It's a bit surprising to some fans that the series is still awaiting renewal, especially because Doctor Odyssey’s ratings actually skew higher than some ABC shows that have already been greenlit for a fall return. But Doctor Odyssey is also among the newest shows on ABC’s current programming block, so it lacks the dedicated fanbase that some other franchises have earned. On the other hand, that’s exactly why connecting Doctor Odyssey to another long-running series in its final hours might earn the show another look, and the finale’s story could make that easier.
It’s unclear where the port of call is located in recent promos for Doctor Odyssey’s 2-part season finale, but what’s extremely clear is that the events of the finale will kick off with a major earthquake that causes a tsunami in its wake. As reported by Collider, the official synopsis for Doctor Odyssey episode 17 provides a few extra details:
After Max’s declaration fractures his relationship with Avery, he leaves the ship and finds himself caught in an earthquake, which triggers a tsunami warning; with The Odyssey forced to leave port, Max races to return before it’s too late.
Following an earthquake, the 118 races to the scene of several unusual fires and must figure out their cause before anyone else is hurt. Meanwhile, as everyone settles into their new normal, they try to move forward and plan for the future.
While 9-1-1 showrunner Tim Minnear referred to season 8, episode 17 as the beginning of “a real 9-1-1 emergency finale,” the show’s future is secured. Bobby’s death on 9-1-1 might have been an acceptable springboard to end the series, but it will continue nonetheless. The same isn’t as true of Doctor Odyssey. According to sources reported by Deadline, the season finale of Doctor Odyssey has been written to double as a series send-off in the event of cancelation. There are both upsides and downsides to this.
Naturally, the clearest downside is that ABC would lose one of the most unique medical dramas on network television at the moment. The upside is that fans wouldn’t be left scratching their heads about what happened to the characters they spent 18 hours falling in love with. On top of that, while 9-1-1’s Bobby replacement is certain to be explored in the last couple of episodes, Doctor Odyssey has a number of story threads that could go in one of two very different directions. Interestingly, this is where 9-1-1 enters the equation in a much different way.
If the network and showrunners come to see things the same way, they may choose to axe the idea of a second season altogether. One possible send-off would be if The Odyssey itself is retired after damages sustained in the finale’s cataclysms. But even if Doctor Odyssey is canceled for good, that doesn’t keep Max or the other characters from popping up in 9-1-1 for a later status check. It wouldn’t be a complete crossover between the two Ryan Murphy shows, but it would provide further closure down the line if this winds up being the ship’s final voyage.
Sources: Collider, TVLine, Deadline
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