The Orville still hasn't been renewed for a fourth season. By now, that's common knowledge, but the fans still want to see more. Screenrant writer Mark Donaldson says that it could be too late een if the series does get renewed. Donaldson writes that "viewer habits can be fickle, meaning that they may only be willing to wait so long." But other series with large fan bases have proven this to be wrong.
Collider reminded us that Curb Your Enthusiasm, the Larry David comedy, went on hiatus for six years in 2011 until finally returning for a ninth season. And the fans were still there. There was a three-year gap between the first and second seasons of Russian Doll, and if you want more proof of the dedication of fans, look at the returns of series like 24 which returned after four years and The Gilmore Girls after a nine year absence.
Though it's not ideal, fans will wait for their favorite series, and even though there are a lot of options to watch, they still manage to find time to watch those favorites even if it's bingeing all episodes of a season at one time.
Another great example is Star Trek: Prodigy, which is now airing on Netflix. The series was cancelled in April 2023 by Paramount+, but fan outcry brought it to Netflix's attention. It debuted on the streaming channel on December 25th, and it quickly surged to the top of the charts in many countries. It has been over a year since new episodes have been available, and fans are still excited about the release of the upcoming second season.
It would seem that waiting might make fans turn their attention elsewhere, but in the instances where fans have actively participated in the call for a return of the series, that's rarely the case. There is a strong viewing audience for The Orville, as the Screenrant writer noted, and I have little doubt that audience will be there when The Orville gets renewed for a fourth season.