox News and other sectors of the Fox brand has been both an interesting and confusing topic in recent years, particularly in cases where those worlds do still intertwine, such as it went when Donald Trump’s former lawyer Rudy Giuliani appeared as a contestant on The Masked Singer, which notably sparked Ken Jeong to vacate the studio at the time of the unmasking. Referring to that instance as “distressing,” MacFarlane did give the network credit for allowing Family Guy, The Cleveland Show and American Dad (when it was still on Fox) to tell their stories without censoring or politically motivated suggestions from on high. In his words:

Seth MacFarlane also shared that he thinks there’s a legitimate need for a “rational” conservative news outlet, which he thinks Fox News started out as before going “someplace radically different.”

What Seth MacFarlane Said About Working With Disney

On the flip side of things, Seth MacFarlane had almost entirely positive and glowing things to say about his working relationship with Disney, whether it be through Fox or through Hulu with The Orville. Without getting too specific about anything overtly partisan, he shared his thoughts on the company’s outlook, and how it’s been for him from a creative perspective. 

If your warning bells just went off, you probably aren’t alone, as Seth MacFarlane’s use of past tense implies that he won’t be returning for Season 4, which is already something that has been speculated about, given how much of a daunting and expensive production it has been through all things COVID. Not to mention everything else happening in his career. But MacFarlane does make it sound like the Powers That Be were perfectly willing to provide whatever it took to bring Season 3 to life, so it’s still possible that the show will live on, provided it drives some major viewership for Hulu, of course. 

Seth MacFarlane also shared some kind words about his long-lasting relationship with Dana Walden, a former Fox TV executive who is currently the chairperson of general entertainment content for Disney. Here’s how he put it:

While it’s unclear if the Family Guy star will continue to work with Dana Walden and other Disney and Hulu execs once The Orville: New Horizons has wrapped its season, fans can be sure that we’ll have more news on that front by the end of the summer.

The Orville drops new episodes every Thursday for those with Hulu subscriptions, so be sure to check out the emotional space-faring fun!

Similar to how his animated series American Dad started off as a Fox original before being shipped off to a different channel, Seth MacFarlane’s space-faring dramedy The Orville: New Horizons will soon make its debut for Hulu subscribers, over three years after its second season aired on the broadcast network. It’s been a long and arduous journey to get to this point, and the multi-hyphenate creator couldn’t sound happier to be partnered with a different platform. To the point where MacFarlane introduced the Season 3 premiere screening in L.A. by hilariously roasting the sci-fi series’ former home, which has nonetheless remained faithful to his animated hit Family Guy.

Taking the stage at the California Science Center ahead of the premiere screening, Seth MacFarlane offered a safe-for-work Fox roast that, despite being largely inoffensive, still had barbs. Here’s how he kicked things off (via THR):

While NBC has its One Chicago and Law & Order franchise, while CBS has the NCIS and FBI shows, Fox’s biggest connective tissue does seem to be in the “I hope most of your memory banks are dedicated to music” genre. To be fair, Fox used to be in the “bawdy Seth MacFarlane animated series” game, but only Family Guy has stuck around from that era. And considering how many ‘80s and ‘90s callbacks there have been on the animated comedy, it’s likely there have been plenty of crossover tunes between FG and Fox’s song-based series. 

In any case, Seth MacFarlane then took aim at Fox’s audience stats, which have generally been on the lower end of the Big 4 totem pole, save for its former ties to the NFL and sporadic hits such as The Masked Singer. According to MacFarlane:

Nowhere else on TV can one find competition series based on LEGO constructions and domino-based assemblies, or a show based on the podcast Guys We Fucked, or an animated update based on The Flintstones, or five different Gordon Ramsey shows. But what is he talking about with this lowest common denominator business?

Not that MacFarlane only poked fun at Fox. He also shared some self-aware love for Hulu as a streaming king, while dismissing The Kardashians in the same breath, and said:

To be fair, people could have been defecating while watching The Orville during its run on Fox, also. I guess it’s just easier now. Sci-fi really is a doorway into the future, isn’t it?

