Posted in: Disney+, Hulu, Opinion, streaming, TV, TV | Tagged: disney, hulu, opinion, seth macfarlane, The Orville

The Orville Day #391: Confession? We're Starting to Get a Bit Nervous

With today being the 391st day since the last new episode of Seth MacFarlane's The Orville, our "Debbie Downer" side is getting nervous...

We were going to kick off this "update" listing off all of the things that have gone on in the world since the third season finale episode "Future Unknown" aired on August 4th, 2022. But then we looked at the list – but instead of making us laugh, it had us a little shocked and a whole lot depressed. Because it really brought the hammer down on the fact that it's been 391 days since Seth MacFarlane's The Orville: New Horizons last graced our screens with a new chapter. Now, we've been doing our part to make the case as to why the adventures should continue on at Hulu or Disney+ (or a streamer not owned by "The Mouse"), and there were some positive rumblings earlier this year. But that number… 391. Yeah. That hurts. Unfortunately, that number was big enough to break through our barriers of positivity, leaving us more concerned about the show's future now than ever before. So, to get this "Debbie Downer" thing we're feeling out of our system so we can jump back to the positivity, here's why the current pop culture landscape has left our pom-poms not so puffy…

SAG-AFTRA & WGA Strikes: Until the AMPTP comes to its senses and does right by the unions, productions are going to remain in lockdown mode. That's going to push production schedules back and create a backlog of content once the wheels begin rolling again. And we're talking about shows that already have green lights to move forward and shows with returning seasons. Unless folks are in "super-secret mode," it doesn't appear that The Orville was even at that stage yet. Realistically – without looking at the two other factors that follow – how realistically could the team have everything together to get back in front of the cameras?

Streamers Are Self-Correcting & Content Is On The Chopping Block: Now that everyone who isn't Netflix realized that they can't afford to be Netflix, we're seeing Warner Bros. Discovery, Disney, and others looking to "course correct" some pretty bad long-term decision-making by not just canceling content but wiping it off the face of streaming existence. In addition, we're seeing programming facing budget cuts and pulling back on original content as opposed to content from a popular IP. While that last part works in the show's favor, this is still not the best financial/content environment for The Orville to be in. To be clear, the show cones to the table with strong numbers and an avid fanbase – but in these "Wild West" streaming days, that's not even close to being enough anymore.

"The Orville" Cast & Creative Team Are Wanted People: Setting aside all of the production plates that MacFarlane is keeping spinning at the same time, we don't need to tell you (since you're reading this) that the show's cast, creative team, and production family are some seriously talented individuals who are going to be wanted for other projects. We're not saying it's impossible, but the longer this delay goes on, the harder it is to eventually "get the band back together." Because as much as we want the gang to return for more seasons, we also don't want to begrudge them their own personal career success.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!