The Orville season 4 renewal hopes: A Seth MacFarlane update

Where do things currently stand when it comes to The Orville season 4? We’ve been waiting for months already on a possible renewal, and this is even after the first three seasons crossed over to Disney+. Make no mistake: Hulu is still the show’s primary home, but we know there’s been an attempt to expand this audience as wide as possible.

As of right now, we’re in a position where no news is (mostly) good news — if nothing else, it means that Hulu hasn’t canceled the show yet! In a post on Twitter today, here is what star / creator Seth MacFarlane had to say about the current state of things:

We are currently awaiting season 4 news! Thanks to the fans for the continued support!

So why is this decision taking so long? We’ve noted this in the past, but it’s worth a reminder: We are confident that the executives at Hulu like the show and would like to see it back. They allowed MacFarlane and the entire team room to be as creative as they wanted to be in season 3. That included tackling topical issues and allowing some episodes to far extend an hour in length. They don’t do things like that unless they really believe in the concept.

Almost all of the issues with a renewal come down to the business side of things. The Orville is a costly show to make due to the special effects and the size of the cast. A lot of networks and streaming services in general have been keen to cut costs as of late. This is why we’re at this bizarre crossroads where everyone seems to want The Orville back, but will things work out financially in a way where it happens? Scheduling could be an issue given that cast contracts expired some time ago, but we do think that everyone would be keen to come back and get a deal done if approached by the powers-that-be.

Fingers crossed that we get more news on season 4 by the end of the year, but also remember there’s no clear timeline. Hulu, when the dust settles, can really do whatever they’d like so long as the cast and crew are able to return.

Are you still hopeful on The Orville season 4 happening down the road?

Be sure to share right now in the comments! Once you do just that, stay tuned for other updates that you will not want to miss. (Photo: Hulu.)