Having only premiered its official Season 3 trailer just two weeks before audiences were able to watch, The Orville: New Horizons, which cancelled the red carpet interviews for its premiere due to the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, will debut on Hulu on Thursday, June 2. Check out all the other new and returning shows debuting soon with our 2022 TV premiere schedule.

A school shooting in Uvalde, Texas that took the lives of 19 children and two adults occurred on May 24, and events in the television industry made alterations in light of the tragedy. The Season 4 finale of FBI was bumped from the CBS lineup shortly after news of the tragedy broke, and that wasn’t the only event change made. 

FBI was scheduled to air its Season 4 finale at 8 p.m. on May 24, and CBS decided to pull the episode from the primetime lineup a couple of hours before. The case in the finale was set to involve a potential school shooting, and actor Jeremy Sisto described the high stakes of the episode ahead of time. CBS has not yet announced plans regarding if or when the finale will eventually air. FBI: International and FBI: Most Wanted aired their finales as scheduled.

Two shows also cancelled their plans for high-profile premieres. The Orville is set to return with its third season – dubbed New Horizons – more than three years after Season 2 ended on Fox. The red carpet premiere for the Season 3 return and move to Hulu was planned for May 25, but those plans have been altered. Disney said in an email statement (via Variety):

The guest list was slated to include star and creator Seth MacFarlane as well as co-stars Adrianne Palicki, Penny Johnson Jerald, Scott Grimes, Peter Macon, Jessica Szohr, J Lee, Mark Jackson, Anne Winters, and Chad L. Coleman. On the production side, executive producers Brannon Braga, David A. Goodman, and Jon Cassar were expected. Season 3 of The Orville is scheduled to debut on Hulu on Thursday, June 2. 

Apple TV+ also made the decision to change plans for a red carpet premiere event. The red carpet for Season 2 of Physical was cancelled after the news broke of the shooting in Texas, citing a statement from the cast and creative team of the dark comedy series that reads (via Deadline): 

The 10-episode second season of Physical is still expected to premiere on Friday, June 3, which will be a big day for streaming all around in the 2022 TV schedule, with the return of The Boys on Amazon and The Floor is Lava on Netflix. The Physical red carpet change was announced just hours before it was planned to take place with the press line. 

At the time of writing, FBI, The Orville, and Physical are the three major TV events that shifted plans in the wake of the deadly shooting in Texas. Only time will tell if more follow suit.

The Orville: New Horizons is nearly here, and soon Hulu subscribers will get to see Seth MacFarlane's Captain Ed Mercer back with the rest of the crew for another round of action-packed adventurea. The first full-length trailer for its third season (and first for streaming) reveals a bit of what's to come, and perhaps surprisingly, it all feels pretty serious and dramatic. We also hear Ed drop an iconic Star Wars quote because, of course, the guy who created Family Guy has to have a bit of levity in his show, right? 

Season 3 of The Orville is titled "New Horizons," so it tracks that Ed Mercer makes note that they're headed into previously uncharted territory. When encouraged by Kelly to pass on some words to the crew, the best Ed can muster up is a fairly generic pep talk chased by the ever-repeated Star Wars quote:  

Outside of that quote and a couple of other moments, however, it feels like The Orville: New Horizons will lean into the more dramatic tone of its series. We see aliens make serious threats to Ed and even what looks like the setup for some big space battles. There's even a sad scene with Isaac facing some discrimination, likely due to him being a Kaylon. It all feels surprisingly heavy for The Orville, but based on how well I enjoyed the more serious content of Season 2, I'm not complaining. Hopefully, there are more seasons planned based on just how great this trailer looks, though it may not happen, given everything that Seth MacFarlane has going in his career currently.

Perhaps the most comforting thing about anticipating the premiere of The Orville: New Horizons is that Season 2 didn’t end on some massive cliffhanger that fans have waited three years to see the payoff to. One thing they do have to look forward to is some new cast members, including actress Anne Winters’  Ensign Charly Burke. A new series regular almost certainly will help shake up the dynamic of the crew, and maybe even present some new opportunities for exciting storylines.  I guess fans will find all that out soon enough, as the wait for the return of this great series is almost finally over. 

