The Orville: New Horizons got off to a shocking start, when Isaac decided to end his life after a crew backlash linked to the ongoing Kaylon War. Much of that hatred came from new Ensign Charly Burke, who is played by franchise newcomer Netflix alum Anne Winters. Winters’ character has certainly been criticized by fans for her attitude towards Isaac, and the hatred still comes. Well, the actress is aware of the backlash and while discussing her character’s arc, she responded.
Shortly afterwards I spoke to Anne Winters The Orville: New Horizons premiered, asking her about the experience of not only coming in as a newcomer to an established series, but also playing someone who serves as a sort of antagonist to a main character. Winters assured me that Charly Burke’s rough introduction didn’t put her off the part. And actually she found it exciting:
It was more exciting to play the one who might get some hate in 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’m on as a character. Charly has a great storyline involving Isaac and the B&B on the Orville and just herself throughout the season. She may be what she is now [but] she certainly learns a lot on the Orville. I’m curious what the audience thinks by the end.
Anne Winters didn’t reveal much about Charly’s future when we spoke, but so far it doesn’t seem like she’s changed her perception of Isaac much. Charly hated Isaac’s presence on the ship, as a Kaylon attack on her previous command, the Quimby, resulted in her losing a friend. Burke openly expressed her concern about him to Captain Mercer and other members of the ship.
When Isaac deactivated himself, Burke eventually revived him using abilities no one else on the crew possessed. She made it clear that she wasn’t doing it because she liked Isaac, and the episode suggested she might have done this to ease the guilt of Claire’s son, Marcus, who also took part in bullying Isaac.
The ship’s new second navigator still hasn’t found easy footing with Isaac at this point, which could certainly lead to some fans judging the character. Anne Winters had a rather blunt response to anyone who might be tempted to do so, essentially warning them against it:
I’d say if they’re going to judge Charly, they’re just like Charly.
Charly Burke seems to be a good person based on her relationships with others, so it’s possible she’ll eventually come to understand Isaac better with time. However, one should consider whether how much time The Orville can be canceled (again), as season 4 is not a guarantee. CinemaBlend spoke to Anne Winters and others about the possibility of a new seasonand the responses suggested it could come down to how Hulu Subscribers tune in and how much buzz it stirs among social media users. I think it’s fair to say that the series has definitely taken a step forward with its tell serious stories in season 3, so it would be great to see how that affects Charly and others’ arc.
The Orville: New Horizons streams new episodes on Hulu (opens in new tab) on Thursdays. Tune in to new episodes 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 high-quality viewing options.