Good news for fans of The Orville: creator and star Seth MacFarlane revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that the writers have already completed scripts for a possible fourth season. The sci-fi comedy hasn’t aired new episodes in four years.
MacFarlane confirmed that Season four is already written, but its production depends on finding the time to film it.
A Homage That Became an Alternative
Originally airing on Fox in 2017, The Orville was created as a humorous and respectful tribute to Star Trek. The show’s third season moved to Hulu in 2022. Seth MacFarlane starred as Captain Ed Mercer, and the main cast also included Adrianne Palicki, Penny Johnson Jerald, Scott Grimes, Peter Macon, Jessica Szohr, and Anne Winters.
Some fans were losing patience with the future of Star Trek. The movie Star Trek Beyond hadn’t performed well in theaters the year before, and it had been over ten years since a new Star Trek television show had aired. When Star Trek: Discovery premiered on Paramount+ in 2017, some fans didn’t like its serious and gloomy style. Many felt that The Orville, with its optimistic feel and self-contained episodes, more closely resembled Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Look, Star Trek hasn’t disappeared – we’re still getting new shows. But honestly, the latest one, Starfleet Academy, is getting slammed online, and the numbers aren’t good. It seems a lot of fans who used to love classic Star Trek are hoping for something similar, and a fourth season of The Orville, with Seth MacFarlane at the helm, might just fill that void.
Scripts Are Done — Timing Is the Hurdle
Seth MacFarlane told The Hollywood Reporter that Hulu is prepared to start working on a fourth season of The Orville. He explained that the scripts are already written, but his busy schedule is the only thing holding up production. He anticipates being able to dedicate his time to the show when his other projects allow, and they’ll be ready to begin filming quickly at that point.
Ever since the show ended, people have been wondering if there will be another season. Seth MacFarlane has said he and the other actors were interested in continuing, but their contracts only covered the first three seasons.
Producing the show was potentially costly. As he explained, it needed a significant budget, but wasn’t any more expensive than many other streaming series. Ultimately, its success would depend on how well audiences received it and whether people actually found and watched the show.
Pursuit Course
With ongoing disagreements between the creators and fans about the current state of Star Trek, Seth MacFarlane’s recent statements are particularly noteworthy. If The Orville gets a fourth season, it could offer a different option for viewers who are tired of the controversy.
The show gained popularity by feeling like classic Star Trek from the late 80s and 90s – hopeful, with self-contained episodes that explored big ideas, rather than relying on complex, ongoing storylines and grim themes. If viewers start wanting that kind of storytelling again, Hulu might discover that The Orville isn’t just well-positioned, but perfectly timed for what audiences want right now.
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2026-03-05 00:56