ABC’s “Doctor Odyssey” pilot, starring Joshua Jackson as Dr. Max Bankman, offers a unique premise: a man aboard a luxury cruise ship. medical emergencies, but its implementation leaves much to be desired. Visually, the show is impressive. It’s obvious that ABC invested heavily in this production, with the cruise ship set creating a stunning, immersive environment. Unfortunately, the high-budget spectacle can’t quite make up for the pilot’s uneven storytelling and some questionable character dynamics.
“Pilot” – Dr. Odyssey. Pictured: Joshua Jackson as Dr. Max Bankman. Photo: Tina Thorpe/Disney© 2024 Disney Entertainment. all rights reserved.
One of the pilot’s major missteps is how it depicts women, especially Ivory. She was described as an intelligent, capable nurse practitioner who was clearly qualified for the position of attending physician. However, her ambitions were quickly cast aside and she didn’t even run for the job. Her frustration was short-lived—she probably spent two minutes fuming about the decision before becoming smitten with Max. The speed with which she goes from being professionally frustrated to seemingly forgetting her career ambitions in favor of romance feels forced and reductive. It’s especially disappointing to see such a qualified character reduced to a romantic subplot so quickly, since Avery was considering sleeping with Max just hours after meeting him.
“Pilot” – Dr. Odyssey. Pictured: Joshua Jackson as Dr. Max Bankman and Philippa Sue as Avery Morgan. Photo: Tina Thorpe/Disney© 2024 Disney Entertainment. all rights reserved.
On top of these character issues, the pilot crammed four medical emergencies into the episode, creating a frenetic pace that made it feel like the show was trying too hard to assert itself as a high-stakes medical drama. While “Dr. Odyssey” clearly aims to be as heart-pounding as a show like “9-1-1,” it doesn’t leave enough room for viewers to connect with the characters. The emergency itself felt a little contrived, as if the writers were eager to prove that the show belonged in the medical drama genre rather than letting the scenes unfold naturally.
In short, while Doctor Odyssey offers a unique and visually striking setting, its pilot struggles with pacing and character development. The spectacle is there, but the story needs more balance between a high-octane medical crisis and the relationships between the characters. The show has the potential to improve as the seasons progress, but the pilot felt like it was doing too much too quickly. Hopefully future episodes will allow the characters to grow and the plot to breathe.