After a long period of delays, The Orville: New Horizons premieres on Hulu on Thursday, June 2nd, with weekly releases every Thursday. There's still time to binge the first two seasons for anyone who hasn't had a chance to do so, and if you're a fan of sci-fi who enjoyed The Orville, I'd recommend reliving all the space-faring fun again just to remember where everything left off. 

In 2012 and 2015, Family Guy and American Dad! creator Seth MacFarlane starred in the two Ted movies as the voice of the foul-mouthed eponymous character. Set in contemporary times, those two movies followed along with the hijinks of Mark Wahlberg’s John Bennett and his best friend, who just so happened to be a teddy bear he wished to life as a child. Well, MacFarlane is returning to the world of Ted for a TV series that will be available with a Peacock subscription, and he’s bringing one of his costars from The Orville along with him.

Since 2017, Seth MacFarlane has starred as Captain Ed Mercer on The Orville, which was moved to Hulu after airing its first two seasons on Fox. Among the supporting cast member on that series is Scott Grimes, who plays Lieutenant Gordon Molloy. Now MacFarlane and Grimes are re-teaming for Peacock’s Ted prequel series, which is set in Boston in 1993, when John Bennett is 16 years old and Ted’s moment of fame has long since passed. Grimes will star as Matty Bennett, John’s father, who’s described as a blustering blue-collar Bostonian who sees himself as the unequivocal boss in the family and doesn’t like anyone challenging him, including Blaire, his liberal-minded niece who’s living with the family. 

Although they’re seen in live-action together on The Orville, Seth MacFarlane and Scott Grimes go back much further than that. The latter also voices Steve Smith and other assorted characters on American Dad!, as well as voices Kevin Swanson and a handful of other roles on Family Guy. Weirdly enough, in the first Ted movie (which MacFarlane thought would probably flop), John Bennett’s father, played there by Ralph Garman, was named Steve, but I guess MacFarlane felt Matty was a better name for this series.

Scott Grimes is one of three new actors who will be joining Seth MacFarlane on Peacock’s Ted. The role of teen John Bennett is being filled by Parenthood’s Max Burkholder, with the character at this stage of his life being described as a good guy and likable teen, but still in an awkward phase, and he’s relying on Ted to help him navigate adolescence. Then there’s the previously-mentioned Blaire, played by The Punisher’s Giorgia Whigham. Blaire is a politically correct college student who’s not afraid to be outspoken and frequently clashes with her traditionalist family, i.e. cousin John, uncle Matty and aunt Susan, who’s she’s living with while pursuing higher education. There’s no word yet on who’s playing John’s mother Susan (named Helen in the first movie, and played by Alex Borstein). 

Behind the scenes, Seth MacFarlane is set to direct, write, co-showrun and executive produce all of the Ted series’ episodes with Paul Corrgian and Brad Walsh, both of whom previously worked on Modern Family and will serve as co-showrunners, writers and executive producers on this Peacock project. The series is being produced by MacFarlane’s Fuzzy Door label, and its other executive producers include Eric Huggins, Alana Kleiman and Jason Clark, the latter of whom was a producer on the Ted film series. UCP and MRC Television are also involved with putting the show together.

CinemaBlend will share major updates about the Ted series when they come in, including when it will come out on Peacock. In the meantime, those of you eager to see Seth MacFarlane and Scott Grimes paired together again can do so when The Orville Season 3 premieres on June 2, so make sure your Hulu subscription is in order by then.

Space Force returned for Season 2 this year, bringing back the hilarious Steve Carell comedy for more crazy space wars and ridiculous moments. With a killer cast and several things that work well, it's the perfect addition to Netflix’s impressive catalogue of comedies. 

However, one can binge that series like nobody’s business, and struggle to find a new show to watch that might have a similar style. Look no further, as we have some shows like Space Force for you to choose from that you’ll surely love from beginning to end. 

The Office (Peacock)

I know you know this series. The Office is a workplace comedy that takes place at Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, a fictional workplace in Scranton, Pennsylvania, that follows the daily lives of its workers and their good-at-his-job boss, Michael Scott. 

If you’ve watched Space Force, you’ll love The Office for a couple of reasons. The first being that Steve Carell stars in this as Michael Scott, and arguably, the character is what put him on the map as an amazing comedic actor and is one of his best performances ever, in my opinion. Space Force was actually co-created by Carell and Greg Daniels, who also worked on The Office, so you can bet that the style of comedy is very similar. 

