‘The Orville’: Why Did Fox Cut The Show’s Season 1 Episode Order?

“The Orville’s” Season 1 episode order has been cut short.

According to TV Guide, Fox cut the episode order of the show’s freshman run by one. This means that Season 1 of the Seth MacFarlane-created series will now have 12 episodes as opposed to the original episode order of 13.

The supposed 13th hour of the season will be added to the already renewed Season 2 of the series — a similar move the network took during the second season of “Lucifer.” Given the shortened run of the show’s debut season, Season 1’s finale will now air on Thursday, Dec. 7.

Since the series was already picked up for another season, TV Guide reported that the change is likely due to scheduling. The news outlet noted that the network probably wanted to air the entire season before the year ends rather than leave a few episodes for the new year.

“The Orville’s” Season 2 renewal comes after its September debut, which has become the network’s most watched and highest-rated launch since “Empire” when factoring in delayed viewing across multiple platforms. “The Orville” also ranks among the top three new dramas of the fall. It is averaging a 2.5 rating in the coveted adults 18-49 demographic when factoring in seven days of DVR. The space dramedy also has more than 10 million multiplatform viewers.

Entertainment Weekly reported that the timing of “The Orville’s” Season 2 renewal was surprising, as picking up a broadcast show for another season in November is a highly unusual move. Normally freshman shows with a 13-episode order seek a “back 9” order of additional episodes in the fall and then hope for a renewal in the spring.

With the exemption of NBC’s “Will & Grace,” which was given two seasons before it even premiered, ”The Orville” is the first new broadcast show to earn a second season. The space dramedy joins “The Simpsons” on Fox’s schedule for next season.

Aside from MacFarlane who plays Captain Ed Mercer in the series, “The Orville” also stars Adrianne Palicki as Commander Kelly Grayson; Penny Johnson Jerald as Dr. Claire Finn; Scott Grimes as Lt. Gordon Malloy; Peter Macon as Lt. Commander Bortus; Halston Sage as Lt. Alara Kitan; J. Lee as Lt. John LaMarr; and Mark Jackson as Isaac.

“The Orville” airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. EST on Fox.