Doctor Odyssey season 1 episode 9 recap: Sharks attack, boats sink, and Max faces a bloody showdown

Doctor Odyssey season 1 episode 9, titled Shark Attack, premiered on March 6, 2025, on ABC at 9 pm ET, with streaming available on Hulu the next day. The midseason premiere delivered everything fans had been waiting for, from shark attacks to fresh drama on The Odyssey.

The episode picked up right where Quackers left off, diving into Avery’s pregnancy dilemma and her rocky relationships with Max and Tristan. It also introduced Dr. Brooke Lane (Adrianne Palicki), whose arrival brought new tension as she clashed with Max during a dangerous rescue mission. With a sinking ship, a shark attack, and an orca threat, this episode had no shortage of chaos.

Doctor Odyssey season 1 episode 9, titled Shark Attack, opened with The Odyssey cruising through dangerous waters when a shark bit First Officer Spencer Monroe (Marcus Emanuel Mitchell).

The medical team, led by Dr. Max Bankman (Joshua Jackson), Nurse Avery Morgan (Phillipa Soo), and Nurse Tristan Silva (Sean Teale), jumped into action to save him. While they worked to remove the shark’s teeth from Spencer’s leg, a distress call came from a nearby sinking ship, The Flicka.

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Max and Tristan rushed to help, leaving Avery to manage Spencer’s critical condition. The rescue mission introduced the newest character, Dr. Brooke Lane (Adrianne Palicki), who had already stabilized the injured passengers on The Flicka. Brooke and Max immediately clashed over the treatment approach—Brooke wanted to move everyone to safety first, while Max insisted on treating wounds on the spot.

The tense standoff ended with Max stepping back, a rare sight in The Odyssey. The episode didn’t hold back on the medical drama, showing everything from a double amputation to the crew battling a blackout as the ship navigated shark-infested waters.

Doctor Odyssey season 1 episode 9: Avery's pregnancy news leaves Max wondering: Am I the Dad?

Doctor Odyssey season 1 episode 9 (Image via ABC)

Avery’s pregnancy storyline continued to steal the spotlight in Doctor Odyssey season 1 episode 9. Early in the episode, she sat alone on the beach, clearly weighed down by her situation. Max approached her, trying to apologize for his reaction to the pregnancy news in Quackers.

He admitted he wanted a committed relationship and kids, but Avery’s response was blunt:

“We don’t even know if this is your kid.”

This hit Max hard, as he realized he might not be the father. Avery made it clear she needed space and wasn’t ready to make any decisions yet.

Their conversation showed how complicated things have become since their failed throuple with Tristan. Avery’s uncertainty left Max visibly frustrated, and the tension only grew when Tristan entered the scene, dragging a shark-bitten Spencer onto the shore.

While Max wanted to talk things through, Avery shut him down, leaving their future uncertain. The episode did a great job of highlighting the uncomfortable reality of their situation, balancing real-life emotions with the chaotic environment of a cruise ship under siege by sharks. Fans were left wondering if Avery would ever come to a decision—or if she’d keep Max and Tristan in limbo.

Doctor Odyssey season 1 episode 9: Hot shark Doctor makes a splash and stirs up trouble

Dr. Brooke Lane’s debut in Doctor Odyssey didn’t go unnoticed. The trauma surgeon-turned-ship captain showed up during the rescue mission from The Flicka, immediately butting heads with Max over medical decisions.

Her confident approach to the emergency set the tone for what might become a power struggle between the two. The tension wasn’t just professional, though. After the surgery, Brooke joined Max in his quarters, where playful banter quickly turned into a flirty exchange.

Just as things were heating up, Avery walked in on Brooke, fresh out of the shower, with nothing but a towel and a firm grip on Max’s upper thigh. The scene couldn’t have been worse for Max, who had earlier tried to convince Avery he was serious about their future.

Avery didn’t buy it, accusing Max of giving mixed signals by flirting with “hot shark doctor” just hours after talking about kids and commitment. Brooke’s arrival has added a new layer of drama to an already complicated love triangle. It’s clear she won’t shy away from pursuing Max, and her boldness is bound to shake things up on The Odyssey.

Doctor Odyssey season 1 episode 9: Orcas crash the party, turning The Odyssey into a floating nightmare

The danger didn’t end with the sharks. As The Odyssey went through dangerous waters, the ship encountered an unexpected new threat: a pod of aggressive orcas. The powerful creatures surrounded the vessel, causing enough disturbance to knock out the ship’s power.

The blackout plunged The Odyssey into chaos, leaving the crew scrambling in the dark. The episode closed on a cliffhanger, with the medical team trying to manage critical patients while the ship drifted in dangerous waters.

The orca threat wasn’t just a visual gimmick—it added genuine danger to an already tense situation. The ship’s systems failed one by one, putting everyone on board at risk. Captain Massey (Don Johnson) and his crew struggled to restore power while Max, Avery, and Tristan worked under emergency lights to keep Spencer and other injured passengers stable.

The episode set up a dire scenario for the next episode, Shark Attack! Part 2: Orca, where the crew will have to find a way out of their literal and metaphorical darkness. It’s not just about surviving the wildlife—they’ll also have to navigate the personal drama that continues to threaten the stability of The Odyssey.

Doctor Odyssey season 1 episode 9 is available to stream on Hulu.

Edited by Toshali Kritika