Despite a two-year hiatus from airwaves, the beloved "Star Trek: The Next Generation"-inspired series, "The Orville," has lingered in limbo without an official cancellation notice. Now, amidst the excitement of the Star Trek Las Vegas convention, a glimmer of hope has emerged from one of its leading stars. Scott Grimes, igniting the fandom's imagination, revealed that he believes the long-awaited fourth season is poised to embark on its production journey in either January or February 2025, as echoed by several eyewitnesses.
While Hulu, the show's former broadcasting home, and the expansive Disney empire remain tight-lipped about an official announcement, the devoted "Orville" fan podcast, "Planetary Union Network," has lent credibility to the rumors, corroborating the news on Reddit through trusted sources within the production ranks. This podcast has a storied history of being the first to unveil breaking news straight from the show's creative core.
Cautiously, the podcast's insiders also mentioned that Seth MacFarlane's upcoming "Ted" series for Peacock would take precedence in filming, necessitating a revamp of the "Orville" sets after the extended break.
Representatives from both Seth MacFarlane and Hulu have yet to respond to TheWrap's inquiries, leaving fans on the edge of their seats. Earlier this year, MacFarlane, the creative force behind "Family Guy" and an avid "Orville" champion, teased a potential comeback, stating enigmatically, "There is no official death certificate for 'The Orville.' It lives on, though I cannot divulge much further now. There are myriad factors at play."
Echoing his passion for the project, he affirmed on "The Mike Henry Show" that "there will be more" of "The Orville," describing it as a labor of love that refuses to fade into obscurity.
Fans have been on tenterhooks, anxiously awaiting news on whether their beloved series will stage a triumphant return, amid a storm of soaring production costs, lackluster ratings, and a dearth of official updates. Last year, actress Adrianne Palicki cast doubt on the show's future, confiding in the "Inside of You" podcast that she was "no longer part of the equation," lamenting, "It's a grueling endeavor to film, yielding just 33 episodes over six arduous years."
"It transcended into a genuine, pressing concern," Palicki elaborated to host and fellow actor Michael Rosenbaum, citing the protracted hiatuses between seasons as Seth MacFarlane, the show's writer and star, insisted on crafting every script solo. This dedication, while admirable, inadvertently created a challenging landscape for the cast and crew.
MacFarlane, a die-hard "Star Trek" enthusiast, was perceived by many as channeling his aspirations of captaining his own cosmic adventure through this series. As the ship's commander throughout its voyage, he's remained a creative force to be reckoned with, juggling producer and writer credits for the upcoming "The Naked Gun" reboot, his "Ted" prequel series on Peacock, and the enduring animated hits "Family Guy" and "American Dad," among others.
The prolonged intervals between seasons took a toll on the ensemble, as Palicki revealed, with actors left in limbo, unpaid yet tied to the studio. She recounted how the cast sought basic compensation, even mentioning that actor J. Lee resorted to subsisting on "a diet of saltines and Gatorade" during one bleak period. "It was a bleak existence," she emphasized.
Earlier this year, Grimes offered a glimmer of hope to TheWrap, sharing that discussions for Season 4 had commenced prior to the 2023 writers' and actors' strikes. "It's very much alive, merely a matter of timing, location, and execution," he assured. "And knowing Seth's passion for it, that carries immense weight."
Echoing this sentiment to TVLine, Grimes hinted that an announcement for a new season was imminent before the strikes intervened. Yet, he remained optimistic, stating, "I have every reason to believe we'll embark on this journey once more, and the odds are favorable."
The series' final season captivated audiences on Hulu from June 2 to August 4, 2022, with select episodes also gracing Disney+'s platform.
