A recent interview casts further doubt on The Orville being renewed for a season 4, and that adds a new layer of depth to the season 3 finale.
Thanks to a recent update on its potential continuation, The Orville’s season 3 finale became far more meaningful. After going on hiatus for several years and switching from TV to streaming, The Orville season 3 finally premiered in June 2022 to incredible fanfare. Fans and critics alike praised season 3 for not only upping the quality of its visual effects, but for taking its story to even greater dramatic and emotional heights than what was done in previous seasons, and the idea of seeing that be followed up in a season 4 was more than exciting for people.
Unfortunately, as good as a fourth season would be for The Orville, in a recent interview with Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment president Craig Erwich, it was stated that there was no news to share about The Orville season 4 at this time. The fact that there are still no updates almost half a year after season 3 ended isn’t a good sign for the show, as even if it isn’t canceled, it could mean having to wait years for more content once again. If either is the case, though, then at the very least, it makes the season 3 finale far more meaningful in hindsight.
The Orville Season 3 Finale Title Seems Prophetic
The future of The Orville is up in the air at the moment, and the title of the season 3 finale almost seemed to have predicted that. The season 3 finale was titled “Future Unknown,” and while that references the characters not knowing how their lives will turn out following The Orville season 3, it’s easy to see it as a reference to the future of the show being unknown, something which was further emphasized by the final shot being the Orville flying off to parts unknown. It’s unknown if that was intentional, but regardless, the most recent news about The Orville’s chances of renewal makes the title highly appropriate.
Other elements of The Orville season 3 also add to that idea of finality. Season 3 concluded the ongoing storylines of Bortus’ family drama and the war against the Kaylon, so that could be seen as an attempt to leave as few hanging plot threads as possible. Alara returning to attend The Orville‘s Claire and Isaac’s wedding also works with that, as it suggests that the show was trying to do as much as possible to appeal to the audience while it has the chance. Season 3 did a lot to add some conclusiveness to the show, and the lack of news on season 4 ironically makes that work even better.
Could The Orville Still Get A Season 4?
Recent news has done little to help The Orville’s chances at getting a season 4, but that doesn’t mean it would be impossible. While Craig Erwich had no news about the show being renewed for a season 4, he also didn’t say anything about it being canceled, so it’s still possible for The Orville to get a season 4. Considering how successful season 3 was, even earning a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it would be weirder if it wasn’t renewed for a season 4 at some point.
As for what Hulu’s The Orville season 4 would be about, there are plenty of stories to be told. While season 3 closed off many plot threads, one story left unresolved was the increasing hostility of the Krill following Teleya becoming Supreme Chancellor, with them even forming an alliance with the Moclans after their exile from the Planetary Union. Season 4 could revolve around that, and Ed and Teleya’s secret daughter could become a focal point in the Union’s attempts at reestablishing peace with the Krill. It’s still unknown if The Orville season 4 will happen, but there’s plenty that could be done with it, either way.
