Doctor Odyssey season 1 part 1 recap: All to remember before part 2 arrives

Doctor Odyssey season 1 part 1 debuted on ABC on September 26, 2024, and quickly became a show viewers couldn’t stop talking about. Created by Ryan Murphy, Jon Robin Baitz, and Joe Baken, the medical drama mixed hospital crises with cruise ship chaos, offering a fresh take on the genre.

The first part of season 1 wrapped up in November 2024, leaving fans on edge with a cliffhanger involving a surprise pregnancy and a tangled love triangle.

Now, the wait for part 2 is almost over. Doctor Odyssey returns on March 6, 2025, with a two-part premiere titled Shark Attack and Shark Attack! Part 2: Orca! Fans are eager to dive back in, especially to see how the love triangle will unfold and what chaos the shark attack storyline will bring.

Doctor Odyssey season 1 part 1: A love triangle turns into a throuple but quickly falls apart

Doctor Odyssey season 1 part 1 (Image via ABC)

One of the wildest storylines of Doctor Odyssey season 1 part 1 was the messy love triangle between Dr. Max Bankman (Joshua Jackson), Nurse Avery Morgan (Phillipa Soo), and Nurse Tristan Silva (Sean Teale). What started as light flirting quickly evolved into a tangled web of emotions.

Tristan confessed his feelings for Avery early on, but Max and Avery’s chemistry was undeniable. Things took a dramatic turn during Wedding Week when Max, Avery, and Tristan decided to take their relationship to the next level, resulting in a full-blown throuple.

But as quickly as the trio came together, cracks started to show. Both Max and Tristan struggled with the idea of sharing Avery, and their jealousy became hard to ignore. The situation hit a breaking point in episode 7, Oh, Daddy!, where the throuple idea fell apart, leaving Avery feeling lost and uncertain.

The mid-season finale then delivered a twist. It was revealed that Avery was pregnant, however, the baby’s father remained a mystery. Fans are eagerly waiting to see if the trio will reconcile or if the pregnancy will create even more chaos when part 2 returns with Shark Attack in March 2025.

Doctor Odyssey season 1 part 1: Bizarre medical emergencies keep the cruise ship crew on their toes

Doctor Odyssey season 1 part 1 didn’t hold back with its medical emergencies, delivering a new crisis each week. The show’s first episode set the tone with a passenger diagnosed with iodine poisoning and a dramatic overboard rescue.

Things only escalated from there, with episode 3’s Plastic Surgery Week bringing an assistant with a frostbitten breast and a woman whose nose fell off from snorting cocaine. The show’s willingness to dive into bizarre medical cases kept each episode fresh.

Perhaps the most memorable was episode 5’s Halloween Week, where the cruise ship turned into a “zombie boat.” Passengers appeared to be in a trance, stumbling around and even biting each other. The truth turned out to be less supernatural but no less shocking—it was African Sleeping Sickness, caused by tsetse fly bites during a previous vacation.

The medical team, led by Max, Avery, and Tristan, managed to diagnose and treat the condition, adding yet another win to their unconventional track record. From routine illnesses to outlandish scenarios, Doctor Odyssey proved that when there is a mix of medical teams with a luxury cruise, no emergency is off the table.

Doctor Odyssey season 1 part 1: Weekly themes bring unexpected twists to life on The Odyssey

One of Doctor Odyssey season 1 part 1's standout features was its weekly themes aboard The Odyssey. Each cruise had a specific focus, turning the ship into anything from a wedding venue to a wellness retreat. These theme weeks weren’t just for show—they directly impacted the medical and personal drama on board.

Wellness Week saw the arrival of Bethany Welles (Amy Sedaris), a wellness guru whose copper poisoning diagnosis came after her “miracle” supplements backfired. Meanwhile, Gay Week brought Captain Massey’s (Don Johnson) brother, Craig (John Stamos), who was mistakenly believed to be relapsing into alcoholism due to a rare syndrome that turned sugars in his body into alcohol.

The theme weeks also provided a backdrop for the evolving dynamics between the main characters. During Wedding Week, Avery’s jealousy and Max’s protectiveness reached new heights, all while they dealt with a tragic suicide and a wedding party’s drama.

By consistently tying the theme weeks into the plot, Doctor Odyssey kept viewers guessing what kind of chaos would unfold next. Fans are now wondering what the upcoming Shark Attack theme will bring when the show returns, and if it will top the “zombie virus” madness from Halloween.

Doctor Odyssey season 1 part 1: Avery’s surprise pregnancy leaves everyone guessing the baby’s father

The most jaw-dropping twist of season 1 part 1 was the revelation of Avery's pregnancy and nobody knew who the father was. The shocking news came during the mid-season finale, Quackers, right after Avery had tried to solidify her relationship with both Max and Tristan.

Throughout the season, Avery struggled with her feelings for both men, bouncing between them as their own feelings evolved. Max was initially keen on exploring the throuple dynamic, but as the episodes went on, both he and Tristan pulled back, each wanting Avery to themselves.

In Doctor Odyssey season 1 part 1, the pregnancy revelation has set up a major storyline for part 2. Avery’s uncertainty about her future, combined with the arrival of a new trauma surgeon, Dr. Brooke Lane (Adrianne Palicki), promises even more drama. Brooke’s introduction, coupled with her apparent interest in Max, could throw another wrench into the already complicated situation.

Fans can watch Doctor Odyssey season 1 part 1 on Hulu.

Edited by Tiasha