The Orville saw some changes for its third season in 2022. Not only did it move from Fox to Hulu, but it also rebranded. The Orville: New Horizons finale included some surprises, but with the episode airing in August, there hasn’t been any news yet on the show's future and a fourth season. Now, creator and star Seth MacFarlane is getting candid about the possibility of a future season.
Seth MacFarlane has been keeping fans updated on a possible Season 4 of The Orville, and that includes storylines that could happen. In an interview with TVLine, MacFarlane was asked whether Giorgia Whigham/Lysella will be upped to series regular if there is another season, but it was hard for him to answer, not knowing if there even will be one:
That’s a tough one, because I don’t know. Season 4 is a blank slate. The question is, ‘Is she Gillian Hicks in Star Trek IV, or what’s the story there?' It’s tough to chart exactly what a Season 4 would be, because when we started writing Season 3, half the stuff that happened — the shifting of the Alliances, the Kaylon becoming an ally, the Moclans becoming enemies — I never could have predicted. It’s just something that came about in the writers room over time. Certainly, we set up threads this year, and most were pretty obvious, that lend themselves to payoffs in a Season 4, but how everything intertwines and evolves and develops…. I don’t even know if we’re picked up!
It’s definitely hard to plan something if you don’t even know if it’s going to happen. If it does, it sounds like it doesn’t always go the way you originally planned it. It’s unknown when and if Hulu will make the announcement that The Orville is coming back. However, since fans had to wait over three years for Season 3, they might be able to wait it out a little longer. Hopefully, it will be worth the wait if it gets picked up.
It's also hard to tell whether Season 4 will also have a name like New Horizons, but it’s likely more details on plans will come out after Hulu (hopefully) renews it. Ahead of the season finale, Seth MacFarlane opened up about the impact Disney+ could have on The Orville, noting at the time that there’s a 50/50 chance of renewal, but he was hopeful that the streamer could boost the show’s popularity.
As for the main point of the question, Giorgia Whigham portrays barista Lysella and has appeared in two episodes of the series. While her return seems up in the air for now, hopefully, if there is another season, she’ll make another appearance, even if it is just for a single episode again. Maybe if not as a series regular, perhaps she could be upped to recurring, so she'd be on the show a bit more frequently. As of now, fans will just have to hope for Season 4 before they start asking for storylines.
While it’s uncertain if The Orville will be part of the 2023 TV schedule, Seth MacFarlane is just as anxious as ever, as are fans. With the number of shows canceled in 2022, The Orville managed to escape that fate, so who knows what could happen in the new year? In the meantime, MacFarlane seems to be keeping fans updated on any and all news. I just need it to be good the next time he updates.
While waiting for news on Season 4 of The Orville, be sure to watch all three seasons with a Hulu subscription.
