It bodes well for your television project if it attracts the filmmaker that kickstarted the Marvel Cinematic Universe to direct the pilot episode – and that’s exactly the kind of boost currently being enjoyed by Seth MacFarlane and Fox, as Iron Man director Jon Favreau signs on to shepherd MacFarlane’s new sci-fi series onto the air. It does not yet have a title, but the show will be the first live-action dramedy that the Family Guy creator has delivered for the network.
There are no specific plot details available, beyond the fact that it will apparently be set 300 years in the future, aboard an exploratory ship named Orville. Seth MacFarlane will star in the show as the ship’s captain, Ed. He will be joined by Adrianne Palicki as his ex-wife and First Officer, Scott Grimes as his best friend and pilot, and Peter Macon and J. Lee in supporting roles. Production is expected to begin in January 2017, and Jon Favreau will remain involved in the show as executive producer and consultant, beyond the pilot.
While Seth MacFarlane comedies have a great appeal, British audiences in particular may detect some similarities between this concept, and that of iconic BBC comedy Red Dwarf, which still enjoys endless re-runs on a number of UK channels. Putting that observation aside, there is a lot to look forward to here, as MacFarlane seems to have created a set-up for himself in which he can play with numerous dynamics between characters that have great comedic potential.