Stream The Office on Peacock.

Arrested Development (Netflix)

If you’re wondering what happens when a family loses all of their riches, Arrested Development is the way to go. This comedy starring Jason Bateman tells the story of the Bluth family, whose accounts are frozen and they now have to deal with the realities of not having the money that they had before. 

Arrested Development is a great time from beginning to end, and for fans of Space Force’s edgier comedy, this series is like that, too, featuring moments that will truly make you snort in laughter at some of the darker jokes. What makes this show even better, in my opinion, is its focus on inside jokes (which are brought up over the entire series) that only fans who have seen the whole show can understand, making it a more personal experience.  

Stream Arrested Development on Netflix.

Avenue 5 (HBO Max)

If you want a hilarious sci-fi adventure, check out Avenue 5. This HBO original series follows a group of crew members and their captain on an intergalactic cruise ship as they try to deal with their passengers once problems begin to arise. 

For fans of Space Force, you have the sci-fi aspect of this show that Space Force uses sometimes, but what really makes this so great is the workplace comedy part. I mean, Avenue 5 shows that you can really set a workplace comedy anywhere and as long as the people are funny, you’ll love the show. With stars like Hugh Laurie and Josh Gad, Avenue 5 excels.

Stream Avenue 5 on HBO Max.

The Big Bang Theory (HBO Max)

The Big Bang Theory was one of the biggest sitcoms on television for 12 seasons. The series begins with Leonard and Sheldon, two physicists with brilliant minds, but even with all their smarts, nothing could have prepared them for the woman who moves across the hall and changes their lives forever. 

When I tell you this show was huge, I mean it was huge. For fans of Space Force, if you enjoyed the more scientific aspect of the Netflix series, you’ll like the fun facts you learn from The Big Bang Theory, and how science is often infused into the comedy. But, you should watch for so many other reasons. There are so many cool behind-the-scenes facts to know, stars who exploded because of it, and much more, so give it a shot. I promise you won’t regret it. 

Stream The Big Bang Theory on HBO Max.

Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount Plus)

If you’re looking for an adult animation show, be sure to check out Star Trek: Lower Decks. As part of the Star Trek universe, this hilarious series focuses instead on the "lower-deckers" of a starship, showing what they do while the captains and the senior crew members are off trying to save the world from aliens and bigger threats.

If you’re into Space Force, I’m sure you’ve heard of Star Trek or are a big fan of it, and while I do love Star Trek how it is normally, there’s just something so great about Star Trek: Lower Decks. For fans of Space Force, it’s the perfect workplace comedy, but what makes this series even better is that it's raunchier than Star Trek ever is, creating hysterical moments that will have you crying tears of laughter. 

Stream Star Trek: Lower Decks on Paramount Plus.

Veep (HBO Max)

If you’re looking for another take on politics, check out Veep. This very popular HBO series, which stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus, follows Selina Meyer, a Vice President of the United States who is often cleaning up after her superior while making her own messes, and the daily lives of her dysfunctional team. 

While Space Force has plenty of sci-fi references, it is at its core a comedy that takes a hilarious angle on bureaucracy, and that’s exactly what Veep does as well. From the talented Veep cast to its interesting storylines mixed with very funny jokes, Veep is the perfect political comedy and one that you should definitely watch once you’ve binged all of Space Force. Also, both Veep and Avenue 5 were created by the same man, Armando Iannucci. 

Stream Veep on HBO Max.

Intelligence (Peacock)

2020 certainly was a year for releasing sci-fi dramedies, as the British television series, Intelligence, also released this year. When an NSA agent is assigned to act as a liaison in a cyber crimes unit for the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters, he starts to make himself known for his brashness, creating chaos in the workplace, especially with the cybersecurity team, who have to learn to work under this new leadership. 

What I really like about Intelligence for fans of Space Force is the members of the cyber-security team, because they kind of remind me of the workers of Space Force where they don’t quite necessarily fit together but somehow, they get the job done. David Schwimmer is really good in his lead role as Jerry, as well as Nick Mohammed, the creator of the show, who stars as Joseph. 

