Hulu confirms The Orville Season 4

[TRON JA307020]

With Kurtzman Trek officially done with production (thankfully)The Orville season 4 will be very much welcome sight for sore eyes. No word yet when it starts but Seth has confirmed it will be coming in his last interview. Cannot wait. Best space show in the last 10 years by far.

 

[Christopher]

With Kurtzman Trek officially done with production

For now. Kurtzman's contract with CBS expires at the end of 2026, but they've reportedly begun discussions about a possible renewal of the contract. It's understandable that they wouldn't want to proceed with any new projects before it's determined whether the contract will be renewed -- that's been the reason for a couple of hiatuses in the Star Trek novel line over the years -- but it's too early to assume it won't be renewed.

 

[JD]

With Kurtzman Trek officially done with production (thanfully)

I really hope not, this is the best on screen Trek has been in a very long time, and I dread to think who the new conservative head of Paramount will bring in the replace him if he does leave.

 

[Steve Roby]

With Kurtzman Trek officially done with production (thanfully)

You could give this stuff a rest, you know. I came over to this part of the forum to a take a break from it.

No word yet when it starts but Seth has confirmed it will be coming in his last interview.

The more time that goes by with him focusing on all of his higher priority commitments, the less likely season 4 is to happen. On the other hand Red Dwarf had had an occasional very long hiatus or two. Who knows.

Cannot wait. Best space show in the last 10 years by far.

Even if I disliked modern Star Trek, a few seasons of The Expanse happened in the last ten years, and that was a lot better than The Orville, as far as I’m concerned.

 

[TRON JA307020]

You could give this stuff a rest, you know. I came over to this part of the forum to a take a break from it.



The more time that goes by with him focusing on all of his higher priority commitments, the less likely season 4 is to happen. On the other hand Red Dwarf had had an occasional very long hiatus or two. Who knows.



Even if I disliked modern Star Trek, a few seasons of The Expanse happened in the last ten years, and that was a lot better than The Orville, as far as I’m concerned.

Season 4 of The Orville coming. He just announced it in a interview 4 days ago. He said there will be a season 4 for sure.

 

[Troi]

snoreville

 

[TRON JA307020]

For now. Kurtzman's contract with CBS expires at the end of 2026, but they've reportedly begun discussions about a possible renewal of the contract. It's understandable that they wouldn't want to proceed with any new projects before it's determined whether the contract will be renewed -- that's been the reason for a couple of hiatuses in the Star Trek novel line over the years -- but it's too early to assume it won't be renewed.

You're right they may give him a renewal but with the section 31 failure and now this I would think they are seeing a pattern. He's had nearly 10 years with multiple shows and ideas. I would hope they give someone else a chance.

snoreville

Well it's so boring yet it gets renewed years after the last season. It's a good quality show with better effects than modern trek. It's more popular than the more recent treks. Its a fun show that looks clean and bright and it's bridge doesn't look like a 21st century game show or the stage for The Voice. I'm very glad we are getting a 4th season. I hope Seth will decide to push for a theatrical movie one day. That would be great.

 

[Steve Roby]

Season 4 of The Orville coming. He just announced it in a interview 4 days ago. He said there will be a season 4 for sure.

Meanwhile, there’s an official announcement that he’ll be doing two years of the Stewie spinoff, prepping it to debut in 2027. No official announcement for The Orville, and no, him saying he’s doing it is not an official announcement that production will begin and all the deals and contracts are in place. So maybe he can get to it around 2030? I get that MacFarlane loves TNG and loves doing his own knockoff of it, but will anyone pay him to do it so long after the third season?

 

[StarTrek1701]

After all these years would the Orville get it's audience back?

 

[TRON JA307020]

After all these years would the Orville get it's audience back?

Let's hope so. I do know they'll get me back. Seth is still a powerhouse creator.

 

[Christopher]

You're right they may give him a renewal but with the section 31 failure and now this I would think they are seeing a pattern.

What pattern? What do you mean by "now this?" Unlike Section 31, Starfleet Academy was critically acclaimed even if it struggled to find an audience. Everyone in the industry knows that success is not an entitlement, that nobody bats a thousand, that you can do your best work and still fail. That's why Steven Spielberg's huge flop 1941 didn't end his career, and why he was able to follow it up with Raiders of the Lost Ark and E.T., two of his biggest hits. Most of Kurtzman's shows have been successful, and the studio is going to be looking at that overall pattern, and at their experience with him as a collaborator. Often a good working relationship matters more in these things than how well the projects do in ratings or at the box office.

 

[TRON JA307020]

What pattern? What do you mean by "now this?" Unlike Section 31, Starfleet Academy was critically acclaimed even if it struggled to find an audience. Everyone in the industry knows that success is not an entitlement, that nobody bats a thousand, that you can do your best work and still fail. That's why Steven Spielberg's huge flop 1941 didn't end his career, and why he was able to follow it up with Raiders of the Lost Ark and E.T., two of his biggest hits. Most of Kurtzman's shows have been successful, and the studio is going to be looking at that overall pattern, and at their experience with him as a collaborator. Often a good working relationship matters more in these things than how well the projects do in ratings or at the box office.

The pattern of viewership numbers. SNW season 3 was the lowest of all 3 seasons. Section 31 tanked. SFA never made the Nielsen top 10. SNW, STD and Picard season 3 at least made the Nielsen top 10 sometime in their runs. So the pattern mow emerging is SNW lower viewrship, Section 31 low viewership and SFA low viewership. Als SFA isn't getting rave reviews from fans. So will paramount ignore fan ratings and viewership? Maybe. Maybe youre right And im wrong. But Kurtzmab has ran ST for 10 years. These shows aren't cheap to produce. He'll need to knock the next one out of the park if they give him renewal.

