I watched the first episode just because of the Ryan Murphy connection.  I thought there HAD to be something nefarious going on but nope, just a bunch of drivel. 

My wife insisted we watch the first episode

There won't be a second......

 

The bad news is, I think it's doing well in the ratings. What was that old saying about never underestimating the intelligence of the American public? After all, many of them are voting for Trump!

Ohhh,
I take it all back.
I do indeed think this is what's going on.
The problem is if people don't realize this, they will not watch the show, it will bomb in the ratings and be cancelled, and the producers will not be able to cash in on the secret.
But, boy, yes this explanation really fits.
In the third episode, Avery, the nurse, miraculously does expert surgery on the breast implant patient.
Surgery no nurse could ever do, all this while Dr. Max stands by, seemingly without input as the real doctor.
Also Don Johnson's character of the captain actually says the ship is supposed to be paradise, but it isn't.  He adds that the real world exists outside the ship.
OK, because of this I really want to watch the fourth episode to see if there are more clues.
Thanks, RA I think you really have something there.



 

As mentioned here, the show is doing well in the ratings. But as anyone who's been on a cruise knows, a lot of things going on are totally far-fetched. One site had some funny comments from a doctor, a nurse and a veteran crew member. Among the most ludicrous bits -- all of the medical staff leaving the ship  to party on the beach, and the nurse practitioner saying she has the same training as a doctor.

I'm probably the only person on the planet who actually liked Cop Rock - what little we got to see of it.

Yes, it was dumb. But it was also very original and had the sheen of all the Steven Bochco shows. Even in the final episode, where Ronny Cox - playing the commander - was given this dialogue in the last scene: "I can't believe they cancelled us!" 

And then the whole cast joined in a final song, "Happy Trails To You, Until We Meet Again," the old Roy Rogers theme. I thought it was the perfect way to go out. 

RadioActive wrote:

I'm probably the only person on the planet who actually liked Cop Rock - what little we got to see of it.

Yes, it was dumb. But it was also very original and had the sheen of all the Steven Bochco shows. Even in the final episode, where Ronny Cox - playing the commander - was given this dialogue in the last scene: "I can't believe they cancelled us!" 

And then the whole cast joined in a final song, "Happy Trails To You, Until We Meet Again," the old Roy Rogers theme. I thought it was the perfect way to go out. 

A total of 11 episodes were broadcast.

Canadian TV critic Bill Brioux thinks this show is so bad, you can't help but tune it in.

"Doctor Odyssey is so stupid that I just had to watch another episode. It was essentially a repeat of episode one, just with different medical problems and a different theme."

Paging Doctor Odyssey! Series goes way way overboard!

Haven't watched the show yet, but maybe this Thursday. If the show has quirky humour, I will probably like it!  Amazing how a program with only 3.9 million viewers can be the 15th most popular prime time show in the US.  What is CTV pulling in maybe 300-400,000 people?  Hopefully the advertisers are getting a lot of bonus spots on both networks.

My mind is still boggled that this show is a big hit because it's just awful, but fans of it may be interested to know it's going to be a while before they see it set sail again. Dr. Odyssey aired its "fall finale" last month and it won't be back on ABC (or CTV) until early March. That's almost four months for people to forget about it and let it cool off. 

It's not the only one ABC is holding onto for what seems like an eternity. The network has confirmed that "9-1-1," a show it rescued from Fox, will not return with new episodes until March 6th! That seems excessive for a show that has yet to run its full season. 

Most other network programs, with a few exceptions, are off for the U.S. Thanksgiving/Christmas holidays, but will be back in January. 

For some reason (possibly to have enough new episodes to show during the May sweeps) ABC has made a different decision. Four months is a long time. Will you be going back to these shows when they finally return and you've forgotten all the plot twists? Seems like an awfully long time to be out of sight and mind. 

Yes, 9-1-1 is a very expensive show, considering all the stunts and the large cast and it's one of the reasons Fox dropped it. However, it's a ratings winner and those don't come along everyday. So when it gets too expensive and no longer brings in the bang for the buck (or the Buck, one of the characters on the show!) I imagine it will go into the rerun Hall of Fame permanently. 

That time has not come  - yet, and season 8 will continue - eventually, 

By the way, the rumour on the spin-off is that it will take place in Hawaii.

On a related theme, hard to believe Ryan Murphy, the guy responsible for Dr. Odyssey, is the same producer who created 9-1-1. They could not be more different.  

RadioActive wrote:

By the way, the rumour on the spin-off is that it will take place in Hawaii. 

The rumours could not have been more wrong. 

9-1-1 Spinoff, Set in Nashville, Officially Ordered at ABC

It looks like the final voyage of Dr. Odyssey and like the show itself, it appears to have come to a very odd (Odyssey?) ending. 

It's the only program on any network that never received a decision on a renewal or an official cancellation - even late into June. ABC never announced what its fate would be and I'm not sure if there's ever been this prominent a program that's been left in limbo (dry dock?) for this long. 

In the end, the decision was made for itself. The contracts for its major stars have all run out and they're now free to pursue other roles in other shows. So I guess we'll never know if it was all a Covid-inspired fever dream and it would likely take a miracle to save this bizarre show.

So is it cancelled? Depends on who you ask. 

"Sources stress that the glossy cruise ship medical drama starring Joshua Jackson and Don Johnson has not been formally canceled, and Murphy is weighing creative options as to where he may want to take it next. If the show ultimately comes back — on ABC or Hulu where it has done well — new deals with the cast will have to be made."

But to me, this ship, it would appear, has sailed.

‘Doctor Odyssey’ Over – For Now – As Cast Options Expire 

It may very well be him, as Shayne Ward (the lead actor) won X Factor, a huge British singing competition similar to American Idol, in 2005.

The majority of television series get cancelled because of 1. poor ratings, 2. production costs are too high, 3. cast and /or series producer wants to end the series while still popular 4. untimely death of a principle cast member. I can't think of another series that ended the way ABC handled Dr. Odyssey. The ratings were never great but never terrible either, so the show was always on the bubble/could go either way in the renew/cancel category. Perhaps this was ABC's plan. Let the cast's contract expire and we don't have to make a decision.