Stream Intelligence on Peacock.

The Orville (Hulu)

While we already had a Star Trek pick on this list, let’s take a look at The Orville, which is more of a parody of the Star Trek universe and sci-fi shows in general. Created and starring Seth MacFarlane, The Orville follows an exploration ship and its dysfunctional crew members as they travel across the universe and have new adventures. 

To me, there isn’t really a direct relationship between Space Force and The Orville because it doesn't feel like a workplace comedy like some of the others do on this list. However, I do think that The Orville is a hilarious parody of the space-travel genre and does have an angle of space bureaucracy that you might enjoy if you liked the politics of Space Force. Even so, MacFarlane truly shines in this series and created a fantastic show that will take you to new worlds of laughter. You can only expect the best from him. 

Stream The Orville on Hulu.

Upload (Amazon Prime)

Upload is a science-fiction series that takes place in 2033, where the general public now has the ability to upload their consciousness to a virtual afterlife once they die. Nathan, someone who suddenly dies, experiences this, but finds out that not everything is as it seems in this perfect world. 

While Upload might be a bit of a strange pick, hear me out. It’s not a workplace comedy or even anything remotely close to political, but the main reason why it’s listed is that it’s created by Greg Daniels, the same man who also made The Office and Space Force (alongside Steve Carell). Robbie Amell is great in his starring role, and if you liked him in this, you should check him out in the many other parts he's done. 

Stream Upload on Amazon Prime.

Parks And Recreation (Peacock)

Ready for another workplace comedy? Parks and Recreation is exactly what you would expect it to be - it follows a small team that works for the Parks and Rec division of their local government in Indiana, following their daily lives, specifically focusing on Leslie Knope. 

Fun fact - this show was again co-created by Greg Daniels, who proved once more how brilliant he is with workplace comedies. Featuring a stellar Parks and Recreation cast that is stacked to the brim with stars, the moment you turn on this series, you’ll instantly be reminded of Space Force. The humor is about the same, but what really makes this series shine is the impeccable acting performances, with my two favorites being Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman, but everyone is so great in their own right. 

Stream Parks and Recreation on Peacock.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Hulu)

There are so many police procedural shows out there - how about we take a look at a police comedy? Brooklyn Nine-Nine, starring Andy Samberg, is a hysterical comedy that takes place in the fictional 99th Precinct in Brooklyn, New York, and follows the daily lives of its police officers, usually focusing on Detective Jake Peralta and his shenanigans. 

From the moment I started watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine, I fell in love with these characters. Like Space Force, this is a workplace comedy with some themes thrown in there about the politics of the police force, but overall, the show is just a great time from start to finish. There are some truly amazing episodes that will make you both laugh and cry your heart out, and you’ll form emotional attachments to these characters so quickly. Trust me when I say this is a show you definitely want to try out. 

Stream Brooklyn Nine-Nine on Hulu.

Silicon Valley (HBO Max)

Last but not least, we have Silicon Valley. Based on the real work environments of tech companies, but obviously parodied, Silicon Valley mainly follows Richard Hendricks, who founded a small start-up in Silicon Valley, and how his co-founders and friends, must find ways to keep their company going amongst the tech giants of the region. 

Like Space Force, this show offers plenty of commentary on the culture of work in America, showing just how stressful it is, albeit in a very specific industry. However, that doesn't change the fact that this show is still so funny, and what makes it better is the fantastic chemistry the Silicon Valley cast has, making this truly feel like you’re a part of the crazy environment, as well. With six seasons to stream, it’s worth the time for sure. 

Stream Silicon Valley on HBO Max.

With so many TV shows to watch, you almost might have enough to stream until a possible Space Force Season 3 comes out, but no matter what you end up watching, you’ll have a fun time regardless.  

Seth MacFarlane and his fellow producers have been promoting the upcoming Season 3 of The Orville on social media ever since Hulu rescued the sci-fi dramedy for another jaunt into space, which is finally coming relatively soon. His most recent post features a sneak preview of some new futuristic hardware, and while it looks awesome, MacFarlane's Family Guy co-star Alex Borstein stole the show with one concise but hilarious comment. 

