‘Doctor Odyssey’ Sets Sail Tonight: Everything You Need to Know About New Medical Drama

ABC embarks on a new high-seas adventure with the series premiere of Doctor Odyssey. This intriguing medical drama takes place onboard a fancy cruise ship with some “big deck energy.”

While we still have some big questions about what’s ahead in the new Ryan Murphy show (particularly, is everything actually as it seems here or is there a major twist?), a lot of intriguing details have been revealed… including a list of some very major guest stars.

Read on to find out everything we know for sure so far about Doctor Odyssey before it debuts on ABC.

Is Doctor Odyssey new tonight?

The medical drama will debut on Thursday, September 26 at 9/8c, following 9-1-1 Season 8‘s premiere and leading into Grey’s Anatomy Season 21‘s premiere.

ABC/Disney

What is Doctor Odyssey about?

ABC’s official logline for the show is as follows: “Max is the new on-board doctor for a luxury cruise ship where the staff works hard and plays harder. It’s all hands on deck as Max and his small but mighty medical team navigate unique medical crises and each other, miles from shore.” In other words, it’s essentially Royal Pains meets The Love Boat.

In TV Insider’s exclusive fall preview of the series, Joshua Jackson told us, “This is Ryan’s fantasy version of a cruise ship. The stakes are high, everything’s elevated, but it also plays [at times] like a comedy and is mostly just easy and breezy.” His character joins the liner after surviving a near-fatal COVID infection.

Is there a Doctor Odyssey trailer?

Related

'Doctor Odyssey' Cast Takes Us Inside the Making of ABC Series

Yes! Embedded above, the newest trailer for the series reveals a slew of major guest stars ahoy. Plus, it’s clear there’s going to be some steamy hookups, major medical saves, and amazing landscapes.

ABC previously released a teaser for Doctor Odyssey on social media (embedded below). In it, Don Johnson‘s character tells a tuxedo-clad Max, “This ship is heaven” but warns, “Doctor, it’s your job to keep everybody alive.” We then get a taste of the drama ahead as a soaked Max tries to rescue someone with paddles on a lifeboat.

ABC has released the first official promo for Ryan Murphy’s “Doctor Odyssey!” ️ pic.twitter.com/olFqgrJ6Ob

— The AHS Zone (@AHSZone) August 1, 2024

Who is in the Doctor Odyssey cast?

The cast is led by Joshua Jackson as Dr. Max Bankman, a charming new on-board doctor for a luxury cruise ship whose team navigates various medical crises on the high seas — and has fun when the emergencies aren’t happening. Jackson told TV Insider of the role, “Yeah, this is maybe the most uncomplicated person I’ve ever played… He’s an East Coast, Ivy League do-good guy who graduated top of his class and went to do Doctors Without Borders. Then he spent weeks in isolation during COVID, on the razor’s edge of ‘Will he or won’t he make it?’ and after that decided, ‘You know what? I need to go and unplug from everything. I need to just start fresh.’ And that’s what he does.”

Johnson’s character is Captain Massey, who the actor describes as “an amalgamation of men that I’ve known throughout my life in authority” and “The ones who are the most effective are the kindest. They know how to get people to follow you; they command respect and not demand it.”

Philippa Soo is nurse practitioner Avery, and she describes the character as having “a wit and a compassion to how she practices her medicine.” Sean Teale stars as Tristan, a nurse on the medical team, and he previews some friction caused by Max’s arrival, as the actor teased, “Personally he has some conflicting, powerful feelings for her [and] Max’s arrival throws a real spanner in the works. Which for a competitive guy who’s used to being the life and soul, is fairly understandable. I mean have you seen Joshua Jackson?”

Also joining the cast is country music superstar Twain, who appears as a potential love interest for Johnson’s character. Other guest stars for the inaugural season include John Stamos, Gina Gershon, Kelsea Ballerini, Chord Overstreet, Cheyenne Jackson, Laura Harrier, Stephanie Suganami, and Justin Jedlica.

Doctor Odyssey, Series Premiere, Thursday, September 26, 9/8c, ABC