ABC’s Delay Canceling Doctor Odyssey After Season 1 Explained

Doctor Odyssey was the only show still in limbo at ABC — but why did it take the network this long to decide whether it’s renewed or canceled?

The medical drama, which debuted in September 2024, introduced viewers to Joshua Jackson‘s character, Max Bankman, on his journey to becoming the new onboard doctor of a cruise ship called the Odyssey. Each week, the crew faced various medical disasters related to the theme of their voyage, which included Singles Week, Plastic Surgery Week and Quackers Week.

While the show got off to a strong start, Doctor Odyssey ended up on the bubble and has yet to be picked up. Disney Television Group president Craig Erwich offered some insight into the delay by saying creator Ryan Murphy has to make the decision.

“I really love Doctor Odyssey, I think it’s a wildly inventive show, and we’re doing everything we can to support it,” he said in an interview with Deadline in May. “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.”

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Doctor Odyssey’s unclear future came amid a wide variety of controversial TV decisions. ABC, CBS and NBC made headlines in 2025 for killing off — or writing out — too many fan favorites from shows such as Fire Country, 9-1-1, One Chicago and more.

Then there was the NBC shocker in May when the network pulled the plug on Lopez vs. Lopez, Night Court, Found, The Irrational and Suits LA. NBC has since renewed The Hunting Party and Brilliant Minds, but those are the only freshman shows that survived. (Grosse Pointe Garden Society is still on the bubble.)

NBC’s harsh cuts came after the network signed an 11-year deal with the NBA. This agreement, which is worth nearly $2.5 billion per year, means NBC will air up to 100 regular-season games, which affected the amount of original programming headed our way in the fall.

ABC doesn’t have the same setup, which is why Doctor Odyssey‘s unclear future has been even more confusing before it was cancelled. Keep scrolling for a breakdown of why Doctor Odyssey was on the bubble — and what comes next:

The Key Players

In addition to Jackson, Doctor Odyssey’s cast includes Phillipa Soo, Sean Teale, Don Johnson and a plethora of stars in cameo roles.

The Gist

Doctor Odyssey was originally built up to be a major hit for ABC when its first teaser set a record for the most views for a new broadcast TV show trailer, receiving 77.8 million views in its first 48 hours in September 2024.

By the time the Disney Upfronts rolled around eight months later, Doctor Odyssey had lost some of its steam with a midseason hiatus. It ultimately ended up being the only show without a renewal or a cancellation.

Erwich weighed in on the future of the show ahead of the possible series finale in May, telling TVLine, “Doctor Odyssey is not on our [fall 2025] schedule currently. We’re in talks with [series creator] Ryan [Murphy], and we really look to him about what the next chapter might be.”

Erwich noted that Murphy, 59, had a lot on his plate, which contributed to Doctor Odyssey‘s unclear future.

“Ryan’s extremely busy,” the ABC executive noted. “With 9-1-1, [the upcoming spinoff] 9-1-1: Nashville and he’s doing All’s Fair [for Hulu]. I know he’s working on a bunch of shows for FX that they’re really excited about too.”

Deadline confirmed that a decision would have to be made by June when the options on the cast are set to expire. It was confirmed that same month that cast’s contracts expired with no move from ABC to put the series back on its schedule for the upcoming year.

Why It’s a Big Deal

There aren’t too many other shows that have Us writing headlines such as “Doctor Odyssey Now Has Shania Twain Expecting a Baby With Don Johnson in 2nd Pregnancy Twist” or “Doctor Odyssey Pairs Off Mean Girls’ Aaron Samuels and Parks and Rec’s Jerry in Age Gap Romance,” and for that alone it deserved a renewal.

The medical drama also marks Jackson’s return to TV, which Us is always rooting for.

“[Cocreator] Ryan [Murphy]’s imagination is prolific and bizarre in its ability to hold [space] for the absolutely grotesque and absurd — and then there are his lighter and happier shows. All of that being inside of one man’s imagination is amazing,” Jackson exclusively told Us Weekly in March. “I will say that for myself, I have wanted to work for Ryan for quite a long time.”

Jackson credited Murphy with being the reason why he joined Doctor Odyssey. “Ryan’s word was ‘sparkle.’ He said, ‘Make sure that my show sparkles,’” he recalled. “And we have tried to make sure that this show sparkles as much as possible and just hope that the joy that we feel in performing it and doing it all together is what comes across while you’re watching it.”

What People Are Saying

Fans — even of the celebrity variety — weighed in on the confusing delay.

During Last Week Tonight in May, John Oliver called ABC out for not making an official decision about Doctor Odyssey, joking, “ABC should be embarrassed — for the fact that, as of this taping, they still haven’t renewed Doctor Odyssey for season 2. What the f*** are you doing, ABC? It’s sexy ER on a boat! It’s The Pitt with sharks! It’s got — and I’m not even going to try and beat their tagline on this — ‘Big deck energy.’”

Oliver showed a clip from the Doctor Odyssey pilot before bringing up other ABC shows, adding, “How is ABC renewing shows called The Rookie and Will Trent — whose premise is apparently just, ‘Despite being dyslexic, he’s become a special agent in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.’ But they haven’t renewed the only show brave enough to answer the question, ‘What if sick, but boat?’”

The late night talk show host acknowledged he “shouldn’t complain” about other shows.

“I shouldn’t care that a show called and about a rookie is returning for its premise-defying eighth season, and I don’t begrudge any audience members for sticking around to find out if their favorite characters will or won’t Trent,” he added. “All I’m saying is, ABC’s The View has been on since 1997, and Doctor Hot Boat is still in limbo.”

Oliver wrapped the segment up by taking more digs at the network. “You’re a disgrace, ABC!” he concluded. “Your network is a disaster!”

What’s Next

ABC announced in May that 9-1-1: Nashville scored the Thursday slot previously reserved for Doctor Odyssey amid its undetermined status.

Jackson, who has taken to wearing Doctor Odyssey merch in public, was questioned about the show’s fate at a red carpet event in June. “They haven’t told us yet,” he said in a clip from the interview.

Variety confirmed in June that the cast’s contracts expired with no move from ABC to bring the series back.