Well, the long wait for the next season of The Orville may not have any updates, but if you are looking for some fun behind-the-scenes facts from the Hulu series, Seth MacFarlane is here for you. In fact, thanks to a Q&A between MacFarlane and star Jessica Szohr, we now know how her character got her name.
It’s kind of a funny story, actually. Those who have seen Season 2 of The Orville should already be familiar with Talla, though you may not have heard the ridiculous story behind how he came up with Talla’s name on the series.
So I buy a lot of shirts from James Perse, like other guys. … And I looked at the tag. I alternate; some days I wear like a size 3 T-shirt if I just want to be comfortable. And then I’ll wear maybe a 2 if I’m going out and I’m like, ‘I don’t wanna be so baggy.’ But I kept noticing on the tags, it said ‘Talla 2’ or ‘Talla 3.’ I guess that means size, and I didn’t know it at the time. It was just something I registered. I’m like, ‘Talla? I don’t know what that is. It sounds like a name for an alien.’ So, thank you James Perse for your contribution to The Orville.
Even Jessica Szohr could not believe this was the backstory behind her Orville character when she first heard it, as she revealed during her Instagram Q&A with the show’s famous creator. Seth MacFarlane also took the opp to shoutout James Perse and ask for free stuff (which is probably not a bad idea given the price tag of those suckers). The important thing, I guess, is that Perse inadvertently contributed to a fan-favorite sci-fi series simply by using the Spanish word for “size” on the tag.
Seth MacFarlane also says that he is a “big fan of ensemble pieces” in regards to his television shows and that extends into the animated realm as well. But it’s The Orville Season 3 he says is a priority right now, and he and the cast have not been shy about expressing a desire to get back as soon as the Hulu series can safely film.
In fact, the show was one of the many that were impacted by the pandemic earlier this year. Episodes were already underway when the series was abruptly shut down. While some shows have gone back in the meantime, others have held off due to the increasing need for safety measures, rising costs and other issues related to production. (Although Netflix’s CEO has said the pandemic has actually been cost effective for that streamer.)
Seth MacFarlane has previously been open about wanting to get back to his Hulu series as soon as it is a possibility, noting over the summer that there is “good stuff in store.” He and Jessica Szohr assure fans the show is not cancelled again, here, and that they hope to get back soon. However, right now new episodes still feel pretty far off.
To see what is heading back to the schedule sooner rather than later, take a look at our full fall TV schedule. There have been a whole lot of changes to the schedule this year, but things are changing and adapting and we'll keep you updated every step of the way.
