star trek orville cast

The Orville Cast and Character Guide

The Orville has some of the freshest sci-fi on television, so who are its characters?

This guide contains spoilers for Season Two of The Orville and onwards. In the world of The Orville , now three series in, the possibilities are endless. What originated as merely a Star Trek spoof has evolved to a find a voice of its own. Easing off on the more comedic elements that we have come to expect from the voice of Seth MacFarlane of Family Guy fame, and as the actual Star Trek series have only seemed to decline in recent years, The Orville has become a magnificent show in its own right.

Like a battleship uncloaking from deep space, The Orville has used the element of surprise on its audience — pleasantly surprising them that this is not merely a tacky spoof, but rather a show that can use its universe to address incredibly thought-provoking gender issues through the Moclan species , whether man can love a machine in Finn and Isaac's relationship, and covering current human rights issues. The show approaches each new hard-hitting topic with a deft and nuanced touch coupled with cutting edge effects — a package that feels far afield from MacFarlane's obnoxious Family Guy roots.

Rivaling Star Trek 's own original series in terms of groundbreaking topics and messages, The Orville has become one of the better sci-fi shows on television in recent years. Take a look at its excellent cast of characters.

Ed Mercer (Seth MacFarlane)

Rank: Captain

Species: Human

As a captain, Mercer does his best to balance the good of the crew with the clashing of personalities that it contains. Bright, courageous, and always cool in the heat of battle, Mercer is often prone to leading with his heart when he should be thinking with his head. After dealing poorly with his split from Kelly, the step up to The Orville is just the career change Mercer needed to get his life together.

Clare Finn (Penny Johnson Jerald)

Rank: Doctor

As the ship's doctor, Finn is the first point of call for any medical emergencies — of which there are many. Between her being a single parent for her two boys, and having had a romantic relationship with fellow crew member Isaac, she finds herself somewhat trapped between balancing what she believes is best for her sons first, and herself secondary.

Related: How The Orville Became the Most Surprising Thing Seth MacFarlane Has Created

Kelly Grayson (Adrianne Palicki)

Rank: Commander

As Captain Mercer's second in command, a clear relationship is a must. Unfortunately, the two of them used to date... until Kelly cheated on him with an alien. However, things seem patched up now, with Grayson even being the one to convince command that Mercer should be the one to receive the promotion to The Orville, she is the steady second in command that the captain needs to keep him on the right path.

Having sent Isaac as a spy to gather information on the human race, their findings deemed that the human species was worth keeping... until they decided it was not. Highly developed, quick, and super intelligent, the Kaylon present the biggest threat to the galaxy. With high firepower and a double agent in Isaac, they could infiltrate the human race and the Union with ease. It was only when Isaac recognized how wrong he was that they could be stopped — for now.

Gordon Malloy (Scott Grimes)

Rank: Helmsman

Plucky and cocksure, Malloy is The Orville's go-to pilot. With copper hair and always a witty quip at hand, he has become known for his unorthodox and sporadic namings of flight maneuvers to evade the enemy. Deemed one of the best pilots in the fleet, he first got the role on The Orville by being instated by Captain Mercer, his best friend.

Isaac (Mark Jackson)

Rank: Science Officer

Species: Kaylon

Ever since the Kaylon invasion of Earth, Isaac has been a devil's advocate of a re-addition to a crew still at odds with having been enslaved. Previously, Isaac had acted as The Orville's Chief Science Officer, providing vital info on species, planets, and how to properly approach situations — all without the handicap of emotions holding his process back. Isaac tried to deactivate himself after the attack on Earth which, alongside now regular Kaylon assaults, makes Isaac's position in the crew still questionable.

Bortus (Peter Macon)

Rank: Second Officer

Species: Moclan

Proud and with incredible feats of strength (though not as strong as Talla), family is the most important thing to Bortus , with his mate Klydon and their son, Topa, living on board The Orville as well. Having served on The Orville prior to Captain Mercer's installment, Bortus is one of the most experienced of the crew. His species, traditionally all male, face a crossroads when Bortus and Klydon birth a female child — something they feel must be corrected immediately.

Yaphit (Norm MacDonald)

Rank: Engineer

Species: Gelatin

As a top engineer, Yaphit assists with the maintenance of The Orville. Alongside Lamarr, Yaphit makes sure the ship is running at the most efficient it can be. Through his own natural biology, the Canadian-voiced Gelatin can manipulate his own shape into whatever form he desires — ideal for getting into crevices and into the heart of any machine. Yaphit was humorously voiced by the late, great Norm MacDonald , in his final role.

Related: Best Sci-Fi/Comedy Movies, Ranked

John Lamarr (J. Lee)

Rank: Chief Engineer

The playboy of the crew, Lamarr is a talented young engineer aboard The Orville who can more than once be seen shacking up with all sorts of alien babes. Heading the lower decks of The Orville, his easy demeanor hides a switched-on young man at the forefront of cutting edge technology. With some of the highest aptitude testing scores Union Point had ever seen, John has always been bright but covers it well in his laid back attitude and tendency for pranks with his friend Gordon.

Talla Keyali (Jessica Szohr)

Rank: Chief of Security

Species: Xelayan

Following Alara's leave, Talla would replace her and fill the fellow Xeleyan's position in the crew. Known for her calm demeanor and incredible super human strength, Talla is the ideal candidate to run security. Calm and tough, Talla is someone The Orville are glad they have on their side.

Strong reptile types that stand on two legs, the Krill were The Planetary Union's main threat at peacetime before the Kaylon conflict. Known for their strength and aggression, their pale skin resembles that of their god, Avis. Through his teachings, Avis deemed every other species inferior and soulless, and therefore unworthy of existence. It is only now, when the Kaylon threaten the entire galaxy, that the Krill can consider an alliance.

‘The Orville’ Season 3 Cast and Character Guide: Meet the Crew of 'New Horizons'

Get to know the intergalactic crew of the USS Orville ahead of Season 3.

All aboard the USS Orville! Sci-fi fans, you're in for a treat. The intergalactic series The Orville is coming back for Season 3 on Hulu on June 2, 2022. Under the name The Orville: New Horizons , the show takes inspiration from Star Trek and Next Generation . Taking place in the 25th century, The Orville is about a mid-level exploratory spacecraft named the USS Orville.

Throughout the series, The Orville and its crew members go on various planet explorations. Just like any other sci-fi series , their crew doesn't just consist of human beings, but aliens as well. In addition to dealing with the dangers of outer space, the Orville crew must also overcome their personal and professional issues within the ship - just another day at the office, really. Some may view this as a parody of sci-fi classics but others have commented that the series is a fun homage to the greats.

Season 1 of The Orville premiered on September 10, 2017, followed by Season 2 on December 30, 2018. Both seasons were initially released on Fox. After four long years, The Orville is ready to up the ante with Season 3 and bring the lovable Orville crew back to the screen. As of now, there are no plans announced for Season 4.

It's been years since the last season ended. So before you get started on The Orville: New Horizons , check out this cast and character guide for a quick refresher.

Related: 'The Orville' Season 2 Recap: Everything You Need to Know Before 'New Horizons'

Seth MacFarlane as Captain Ed Mercer

Seth MacFarlane plays Captain Ed Mercer, the commanding officer of the USS Orville. Previously an up-and-coming officer, Mercer is on the fast path to having his ship by 40. However, things take an uncanny turn when he finds his ex-wife, Kelly Grayson, in bed with an alien. Since then, Mercer hasn't been quite himself at work, with his constant hangovers and poor performance. But despite his shortcomings, Mercer is still entrusted with The Orville, a mid-level exploratory ship.

Mercer is not your average captain. Sure, he has his bad habits and personal foils. But Mercer has heart and puts duty, morality, and, more importantly, his team above anything else. He doesn't have a specific set of skills that make him a specialist. Instead, his personality combines all the things he's learned from his fellow members: Kelly's leadership, Bortus' heart, Malloy's humor, and LaMarr's intelligence. These traits make Captain Mercer a likable, inspirational captain respected (and sometimes teased) by his crew. MacFarlane, who is also the show's creator, is most famous for his work on the television series Family Guy and American Dad! , as well as movies like Ted and A Million Ways to Die in the West .

