ABC’s high-seas medical drama Doctor Odyssey has drifted into limbo. After months of silence about its fate, the network has allowed cast options to expire, effectively beaching the globe-hopping series from Ryan Murphy—at least for now.
The show’s main cast, led by Joshua Jackson, Phillipa Soo and Don Johnson, were released from their contracts on Monday, June 23, 2025. While ABC has not officially canceled the show, insiders suggest the odds of a return are shrinking by the day, unless new deals are struck and a home is found—possibly on Hulu, which already carries the first season.
Doctor Odyssey launched on Thursday, September 26, 2024, with a glossy pitch: a globe-trotting hospital ship, fronted by Jackson’s emotionally wrecked Dr. Max Bankman and helmed by Johnson’s swaggering Captain Massey. Expectations were high. Its preview ranked as the most-watched among ABC’s new slate last fall, and the premiere brought in a solid 4.23 million viewers. But week-to-week numbers slipped, and the show ended its run averaging just over 3 million.
Despite the ratings dip, fan attachment was strong. The season ended on a romantic high, with Bankman and Soo’s Avery finally finding common ground and with a blessing from Sean Teale’s Tristan. A crossover stunt with 9-1-1 even brought in Angela Bassett for a guest spot, but the lift was short-lived.
Though the cancellation is unofficial, the logistics of reassembling the ensemble, especially with new projects emerging for its stars, makes the return increasingly unlikely. For fans, it leaves unanswered questions and unfinished arcs, including Avery’s journey into med school and what the next voyage might have looked like.
As of now, Doctor Odyssey remains in dry dock, with no clear course forward.
