The Orville

Some of television's most loved shows are sci-fi series like Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, and Black Mirror. These programs have a massive following because they offer something different than traditional television.

The fact that Seth Macfarlane, the man best known for his adult animated sitcom, has ventured into science fiction may seem weird. Nevertheless, fans of Family Guy will remember how frequently the show references famous sci-fi franchises.

The Family Guy creator previously created an hour-long special, Blue Harvest, which paid homage to Star Wars.

IS THE ORVILLE WORTH WATCHING?

The Orville appeals to different audiences than other science fiction series. Fans of traditional science fiction will enjoy the in-jokes and callbacks. Even if this isn't your usual genre, you'll appreciate the humour and storylines.

Like Star Trek and Star Wars, The Orville is jam-packed with adventure, action, and exciting twists. It's a perfect example of how science fiction can be entertaining and thought-provoking.

The series isn't afraid to tackle a broad range of complex themes such as gender equality and identity, racism, marriage, addiction, religion, and populism. However, you never get the impression that you're being given a lesson on how awful you are and how you need to educate yourself – it's light on the wokery and heavy on the humour.

MacFarlane has also pulled in A-listers like Liam Neeson, Charlize Theron, Bruce Willis and Rob Lowe to appear in the show. Not to mention several crew members from the original Star Trek TNG series.

These cameos and the show's elaborate costumes and special effects set it apart from other science fiction series.

I can confidently say that the show is well worth watching, it's only 40 minutes per episode, and the storylines and themes are varied enough that you won't get bored.

Currently, The Orville is one of the best sci-fi shows on television, and I can't wait to see what season 3 has in store.

HOW MANY SEASONS OF THE ORVILLE?

There are currently three seasons of The Orville. Season one debuted in 2017, while the most recent season (three) was released in 2022.

You'll get 36 episodes from the program overall. The FOX network aired series one and two from 2017 to 2019. In the United States, you can watch season three on Hulu now.

So, will there be a fourth season? Hulu and Seth MacFarlane have yet to talk about a fourth season because both want to assess whether or not to renew the program only after all episodes of Season 3 are finished airing.

WHERE CAN I WATCH THE ORVILLE?

The series can be watched on several different streaming services, depending on your location.

In the UK, you can stream it on Disney+ (included with your subscription). In the U.S., you can watch it online using the HULU platform (included with your subscription).

Of course, outside these locations, you may still watch it; however, you'll almost certainly have to pay. Amazon Prime Instant Video and Apple TV provide access to purchase or rent the series.

Don't forget that several streaming services provide a trial period, so you should look into it.

WHY DO CRITICS HATE THE ORVILLE?

The professional critics' reaction is one of the more surprising things about this show. Rotten Tomatoes have slammed the series. The show is rated 30% on their website – a meager score.

However, the audience score is 94%, a massive vote of approval, so why do the critics seem to hate this show?

It appears that the critics have missed the show's point. Sure, you could critique M*A*S*H for being a poor representation of a military field hospital and then whine about it not having as many jokes as ‘I Love Lucy‘, but you'd still be missing the point of the show.

Today, a low critics score is a stamp of approval for ordinary folks; take the critics musing with a pinch of salt.