Adrianne Palicki as Commander Kelly Grayson

Adrianne Palicki plays Commander Kelly Grayson, the first officer of the Orville and also Mercer's ex-wife. It's easy to hate Grayson at first, considering she cheats on Mercer with an alien and thus causes him to go on a year-long personal crisis. But as the show progresses, Grayson attempts to make amends, unbeknownst to Mercer. Grayson is why Captain Mercer can become commander of The Orville, and she personally appeals to their senior officers and asks to give him a chance.

Grayson may have caused great turmoil in her marriage, but one must remember that she still cares for Mercer deeply. It's revealed that she cheated because of Mercer's long absence at home (and weird alien pheromones), although no excuse should ever justify the act of cheating. Despite their differences, Grayson remains professional and is willing to become a team player. For all her screw-ups, Grayson is one of the most brilliant people on board and does whatever it takes to find a solution.

Palicki is best known for her role as Barbara "Bobbi" Morse/Mockingbird in the superhero drama series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D . Her previous roles also include playing Tyra Collette in Friday Night Lights .

Related: 'The Orville: New Horizons' Releases Nearly 4-Minute Sneak Peek of Upcoming Season on Hulu

Penny Johnson Jerald as Doctor Claire Finn

Penny Johnson Jerald plays Doctor Claire Finn, the brilliant Chief Medical Officer of the USS Orville. Finn has a killer wit and a clever sense of humor despite her steel mentality. Her medical specializations include DNA engineering, molecular surgery, and psychiatry, which pretty much explains her unquestionable expertise. While Finn has all the capabilities required to tackle heavy cruisers, she chooses the mid-level Orville instead. Finn explains that she prefers working somewhere where she could be more hands-on and be able to provide more assistance (however, Mercer misinterprets this, believing that Finn doesn't have confidence in him).

Finn's strength comes from being the single mother of two boys - it's not easy being in charge of the medical area while raising children on a dangerous intergalactic ship. Her intelligence and perseverance are remarkable, but her impulsiveness sometimes gets the best of her. For example, while she is a caring mother, she doesn't necessarily have the best parenting techniques. And let's not get started on that one time she decides to date Isaac out of the blue. Nevertheless, Finn is a headstrong woman who stands her ground on her principles and beliefs despite her blunders.

Johnson previously trained in the prestigious Juilliard School with fellow classmates Lorraine Toussaint and Megan Gallagher . Her previous roles include Kasidy Yates in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Captain Victoria "Iron" Gates in Castle , and Sherry Palmer in 24 .

Scott Grimes as Lieutenant Gordon Malloy

Scott Grimes plays Lieutenant Gordon Malloy, USS Orville's helmsman and Mercer's best friend. It's hard to believe that this prankster of a man is recognized as the fleet's best helmsman, let alone a Lieutenant. Not to mention that he was previously demoted to desk duty due to an unfortunate incident - impressing a girl with a risky shuttle docking maneuver, which of course, backfired and ultimately caused damages to the vessel and loss of cargo. But all that aside, Mercer is still insistent on giving Lieutenant Malloy the assignment of steering the ship, despite his boss's concerns.

With his jokester personality, Malloy is known for his history of immature pranks, which includes making Isaac look like a Mr. Potato Head. Of course, like his attempt to impress a girl, his pranks typically backfire, with Malloy getting the brunt of his antics (remember that one time Isaac stole the lieutenant's left leg while he was sleeping?). Despite his childish jokes and dry humor, Malloy is not just an expert pilot (having saved the ship from inevitable doom several times) but also a reliable friend and a heroic addition to the team.

Apart from The Orville , Grimes is best known for appearing in the cult classic The Night They Saved Christmas and has starred in notable TV shows like ER as Dr. Archie Morris and Band of Brothers as Technical Sergeant Donald Malarkey.

Peter Macon as Lieutenant Commander Bortus

Peter Macon plays Lieutenant Commander Bortus, the competent Second Officer on the USS Orville. Bortus is originally from Moclus, a male-dominated planet specializing in weapon manufacturing. As the ship's Lieutenant Commander, he is basically third in charge of the vessel. But this doesn't stop the lieutenant commander from being the butt of jokes, mainly because he has no clue about human habits and has particular behaviors himself. For example, he literally eats anything, from a napkin to a ball of wasabi.

Still, his efforts to assimilate with the USS Orville crew and Union society are heartwarming. His fascinating Moclan origins and his curiosity keep him an interesting character. He may come off as emotionless, but he has a huge heart and will do anything to save his crew and family. What's even more touching is his emotional growth during the first two seasons, making him a character to look forward to in Season 3.

Macon has nearly 30 years of experience performing at Twin Cities theaters and once starred in Othello . The actor has also played in shows like Shameless , Law & Order , and SEAL Team .

Related: 'The Orville: New Horizons' Trailer Sets a Course for Galaxies Unknown

Halston Sage as Lieutenant Alara Kitan

Halston Sage plays Lieutenant Alara Kitan, the Chief of Security for USS Orville. Despite her young age, Kitan is a force to be reckoned with. Originating from the high-gravity planet of Xelaya, Kitan ends up having superhuman strength on Earth gravity - giving her the ability to knock down walls or reshape blocks of titanium with her bare hands. Unfortunately, Kitan only remains part of the main cast until the third episode of Season 2. Her character resigns from her post to go back to her home planet after discovering she's losing her super-strength due to being away too long from her home planet's gravitational force.

Although her time on the ship is brief, Kitan has become a memorable character for beloved fans of the show. It's easy to pinpoint her as the underdog because of her age. But her abilities and determination eventually shine through. She's a capable officer who's conquered her fears despite coming from a traumatic childhood. Let's not forget her witty humor and fun personality. Despite her exit from the show, Kitan's departure was left quite open-ended so there's a chance that we might get to see her in at least a guest appearance in Season 3.

Halston Sage is known for starring as Grace on the Nickelodeon television series How to Rock and Lacey in the coming-of-age movie Paper Towns , the film adaptation of John Green 's critically acclaimed novel.

J. Lee as Lieutenant John LaMarr

J. Lee plays Lieutenant John LaMarr, the smooth-talking Chief Navigator of USS Orville, who ends up becoming Chief Engineer later on in Season 1. LaMarr has a close friendship with Malloy, considering they share a similar sense of humor. But unlike Malloy, LaMarr secretly has a high level of intelligence and is slightly more mature with his responsibilities.

Despite being incredibly smart, LaMarr initially downplays his intelligence to fit in with his peers. Instead of chasing after grand ambitions, he would settle for modest assignments that don't require him to put out much of his potential. Ultimately, it is Grayson who encourages him to push himself and go for the position of Chief Engineer. Lee has previously worked with MacFarlane, having starred as a voice actor in shows like American Dad! , Family Guy , and Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy .

Related: ‘The Orville: New Horizons’ Reveals Flashy New Poster For Season 3 of Seth MacFarlane Comedy Series

Mark Jackson as Isaac

Mark Jackson plays Isaac, the Science and Engineering Officer of USS Orville, and a member of the artificial Kaylon-1 race, which views biological lifeforms (e.g., humans) as inferior. Isaac also serves as the ambassador of the Kaylon on the ship, part of an attempt to establish relationships between the two powers. During his time on The Orville, Isaac studies human behavior, learning things like relationships, slang, sarcasm, and other aspects.

He may be a non-biological being, in which he prioritizes rationale more than feelings, but surprisingly, Isaac can show a more humane side, especially when Kaylon decides to go on a rampage and attacks his crewmates. Sure, it was disappointing when Isaac played a part in Kaylon's genocidal efforts, but in the end, he chose to side with the Union and go so far as to save Ty, Dr. Finn's youngest son. Jackson primarily worked in theater before starring in The Orville , working in the Royal National Theatre's productions of War Horse and One Man, Two Guvnors .

