Doctor Odysseymay not have bagged a season 2 renewal with ABC, but one character deserved more time to develop. The murky waters surroundingDoctor Odyssey’s quasi-cancelationmean it could potentially be picked up by a streaming service or taken off the shelf years down the line, but it’s much more likely the medical drama will quietly fade into obscurity.
Despite the star-studded cast aboardDoctor Odyssey’s luxury cruise ship, too many factors worked against the soapy procedural. When the decision was left up to creator Ryan Murphy, his hesitation was clear, leavingDoctor Odyssey’s fate in limbo until the cast options officially expired on June 18, 2025. With no contract renewals,Doctor Odysseyis now as good as gone.
The Medical Drama Left Him In The Shadows Too Often
Doctor Odyssey’s untimely demise is especially saddening because of Tristan Silva (Sean Teale) — its most under-utilized character. Throughout the medical drama’s first season, Tristan was trapped inDoctor Odyssey’s most pointless subplot, left to pine over Avery Morgan (Phillipa Soo) and stubbornly clash with Max Bankman (Joshua Jackson). Essentially, Tristan became a secondary love interest rather than a full-fledged character.
Despite being the third member ofDoctor Odyssey’s love triangle,Tristan was reduced to a mere obstacle for Avery and Max— as, realistically, he never had a chance of getting the girl. From the first episode of Doctor Odyssey, it was painfully obvious that Avery would never reciprocate Tristan’s schoolboy crush. Conversely, Max swept her off her feet almost immediately.
Nonetheless, there were flashes of Tristan’s personality withinDoctor Odysseythat made his character compelling.Even while perpetually in Max’s shadow, Tristan’s character showed more potentialthan the titular doctor. While Max was selfish, tunnel-visioned, and always a tad too condescending, Tristan’s worst qualities softened over time, and the young nurse easily became one ofDoctor Odyssey’s most endearing characters.
Doctor Odyssey Never Followed Through On Tristan’s Independent Character Arcs
The most frustrating aspect ofDoctor Odysseywas how the drama would begin to uncover real depth, only to never return to its most interesting storylines. Case in point: Vivian (Laura Harrier), the chef aboard the Odyssey who saw Tristan as a person rather than a warm body. Just like Tristan himself, Vivian was ultimately reduced to another couple’s roadblock.
Tristan and Vivian’s relationship inDoctor Odysseywould have given both characters more agency within the overarching narrative, allowing them to become more than ornamental. Similarly,Tristan’s estranged relationship with his parents was the perfect way forDoctor Odysseyto enrich his character, only for his sick and self-absorbed mother to never appear again after her episode 3 debut.
Tristan’s substance issues were unsurprisingly used to complicate his relationship with Avery (and, in turn, Avery’s relationship with Max).
Even Tristan’s most serious plot— his alcoholism— wasn’t introduced until the end of the season, meaningDoctor Odysseynever gave Tristan’s addiction storyline true closure. Rather, Tristan’s substance issues were unsurprisingly used to complicate his relationship with Avery (and, in turn, Avery’s relationship with Max). By making his entire existence dependent on others,Doctor Odyssey did Tristan a grave disservice.
With Avery Out Of The Equation, Tristan Could Have Really Stepped Up
Despite its mistreatment of the character,Doctor Odysseyseason 2 could have given Tristan a new lease on life. Theending ofDoctor Odysseyfinally allowed Tristan to let go of Avery and seemingly support her relationship with Max, which meantTristan could have blossomed, untethered to contrived relationship drama.
All episodes ofDoctor Odysseyare streaming on Hulu.
Doctor Odysseydeserved season 2, not only to give characters like Tristan new storylines but to also expand on their past. Tristan’s complicated upbringing could have been explored with more nuance, and examining his childhood could have helped him mature more meaningfully. Whether to find a new love interest or simply better himself, Tristan would have benefited from the scrutiny.
At the very least, Tristan deserved a more definitive ending than playing spectator to Avery and Max’s love story.Doctor Odysseycould have given Tristan a purpose, a professional goal, or a platonic relationshipto pour more effort into. As it stands, all Tristan became in the end wasDoctor Odyssey’s permanent runner-up.
