Warning: SPOILERS for Doctor Odyssey episode 10.Doctor Odysseythrew its main characters into a messy love triangle long ago, but the romance angle is growing exhausting. Joshua Jackson leadsDoctor Odysseyas Max Bankman, the new doctor aboardDoctor Odyssey’s luxury cruise ship. Along with Nurse Practitioner Avery Morgan (Phillipa Soo) and Nurse Tristan Silva (Sean Teale), theOdyssey’s medical team navigate unique emergencies that arise on the cruise ship and in the nearby port destinations. AlthoughDoctor Odysseyis primarily a medical drama, the three coworkers have engaged in less-than-professional proceedings in the procedural’s pilot season.
Doctor Odysseybegan the infamous love triangle by having Avery kiss Max, Avery kiss Tristan, and Avery, Max, and Tristan kiss each other across three separate episodes. FromDoctor Odysseyepisode 1 toDoctor Odysseyepisode 6, the drama introduces every possible romantic combination of the three characters (save for Max and Tristan). While the trio are meant to be the level-headed group of medical professionals in the throes ofDoctor Odyssey’s ridiculous theme weeks, their fickle affections and dramatic conflicts make them seem guided by their overwhelming emotions more than the Hippocratic Oath.
Doctor Odyssey Episode 10 Revives Max, Avery, & Tristan’s Love Triangle By Making It More Complicated
Somehow, Avery Decides She Wants Tristan
Since three out of four members ofDoctor Odyssey’s main cast of characterswere thrown into a love triangle, their romantic conflict has been inescapable. Following a spur-of-the-moment threesome inDoctor Odysseyepisode 6, Avery discovers she’s pregnant but is unsure about what she wants to do.Doctor Odyssey’s midseason return implied that Avery and Max were over, only for Avery to be jealous later that episode of Max flirting with Dr. Brooke Lane (Adrianne Palicki). Though Avery clearly has unresolved feelings for Max, she makes the confounding decision to turn to Tristan for affection.
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Out of every combination explored, it seemed as if Tristan and Avery were the least probable outcome. Tristan had a much healthier love interest in Vivian (Laura Harrier), Avery never seemed to take him seriously, and the“love”Tristan professed for Avery never seemed believable as anything other than a schoolboy crush. Yet,Doctor Odysseyepisode 10 includes Avery insisting she never realized what she had in front of her, andAvery kisses Tristan during the power outage. What could have been an impulsive move is doubled-down at the end, when Tristan and Avery plan to go on a date.
Avery’s Abrupt Decision To Go To Med School Means The Love Triangle Is Pointless
If She’s Serious About Leaving, Romance Is Inconsequential
Aside from her surprise pregnancy, Avery had a subplot in the first half ofDoctor Odysseyseason 1 focused on her goal of going to medical school. Avery even earns a scholarship that would lead to her eventually becoming theOdyssey’s main doctor, but the pregnancy complicates her decision. Whether Avery would still go to med school was one of the biggestunanswered questions inDoctor Odyssey, but episode 10 implies she’s made her mind up. When Avery joins Brooke to accompany their patients off the cruise ship, Avery asks Brooke if she has advice about going to med school.
Don Johnson
Captain Robert Massey
If Avery is truly planning on going to medical school, there’s no reason forDoctor Odysseyto continue exploring the love triangle. Committing to med school would mean leaving theOdysseyuntil she finishes her M.D. program, and Avery would have no time to deal with the drama of Tristan and Max constantly playing tug-of-war over her companionship. That said,Avery’s character inDoctor Odysseyis known to be indecisive and, at times, hypocritical. It’s possible thatAvery may have asked Brooke about med school but will choose not to goby the end ofDoctor Odysseyseason 1.
Doctor Odyssey Has Better Stories To Tell Than Be Stuck In An Unnecessary Love Drama
With only 10 episodes under its belt,Doctor Odysseyhas introduced romancesfor every main character and laid the foundation to explore even more. However, just becauseDoctor Odysseycan have a new couple every episode doesn’t meanDoctor Odysseyshould. The medical procedural’s greatest charm is its camp factor, with the silly themes and fun guest stars adding a layer of levity to the emergencies. Even ifDoctor Odysseydoesn’t want to lean into an upbeat tone, the high-octane rescues and action-packed adventures would benefit from not being weighed down by unnecessarily complex romance.
Just becauseDoctor Odysseycan have a new couple every episode doesn’t meanDoctor Odysseyshould.
IfDoctor Odysseyis renewed for season 2, the medical drama needs to take a long, hard look at the flimsy identity it has formed for itself in the first 10 episodes alone. All characters have flaws, butDoctor Odysseyshould have characters that don’t constantly contradict themselves. All procedurals have conflict, butDoctor Odysseyshould abandon its melodramatic storylines. All medical dramas have surgery, butDoctor Odysseyshould decide whether it’s a grit-and-gore series or a patient-first program.Doctor Odysseycan definitely still succeed, but cutting its love triangle loose would be the best place to start.
