With the show’s cast options set to expire on Monday, June 30, and the network not appearing to step in and extend those deals, “Doctor Odyssey” has effectively been canceled at ABC. As a result, the Ryan Murphy-produced drama will not be coming back for a second season, “at least not anytime soon,” reports Deadline.
According to the outlet, “sources stress that the glossy cruise ship medical drama starring Joshua Jackson and Don Johnson has not been formally canceled, and Murphy is weighing creative options as to where he may want to take it next. If the show ultimately comes back — on ABC or Hulu, where it has done well — new deals with the cast will have to be made.”
When ABC unveiled its 2025-2026 primetime schedule last month, the drama was noticeably absent, with Craig Erwich, president of Disney Television Group, whose role encompasses ABC Entertainment, Disney Branded Television, Freeform and Hulu Originals programming, told Deadline, “Ryan’s [been] really busy. He’s doing a lot with us – ‘9-1-1,’ ‘9-1-1: Nashville’ [and] ‘All’s Fair’ [on Hulu]. So we’re just continuing that creative conversation with him.”
The series follows Max Bankman (Joshua Jackson), the new onboard doctor for a luxury cruise ship, where the staff work hard and play harder. It’s all-hands-on-deck as Max and his small but mighty medical team navigate unique medical crises and each other, miles from shore. Don Johnson plays Captain Massey, with Phillipa Soo as Avery and Sean Teale as Tristan.
Last fall, the premiere episode of the series averaged 13.6 million multiplatform viewers and set a viewing record for a brand new broadcast series trailer, amassing 77.8 million viewers within its first 48 hours, though it was unable to sustain the audience for subsequent episodes.
Despite the decline in viewership, the series still managed to outrate other ABC shows among Total Viewers this season, including “American Idol,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and the recently concluded comedy, “The Conners,” according to Nielsen’s 100 most-watched TV series chart for 2024-2025 across streaming, broadcast and cable. Overall, the first and only season produced 18 episodes.
The medical drama ranked 62nd on the list with an average of 7.7 million viewers per episode after 35 days, though it failed to rank among the top 100 on the key Adults 18-49 chart. By comparison, another ABC freshman drama, “High Potential,” averaged 16.1 million viewers to rank fifth on the Total Viewers list while ranking 14th on the Adults 18-49 chart with 5.2 million viewers falling in the demo.
Produced by 20th Television in association with Ryan Murphy Television, “Doctor Odyssey” is written and executive produced by Ryan Murphy, Jon Robin Baitz and Joe Baken. Joshua Jackson and Don Johnson serve as executive producers. Paris Barclay directs and executive produces. Eric Paquette, Alexis Martin Woodall, Eric Kovtun, Scott Robertson and Nissa Diederich also serve as executive producers.