Norm Macdonald as Yaphit

The late Norm Macdonald plays Yaphit, a gelatinous, green blob-like creature who’s just generally fun to be around. He becomes a running joke as he tries to win Claire's affections throughout Season 1 by bringing her flowers and playing the guitar. Unfortunately, Claire doesn’t share the same sentiment. Still, his playful personality makes him incredibly likable.

Macdonald is famous for his stint at Saturday Night Live and played roles in well-known movies like Billy Maddison and The People Vs. Larry Flint . He’s also done voice acting for Family Guy and Mike Tyson Mysteries . It's currently unknown whether Yaphit will be featured in Season 3 but if you're planning on rewatching the previous seasons, he's definitely one of the most enjoyable characters in them.

Jessica Szohr as Lieutenant Talla Keyali

Jessica Szohr plays Lieutenant Talla Keyali, the newest addition to USS Orville and the new Chief of Security, replacing Kitan after she departs from the team. Also from Xelayan, she has the same super-strength abilities possessed by Kitan. Unlike Kitan, Keyali has a bolder personality and doesn’t mind jumping first into any situation that requires her to fight.

Szohr is most notable for her role as Vanessa Abrams on the teen drama series Gossip Girl . Her other notable credits include My Wife and Kids , Joan of Arcadia , and CSI: Miami .

Anne Winters as Charly Burke

Anne Winters plays Ensign Charly Burke, the new navigator of USS Orville and a new character that will appear in Season 3. While not much is revealed about Burke at the moment, we do know that she is a human female who has the ability to visualize multiple dimensions at an impressive speed with sharp accuracy.

Winters is most notable for her work in Netflix's hit teen drama 13 Reasons Why . She's also acted alongside comedians Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish in Universal Pictures' Night School.

The Orville

• View history

The Orville is a live action parody of and homage to Star Trek , specifically Star Trek: The Next Generation . The show was created by and stars Seth MacFarlane and is co-produced by Brannon Braga , former Family Guy collaborator David A. Goodman , alongside another Star Trek veteran Andre Bormanis , who reprised his role as technical advisor. Braga himself states the series "is aiming to tell stories that ride the line between drama and comedy, with an eye toward earnestness." [1]

• 2 Production
• 3 Actors who have appeared in Star Trek and The Orville
• 4 Production personnel who have worked on Star Trek and The Orville
• 5 Book authors who have written on Star Trek and The Orville
• 6 External links

Concept [ ]

The main cast

Set in the 25th century , the series chronicles the adventures of the USS Orville , a mid-level starship exploring the galaxy on behalf of the Planetary Union. Her captain is Ed Mercer, who receives the job due to no other captains being available, his career having slumped after a divorce. Mercer's hope of proving himself and serving the Union are complicated when his ex-wife, Commander Kelly Grayson, is assigned as his first officer . Despite initial tensions with Kelly, Ed soon forms a tight-knit crew.

Production [ ]

The series was officially announced in March 2016, though MacFarlane had stated for years he had a passion for science fiction and space opera related media. He was reported to have heavily managed every detail of the series during the show's productions, wanting The Orville to truly be a thriving universe that could justifiably be seen as a spiritual successor to the Star Trek series before it. MacFarlane had also expressed inspiration from not just Star Trek , but The Twilight Zone , Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy , and Deadpool as well. [2] [3]

The Orville debuted in September 2017 for FOX TV (as of July 2018 fully owned by The Walt Disney Company , already owner of rival franchise Star Wars ) and starring MacFarlane as Captain Ed Mercer, with Penny Johnson Jerald as chief medical officer Claire Finn, and Scott Grimes as helmsman Gordon Malloy. Star Trek actors appearing in the series have, so far, included Victor Garber , Brian George , J.D. Cullum , James Horan , Ron Canada , Joel Swetow , Brian Thompson , Molly Hagan , Steven Culp , Michael Duisenberg , Jason Alexander , John Fleck , Tim Russ , F. Murray Abraham , Tony Todd , Marina Sirtis , Robert Picardo , and John Billingsley (with Picardo and Billingsley appearing together in the episode "Home"); MacFarlane, Braga, James L. Conway , Jonathan Frakes , and Robert Duncan McNeill have directed episodes. Marvin V. Rush – who was director of photography for TNG – serves as the show's cinematographer. Doug Drexler joined the program's visual effects (VFX) team for the third season. [4]

Although initially promoted as a spoof, the series is in fact a comedy-drama (dramedy) done in the style of TNG. MacFarlane had previously expressed interest in rebooting the Star Trek franchise in October of 2011, when he mentioned to the Hollywood Reporter that he was eager to reboot a Star Trek series for television: " I'd love to see that franchise revived for television in the way that it was in the 1990s: very thoughtful, smartly written stories that transcend the science fiction audience. I don't know who would give me the keys to that car. " [5] MacFarlane indicated his intent was to pay homage to Star Trek with the show while resurrecting the style of optimistic science fiction TNG espoused. [6] In this MacFarlane succeeded eventually, as his show not only attracted " Trekkies " disenchanted with Discovery for canon and philosophical premise reasons (and reminiscent of how Ronald D. Moore 's re-imagined Battlestar Galactica drew in Star Trek fans who were disenchanted for basically the same reasons with Star Trek: Enterprise over a decade earlier), but also former Star Trek production/franchise staffers like Michael Okuda and Larry Nemecek . As if to underscore their embracement of McFarlane's creation, Eaglemoss Collections launched an Orville partwork collection in 2020, partly at the request of these former production staff fans, [7] and similar to that of its rival counterparts, Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection and, most poignantly, Star Trek: Discovery The Official Starships Collection .

A major difference with its contemporaries became the decision to go "old school" with a traditional physical studio model for the establishing shots of the "hero ship" Orville in order to get the retro feel MacFarlane was aiming for. By that time a near obsolete VFX technique in the age of CGI , pilot episode director Jon Favreau contracted several veterans still versed in the antiquated technique which included Star Trek alumnus and veteran Robert Legato for the motion control photography. Even though the majority of the other VFX shots were executed as CGI, the footage taken of the physical model served as a library of stock footage (especially for the show's intro), apart from the model being used as as scanning model as well as a camera test model. [8] The creation of a stock footage library had actually already been Legato's original intent to begin with for the two original USS Enterprise -D physical models for The Next Generation back in 1987. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion  (3rd ed., p. 31))

Due to Star Trek: Discovery ' s production delays, The Orville ended up debuting only two weeks before Discovery , leading to many reviewers making head-to-head comparisons between the shows.

The first season, consisting of 12 episodes, concluded in December 2017. A second season was commissioned soon after its debut (along with Star Trek: Discovery , The Orville was one of the first new series of the 2017-18 season to be renewed). Prior to broadcast of Season 2, MacFarlane indicated that the second season would have a more serious tone than the first, downplaying comedy in favor of more straightforward science fiction storytelling. Season 2 debuted at the end of December 2018 and scheduled the same night as new episodes of Discovery were released on CBS All-Access, which strengthened the perceived impression of the two having become de facto franchise contenders. This was reinforced by the 2019 Emmy Award nominations where The Orville 's second season was put up against that of Discovery for the category "Outstanding Special Visual Effects" [9] – though neither of them won the coveted prize as it went to Game of Thrones , with former Star Trek VFX staffer Joe Bauer being one of the recipients. [10] Ironically, from its second season onward, The Orville was served by digital VFX vendor Pixomondo , who has been Discovery 's primary CGI vendor from its inception. [11]

A surprising development occurred in June 2021, when the series became syndicated on Spike (Netherlands) as a temporary replacement for Discovery , going on to become Discovery 's companion series for the channel's "Sci-Fi Zondag (Sunday)" line-up. The surprising element lay in the fact that Spike was fully owned by Star Trek franchise owner Paramount Global , whereas the now Disney-owned Orville series has been moved to its streaming service Hulu as a Hulu exclusive, [12] which (along with its streaming sister Disney+) is embroiled in an increasingly vicious " streaming war " with the other services, including Paramount+ , particularly on the home market.

