The Orville Is Losing Seth MacFarlane After Season 3, Our Scoop Confirmed

As we reported some time ago, Hulu's science fiction show The Orville is losing star/creator Seth MacFarlane after this season.

By Douglas Helm | Updated

the orville season 3

The Orville is a hit series for Hulu and the streaming platform definitely would like to put out more of the sci-fi series, but it doesn’t appear that Seth MacFarlane is willing to give it to them. A couple of years ago, GIANT FREAKIN ROBOT had a scoop that MacFarlane was looking to move on from the series to pursue other projects, and now it looks like our news is finally confirmed. After the upcoming Season 3, there likely won’t be a MacFarlane-led version of The Orville.

Apparently, the cast of The Orville was released in August, when their options expired. MacFarlane, meanwhile, is in the midst of creating his upcoming Peacock series Ted, which is based on his movies of the same name. MacFarlane will also return to voice the character. Scott Grimes from The Orville was also cast in a role for the upcoming series.

While Season 3 might mark Seth MacFarlane’s departure from The Orville, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Hulu won’t pursue the show further. It appears that MacFarlane would be open to his character leaving the show and letting someone else take over for him. Also, Hulu may be keeping the door open for MacFarlane to return in the future if he wants to reboot the series after it ends.

In any case, fans of The Orville will definitely be getting their fill of the sci-fi series this summer, as the show is returning for Season 3 on June 2. The episodes will be released on Hulu and will continue to follow MacFarlane’s Ed Mercer and the rest of the crew. The Orville is heavily inspired by the Star Trek franchise, while also forming its own identity. It’s also much more of a comedy than any Star Trek series, barring the recent animated Star Trek: Lower Decks. Fans love the show for its heart, humor, and characters, so they’ll undoubtedly be disappointed to see it go. The Orville follows a crew aboard the titular U.S.S Orville, as they explore the galaxy and deal with their everyday problems. Seth MacFarlane has an extremely heavy hand in the making of the series, as he is the creator along with being an executive producer, writer, director, and star of the show. If he was looking to branch out and create more shows or movies, it would likely be difficult due to the time commitment of wearing that many hats.

Fans of The Orville may be disappointed to see it go, but at least they have another season to look forward to. If Seth MacFarlane knows he’ll be leaving the series, he’ll probably be looking to provide fans with a satisfying ending, so they at least don’t feel like they’re left hanging with no resolution for their favorite characters. If you’re a fan of The Orville, you could also check out the aforementioned Star Trek: Lower Decks to fill the comedy-tinged Star Trek hole in your life. In the meantime, you can tune into Season 3 of The Orville when it hits Hulu on June 2.