After a production schedule filled with ups, downs, and delays, Season 3 of The Orville: New Horizons is finally making it to the Milky Way. Fans will have to wait until June to reunite with their beloved galactic travelers, but creator and star Seth MacFarlane is tiding everyone over with some sweet behind the scenes content. Take a look at his latest post below: 

The image shows “the new shuttle,” a sleek silver ship that will almost certainly see some action on The Orville Season 3. Amongst the legions of fans expressing their excitement, one comment reigned supreme, courtesy of none other than Seth MacFarlane’s Family Guy cohort Alex Borstein. The voice of Lois Griffin added the comment seen below:

• 🍆 - Alex Borstein

Borstein's vegetative comment quickly liked by dozens of Insta users and could mean literally anything. Knowing the specific brand of humor that Family Guy is known for and the publicly accepted definition of the eggplant emoji, one can assume with relative safety that any further speculation cannot be printed on a respectable website. We'll call it Big Shuttle Energy. 

In addition to Alex Borstein’s funny comment, many fans gushed over the updated design and special effects for The Orville: New Horizons. Most viewers, while excited for another look behind the curtain, are more than ready for Season 3 to drop. Alongside fire and applause emojis, one user even said the shuttle was “badass” but would have preferred to actually see the new episodes of the show. 

The frustration is understandable, but the road to another season of The Orville was paved with production mishaps, scheduling conflicts, and pandemic delays. After parent network Fox was acquired by Disney, Hulu gave the show another chance on streaming. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic began to take root around the same time, and The Orville was grounded for an extended stint. Disney also switched around multiple production schedules (including a ton of Marvel projects), and The Orville was struggling in the shuffle. Luckily for fans, Seth MacFarlane was committed to bringing the series back, and we’ll finally get the Season 3 we've been waiting for since 2019. 

The relevance of a certain eggplant emoji is TBD, but check out the first teaser for the new episodes below!

The Orville: New Horizons will fly to Hulu on June 2, 2022. If you need a quick refresher, the first two seasons are already available for those with a Hulu subscription. If you’ve already traversed the galaxy, you can check out these new television releases coming to your screen in the new year. 

It has been nearly three years since we last saw the crew of The Orville in action, but in no time at all, Seth McFarlane’s sci-fi comedy-drama series will taking off for a new adventure with some familiar (and new) faces. That’s right, the debut of The Orville Season 3 is right around the corner, and we’ll soon be flying through the vacuum of space like the past few years were nothing but a strange dream. 

But, some things will be different when The Orville: New Horizons flies off for another set of adventures, including that flashy subtitle, a new home on Hulu, and oh so much more. Let’s dive into the details of everything we know so far.

The Orville: New Horizons Premieres June 2, 2022 on Hulu

The bonkers The Orville Season 2 finale aired on Fox in late April 2019, which is technically only about three years ago, but, honestly, feels like a lifetime. Well, you don’t have to wait much longer to experience the fallout of the last set of episodes, as The Orville: New Horizons is set to premiere June 2, 2022, exclusively on Hulu. The series was initially set to return in March, but the arrival was delayed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, according to a tweet from Seth MacFarlane.

Seth MacFarlane, Adrianne Palicki, Scott Grimes And Penny Johnson Jerald Are All Returning To The Bridge For The Orville Season 3

When The Orville Season 3 debuts in Spring 2022, it will see the return of some familiar faces fans have come to know and love since the show’s debut nearly five years ago. Starting off is Seth MacFarlane, who will once again be portraying The Orville’s captain, Ed Mercer.

 Joining the tenacious captain on the bridge will be Adrianne Palicki’s Commander Kelly Grayson, whose personal history with Mercer will make things all the more complicated once more. Mercer’s best friend, Lieutenant Gordon Malloy, played again by Scott Grimes, is back in action for a third set of adventures. And, plan on seeing Penny Johnson Jerald’s Doctor Claire Finn back on The Orville when the ship sets off.

The Orville: New Horizons Will Also Have New Crew Members Played By Anne Winters, Bruce Boxleitner And Lisa Banes

But, like any show returning for a new season, The Orville: New Horizons will feature several new faces as well. When TVLine announced the new season in December 2021, it was revealed that Anne Winters had joined on as a series regular named Ensign Charly Burke, as have guest stars Bruce Boxleitner as President Alcuzan and the late Lisa Banes as Senator Balask. Expect to hear more about further additions to The Orville cast as we get closer to its return.