Actors who have appeared in Star Trek and The Orville [ ]

Production personnel who have worked on star trek and the orville [ ], book authors who have written on star trek and the orville [ ].

• Jeff Bond – The World of The Orville , Titan Books , 16 January 2018 ( ISBN 1785657615 )

External links [ ]

• The Orville at Wikipedia
• The Orville at the Internet Movie Database
• The Orville Wiki
• 3 Ancient humanoid

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• Pop Culture

‘The Orville’ Is Back for Season 3. But How Does It Fit Into a New Space TV Landscape?

Seth MacFarlane’s comedy-drama returns after three years away. But the television environment it joins now is not the same one it left at the end of Season 2.

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It would’ve been so easy for The Orville not to come back. Over two brief seasons, the spacefaring comedy-drama had generated solid but unremarkable reviews and ratings. Its creator and star, Seth MacFarlane, had other irons in the fire— Family Guy , American Dad! , a TV adaptation of the Ted movies. Fox had already shuffled two seasons around the calendar, and plans for a third were put on hold when the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted production. And in 2020, MacFarlane, whose animated shows had been tentpole programming at Fox for decades, split with his longtime corporate bosses and inked a $200 million deal with NBC .

But like its plucky namesake starship, last seen dodging laser beams during a climactic set-piece battle, The Orville has survived for a third season.

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“It’s the most fun writing job I’ve ever had,” MacFarlane told me recently over Zoom. “I love telling these stories, and it’s a wonderful group of people I love working with.”

The forthcoming season, which premieres on Hulu June 2 and is subtitled New Horizons , marks a bit of a shift for the series. The crew composition continues to evolve, with Anne Winters joining the cast as a young navigator. And MacFarlane says the move to Hulu comes with a more “cinematic” visual style. But the biggest adjustment comes not from within the show’s universe, but in the real world’s streaming TV landscape.

When The Orville , which mimics the style and many of the conventions of Star Trek , premiered in 2017, there had been six official Star Trek shows released in the previous 51 years. In less than five years since, CBS All Access and Paramount+ have aired six more, including four that premiered in the three years since The Orville finished Season 2. And the Star Trek shows have had to compete against a constellation of socially conscious spacefaring dramas: big streaming swings like For All Mankind , The First , and Away , and later seasons of The Expanse , among others.

Given all that, the biggest question for The Orville entering its third season is this: Is there still a place for this show when space—and Star Trek in particular—is busier than it’s ever been?

The Orville , in its premise, setting, visual language, and choice of subject matter, is a Star Trek show in all but name. Even some of its senior creative figures, like executive producers Brannon Braga and David A. Goodman, are Trek veterans—though they often try to soft-pedal the similarities between projects. When I asked Braga and Goodman what they’d learned from their previous experience, Goodman laughed and said, “Wait, Brannon worked on Star Trek ?”

The last time MacFarlane’s Captain Ed Mercer and his crew signed off, they held an interesting place in that wider universe. The history of Star Trek has many fault lines and watershed moments, but one of the biggest came between Star Trek: Enterprise ’s ending in 2005 and the J.J. Abrams–directed Star Trek reboot four years later. Before that point, Star Trek had mostly revolved around one premise: Presented with a problem, how would the best of humanity react? The original series and The Next Generation got hundreds of hours worth of mileage out of this setup. And because of creator Gene Roddenberry’s intractable opposition to serialization, these shows became mind-bendingly successful in syndication.

After Roddenberry’s death in 1991, the writers of the various Star Trek series got a little more freedom to experiment, particularly on Deep Space Nine and Enterprise, which began to portray a darker, more cynical side of humanity over longer story arcs. Deep Space Nine introduced an organization called Section 31, which in small doses hinted at a hidden and mostly unremarked-upon cost to maintaining Roddenberry’s sometimes cartoonishly optimistic secular humanist utopia.

The rebooted movies, and particularly Paramount’s new crop of TV shows, took Deep Space Nine ’s spicy twist and embraced it—juiced it, more like—until Star Trek was just like any other sci-fi franchise. If Deep Space Nine added much-needed seasoning to a classic dish, parts of Discovery and especially Picard made the entire meal out of salt.

Against that context, The Orville was a refreshing return to the original premise: mostly episodic, overwhelmingly hopeful, socially conscious middlebrow sci-fi.

“The thing I think was important to bring in [from Star Trek ] was the type of storytelling,” Braga told me, “which was stand-alone stories, well told, driven by this high concept, with a certain optimistic spirit and a certain depiction of the future.”

When I reviewed The Orville ’s first few episodes five years ago , I confronted it as a combination of parody and homage, the work of a comedian playing with beloved storytelling conventions. But MacFarlane and Braga never intended The Orville to be a parody; two seasons in, it’s become more of a pastiche.

“We never approached it as a satire or a parody, which I think would have been the immediate assumption, seeing Seth’s name on it,” Braga said. “The story always came first and the comedy—Seth says it’s comedy frosting—was part of it, but it wasn’t the main driver.”

“That was part of the paradigm from day one,” MacFarlane said. “The story has to work as a story, and then you can hang a bunch of jokes on it and you’re fine. With this show, it was really about finding the tone. The tone, to me, started to really come together at the end of Season 1, and then developed even more fully in Season 2.”

The tone MacFarlane refers to is an intriguing mix of old-school Star Trek ’s resolute moral seriousness and a heavy dollop of goofy humor. The crew of The Orville , especially Captain Mercer, are well-intentioned but definitely not the best and brightest. They bicker over inane problems, they play pranks, they go to work hungover, and they carry out multiyear running gags about having to pee .

In one of the best episodes of Season 2, “Sanctuary,” the crew encounters a colony of female aliens from a heavily patriarchal species. Mercer invites the alien leader to peruse the ship’s collection of art created by the women of Earth, and she immediately seizes on Dolly Parton as Earth’s great feminist poet, who “speaks with the might of 100 soldiers. …This is the voice of our revolution.” Minutes later, there’s a climactic gunfight set to “9 to 5.”

It’s silly, but the jokes are in service of a narrative and a message. And while MacFarlane admits the show struggled to strike the right balance between story and humor early on, he cited the most recent episode of Black Mirror , “Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too,” as an inspiration for The Orville going forward, praising its blending of serious sci-fi and “rompish” comedy.

“The idea in Season 3 was to really lean into that,” MacFarlane said. “That tone is to not lose what’s funny about these characters, but make sure that it’s also real, that we’re not writing a sci-fi story and then surgically looking for spots to add jokes, which was kind of what we were doing at the beginning of Season 1. We stopped pressuring ourselves to do that and really let the story take precedence.”

That turned out to be the key to unlocking The Orville ’s potential and the key to appreciating it for what it is: a drama, occasionally interrupted by jokes.

“I was known as the king of torture on 24 ,” said Jon Cassar, who directed, among other Orville episodes, last season’s two-part “Identity” and the Season 3 premiere “Electric Sheep.” “Comedy wasn’t at the forefront. I think I said that: ‘Really? You really want me to do this show? This is a Seth MacFarlane show.’ And I remember them saying, ‘Drama first.’ We want to play this like a straight-up one-hour drama. That’s the most important thing.”

As MacFarlane’s show filled a lane left open by the Abrams movies and Discovery , though, Paramount delivered a rapid-fire response with several new Star Trek series. They dug Anson Mount’s Captain Pike and the Enterprise out of the vault for Strange New Worlds , which returns to the franchise’s original episodic format and wide-eyed tone . And because there’s so much humor to be mined from watching C+ students deal with problems of galactic importance, Paramount+ has ordered two additional seasons of the animated series Lower Decks to go with the two that have already aired. For two seasons, The Orville gave Star Trek diehards something they couldn’t get on first-run TV. Now there’s competition.

“Up until very recently, we were the only show that was occupying anything near that space and tone in sci-fi,” MacFarlane said. “I think even now The Orville is very much in its own space. It’s got its own vibe. But [how the show holds up to the competition is] not decided by us. That’s decided by the viewers.”

Even among all that noise, MacFarlane still believes The Orville offers something unique. And at the end of our conversation, he touched on the quality that makes the show work.

