Posted in: Hulu, streaming, TV | Tagged: disney, hulu, new horizon, seth macfarlane, The Orville

The Orville: Seth MacFarlane's "Hoping Just Like You" for Season 4

UPDATE: Earlier today, we posted an editorial wondering what was taking so long for Disney to pull the trigger on another season of Seth MacFarlane's The Orville. Well, MacFarlane was kind enough to respond, retweeting our piece while adding, "We're hoping just like you! It's an expensive show in a tough streaming climate, so we'll see. Our hearts are still in it though, make no mistake. We'd love to do more." So, for now? It sounds like the best thing that "Orville" fans can do is keep the show active on social media & keep the streaming numbers on all three seasons going strong.

Here's a look at MacFarlane's response from earlier today to our thoughts, followed by a look by at the original editorial as posted on Thursday afternoon:

ORIGINAL EDITORIAL (December 22, 2022 / 3:55 pm ET): So the last time that fans of Hulu and Emmy Award-winning executive producer & creator Seth MacFarlane's The Orville: New Horizons (otherwise known as Season 3) had good news to celebrate, it was inching towards the end of July, and they learned that all three seasons would be streaming on Disney+. That news would hit just before the final two episodes of the season would air, with MacFarlane saying at the time that it was too soon to have any news on a possible fourth season. So the appropriately-titled "Future Unknown" would hit screens on August 4th, and then… nothing. At the time, that's understandable. But now, 142 days (or 4 months & 19 days) later, it's still… nothing. That's a long time to wait and be patient, and it's especially surprising that we're into the final two weeks of the year & knee-deep in holiday stuff and still… nothing. Does it have to do with recent Disney financial issues? Is it an issue with MacFarlane and the cast seeing their schedules getting too busy? Could this be part of some bigger rollout involving multiple seasons or a spinoff? Normally, in this situation, it would be tough to say. Add in the fact that we live in a streaming world where "guarantees" are about as legit as the paper they're no longer written on. So here's a look back at my pitch for why it needs to return…

Ahead of the release of The Orville: New Horizons, I binged the first season and seriously fell in love with it. But since I wasn't able to binge the second season before Season 3 kicked in, I had to watch the second season in-between episodes of "New Horizons." But even having to watch it in a not-so-normal manner, my initial impressions of the series only grew. It's rare to find a series that's shown so much growth within the span of three seasons.

And while folks might be tired of the "Star Trek" comparisons, in this instance, it's more about how they contrast in that I can appreciate both for two very different reasons. With the "Star Trek" universe, I'm watching a "grand idea" of what the future and humanity can be. Essentially, hopes, aspirations, and dreams are portrayed against a backdrop that's a promise of a better tomorrow. But with The Orville, I feel like I'm being presented with the same hopes, aspirations, and dreams, but in a way that breaks it down to our day-to-day lives. While "Star Trek" is about the future, The Orville is about the "beautiful disaster" process that allows us to make it to that future and the hardships, sacrifices & tough choices that are necessary along the way.

Throw into that mix a third season that makes every episode look & feel like a mini-movie, an ensemble cast on par with any going in television right now, and writing that stays with you well past the final credits, and it should have been a no-brainer. At a time when streaming services are looking for "tentpoles," The Orville has more than earned another run in the form of a fourth season (and a move to Disney+). And in case anyone over at the "Haus of Mouse" needs reminding, the show comes with a passionately impressive fan base that will do the marketing for you. Because they know that this crew still has far too many "new horizons" to discover…

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