Hulu exec assures us that yes, a third season of The Orville is on its way, maybe even a fourth

Hey, fans of The Orville. We realize it’s been quite a while since we’ve posted an update on the show, and even that update was provided nearly a year and a half since Seth MacFarlane’s sci-fi series concluded its sophomore season. It's been a rough couple of years, we get it. 

But we’re here to tell you that, after years of waiting for a third season, you will now ... still need to wait a little bit longer. But not too much longer! Because although The Orville doesn’t have a release date yet, a Hulu exec says he’s seen cuts of the new season, and likes what he’s seen. 

Speaking with Deadline, Hulu’s head of scripted originals, Jordan Helman, said that MacFarlane & Co. have made progress on The Orville, and the long-awaited series is on its way. For real this time. Again: he's seen actual cuts of actual episodes.

“The past year and a half has been complicated on a variety of levels as it pertains to production,” Hellman said. “I can’t share a launch date, but we’re really excited about what we’ve seen thus far.”

He added: “I believe the fans of the show that are coming to us from Fox will be deeply excited and satiated. I also think for new fans that maybe didn’t experience it, it will feel new to them.” 

In addition to assuring fans that filming for Season 3 was going smoothly, Helman also suggested that Hulu was very open to the idea of producing a fourth season of the series, saying that the “future of the show remains an open conversation and there have been no conversations otherwise.” (Though admittedly vague and noncommittal, it’s also quite optimistic.) 

MacFarlane revealed at San Diego Comic-Con 2019 that his loving homage to Star Trek would be moving from Fox to Hulu for its third season. But of course, the coronavirus pandemic halted production in March 2020. After MacFalrane and cast member Jessica Szohr said during an Instagram Q&A that they were back on track working on Season 3, a spike in COVID-19 cases in January 2021 forced the show to stop filming again. Production resumed in February. 

So, we'd say Orville fans should rejoice, though we understand if you can't help but temper your enthusiasm. We get it. You've heard this before. 

Once it’s good and ready, the third season of The Orville will air on Hulu. While we wait, we’re going to reread Season 2.5 in comic book form (courtesy of Dark Horse Comics).