The Orville Season 4: Will It Keep the “New Horizons” Subtitle?

The Orville Season 4 has yet to be officially confirmed, but if Seth MacFarlane’s space opera returns, the show will have to decide whether to keep some of the major changes it made in the previous seasons. The show’s creators have been weighing in on the possibility of a new season, and it’s clear that the show’s identity is still evolving.

The end of The Orville Season 3 aired in August 2022, and it’s safe to say that it will be at least three years before the show returns. Season 3 saw some interesting changes compared to the previous two, and the notable changes in season 3 solidify the show’s path as a compelling sci-fi drama in its own right. However, it might not make sense to keep those changes the same in The Orville Season 4.

The Orville Season 4 Will Have to Decide Whether to Keep the “New Horizons” Subtitle

Seth MacFarlane’s Subtitle Explanation Centers Around the Gap Between The Orville Seasons 2 and 3

The Orville Season 3 aired as a gentle reboot of the show, titled The Orville: New Horizons. At first, it may seem like the program is almost finished, but Seth MacFarlane explained why the change was made. According to MacFarlane, the title change was not his idea, but he supported it, citing that “several years have passed” since The Orville Season 2 ended. This raises the possibility that The Orville Season 4 could be titled The Orville: New Horizons Season 2.

However, the show wasn’t different enough to warrant a title update, and it leaves the impression that New Horizons is a spin-off rather than a direct continuation of The Orville Season 2. MacFarlane is right that there was only one year between The Orville Season 1 and 2, but the third series of episodes did not start until three years later. Even so, the show was not different enough to warrant a title update, and it leaves the impression that New Horizons is a spin-off and not a direct continuation of The Orville Season 2.

Keeping “New Horizons” in the Title Would Be Weird Due to the Same Gap Happening Again Between The Orville Seasons 3 and 4

The Orville Season 4 May Need to Drop the Subtitle to Avoid Another Unnecessary Change

When The Orville Season 4 starts – if it ever does – the time since Season 3 will be at least as long as the time between Seasons 2 and 3. If we repeat that period between series, the “New Horizons” subtitle would become redundant. MacFarlane’s explanation made sense after the first delay, but according to his logic, the next season should also change its name. This would lead to unnecessary complications and huge changes to the show’s formula.