Whether you like him or not, Seth MacFarlane will remain on your television set for the foreseeable future. Fox announced that the Family Guy creator’s sci-fi show The Orville has been renewed for a second season. The first season is in the middle of its 13-episode run, with the elaborate and expensive show having an unknown number of episodes for its sophomore season.
Fox Entertainment president Michael Thorn said in a statement:
Once again Seth has struck a powerful chord with viewers. He has delivered a series full of optimism, drama and his trademark humor. We want to thank him and the rest of the talented cast, as well as the producers and crew, for an incredible first season. We can’t wait to see where The Orville travels in the second.
While The Orville is filled with the same crass humor one can expect from a MacFarlane joint, the hour-long space adventure series is closer to its apparent comedic target, Star Trek, than one would think. Even with its sense of humor, The Orville embraces sci-fi elements and conventions.
The Orville’s series premiere marked Fox’s most-watched series launch since the 2015 debut of Empire. The first two episodes debuted in a Sunday night timeslot, with NFL games as a lead-in. Since then, ratings for the show have been solid and steady, with the show moving to a permanent Thursday slot where it has been performing decently. Read our mixed review of the premiere here.