ABC's unorthodox medical drama Doctor Odyssey has put a new spin on the popular genre, but will it get renewed for a season 2? Created by Ryan Murphy (along with Jon Robin Baitz and Joe Baken), the series concerns Dr. Max Bankman (Joshua Jackson), who leads the medical team aboard the luxury cruise ship, Odyssey. While dealing with the myriad of medical emergencies that pop up on a cruise ship, Dr. Bankman and his team also form intimate bonds with one another. Made with Murphy's signature eye for sexy drama, Doctor Odyssey easily sets itself apart from other medical dramas.

Doctor Odyssey is one of many new medical series that debuted during the 2024 fall season, but its setting and concept alone make it unique. The cast of Doctor Odyssey employs a weekly roster of guests that add spice to the main cast's interpersonal drama, but it is ultimately the weekly over-the-top medical cases that keep things interesting. Ryan Murphy is no stranger to hits, and there are only a handful of Murphy creations that haven't scored additional seasons. With that said, it's possible that Doctor Odyssey will set sail again in the future, but ABC hasn't renewed it yet.

Doctor Odyssey Season 2 Latest News

The Medical Drama May Get Canceled

Even though the show got off to a strong start, the latest news confirms that Doctor Odyssey may get canceled after season 1. While nothing is officially decided yet, it was reported that ABC was considering canceling the new series after only one season due to high costs and dipping ratings.

It has also come to light, however, that the fate of Doctor Odyssey is not entirely up to ABC. Disney Television Studios president Eric Schrier revealed that the decision of whether or not the series will get another season is being left up to Ryan Murphy. Studios and networks rarely give a single executive producer so much freedom, but Schrier stated:

I really love Doctor Odyssey, I think it’s a wildly inventive show, and we’re doing everything we can to it. That decision ultimately lies with Ryan Murphy, whether Ryan wants to continue to do it, and he feels like there’s stories to tell that he feels confident in.

While the first season of the series could easily be left as a one-off miniseries, there is still room to bring back the cast and tell more stories in a continuation.

Doctor Odyssey Season 2 Is Not Confirmed

Doctor Odyssey Hasn't Been Renewed Yet

Despite scoring an impressive debut and shooting to number one on Hulu in its first week, the fate of Doctor Odyssey season 2 hasn't been determined. ABC has a strong working relationship with creator Ryan Murphy, and Murphy's 9-1-1 franchise did well for the network. 9-1-1, however, is getting a spin-off series that will air on ABC as part of the 2025 fall schedule, while Doctor Odyssey's fate is still up in the air.

Doctor Odyssey aired its season 1 finale on May 15, 2025.

The first season of Doctor Odyssey went on its midseason break in November 2024, and was off the air until March 2025. This lengthy break helped the freshman series, allowing new fans to catch up. The season finale also wrapped up most of the show's big storylines, so it would be understandable if Murphy and ABC opted to allow the series to end there.

Doctor Odyssey Season 2 Cast Details

Who Will Set Sail In Doctor Odyssey Season 2?

It's expected that the main cast of Doctor Odyssey will return for the second season. Procedurals are known for keeping the ensemble together from season to season, and ABC's medical drama has leaned especially heavily on the interpersonal relationships between the characters. With all that in mind, it's almost certain that Joshua Jackson will reprise his role as Dr. Max Bankman.

ing him will definitely be Sean Teale's Tristan Silva, the nurse who makes up part of the show's throuple. Phillipa Soo's Avery Morgan, however, might not be a main cast member if the series returns. The nurse is headed to medical school following the events of the first season, so the series would have to find a convincing way to bring her back.

TV icon Don Johnson plays the Odyssey's leader, Captain Robert Massey, and there's no reason to think he won't be back in season 2 as well. Recurring cast Marcus Emanuel Mitchell (as Spencer Monroe) and Jacqueline Toboni (as Rosie) also saw their roles expanded in the second batch of episodes and would likely be back for a second season.

The main cast of Doctor Odyssey season 2 will likely include:

Perhaps the most compelling prospect for Doctor Odyssey season 2's cast is the guest stars, but it remains to be seen who will make an appearance in the show's star-studded ensemble. The first season saw both Shania Twain and John Stamos appear as well as Angela Bassett in a crossover with 9-1-1.

One cast member who seems unlikely to return is Laura Harrier as Vivian Montgomery. She appeared in four episodes of the first season, and appeared to be set up to become a main cast member at first, but then she mostly vanished from the storyline. If the series were to bring her back as the ship's chef, the writers would need to find a way to better utilize her character instead of having her vanish for seven episodes at a time.

• Dr. Odyssey Cast & Character Guide
• Doctor Odyssey Has A Missing Character In 2025, And I'm Afraid ABC Quietly Got Rid Of Them

Doctor Odyssey Season 1 Ending Explained And Spoilers

The Season Ended With A Tsunami And A Two-Parter

Much of the first season of the show provided standalone episodes focused on the goings-on for the cruise ship engers and the medical mysteries of the week. The overarching story of the season, however, involved the throuple of Max, Tristan, and Avery, and whether their arrangement would work out. With the two-part season finale taking place in during and in the aftermath of a tsunami, there was a lot going on with the one-off characters, but it also brought a resolution for the love triangle.

While each of the characters were engaged in their own medical mysteries, Avery also finally realized and voiced her "big feelings" for Max, choosing between the two of them and really putting the throuple aside. Max affirmed that he and Avery would make a relationship work - whatever that would mean for them - while she pursues medical school as well. Tristan, for his part, seemed perfectly content to step aside and allow the two their happiness while maintaining a friendship with them.

The season finale, however, also saw another major storyline as Captain Robert Massey found himself relieved of duty. The corporate office did not appreciate his direct disobedience and appointed his first mate to take his place. The entire crew, including the medical personnel, refused to work without him in the captain's hat, which helped to put an end to the brief conflict.

How The Doctor Odyssey Season 1 Finale Sets Up Season 2

Things Are Only Just Getting Started Aboard The Odyssey

As the first half of Doctor Odyssey season 1 proved, the show is not afraid to throw out a few monster twists to keep things interesting. That means that, no matter what happened in season 1, if the series is renewed for a second season, there could still be plenty of changes to the show.

If Soo's Avery leaves the series, a new medical professional would need to be introduced to the ship in the second season, or the writers would need to find a way to bring Avery back on board a cruise ship on a regular basis while she is pursuing medical school. Either option could help shake the dynamic up a bit, especially if Avery and Max find a way to maintain a healthy and stable relationship between seasons.

The series is built on its camp and dramatic storylines though, so it's likely the series would continue to bring in new guest stars and outlandish plots thanks to Odyssey's theme weeks that were prevalent in the first season of the show. With much of the major conflicts of the first season wrapped up in the finale, Doctor Odyssey season 2 would need to mine new conflicts from its guest star appearances or new cast member additions. It would also likely need to slow down its frenetic pace to better flesh out its characters.

The first season of the show is certainly set up like more of a miniseries, rushing through the overarching plot points and not devoting as much time to the characters outside of the main trio. That would need to change in a season 2 as well, allowing the rest of the cast to shine.

Regardless, Doctor Odyssey season 2 is expected to have many more wacky medical emergencies too.