Doctor Odyssey Season 1 Episode 5 Review: Halloween Week
Often, Halloween conjures up the fun spirit of everyone and everything, especially a TV show set on a cruise ship. Doctor Odyssey Season 1 Episode 5, “Halloween Week” showcases the series’ unhinged playfulness — one of its strengths.
Over the past four episodes, we have witnessed some very rough waters as this Ryan Murphy show tries to find its identity. It’s been walking the line between taking itself too seriously as a drama and dabbling in high art camp.
It may have found itself somewhere in the middle. This makes Doctor Odyssey a very unserious show.
You can’t take it seriously if it includes a storyline about zombies maybe invading the ship and almost amputation while searching for coins. It’s not a series to watch in earnestness. Treating Doctor Odyssey as anything but campy feels like a fool’s errand.
Clearly, the writers, cast, and producers want the show to appeal to particular groups of audiences. The main one is Joshua Jackson fans who enjoy seeing him shirtless and wooing women.
Surprisingly, this is a very specific but not small group. Doctor Odyssey rewards them often.
The second group is those who enjoy medical drama for strange cases. Doctor Odyssey is for you if you ever said this medical series doesn’t have enough patients sweating blood.
The show becomes enjoyable when you accept its absurdity and twisted nature.
The show has developed a pattern of silly sicknesses, something disgusting happening, and some romantic development each week.
We can’t say yet if it’s a winning formula but it’s definitely interesting.
“Halloween Week” hits all these points but does so more successfully than some previous episodes. Maybe the Halloween setting allows the show to lean into its dark humor and unusual habits.
From Tristan and Max’s rivalry to Avery’s dedication to her craft, everything works a little better with this Halloween setup.
However, Max and Tristan’s rivalry over who can have the best costume is the show’s best part.
Max manages to outshine Tristan in a major way as he looks way better in every costume. Even his janky vampire manages to look better than the captain suit. Additionally, Jackson has a great impression of Jack Sparrow.
The Doctor Odyssey costumeand makeup team really gets a chance to shine in “Halloween Week.” Maybe they were the heroes of the show all along.
These few scenes of him embodying his costume characters highlight Jackson’s untapped acting range.
Let the man play more characters, especially ridiculous ones like Jack Sparrow.
Two co-workers battling to win a costume contest isn’t a new concept to the TV world. We have seen it often but it is entertaining because it continues to develop the Tristan and Max relationship. They are one of Doctor Odyssey’s most fascinating relationships.
They’re rivals but also best friends. It’s a strange dynamic that sometimes borders flirtatious. It’s the most interesting one to watch, and definitely leaps and bounds more fascinating than both current romances.
Avery and Max have seemingly settled into a will-they-won’t-they situation, while Tristan and Vivi have sunk into the blossom of new love. Neither romance is offensive. They just aren’t the most interesting thing about Doctor Odyssey.
Doctor Odyssey’s “Halloween Week” highlights the show’s entertainment when it just lets itself be this weird medical drama.
What did you think of this episode of Doctor Odyssey? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Doctor Odyssey airs Thursdays at 9/8 c on ABC.
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