“It really is still about these people,” MacFarlane said. “On any show you tune in to watch the people. Are these people I want to hang with each week?”

For all the aliens and special effects and wild makeup you’d expect from Star Trek , what makes these shows successful is that viewers like spending an hour a week with the crew. Many years ago, my colleague Brian Phillips praised The Next Generation by writing, “the show offers a fantasy of smart friends working together and supporting each other that’s designed to make you want to join them.” That’s true of every successful Star Trek show, and why the Kirk-Spock-McCoy trio is one of television’s most beloved friendships, or why Avery Brooks’s portrayal of Ben Sisko still resonates a generation later .

The crew of The Orville is … mostly not that smart, but they’re still a part of that tradition. And Season 3 promises to test that family dynamic as the crew deals with the aftermath of a war with the robotic Kaylon. Among the survivors is The Orville ’s science officer, Isaac, who after being sent to study humanity, decided to side with his flesh-and-blood friends against his people. Winters’s character, by contrast, comes to The Orville after suffering immense personal losses in the war and struggles to adjust to sharing the bridge with a Kaylon.

As much as The Orville chimes in on contemporary political issues through allegory, though, it’s always been at its best when the original question of the series—how do normal people stand up to extraordinary circumstances?—is at the forefront.

“The very first time we all met together collectively, Seth said we’re doing a science-fiction piece, but what we are is people who happen to be in space,” said Penny Johnson Jerald, who plays Dr. Claire Finn. “We’ve always been people first, and it’s on the page. We lift the words and emotions off the page so viewers can enjoy and be a part of it. … It truly helps to like your fellow cast.”

“We have a group chat,” said Adrianne Palicki, who plays first officer Kelly Grayson. “We are always constantly in contact with each other, which is a rarity on any show, especially after you’ve wrapped.”

That chemistry gives the crew of the Orville an unexpected warm and fuzzy tone, almost reminiscent of Ted Lasso . (Perhaps if American TV viewers had latched onto this band of endearingly semi-competent work buddies instead, internet discourse wouldn’t be so hysterical . Dare to dream.) And they somehow manage to portray that earnestness without coming off as cloying or phony.

“A lot of television I see is a lot more dark and gritty in its interpersonal relationships and depictions thereof,” MacFarlane said. “I live in a pretty intense industry. I don’t go to work every day and fight with my coworkers and get into spats and deal with high drama. It’s actually pretty pleasant. So I don’t think it’s that unrealistic.”

Thanks to streaming and a bucket-of-crabs-type scramble for corporations to gobble up franchises and squeeze every last drop of blood from every stone, the viewers that MacFarlane defers to have never had more options for spacefaring drama and action. But watching a TV show is ultimately a question of time commitment. In terms of storytelling and visuals, The Orville holds its own with any of its contemporaries. But what makes an episodic TV show stick—including the older Star Trek series—is whether the characters are worth spending time with. Here, The Orville ’s band of weirdos and misfits sets itself apart. You can go boldly wherever you want, as long as you like who you’re going with.

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The Orville 's Seth MacFarlane on Those Star Trek Comparisons

Creator and star macfarlane, along with the hulu series' executive producers, explain the differences between the sci-fi shows..

When The Orville premiered back in 2017, its arrival coincided almost exactly with Star Trek: Discovery , the first new Trek TV show in over a decade. Comparisons between the two series were inevitable, with even io9 calling The Orville a “ Star Trek spoof ” in our earliest coverage of the series.

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But as anyone who’s watched the Seth MacFarlane-created (and -starring) show knows, that’s not at all what The Orville was aiming for at the beginning, and over two seasons—with a third , titled The Orville: New Horizons , arriving next week on Hulu —it has set itself apart from Trek in many ways, although Gene Roddenberry’s franchise remains a clear influence. There’s also the small fact that currently, there’s now more Star Trek on TV than ever before .

“I think it’s safe to say that we’re still occupying our own space this year,” MacFarlane told io9 over video chat at a recent Orville press event. “Certainly, the more that’s out there, you do start to become a little concerned that, you know, is it oversaturation? Is there a pocket where our show and only our show exists? And I think that is still very much the case.”

Not wanting to spoil what’s in store, MacFarlane didn’t get too into detail about what specifically sets The Orville apart from Star Trek this season. In more general terms, “It’s this genre that emerged in the 1930s of a ship in space, captained and crewed very much the same way that a sailing ship was,” he said. “It’s something that dates back a lot of decades. Star Trek was really the first to take it and turn it into something that really mattered and was a serious form of storytelling. You know, for us... sci-fi right now is very dark. It’s very dystopian. It’s very grim in a lot of ways. It’s very cautionary. And the optimistic, uplifting part of that genre is something we haven’t really seen in a while. So there was a pretty obvious open pocket for us to kind of slip into when we started. How we fit in now is—it’s really up to the audience, I think—what we’re bringing to the table in tone, in structure, in scope is in a class of its own. But that remains [to be seen], because the verdict [on season three] has not come in yet.”

As executive producer David Goodman pointed out, the similarities between the series that fans have noticed are not exactly coincidental. “We’ve got a lot of pretty well-known Star Trek veterans working on the show,” he said. “But I think the difference for us is that our characters are flawed, real people. Not to say that they’re not trying to do that on the other shows, but that’s where Orville started. We want our shows to come out of the funny, awkward, serious interactions of characters that feel like they could exist in our world—it’s just that they’re walking on the bridge of a spaceship. That’s where our drama comes from and is also where our comedy comes from, from the creation of those characters that feel a little more flawed, a little more grounded. They’re not space heroes.”

Added fellow exec producer Jon Cassar, “I think also we don’t have the anchor of what Star Trek was that those other shows that have... from what I’ve read, and I have a lot of friends that work on the shows, it’s been difficult on them trying to live up to that standard, trying to keep that standard alive, trying to keep the canon alive. All of that. From our point of view, we’re who we are. We’re just The Orville . We get to sort of make up the rules ourselves and follow our own rules. So I think that’s a bit of an advantage for us.”

There’s also the fact that Star Trek has been on the air on and off since the 1960s. “When the new incarnations of Star Trek came along, there had [already] been a thousand episodes,” co-executive producer Brannon Braga said. “So [the current creators] have a lot to pay attention to, because the fans definitely know every detail of the show. So there is, I agree with Jon, a certain blank slate that’s been fun.”

The Orville: New Horizons arrives June 2 on Hulu; we’ll have more from the cast and crew soon.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel and Star Wars releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV , and everything you need to know about House of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power .

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The Orville

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Cast & Crew

Seth MacFarlane

Captain Ed Mercer

Adrianne Palicki

Commander Kelly Grayson

Penny Johnson

Dr. Claire Finn

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Lieutenant Gordon Malloy

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Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

• Discovery season 5 follows Burnham on a treasure hunt with new allies and enemies in the 32nd century.
• Captain Saru may get his own command, impacting his role on Discovery.
• Stamets plays a key role with the Spore Drive and the quest for the mysterious treasure.

After a long delay, Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the USS Discovery are back, and they'll be joined by some new and returning characters over the course of Star Trek: Discovery season 5's intergalactic treasure hunt. Discovery season 5 picks up some time after the DMA disaster was averted, and it's likely that the impact of that on the show's regulars will be explored as the weeks go by. Tasked by the ever-engimatic Dr. Kovich (David Cronenberg) to retrieve a mysterious item from an 800-year-old Romulan ship, Burnham and the crew of the Discovery are thrown into a quest for a great prize that must not fall into the wrong hands .

With the " greatest treasure in the known universe " on the line, Burnham and the crew will need some allies from the 32nd century Star Trek timeline . As well as her loyal crew, Burnham will again be assisted by Cleveland Booker (David Ajala), the Federation President, Laila Rilak (Chelah Horsdal) and Starfleet Admiral Charles Vance (Oded Fehr) . As the extensive Star Trek: Discovery cast prepare to say goodbye, it looks like they'll get a suitably cinematic and emotional send-off.

When Does Every Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Episode Premiere (& How Many Are There)?

