Doctor Odyssey’s fate at ABC was unknown for a while after its finale aired in May. However, last week, the network officially let all cast options expire and axed the Joshua Jackson-led show after one season. The medical drama, which was set aboard a floating hospital ship, acquired a passionate following but still didn't land new episodes. In the aftermath of the news, one cast member shared a cryptic post on social media that may or may not have alluded to the cancellation.
Fans aren't the only ones who can take show cancellations hard, as they can be devastating for a cast and crew as well. Doctor Odyssey star Sean Teale, who played Nurse Tristan Silva on the show, hasn't explicitly acknowledged the series' demise. However, he is seemingly trying to remain optimistic about the future. He recently posted a photo on his Instagram story that contained a famous and hopeful quote from novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald, saying:
In any case you mustn’t confuse a single failure with a final defeat.
This quote could mean anything. Maybe it’s just a spirited reflection on the cancellation, and the actor knows that while the Odyssey opportunity is dead in the water (pun intended), there will be many more opportunities to come. Or maybe this is just a general mantra that Teale lives by. In any case, Teale has reason to be proud about the work that he and his co-stars accomplished.
However, fans may also be hoping this quote is more so alluding to the prospect of more Doctor Odyssey. In April, one network exec at ABC seemed hopeful about the Ryan Murphy-produced medical show having some kind of future at the network. Plus, fans, including very vocal talk show host John Oliver, have been incredibly supportive of the show and seem to want it to continue.
Network TV shows have been saved from cancellation before. For example, NBC picked up Brooklyn Nine-Nine after it was cancelled by Fox, and Lucifer moved to Netflix after fans expressed dismay over Fox axing it.
Whether or not there's a chance that Doctor Odyssey will receive a second chance in the near future remains to be seen. For now, it’s understandable that fans are in mourning, especially considering the cliffhangers left unresolved after the first season, and the character relationships that viewers were hoping to watch blossom in future episodes.
Regardless of that, it's lovely to see that Sean Teale is sticking to optimistic messaging, and I can’t wait to see what he does next. Ryan Murphy has been known to reuse actors, and I hope he considers collaborating with Teale again.
Although the show may be over (for now), all episodes of Doctor Odyssey are now available to stream with a Hulu subscription. Also, as the summer months continue to play out, take a look at the 2025 TV schedule to get a sense of the sizzling, sweet titles that are on deck (another pun intended) right now.
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