#The Orville: Seth McFarlane Explains Season 3 Delay

It’s been 17 months since The Orville Season 2 wrapped its run on FOX. 

With the news that the series was moving from FOX to Hulu, and scarce information after that announcement, fans have been understandably worried about the future of the series. 

Initially set for a late 2020 launch, it seems an even bigger delay is on the horizon, and it’s all thanks to, you guessed it, COVID-19. 

“As the show has evolved and become more ambitious production-wise, I determined that I would not be able to deliver episodes until 2020, which would be challenging for [Fox],” Seth MacFarlane said when the delay was announced.

“So we began to discuss how best to support the third season in a way that worked for the show,” by offering it up to Hulu.

“All I can say is we’re working on it. We’re working very hard,” MacFarlane said during an Instagram Q&A with cast member Jessica Szohr, who plays Xelayan officer Talla Keyali.

“We got hit by this [pandemic delay] just like everyone else, but we are working on it.”

Szohr said that at the time the pandemic shut down production, “We were, like, pushing through the middle of the season, scripts were banging out, gas pedal down, and then it was like, ‘Halt!’”

“We will be back soon, folks,” McFarlane exclaimed to fans worried about the show. 

“There has been a lot of speculation online: Will the show come back?” he added.

“The show is still a huge priority for me and for the cast and everyone else. We do have a season to finish, and we are going to finish it,” but it will all come down to navigating a COVID-19 world. 

“For a show with a lot of prosthetic makeup that requires close contact, a lot of background artists… it’s a big job, and you want to make sure you do it in a way that keeps everyone safe and secure,” McFarlane explained.

“Once we have those protocols figured out, we will start up again and you will get more Orville.”

It’s certainly been a long wait for fans, but it’s good to know that it is still in the works, and will be available to stream when it is safe to complete production. 

You can watch the full Instagram Live below. 

Remember you can watch The Orville online right here via TV Fanatic. 

Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.