Doctor Odyssey Season 1 Episode 14 Review: Hot Tub Week
The trio receives devastating news. It makes their romantic entanglements less complicated but not as interesting. Doctor Odyssey Season 1 Episode 14, “Hot Tub Week,” kills any of our two men and a baby fantasies.
It shocks everyone, including this reviewer, with the twist that Avery is not actually pregnant. It’s all an unfortunate cyst.
Max, Avery, Tristan, and the viewers must mourn the what-ifs with this nonexistent baby. Doctor Odyssey isn’t exactly known for twists that actually shock, but this one did take us by surprise. It’s not that a false pregnancy scare is abnormal on dramatic TV shows; it’s just that the show lets it go on for so many episodes.
You have already imagined the baby on the ship. However, now that I am thinking about this situation logically, I realize it doesn’t quite work. The series is still fairly new, which means a baby on set brings a ton of unnecessary complications.
Additionally, Robert and Heather’s baby story provides a far more interesting, unexpected pregnancy plot. We really don’t need two of them in one season.
However, I respect and appreciate how Doctor Odyssey handles the news. This is treated with tenderness and care that isn’t often shown on this wacky medical drama. It also allows Phillipa Soo to showcase her outstanding acting abilities.
As an actor most known for her theater work, she’s naturally adjusted to weekly episodic TV. However, this ABC dramedy doesn’t often allow its stars the material to emote.
Doctor Odyssey Season 1 Episode 13, “Spring Break,” allows Sean Teale his moment in the spotlight. Therefore, we may be at the start of the series’ plan to give each actor more emotionally riveting work.
Joshua Jackson could be next.
Soo nails the frustration, sadness, anger, disappointment, and other emotions Avery goes through to process this loss. It’s very well done by her and the series.
Nevertheless, in typical Doctor Odyssey fashion, a serious storyline pairs with some ridiculousness. Most of these dramatic conversations happen in a hot tub. Plus, we see these random cheerleading storylines happening around it.
This show is so unserious, always.
Besides the Avery baby storyline, there isn’t much else happening in “Hot Tub Week.” Robert’s shingles storyline is a bit irrelevant, but his moment with his wife’s ghost is sweet.
Additionally, I continue to commend this show for exploring an unexpected pregnancy after 50. It may not be a common occurrence, but it does happen. Therefore, it’s nice to see a show that highlights the highs and lows of it.
Everything involving the cheerleaders seems like thrown-together extra plots just to follow some sort of theme. We just didn’t care about any of that part of “Hot Tub Week.”
Overall, this episode works because of the emotionally riveting aspects involving Avery, Max, Tristan, and the pregnancy misdiagnosis. However, nothing else about “Hot Tub Week” stands out.
Stray Thoughts
- Is it in Joshua Jackson’s contract to do something borderline objectifying each week? Sure he doesn’t mind it but the soap scene, very unnecessary.
- Max has a lot of quirks. Soap obsession on top of everything else just makes him seem a little much to deal with in real life.
- This is also almost a Hostess cupcake ad
- As suspected, the actor playing young Robert looks so much like Don Johnson because it is his son, Jesse Johnson.
What did you think of this episode of Doctor Odyssey? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!
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Doctor Odyssey airs Thursdays at 10/9 C on ABC
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