The Orville: New Horizons Will Explore ‘The Mysteries Of The Universe And The Crew’s ‘Interpersonal Relationships’

Although no specific details have been revealed about The Orville: New Horizons in terms of story, it appears the show will follow a similar course as the first two seasons. When Hulu announced the new name and release date for the space comedy-drama series, it was revealed that the crew of The Orville will be “continuing their mission of exploration, as they navigate both the mysteries of the universe and the complexities of their own interpersonal relationships.” With the series having some crazy moments in terms of space exploration and interpersonal relationships in its first two seasons, we can expect even more on New Horizons.

The Orville Season 3 Will Consist Of 11 Episodes

The Orville Seasons 1 and 2 consisted of 12 and 14 episodes, respectively. And, while you would think that the natural progression would have The Orville Season 3 being made up of 16 episodes, that won’t be the case. 

Way back in October 2019, when the show was set to make its Hulu debut at some point in 2020, executive producer Jon Cassar revealed that New Horizons will consist of only 11 episodes, but it’s not all bad news. Sure, we’ll be getting one to three fewer episodes this time around, but the episodes will each be around roughly 10 minutes longer than in the past. With the first two seasons averaging out at around 45 minutes per episode, we’ll be getting roughly the same amount of action in Season 3.

Seth MacFarlane And Jon Cassar Will Be The Only Directors For The Orville Season 3

The first two seasons of The Orville were helmed by a large number of different directors, including Jon Favreau, Jamie Babbit, Robert Duncan McNeill, and Jonathan Frakes, to name only a few. However, this time around, there will only be two directors sitting behind the camera: series creator and star Seth MacFarlane, and executive producer Jon Cassar, who each directed multiple episodes in the past. This news was revealed by Frakes in an April 2020 interview with ComicBook.com where he talked about the show and its future on Hulu.

The Orville: New Horizons Is The Sci-Fi Show’s First Season Since Leaving Fox For Hulu

Another major change ahead of the debut of The Orville: New Horizons is the fact that it will be streaming exclusively on Hulu and will no longer be on traditional broadcast TV. The series called Fox home for its first two seasons, and was renewed for a third set of episodes in May 2019, but delays in production made the mid-season premiere debut difficult, according to Deadline. 

In stepped Hulu, which was able to pick up the series so easily thanks to it being under the same corporate umbrella after Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox and its properties. The decision also had something to do with the show’s “loyal following on Hulu” as the streaming service’s senior vice president of content, Craig Erwich, said at TCA in January 2020.

Production On The Orville Season 3 Started In October 2019 But Experienced A Lengthy Delay Due To COVID-19

Seth MacFarlane and Jon Cassar didn’t waste anytime getting the ball rolling on The Orville Season 3 and started production in October 2019, just a few months after the season moved over to Hulu. Things were moving forward nicely for a time there, but then the production (and essentially every other film and TV shoot around the world) came to a halt in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, at which point around half of the shoot was completed, per Deadline. 

Production finally picked back up in December 2020, but then came another surge in COVID-19 cases and another pause in shooting in January 2021. The shoot finally wrapped (for good this time) in August 2021, as Seth MacFarlane announced on Twitter.

Expect to hear more about The Orville: New Horizons as we get closer to its June 2, 2022 debut on Hulu. In the meantime, take a look at all the 2022 TV premiere dates. 

Fans of the sci-fi series The Orville have known when the former Fox show would return to their screens for a while, but now we’ve finally gotten a first look at some of the action when it comes back for Season 3 (its first on Hulu). Luckily, while the new photo offers up a look at some old favorites in the cast, those who’ve been hoping for a peek at the next set of episodes can also now take a look at a trio of brand new characters.

The Orville (which now carries the subtitle, New Horizons) finished airing its second season way back in April of 2019, and with us quickly approaching the three-year mark since anyone’s seen the crew of the titular ship or been able to catch up with their many adventures, this first look is sure to help tide fans over. Now, take a look at the photo, which was posted on Twitter by executive producer Jon Cassar, and we can discuss further, below!

