Following the first episode of Doctor Odyssey cast as Max Bankman, whose arrival on the ship stirs up a lot of drama.

Doctor Odyssey returns with new episodes on Thursday, March 6, at 9 pm ET on ABC. As of the writing of this article, the future of Doctor Odyssey (aka season 2) is unclear.

During the premiere of Murphy's show Doctor Odyssey, Max is hired as The Odyssey's new (and one and only) doctor. He is accompanied by the ship's two established nurses — Phillipa Soo's Avery Morgan and Sean Teale's Tristan Silva. Together, the three characters make for a peculiar team. They run into a wide variety of cases and health emergencies in every episode, ranging from a burst appendix to iodide poisoning. There is never a dull day for the Doctor Odyssey crew, but there is a chance that none of it is real.

Doctor Odyssey's Max Bankman Coma/Purgatory Theory Explained

Max Was Patient Zero During The COVID-19 Pandemic

As first posited by theory concerning Doctor Odyssey is that Max is still in the coma he was in during the COVID-19 pandemic. Or, as some suggest, he is stuck in purgatory following his diagnosis. Consequently, Max's time on the ship, with Avery, Tristan, and Captain Massey, wouldn't be real. As of the writing of this article, though, this theory has yet to be proven true or false.

During Doctor Odyssey's pilot, Max opens up to Avery about the time he contracted the COVID-19 virus. Not only did he get extremely sick from it, but he was also patient zero. Max almost died, but he survived to tell the tale — or did he?

Life aboard The Odyssey is glamorous, bright, and more like a dream than a reality.

Joshua Jackson's character fell into a coma that he claims he woke up from, which would contradict the above theory. Max might not have come out of his coma, and he's lingering in the space between life and death (suggesting he's in purgatory). Meanwhile, life aboard The Odyssey is glamorous, bright, and more like a dream than a reality. Perhaps The Odyssey is a fever dream enticing Max to cross over to Heaven. Captain Massey calls the ship Heaven, after all. Of course, this is only a theory, and it could be wrong when all is said and done.

Why The Coma/Purgatory Theory Being Real Ruins Doctor Odyssey

The Theory Removes All The Show's Stakes

A theory as unique and thorough as Doctor Odyssey's is an exciting concept to think about (at first). However, as time goes on, and I've been able to process everything the show has to offer, I would much rather this prediction was false. It would be rather disappointing if Doctor Odyssey ended with the reveal that everything that happened aboard the luxury cruise ship The Odyssey was fake and that Max was dreaming the entire time. This theory proving to be true would frankly ruin the series.

The concept that Max is still in a coma and is simply dreaming about The Odyssey removes all stakes from the medical drama. If nothing is real in Doctor Odyssey, then none of it matters. So, why are we watching? The characters (and Doctor Odyssey romances) that viewers have grown fond of and are wholly invested in wouldn't actually exist, meaning we have all wasted our time getting to know them and their stories. Ultimately, this popular theory becoming fact would be quite discouraging.

Doctor Odyssey Being A Campy Weekly Show Is Perfectly Fine

The Ryan Murphy Series Has To Lean Into Its Silly Qualities

Doctor Odyssey doesn't need a mind-blowing twist to be entertaining. It's good enough as it is. Yes, the ABC medical drama is campy and more like a soap opera than a network drama. However, if enough viewers have stuck around after eight episodes, it's obvious that the show is doing something right. Doctor Odyssey just has to accept itself for exactly what it is. Instead of trying to cater to those who aren't fans of its campy qualities, the series must continue leaning into its silliness. If Doctor Odyssey suddenly becomes a serious show with staggering twists, it'll lose all its charm.

Source: TVLine