Doctor Odyssey Season 1 Episode 1 ending explained: Did Dr. Max and Nurse Avery hook up?

The medical drama Doctor Odyssey Season 1 debuted live on ABC on September 26, 2024, at 9 p.m. ET. Thursday's premiere brought a steamy splash onboard the titular cruise ship helmed by Captain Massey (played by Don Johnson), where Dr. Max Bankman (played by Joshua Jackson) works.

Dr. Max settles in as the new onboard doctor with his cool, easy-going personality and charms everyone except for the two nurses in the ship's medical team — Nurse Avery (played by Phillipa Soo) and Nurse Tristan (played by Sean Teale). They were used to their old team, so starting over with someone new as their boss isn't something they want.

However, Dr. Max soon gets acquainted with his staff as they tend to the cruise passengers, and sparks fly between him and Nurse Avery. From dancing together at the bonfire, the new Dr. Odyssey and Nurse Avery start hooking up, only to realize that it might not be the best decision they could make while working at The Odyssey.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers for Doctor Odyssey Season 1. Reader discretion is advised.

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Did Dr. Max and Nurse Avery hook up in Doctor Odyssey Season 1 Episode 1?

There was an initial tension between Dr. Max and Nurse Avery early in Doctor Odyssey Season 1. Avery isn't keen on getting a new doctor, aka the boss, on the cruise ship, and, at one point, presents herself to Captain Massey to fulfill the role.

The tension between the two is also palpable during their first medical emergency, where Dr. Max is late. Nurse Avery, together with Nurse Tristan, is preparing the patient for treatment, believing that he has iodine poisoning.

However, when Dr. Max arrives at the medical suite, he tries to take over and bosses both nurses. And when it was time to diagnose the patient, Dr. Max's theories were wrong, and Nurse Avery's iodine diagnosis was right all along.

However, their dynamic starts to change as days go by and as they tend to other medical emergencies aboard The Odyssey. The turning point was when the ship docks and the passengers went to explore out of the ship. The crew then goes for a bonfire, where Nurse Tristan challenges Dr. Max to a dance-off.

While Nurse Tristan's performance gets a lot of applause from the rest of the crew and Dr. Max is hesitant, the new onboard doctor decides to give the crowd what they want. But instead of dancing alone, he takes Dr. Avery's hand, and they dance together to the tune of Luis Fonsi's Despacito.

Cut to the next scene in Doctor Odyssey Season 1, Dr. Max and Nurse Avery are kissing each other on the bed of someone's cabin. Later in the episode, it was revealed that it was Nurse Avery's room.

Dr. Max and Nurse Avery (Image via ABC)

While Dr. Max and Nurse Avery are attracted to each other and appear to want to explore their chemistry, they don't hook up. Both realize that it's not the best decision, considering that they work together. Although they are bummed about it, they think that keeping things "professional" between them is the right thing to do.

However, the night didn't end on a sour note for the two as they bonded over the story of how Dr. Max learned how to dance. He tells the story about him getting COVID-19 and being isolated that, at some point, he thought he was dead while lounging in bed with the nurse. In the end, Nurse Avery thanks him for sharing a part of his life with her.

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Doctor Odyssey Season 1 Episode 1 reveals a budding love triangle

At the bonfire, Dr. Max correctly guesses that Nurse Tristan has feelings for Nurse Avery after the two of them do some shots. The doctor urges the nurse to share his feelings, which he does as they sit on a beach chair.

Nurse Tristan opens up about his feelings for the other nurse, saying that he has had it bad for her for two years and that "it's rough" to have feelings for someone who thinks of him like a little brother. However, he tells the doctor that he will never give up hope and will "refuse to move on — ever." Dr. Max sarcastically replied that Nurse Tristan's feelings "seem healthy."

It was then that the dance challenge happened. When Dr. Max flirts with Nurse Avery on the dance floor, which, at one point, ends in several kisses, Nurse Tristan looks visibly jealous.

Fast forward to the scene when Dr. Max comes out of Nurse Avery's room after their near hookup, he bumps into Nurse Tristan in the corridor. The Nurse asks him why he's at the crew quarters when he has the suite at the Pelican Deck.

Nurse Tristan, who sounds irritated towards Dr. Max at that point, scolds him about his dalliance with Nurse Avery. He tells the doctor that he's a "superior" and that what he's doing with the nurse is a "fireable offense."

Dr. Max explains that he and Nurse Avery didn't do anything. At some point, Nurse Tristan calls the doctor "Judas," alluding to Dr. Max betraying him after he opens up about his feelings towards Nurse Avery.

At the end of Doctor Odyssey Season 1 Episode 1, though, Dr. Max and Nurse Tristan decide on a small truce after the doctor apologizes and says that he shouldn't have done what he did to Nurse Tristan.

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What medical emergencies happened in the first episode of Doctor Odyssey Season 1?

In Thursday's episode of Doctor Odyssey Season 1, Dr. Max and the rest of the medical staff face several medical hurdles aboard The Odyssey. The first one is iodine poisoning after a man ate a lot of shrimp cocktails.

Soon after, the ship's medical team faces a more peculiar matter — a penile fracture. At this point, Dr. Max alluded that he, too, had suffered the same but he tells Nurse Tristan that the condition only happens to "larger and firmer members."

The man who had iodine poisoning early in Doctor Odyssey Season 1 Episode 1 becomes another medical emergency after he dislocates his clavicle. The doctor uses unconventional means to address the issue, and everything is well again until a man goes overboard. A dramatic rescue follows, with Dr. Max diving into the frigid water to help save the man and bring him to safety.

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Catch the latest episodes of Doctor Odyssey Season 1 live on ABC every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET for US viewers. Alternatively, new episodes will be available to stream on Hulu every Friday.