Preview The Orville: New Horizons episode 1 with new stills
Seth MacFarlane as Captain Ed Mercer and Adrianne Palicki as Commander Kelly Grayson in THE ORVILLE: NEW HORIZONS. Photo Cr: Michael Desmondl/Hulu
JUNE 1, 2022 - The popular Star Trek homage The Orville returns to television screens on Hulu June 2nd after a lengthy break with “Electric Sheep”, the premiere episode of the third installment of the series, entitled The Orville: New Horizons. In this episode, the crew of the Orville must deal with the aftermath of the Kaylon battle fans saw at the end of season two.
Here is a brief look at New Horizons -
“Set 400 years in the future, The Orville: New Horizons finds the crew of the USS Orville continuing their mission of exploration, as they navigate both the mysteries of the universe and the complexities of their own interpersonal relationships.”
Flash back to March of 2020. The cast and crew of The Orville were nearly halfway through filming New Horizons when COVID-19 pandemic restrictions put a hold on the production for nearly nine months. Add in a few additional delays, and production would ultimately continue until August of 2021. Originally promising a March 2022 debut, it was announced the season premiere would again be delayed a further three months, leading us to a June 2nd premier.
The unexpected schedule change prompted series creator Seth MacFarlane to reach out to fans in appreciation of their ongoing support for the series. MacFarlane sent a message on Twitter, saying, “To all The Orville fans: Thanks for being so patient with us as we’ve navigated the production challenges resulting from the ongoing covid-19 pandemic. As occasionally happens, our show has been repositioned amidst the ever-changing television schedule landscape, which means that the wait will be just a bit longer [...] We’ve always promised you a television experience that will make it worth the wait, and we’re not wavering on that.”
There are a couple of ways to get ready for the new season of The Orville. Check out the trailer for New Horizons to get a taste of what to expect in the coming weeks, and be sure to watch “Gearing up for The Orville season 3”, an in-depth look at New Horizons featuring co-producer Tom Costantino speaking with our very own Alison Pitt.
The Orville: New Horizons premiere episode “Electric Sheep” will be available to stream beginning Thursday, June 2nd on Hulu.
Chris Peterson is a contributing writer for Daily Star Trek News on the Roddenberry Podcast Network. An outdoor enthusiast and a fan of film and literature, he is also an actor, singer and musician with stage credits including CATS, Fiddler on the Roof, The Rocky Horror Show and The Producers.