Sonequa martin-green as captain michael burnham, the uss discovery's legendary captain is at the heart of the action in season 5..

Sonequa Martin-Green returns as Captain Michael Burnham in Star Trek: Discovery season 5. After a breakthrough role as Sasha Williams in The Walking Dead , Sonequa Martin-Green has led Discovery since 2017, and will be bowing out when the show ends this year. Between seasons 4 and 5, Martin-Green appeared in Space Jam: A New Legacy and guest starred as the Green Ghost in Invincible .

Since arriving in the future, Burnham has quickly become the most important captain in Star Trek 's 32nd century , which is presumably why she's been trusted to lead season 5's intergalactic treasure hunt. From the clips and trailers, Burnham will be right in the thick of the action, engaged in gunfights in corridors and surfing on starships. It also looks like Burnham will be forced to reconcile her strained relationship with Cleveland "Book" Booker (David Ajala), after his betrayal in Star Trek: Discovery season 4.

Doug Jones as Captain Saru

Will burnham's number one get his own command.

Doug Jones' history-making Saru is also back for Star Trek: Discovery season 5. It's been teased that Saru will be offered the " position of a lifetime " in the season 5 premiere , meaning that he may no longer be Burnham's second-in-command. Burnham and Saru are seen in an exciting adventure on a forest planet in the final Discovery trailer, a mission that is referred to as the pair's " last dance ". The specifics of Saru's new role and how it plays into season 5's larger story remains to be seen. Between Star Trek: Discovery seasons 4 and 5, Doug Jones was seen as Baron Afanas in FX's vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows .

Anthony Rapp as Commander Paul Stamets

Has stamets finally rolled out his revolutionary spore drive.

Anthony Rapp's Paul Stamets looks to play a key role in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, as he's glimpsed holding a " key " to what is presumably tied to the treasure. Stamets will also presumably be dealing with the fallout from Ruon Tarka's theft of the spore drive technology in season 4. Tarka's protoype spore drive was destroyed, drastically setting back the rollout across the whole Starfleet armada. It will be interesting, therefore, to see if Stamets' passion project has finally been adopted by 32nd century Starfleet. Anthony Rapp recently voiced Orpheus in the videogame Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical .

Discovery's Spore Drive Is Better Than Star Trek's Traditional Warp

Wilson cruz as doctor hugh culber, discovery's answer to counselor deanna troi..

13 Reasons Why star Wilson Cruz will reprise the role of Star Trek: Discovery 's medic and counselor, Dr. Hugh Culber. Wilson Cruz teased that Discovery season 5 is a high note , and the trailers reveal that Culber joins Burnham and Book on an away mission, stretching his legs beyond the Discovery. Culber also expanded his skills in Discovery season 4, taking care of the crew's mental health as well as their physical wellbeing. Gene Roddenberry was inspired to create Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) for that very reason, making Culber a successor to the beloved Star Trek: The Next Generation character in season 5.

Mary Wiseman as Lieutenant Sylvia Tilly

Tilly is back full-time for discovery's final mission..

Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) had a reduced role in Star Trek: Discovery season 4, but is restored to series regular for Disco 's finale. Tilly left the Discovery to become an instructor at Starfleet Academy, presumably setting up Discovery 's upcoming spinoff series. The trailer for Discovery season 5 reveals that Tilly will be part of the ongoing treasure hunt, as she's seen disguised as an alien inside some large alien structure. As one of Discovery 's best-loved characters, it's fitting that Mary Wiseman's Tilly returns for the final outing . It remains to be seen if Tilly's arc in Discovery season 5 will set up the upcoming Starfleet Academy show .

David Ajala as Cleveland Booker

Burnham's lover will be seeking her forgiveness when he returns to discovery..

At the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 4, Booker set off to make amends for his potentially catastrophic actions against Species 10-C. Book was ordered to assist the efforts to resettle refugees from the destruction caused by the DMA as recompense for his theft of the experimental spore drive. Booker returns to the USS Discovery in season 5 to help Burnham and the crew track villainous couriers L'ak and Moll. Burnham and Books' relationship faced its biggest challenge in Discovery season 4 , so it will be interesting to see how that impacts one of the most enduring love stories in modern Star Trek .

Blu del Barrio as Ensign Adira Tal

Stamets' protégé will join discovery's treasure hunt..

Ensign Adira Tal (Blu del Barrio), Star Trek: Discovery 's young science whizz, will also be returning in season 5. Still working under the tutelage of their mentor and adoptive father figure, Paul Stamets, Adira will aid the Discovery's quest for season 5's treasure. Adira is the first recurring Star Trek character to identify as non-binary, using they/them pronouns . Adira is a strong example of the hugely positive work that Discovery has done to improve LGBTQ+ representation in the Star Trek franchise. Most recently, Blu del Barrio was one of a number of Star Trek actors to lend their voice to the 2023 videogame Starfield .

Other Star Trek actors who appear in Starfield include Tim Russ, Nana Visitor, and Armin Shimerman.

Star Trek's First LGBTQ+ Romance Almost Happened In TNG Season 2

Tig notaro as commander jett reno, discovery's comedy engineer returns for season 5..

Stand-up comedian Tig Notaro will return as Commander Jett Reno in Star Trek: Discovery season 5 . Reno is a recurring character who made her debut in Discovery season 2, and joined the crew as they traveled into the far future. Reno is the USS Discovery's acerbic engineer, and will have a role to play in the ongoing search for season 5's mysterious treasure. In the trailer, Tig Notaro is seen holding all manner of sci-fi props, suggesting that Reno will have to do some dazzling engineering work on the fly at some point in Star Trek: Discovery season 5.

Callum Keith Rennie as Captain Rayner

How does the kellerun captain fit into burnham's treasure hunt.

Battlestar Galactica 's Callum Keith Rennie plays Captain Rayner, one of Star Trek: Discovery season 5's new characters . It's been confirmed that Captain Rayner is a Kellerun , and that he is a wartime leader struggling to readjust to the Federation's time of peace post-Burn. It's also been teased that Rayner has a personal vendetta against the villainous Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis). How Rayner's past with Discovery season 5's primary antagonists will interfere with Burnham's quest for the treasure remains to be seen. From The X-Files to The Umbrella Academy, Rennie is a stalwart of genre TV , so his involvement in Star Trek feels long overdue.

Eve Harlow as Moll

One half of discovery season 5's villainous double act..

The Night Agent 's Eve Harlow joins Star Trek: Discovery season 5 as Moll, one half of the villainous criminal duo . Harlow is no stranger to sci-fi, having started out in Marvel's Agents of SHIELD , before appearing in The 100 and Next . Moll has been described as a former courier, who is now an intelligent and strategic outlaw. Moll's partnership with L'ak is romantic as well as professional, suggesting that the couple are a dark reflection of Burnham and Book's former partnership in Discovery season 3. Moll is also described as single-minded, and not intimidated by Captain Burnham or the judgment of Starfleet and the Federation.

Elias Toufexis as L'ak

The clyde to moll's bonnie..

L'ak isn't the first Star Trek role for The Expanse 's Elias Toufexis . The actor voiced the characters of Galvan and Hadri in Star Trek: Resurgence , and also previously played "Cold" in Star Trek: Discovery season 1. As one of season 5's primary villains, L'ak is a more substantial role for Elias Toufexis than his previous Star Trek characters. L'ak is Moll's fierce protector, who will stop at nothing to ensure that the love of his life is safe. This could make him an unpredictable and incredibly dangerous foe for Captain Burnham and the crew in Discovery season 5.

Star Trek: Discovery's New Season 5 Villains & Starfleet Officer Explained By Showrunner

Tara rosling as president t'rina of ni'var, will saru and t'rina get their happy ending in discovery season 5.

President T'Rina (Tara Rosling) and Saru's relationship will develop further in Star Trek: Discovery season 5 . Now the president of the unified Vulcan and Romulan home world of Ni'Var, it's unclear how big a part the wider Federation government will play in season 5's treasure hunt and its wider ramifications. Speculation around Saru's new role in Discovery suggest that he may be taking on a diplomatic role, which will bring him closer to T'Rina on a professional level. Working so closely professionally could have a negative impact on Saru and T'Rina's romance in Discovery season 5, suggesting some interesting material for Tara Rosling to perform.

