Seth MacFarlane, creator and star of the sci-fi series The Orville, has provided an update indicating that season 4 scripts are complete. He stated that production depends on his schedule amid other projects. The news offers hope to fans after a four-year wait since season 3.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Seth MacFarlane shared positive developments for The Orville, the series he created and stars in as Captain Ed Mercer. "I will be honest with you: Season 4 is written. It's just a question of when we have the time to produce it," MacFarlane said. He confirmed that the 10 scripts are done, suggesting the upcoming season will consist of 10 episodes.
MacFarlane attributed the delay to his busy schedule, noting, "I'm the problem." He is currently promoting season 2 of the Peacock comedy Ted, while also working on Fox animated series Family Guy and American Dad!, along with other projects. "It's [a matter of] when I can make that my year... But we can hit the ground running when it happens."
The Orville debuted in 2017 on Fox for two seasons before moving to Hulu for its third season, subtitled New Horizons, which aired in 2022. The cast includes Adrianne Palicki as Mercer's ex-wife and first officer Kelly Grayson, Penny Johnson Jerald as chief medical officer Claire Finn, Scott Grimes as Lieutenant Gordon Malloy, and Peter Macon as second officer Bortus. In 2024, MacFarlane told TVLine that no network had declared the show dead, allowing the team to proceed accordingly.
However, Palicki has indicated she will not return for a potential season 4, describing the production as "a really difficult show to shoot" and emphasizing the challenges of its limbo status affecting her availability for other work. A second source confirms the scripts are complete but notes no plans for a third season of Ted.
