The Orville: New Horizons got off to the shocking start, as Isaac decided to end his life following backlash from the crew that was tied to the ongoing Kaylon war. A good amount of that hatred came from the new Ensign Charly Burke, who is played by a franchise newcomer Netflix alum Anne Winters. Winters’ character definitely received criticism from fans due to her attitude towards Isaac, and the hate is still coming. Well, the actress is aware of the backlash and, while discussing her character's arc, she issued a response.
I spoke to Anne Winters shortly after The Orville: New Horizons premiered and asked her about the experience of not only coming into an established series as a newcomer but also playing someone who serves as an antagonist of sorts for a key character. Winters assured me that Charly Burke's rough introduction didn’t deter her from the role. And as a matter of fact, she actually found it exciting:
It was more exciting to play the one that might get some hate towards the beginning. It’s always fun for me, as an actor, to portray someone I’m not in real life and then see the audience's reaction to the journey I take as a character. Charly has a big story arc with Isaac and being and with being on the Orville and just herself internally throughout the entire season. She might be what she is right now, [but] she definitely learns a lot being on the Orville. I’m curious to see what the audience thinks towards the end.
Anne Winters didn’t reveal much regarding Charly’s future when we spoke but, so far, it doesn’t seem as though she’s changed her perception much regarding Isaac. Charly resented Isaac’s presence on the ship, because a Kaylon attack on her previous assignment, the Quimby, resulted in her losing a friend. Burke openly voiced her concern about him to Captain Mercer, as well as other members on the ship.
When Isaac deactivated himself, Burke ultimately brought him back to life using skills no one else on the crew possessed. She made it clear she didn’t do it because she liked Isaac, and the episode implied that she might’ve done so in order to ease the guilt of Claire’s son, Marcus, who also participated in bullying Isaac.
The ship's new second navigator still hasn’t found easy footing with Isaac at this point, which might certainly lead some fans to judge the character. Anne Winters had a rather blunt response to anyone who might be tempted to do so, essentially warned them against it:
I would say if they’re gonna judge Charly, then they’re being just like Charly.
Charly Burke does seem to be a good person, based on her relationships with others, so it’s possible she’ll ultimately grow to better understand Isaac with time. However, one has to consider whether how much time The Orville could get cancelled (again), as Season 4 is not a guarantee. CinemaBlend spoke to Anne Winters and others about the possibility of a new season, and the responses implied that it might come down to how Hulu Subscribers tune in and how much buzz it drums up among social media users. I think it’s fair to say the series definitely took a step up with its serious storytelling in Season 3, so it would be great to see how that affects Charly's arc and others.
The Orville: New Horizons streams new episodes on Hulu on Thursdays. Tune in for new installments or catch up on the old ones to see why so many people love this series. And be sure to check out CinemaBlend's 2022 TV schedule for more quality viewing options.