Oded Fehr as Admiral Charles Vance

The starfleet admiral will oversee burnham's final mission..

The Mummy star Oded Fehr returns as Admiral Charles Vance in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, providing Starfleet oversight on Burnham's latest mission. At the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 4, Vance vowed to spend more time with his family following the existential threat posed by Species 10-C . However, these plans may be derailed by the magnitude of Discovery's mission in season 5, forcing Vance to spend more time at Federation Headquarters.

David Cronenberg as Dr. Kovich

Starfleet's mysterious scientist gives the orders in discovery season 5..

Cult movie director David Cronenberg reprises the role of Doctor Kovich, who tasks Burnham with Star Trek: Discovery season 5's treasure hunt. An enigmatic figure, it's always hard to read the motives of Kovich, making him one of Discovery 's most fascinating characters. Hopefully, Kovich's intentions for the " greatest treasure in the known universe " are pure, but it's never easy to tell for sure. Previews of season 5 have revealed that Kovich will be taking a more hands-on approach this season, appearing alongside Captain Saru on the bridge of the USS Discovery .

Chelah Horsdal as Federation President Laira Rillak

Managing the political implications of burnham's mission..

Best known for her role as Helen in The Man in the High Castle , Chelah Horsdal returns to Star Trek: Discovery as President Laira Rillak. It's not clear what the wider political implications of season 5's treasure are, but it's certain that President Rillak will have to step in to mediate its impact on Federation relations. Having welcomed Earth back into the United Federation of Planets at the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 4, it's likely that Rillak will have her eyes on expanding UFP membership in season 5 .

Ian Alexander as Gray Tal

The trainee guardian returns in discovery season 5..

Rounding out Star Trek: Discovery season 5's returning characters is Ian Alexander as trainee Trill Guardian, Gray Tal . Gray and Adira have been in a long-distance relationship since they parted ways in Discovery season 4. In Discovery season 4, episode 10, "The Galactic Barrier," Adira told Burnham that they and Grey were where they both needed to be, so it would be interesting to see if that's still the case in season 5. Ian Alexander recently voiced the character of Lev in The Last of Us: Part II , but it's unknown if they will reprise that role for HBO's TV adaptation.

Star Trek: Discovery's New & Returning Bridge Crew

As ever, Captains Burnham and Saru will be joined by their loyal bridge crew in Star Trek: Discovery season 5. Everyone from tactical to helm to communications will be on hand to see the USS Discovery through its final mission. Making their final appearances as the bridge crew of the legendary USS Discovery in season 5 are:

• Emily Coutts as Lt. Commander Keyla Detmer (Helm)
• Patrick Kwok-Choon as Lt. Commander Gen Rhys (Tactical)
• Olyn Oladejo as Lt. Commander Joann Owasekun (Ops)
• Orville Cummings as Lt. Christopher (Communications)
• David Benjamin Tomlinson as Lt. Junior Grade Linus (Science)
• Annabelle Wallis as Zora

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Premieres With 2 Episodes On April 4th On Paramount+

Star Trek: Discovery

Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

• April 12, 2024 | BREAKING: ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Renewed For Season 4; ‘Lower Decks’ To End With Season 5
• April 12, 2024 | Podcast: All Access Goes To Trill With ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ For “Jinaal”
• April 11, 2024 | Paramount Pictures Officially Confirms Star Trek Origin Movie For Its Upcoming Film Slate
• April 11, 2024 | Japan’s Prime Minister Invokes Star Trek In White House State Dinner Toast
• April 11, 2024 | Recap/Review: ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Tries Too Many Connections In “Jinaal”

BREAKING: ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Renewed For Season 4; ‘Lower Decks’ To End With Season 5

| April 12, 2024 | By: TrekMovie.com Staff 24 comments so far

Just a day after official news about Star Trek on the big screen comes official news about the future of Trek on television. One show is getting another season while another is coming to an end.

The Enterprise lives on but the Cerritos is returning to dock

Paramount+ has officially announced the live-action series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been renewed for a fourth season. The series set on board the USS Enterprise under the command of Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) is currently in production on its third season, which is set to debut in 2025. This move is not a surprise as the series has been a hit for the streaming service  and a critical success .

L-R Ethan Peck as Spock and Anson Mount as Capt. Pike in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Photo Credit: Michael Gibson/Paramount+

The streaming service also confirmed that the previously announced fifth season of the animated adult comedy Star Trek: Lower Decks will be its last season. The fifth season is currently in production and will premiere on Paramount+ this Fall. The series set on the USS Cerritos with a mission focused on “second contacts” has been popular with fans and it also had its share of critical and awards attention. However, it isn’t a surprise that it will end with the fifth season. Last fall series creator Mike McMahan indicated the show may not get a sixth season, later clarifying he was always worried about additional season pickups.

L-R Gabrielle Ruiz as T’Lyn, Noël Wells as D’Vana Tendi, Tawny Newsome as Beckett Mariner, Eugene Cordero as Rutherford and Jack Quaid as Brad Boimler in episode 10, season 4 of Lower Decks Photo Credit: Paramount+

Executive producer Alex Kurtzman along with the showrunners for both series have also made statements regarding the big news, for which Paramount+ has released as social media graphics.

For Strange New Worlds …

And Lower Decks …

… and from the corporate execs…

The official announcement also included comments from the head of programming at Paramount+ as well as the president of CBS Studios, which produces all Star Trek programming.

“It has been incredibly rewarding to continue to build the Star Trek universe, and we’re so grateful to Secret Hideout and our immensely talented casts and producers,” said Jeff Grossman, Executive Vice President, Programming, Paramount+. “ Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has found the perfect blend of action, adventure and humor, and we’re elated to announce another season ahead of our season three premiere. Similarly, Star Trek: Lower Decks has brought the laughs with an ample amount of heart to the franchise across its four seasons. We can’t wait for audiences to see what is in store for the crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos in this final season.”

“ Lower Decks and Strange New Worlds are integral to the Star Trek franchise, expanding the boundaries of the universe and exploring new and exciting worlds,” said David Stapf, President, CBS Studios. “We are extraordinarily proud of both series as they honor the legacy of what Gene Roddenberry created almost 60 years ago. We are so grateful to work with Secret Hideout, Alex Kurtzman, Mike McMahan, Akiva Goldsman, Henry Alonso Myers and the cast, crews and artists who craft these important and entertaining stories for fans around the world.”

Star Trek’s TV future

The future of Star Trek on Paramount+ is starting to take shape. Discovery will wrap up its fifth and final season in May, with Lower Decks following later this year. Production on the Section 31 streaming movie starring Michelle Yeoh was completed last month, and in theory that could show up by the end of the year, but the service may prefer to hold it until 2025. It’s now confirmed that season 3 of Strange New Worlds wont arrive until 2025 and so far it is the only Star Trek release confirmed for next year. The YA-focused Starfleet Academy series goes into production at the end of the summer but executive producer Alex Kurtzman has said it may not arrive until 2026.

The animated series Star Trek: Prodigy series exited Paramount+ for Netflix last year. The second season of that show is set to arrive on Netflix sometime this year. It is possible Netflix could order additional seasons but if they did so, they would likely not be ready until 2026 or even 2027.

Alex Kurtzman and Paramount have also indicated they are looking at more streaming movies, but so far nothing has been confirmed. Kurtzman has also recently hinted there are more “ surprises ” coming.

Michelle Yeoh as Georgiou and Joe Pingue as Dada Noe in Star Trek: Section 31 Photo Credit: Jan Thijs/Paramount+

Keep up with news about the  Star Trek Universe at TrekMovie.com .

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Just what I thought. 5 seasons is the limit. Thank Buddha 🙏 Lower Decks is ending. It jumped the shark two seasons ago.

I liked the show, and would agree it got significantly less fun and interesting after season two.

