The chances of aDoctor Odysseyseason 2 renewal gets a worrying update from lead star Joshua Jackson. Co-created by Ryan Murphy, Jon Robin Baitz, and Joe Baken, the soapy ABC drama is the network’s only scripted series still in limbo. Although top executives have struck a cautiously optimistic tone about the show’s future,Doctor Odysseyseason 2is hampered by relatively high production costs and the fact that the ratings haven’t been roboust as initially hoped.
While attending the Motion Picture and Television Foundation’s NextGen Annual Summer Party fundraiser at The Aster recently, Jackson answered a question about the future ofDoctor Odysseyseason 2 and revealed thathe hasn’t been told whether or not the medical drama is renewed. Check out the video below (viaDrOdysseyNews/Getty)
What This Means For Doctor Odyssey Season 2
It’s Been Months Now
ABC renewed most of its scripted dramas and comedies in May, including long-running series likeGrey’s Anatomyand9-1-1, as well as newer hits such asShifting Gears. When it comes to the Ryan Murphy-created medical drama, however, there are reportedly several factors working against its favor. Althoughthe mainDoctor Odysseycastis relatively small, featuring Jackson, Phillipa Soo, Sean Teale, and Don Johnson, the show also brings in a regular rotation of recognizable guest actors.
An even bigger impediment facing the show may be that the show’s sometimes elaborate action setpieces are in contrast to its ratings, which have declined after a robust premiere.After debuting to more than 4 million live viewers, most episodes have settled around 2.5 million viewers. Executives at Disney, which owns ABC, have remained publicly supportive of the show and noted that Murphy will play a part in deciding its fate.
Our Take On Doctor Odyssey’s Future
It Hasn’t Caught On
Reading between the lines, it does sound like the seriesmight not have gelled the way executives hoped. Followingthe ending ofDoctor Odysseyseason 1, there are ways to reinvigorate the narrative. The question is whether that second chance will be granted, particularly as Murphy has several other high-profile projects under the overall Disney umbrella that includes FX and Hulu. But after several months, it may be the case that no news is actually good news.
The show’s fate will have to be revealed sooner rather than later, especially if the cast and crew want to be freed up to work on other sets. But if the show does get a second life, theDoctor Odysseydream theorymay be the way to go.
