It seems increasingly likely that The Orville, the space adventure led by Seth MacFarlane, may not continue its cosmic exploration. The show has been missing since August 2022, and various indications suggest it might be on hiatus, especially considering the lengthy wait for Season 3.
While Hulu has not officially confirmed the series’ cancellation, Adrianne Palicki recently stated on Michael Rosenbaum’s Inside of You podcast that she is no longer playing her leading role in the show.
When Rosenbaum later inquired about whether The Orville was officially “cancelled” (around the 30:00 mark in the YouTube video), Palicki responded, “Honestly, I don’t know the answer to that.”
“I think there’s talk that some people might want to continue with it,” she cautiously expressed, “but shooting the show is really challenging.”
Palicki went on to describe how The Orville filmed 33 episodes over six years, resulting in an inconsistent income for actors, averaging just 5-1/2 episodes per year.
“It became a real problem,” she explained. “There were long gaps between seasons because Seth wanted to write everything himself. At one point, we had to push the studio to provide us with some kind of holding fee.” She mentioned cast member J. Lee going through tough times, reportedly surviving on “saltines and Gatorade” at one point. “It was a difficult situation,” she added.
Season 3, also known as The Orville: New Horizons, was available for streaming from June 2 to Aug. 4, 2022. After the finale, series creator and star MacFarlane mentioned to TVLine that a potential Season 4 faced a challenge of fitting into his busy schedule with other projects, such as his Ted prequel series for Peacock. Despite this, he expressed his emotional investment in the show and his commitment to finding a way for Season 4 if it happens.
On the other hand, Craig Erwich, President of ABC Entertainment, Hulu & Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals, stated in January that The Orville is a great show, acknowledging the fans’ love for it. However, he had no updates to share about the show’s fate, leaving its status uncertain as of the last check by TVLine.