I lost interest in the show. Its reliance on nostalgia p@rn just doesn’t do it for me. I still haven’t finished watching last season. I’ll get to it at some point, but right now I don’t really care about it.

I agree that 5 seasons is the way to go. Bet on SNW to have its final season next year or two.

Yes I totally agree. It’s much more economical to end it and start over with a new Trek show. Maybe S31 with or without Michelle Yeoh.

Nooo! Lower Decks is some of the best that modern trek has to offer, it should continue!!

Strange New Worlds is the strongest show they have. It is really good and I hope it gets better. I think Paramount is going to take the less is better approach and unfortuantely these cancellations are a by product of the strike. You go with your strongest most dominant player and thats SNW right now.

In this cluttered streaming landscape, it is hard to be in the top ten when it comes to streaming. For a Trek show to do that it says a lot. Sure, the show has its detractors but they are just being negative for clicks and views. Its what I always wanted from Trek. A modern reimanging of the original series. That’s it. I hope it endures.

SNW will end at 5 seasons. We should start hearing about its replacement next year.

If Section 31 is a success, I hope there will be streaming movies focusing on other aspects of the Star Trek universe.

I’m not surprised by LDS ending and been saying for months fifth season is most likely its last but it still hurts!

I have become completely enamored with this show and was hoping it could live on to do at least seven seasons…and a movie! But that’s life.

And I think most people assumed the show probably wouldn’t have made it past season 2 when that first trailer hit lol

I can’t wait for the final season now!

And congrats to SNW although that wasn’t remotely a surprise either. But now that means this will be the only Trek show running in 2025 unless they get SFA on the air sooner. Yeah that’s a bit depressing.

I’m sad. Lower Decks should get at least seven seasons (and a movie). It’s real Star Trek. Hope we’ll see The Mistress of the Winter Constellations pirating a lot (pun intended) in S5! \\\//

I know the LD news is going to bum a lot of folks out. I’m sorry to see it go too, though not my favorite I was hoping it would go longer. Maybe not The Simpsons or Family Guy longer, but longer. Perhaps they’ll get the opportunity to do a film (?).

As for SNW, good news but I hope the writing shapes up a bit. I found S2 to be kind of disappointing compared to S1, especially with regard to the way Pike and Spock have been written. And please, no Muppets. :)

Cool that SNW has been renewed.

I do find the show to be the weakest of the modern shows though while the cast is great (La’an is my favorite character on the show). I feel the writing/stories in S1/S2 weren’t great and there is huge room for improvement so hopefully S3/S4 will be better.

I’m not surprised that Lower Decks is ending after 5 seasons as with Discovery 5 seasons seems to be the max a modern Trek show will last and i expect SNW to end after it’s 5th season too.

I enjoyed Lower Decks but the last season i felt the quality in humor dropped compared to previous seasons. Still i hope they end the show with a proper ending and hopefully we will see these characters again in the future.

Wow, I know opinions can differ widely and all, but the weakest of the modern shows? Weaker than PIC (with seasons 1 and 2) or Discovery which has limped to a finale season? I know I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am.

Having the different shows spaced out so much would be easier to wait for if they made traditionally sized seasons.

Thankfully that tradition isn’t coming back.

Glad to hear about SNW, but sad to hear about Lower Decks. That was my 2nd favorite modern Trek (after Prodigy). I do think streaming movies would be a good way to continue their adventures, even if the series itself is ending.

Also, hopefully it won’t be too long before we hear about more animated projects. This and Prodigy showed how well it can fit Star Trek, and there’s still plenty of potential in that regard.

Nooo. Lower Decks is a total success. Can’t believe 5 is the limit in these days.

A massive shame about Lower Decks. It had people that genuinely cared about the franchise. With great stories/arcs, fun characters and respect for both visual/narrative canon. Why can’t we allow shows to go on for 7 seasons like the good ol’ days?

I only hope they (Paramount… Skydance?) are saving pennies for a new live action 25th century TV show aka the present within the timeline.

No more bloody prequels and please, do keep the creatives from Lower Decks like Mike McMahan involved in some capacity with new Trek. They get it, like Team Matalas. That is, if you like both success and profit.

What is certain, we are heading into interesting, be it, uncertain times. Steady as she goes.

i love all trek but It’s funny how they keep saying everything is great and they love trek too, but they’ve canceled four of five shows in the last two years.

i believe what i see not what they say.

maybe 5 is the new 7

hulu should pick it up. they’ve been ramping up their animation slate and would go well with futurama and solar opposites

RIP Lower Decks :(

Seems like a missed opportunity to not continue a well-liked and relatively less-expensive show (based on general reports) at a time when SNW is going to be the only new content (once DIS wraps up) until Academy in maybe 2026.

It’s starting to look like Playmates Toys isn’t alone. Paramount appears to also be stricken with premature en-cancellation!

Really bummed about lower decks

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Star Trek Prequel Movie In The Works With Star Wars Director

Toby Haynes, who directed episodes of Black Mirror, Doctor Who, and Andor, is lined up to make a Star Trek movie.

By Eddie Makuch on April 11, 2024 at 12:06PM PDT

A Star Trek prequel movie is in the works with Star Wars director Toby Haynes attached to direct, Paramount announced during CinemaCon. This has been rumored since January , and now it's confirmed. The movie is set for release sometime in 2025.

Haynes previously directed episodes of Doctor Who, Black Mirror, Sherlock, and the Star Wars series Andor. Collider reported on these details from CinemaCon.

Seth Grahame-Smith, who wrote The Lego Batman Movie, is writing the untitled Star Trek film. Haynes has never directed or written a Star Trek movie, but he directed Black Mirror's Star Trek-inspired USS Callister episode.

The film is said to be an "origin story" that will take place prior to the events of 2009's Star Trek, which took place in 2255 and was itself an origin story. This likely means it will feature a different cast. The stars of the latest series, including Chris Pine, Karl Urban, Zachary Quinto, and Zoe Saldana, have been rumored to be coming back for a fourth film in their series, but it hasn't happened yet.

2016's Star Trek Beyond is the latest entry in the main Star Trek movie series, but the franchise has lived long and prospered on streaming with the TV shows Picard and Strange New Worlds.

The 2009 Star Trek reboot and its 2013 sequel Into Darkness were directed by JJ Abrams, before he handed off directing duties to Justin Lin for Star Trek Beyond. The three movies collectively earned around $1.2 billion at the global box office.

In addition to Pine, Saldana, and Quinto, the latest Star Trek movie series featured John Cho as Sulu and Anton Yelchin as Chekov. Yelchin tragically died in 2016 at the age of 27 after a motor vehicle accident in his driveway.

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Mortality Paradox

• Episode aired Jun 16, 2022

The Orville crew discovers signs of a modern civilization on a planet known to be uninhabited. The Orville crew discovers signs of a modern civilization on a planet known to be uninhabited. The Orville crew discovers signs of a modern civilization on a planet known to be uninhabited.

• Seth MacFarlane
• Cherry Chevapravatdumrong
• Adrianne Palicki
• Penny Johnson Jerald
• 58 User reviews
• 5 Critic reviews

• Capt. Ed Mercer

• Cmdr. Kelly Grayson

• Dr. Claire Finn

• Lt. Gordon Malloy

• Lt. Cmdr. Bortus

• Lt. Talla Keyali

• Lt. Cmdr. John LaMarr

• Ensign Charly Burke

• Admiral Halsey

• Flight Attendant

• Female Student #1
• (as Kendyl S. Powell)

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Did you know

• Trivia This episode was dedicated to the memory of Lisa Banes who died on June 14, 2021. Her last appearance would be episode 9 of season 3.
• Goofs Gordon refers to Oakwood High School as a "21st century high school." While that type of building may still be in use in the 21st century, it is of a style built in the mid-20th century.

Lt. Cmdr. Bortus : Death is an essential part of life. It's a noble right of passage.

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• Jul 21, 2022
• June 16, 2022 (United States)
• United States
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• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
• 20th Century Fox Television
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Technical specs

• Runtime 57 minutes
• Dolby Atmos

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