 

[Richard Baker]

I will resubscribe to Hulu when the Orville season 4 releases- it is one of the very few shows I looked forward to. It has a good mix of story and character arcs, the last season ended with a lot of story lines to be explored.
I also like SNW aside from a staff of bridge bunnies and an occasional horrible idea such as having the entire cast sing the show (ever hear of the hit TV show 'Cop Rock'?)

I grew up with TOS Trek, Lost in Space, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Batman, Land of the Giants...
Weird SciFi and camp are OK, but most of what is currently offered is just not that interesting to me these days...

 

[Christopher]

So paramount will ignore fan ratings and viewership?

That is not what I said. The ratings aren't ignored, they just aren't the only factor to be considered. Nobody bats a thousand. You look at the overall record of hits and misses, not just the latest result. And there are other important factors beyond ratings, like whether a producer is known to be reliable at delivering on schedule and within the budget, or is a good manager who treats their staff and collaborators well, or has a good working relationship with the executives.

 

[TRON JA307020]

That is not what I said. The ratings aren't ignored, they just aren't the only factor to be considered. Nobody bats a thousand. You look at the overall record of hits and misses, not just the latest result. And there are other important factors beyond ratings, like whether a producer is known to be reliable at delivering on schedule and within the budget, or is a good manager who treats their staff and collaborators well, or has a good working relationship with the executives.

Maybe youre right and im wrong. Who knows. But companies that just merge and are in debt usually are watching ratings and viewership. It's a business like any other. They need to make money. My company went through a merger 2 years ago. They are still cutting people to save money. Good people with excellent yearly reviews and production. Many have been replaced with workers overseas.

SFA was a huge miss. Very expensive. It failed to attract the younger crowd they were going for. The longtime star trek fans didn't show up. Fans that will still be around for a long time. Older age groups that are making shows like Landman huge successes.

We'll see what happens but I think it's time for a new show runner and production team that have some new ideas.

If the last two seasons of SNW hit some homers than yeah his chances to stay are much greater and I'll eat my words. Im guessing we won't hear about renewal until after SNW season 4 has been aired or possibly during it.

 

[Christopher]

Maybe youre right and im wrong. Who knows.

Exactly my point. It's premature to assume anything.

SFA was a huge miss. Very expensive. It failed to attract the younger crowd they were going for. The longtime star trek fans didn't show up.

Yet it also produced some of the best Star Trek episodes in years. Remember, TOS itself was a ratings failure, but it gained a strong fan following in reruns.

 

[Leviathan]

I'd think Seth's low time availability would be the barrier. Orville was very well done due to Seth's direct creative involvement...without that it wouldn't be Orville.

 

[TRON JA307020]

Exactly my point. It's premature to assume anything.




Yet it also produced some of the best Star Trek episodes in years. Remember, TOS itself was a ratings failure, but it gained a strong fan following in reruns.

It's a waiting game for sure.


That's where we differ. SFA just wasn't my cup of tea for several reasons. One being I couldn't buy that it was 900 years from SNW. It looks too much like the 23rd century. Still using the same bridge design. Still relying on dilithium. PADDs. They just don't seem to have advanced very much technological or societal. It's no secret I wasn't a big fan of The Burn. Other problems I just didn't like the main cast much. I guess in the shows defense it wasn't made for established trekkers. I have been watching older trek recently such as TOS, TNG and some of the movies. I really do not think trek will ever reach the heights of stories that we saw on those days. I've given up hoping that I'll ever see something as great as TWOK or FC in Trek again.

The Orville on the other hand gives me the type of stories I like. So maybe it's my new trek and maybe Seth will be allowed to expand that universe one day.

 

[tharpdevenport]

I'm looking at wikipedia for the show and specifically looking at writing and director credits. This is what I personally see (with a preface):

So, as I stated in another thread where we were talking about the show a couple of weeks ago, I remember interviews where Seth said the show was going to be a space comedy/drama and present a future where technology isn't the enemy. Now he's saying the network wanted comedy and he promptly made the deadly antagonist of the show -- technology (the Kaylon).

So with that in mind, I see Seth wrote eight of the twelve episodes of season one - the weakest season, which includes the fairly bad premiere episode.
Season two he wrote six of the fourteen episodes, the season was much better.
Season three he wrote four of the ten episodes -- the best season.
Only a small amount of season two and season three had him as director.

It seems to me, the show does better when he writes less and directs little. I will again say -- re-stated this time -- that he needs to hire (and keep hiring) directors and writers who are still alive who did the best episodes of TNG (and Voyager and D.S.9.), let them use the series bible and heed his suggestions, etc., and let them do what they appear to be doing better than he has done.

 

[TRON JA307020]

I'm looking at wikipedia for the show and specifically looking at writing and director credits. This is what I personally see (with a preface):

So, as I stated in another thread where we were talking about the show a couple of weeks ago, I remember interviews where Seth said the show was going to be a space comedy and present a future where technology. Now he's saying the network wanted comedy and he promptly made the deadly antagonist of the show -- technology (the Kaylon).

So with that in mind, I see Seth wrote eight of the twelve episodes of season one - the weakest season, which includes the fairly bad premiere episode.
Season two he wrote six of the fourteen episodes, the season was much better.
Season three he wrote four of the ten episodes -- the best season.
Only a small amount of season two and season three had him as director.

It seems to me, the show does better when he writes less and directs little. I will again say -- re-stated this time -- that he needs to hire (and keep hiring) directors and writers who are still alive who did the best episodes of TNG (and Voyager and D.S.9.), let them use the series bible and heed his suggestions, etc., and let them do what they appear to be doing better than he has done.

Yup. They have something really great. Im glad they are taking their time and not glutting the market with too much content like Star Trek and Star Wars have done.