WARNING: This article contains spoilers for The Orville season 2 that may influence your enjoyment in discovering the plotlines. Read at your own risk.
The Orville won't be disappearing from FOX's TV line-up for next season. The network recently announced the show's renewal for season 3 but fans hoping for the return of Lt. Alara Kitan, as played by Halston Sage, may be disappointed to know she cannot be back as a series regular.
According to Cinema Blend, Sage is starring in a new series, which will also air on FOX. The network picked up Prodigal Son, where the actress is part of the main cast.
Sage will star alongside Martin Sheen, Tom Payne, Bellamy Young and Lou Diamond Phillips in this new show about a family whose dad was a known serial killer. She'll play Sheen's daughter, the "normal" one in the family.
Essentially, her commitments to Prodigal Son will tie up her schedules, and she won't likely even have a chance to cameo in The Orville season 3. Fans of the space series did receive a surprise when Alara popped up, albeit for a few scenes only, in The Orville season 2 finale.
Sage left The Orville in the third episode of the second season. The show had a big send-off for the character and had explained her character's departure quite clearly.
However, circumstances regarding Sage's exit from the series hasn't been clarified in the press. Thus, there were plenty of speculations about why she left the show, including unverified reports that she quit because her prosthetic makeup was hurting her skin.
The Orville season 3 renewal comes as no surprise, though. Before the second season premiered, the series secured a tax incentive in California, where it is filming.
According to Deadline, The Orville also has a solid following of devoted fans. Although its ratings in the second season dropped compared to the first season, the show rates well with delayed viewing and video-on-demand airing.
It's unclear where The Orville season 3 will head after that series finale in the second season, where the show had a reboot of sorts. It may, however, finally close the romantic storyline between Kelly (played by Adrianne Palicki) and Ed (played by Seth MacFarlane) for good.
It's likely that The Orville will also have new characters to boost the current line-up. The Orville season 3 should also have key cameos from big named stars as it did in season 1 with guests like Liam Neeson, Rob Lowe, and Charlize Theron.
Fans are also hoping that The Orville season 3 will feature a musical episode. Creator McFarlane has done tons of music on his other series Family Guy and there a lot of talented singers in the cast.