Sure, sure, sure. Jon Cassar is correct that the bridge looks great, but, how about those new cast members / characters, amrite? Obviously, we have three folks in their familiar stations, with Captain Ed Mercer (Seth MacFarlane), Commander Kelly Grayson (Adrianne Palicki), and Lt. Gordon Malloy (Scott Grimes) in their usual spots, as Admiral Halsey (Victor Garber) looks on sternly (as is his wont). But! According to TVLine, we’re also being treated to our very first glimpses of new The Orville series regular, Anne Winters, as Ensign Charly Burke, and guest stars Bruce Boxleitner as President Alcuzan, and Lisa Banes as Senator Balask.

Everyone who’s been eagerly awaiting The Orville: New Horizons knows that Season 3 had a very long road when it came to returning. The first hitch led to the former Fox dramedy being picked up by Hulu, which viewers were very excited about, seeing as how it would keep the crew in space, just like we want them to be. Then, after a protracted wait to begin filming (for quite obvious reasons) they were able to finally begin production in early March of this year, with star / creator MacFarlane letting us know that they’d finished in August. 

While one of The Orville’s co-producers shared some fun behind the scenes shots as production was going on, audiences can rest assured that the action this time around will be just as exciting (and silly) as it was in the first two seasons. MacFarlane said previously that those behind the visual effects have truly gone the extra mile when it comes to making sure that all of Season 3’s “new horizons” are explored with the utmost of visual glory. 

And, judging by the looks of Boxleitner’s President Alcuzan, that will certainly include the many additional races and / or creatures that the crew will find themselves dealing with during the upcoming season. 

The Orville: New Horizons will land on Hulu on Thursday, March 10 and release new episodes weekly. But, for more to watch right now while you wait, be sure to check out our Christmas movies and TV schedule!

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It's been a long time since fans have been able to feast their eyes on brand new episodes of Seth MacFarlane's ode to Star Trek, The Orville. After the switch from Fox to Hulu, and a long wait to get back into production on Season 3, the series finally wrapped filming back in August. Now, we actually know when The Orville Season 3 will land on our TV screens, and that it has its own title. Be ready for The Orville: New Horizons on March 10, 2022!

Hulu announced today that The Orville: New Horizons will launch relatively early next year, and Season 3 of the space adventure will find the crew of the eponymous ship continuing to explore the outer reaches of space, while also navigating "both the mysteries of the universe and the complexities of their own interpersonal relationships." You can take a look at the official announcement video, below:

The Orville has had a terribly extended journey toward Season 3. The sci-fi dramedy (which stars MacFarlane, Penny Johnson Jerald, Adrianne Palicki, Scott Grimes, Chad L. Coleman, Jessica Szohr, and more) ended Season 2 on Fox way back in April 2019, and while we knew by fall of that year that the next season would lead to some major changes (fewer episodes, but each with longer runtimes, for instance) fans were told about a major shakeup when it was revealed that Hulu had picked up the show.

Luckily, this means that viewers will at least get to see new adventures with Captain Ed Mercer, Commander Kelly Grayson, Doctor Claire Finn and all of the rest of our favorite characters. While the teaser for The Orville: New Horizons, doesn't exactly give anything away for the new set of episodes, it seems like we'll be treated to the same funny and heartfelt moments from the characters, as well as exciting (and sometimes wacky) adventures that will keep us talking for months to come.

When revealing that Season 3 had wrapped, MacFarlane (who directed many of the episodes for The Orville: New Horizons) also noted that the visual effects team pulled out all the stops for the upcoming installments, saying they "raised things to the next level," so it appears that audiences will also be in for a treat when it comes to the new worlds and / or creatures explored on the series.

It's great to finally know when we can look forward to the return of The Orville, but I'm sure fans are already wondering about the potential for Season 4. MacFarlane noted his hope that Season 3 wouldn't be "the last time we all go into space," so it seems that the decision on that front is still up in the air. We can always hold out hope, and with The Orville: New Horizons arriving on Hulu on Thursday, March 10, 2022 (with weekly releases of its 11 episodes), at least we'll all have something to tide us over until we know more.