Seth MacFarlane’s The Orville Season 4 – Is It Happening or Not?

Alright, fans of The Orville, it’s time to put on your spacesuits and buckle up because Season 4 of the Seth MacFarlane-led sci-fi dramedy is stuck in what can only be described as a black hole of “maybe.” If you’re holding onto hope, you’re not alone. And if you’re starting to think Hulu is Kon’Kar the Deceiver in disguise, well, same. Maybe? 

The Updates We Have (No, Seriously, It’s Not Dead… Yet)

Seth MacFarlane himself recently told The Wrap that The Orville hasn’t exactly been laid to rest, stating, “There is no official death certificate for The Orville.” Cryptic? Definitely. But also, a tiny spark of hope. Co-star Scott Grimes added that talks about Season 4 were happening before the unfortunate chaos of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. According to Grimes, the vibe was leaning toward an announcement, but then Hollywood turned into the set of ‘Mad Max.’ Grimes stated during an interview:

I think it’s a better than good possibility that we get to do this again,

He even went so far as to point out MacFarlane’s deep love for The Orville: “This is his baby.” If we know anything about MacFarlane, it’s that when he loves something (The Family Guy, his Ted prequels, etc.), he goes all in.

Hulu Isn’t Saying No to The Orville 

MacFarlane also referenced Hulu’s noncommittal stance on renewing the show, paraphrasing their words into something along the lines of “Show’s not dead, but don’t hold your breath either.”Translation? It’s not “killed off.”

But wait, there’s a key twist! Back in 2022, MacFarlane expressed some optimism about The Orville finding a bigger audience after landing on Disney+. He believed the move could be a “game-changer,” luring in viewers who might still think the show is a flat-out parody rather than the emotionally charged, plot-driven series it really is. Who knew existential musings and social commentary could live alongside fart jokes so harmoniously?

Why The Orville Season 4 is Both Possible and Terrifying

Here’s the thing. MacFarlane has already gone on record saying that The Orville’s storytelling approach is unpredictable, with major twists like the Kaylons becoming allies and the Moclans turning into enemies emerging organically in the writers’ room.

If Season 4 happens, it could essentially be a blank slate. That’s thrilling, but also nerve-wracking. Could we get another boundary-pushing arc? Totally. Could the writers fall clumsily over their own ambitions? Possibly.

Jonathan Frakes of the Star Trek franchise had commented on Seth MacFarlane and using TNG’s influence. Frakes said in part:

Seth MacFarlane is arguably our biggest celebrity fan. He hired Brannon Braga, who worked on a lot of our best stuff. He hired me to direct… He really leaned into the Next Gen pedigree. I think people thought it was going to be silly—and it was, but it also had a lot of lore and depth. He’s a great storyteller, and he knows exactly what he wants.

Something to note is the whole logistical nightmare. As co-star Adrianne Palicki bluntly pointed out in a podcast appearance, the show is a beast to make. Long gaps between seasons meant financial strain for some cast members, with one actor reportedly surviving on saltines and Gatorade during the downtime. A fourth season wouldn’t be a walk in the park. No wonder everyone’s fingers are crossed.

What’s Next for The Orville Diehards?

For the time being, you can rewatch episodes of The Orville on Hulu and Disney+. Relive those epic battles, heartwarming moments, and laugh-out-loud gags that make this show so special. For newcomers, give it a try and see how it artfully balances humor with thought-provoking dilemmas ripped straight from the human experience. Don’t just take Seth MacFarlane’s word for it; the show speaks for itself.

And if Hulu or Disney+ don’t take the bait soon, we’ll just have to lean on MacFarlane and perhaps a fan-backed breakout campaign (what, Firefly fans did it, right?).

Until then, The Orville exists in a liminal state between continuing and drifting off into the Netflix algorithm graveyard. One thing’s for sure—we’re not ready to give up on the crew of the USS Orville yet.