‘Doctor Odyssey’s Throuple Can’t Work Without This Major Change

The ABC drama Doctor Odyssey follows a cruise ship crew that is dedicated to providing the very best experiences for their guests. Dr. Max Bankman (Joshua Jackson) serves as the Odyssey’s doctor, and he works alongside Nurse Practitioner Avery Morgan (Phillipa Soo) and Nurse Tristan Silva (Sean Teale) to treat whatever maladies the ship’s guests endure. In between diagnosing everything from iodine poisoning (from eating too much shrimp) to severe sunburns, these medical professionals work tirelessly to help their patients. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t engaging in plenty of extracurricular activities. After a steamy hookup between the trio in Episode 6, we’ve been left wondering whether Doctor Odyssey is really going there with the throuple storyline (and whether it can actually work).

There’s Always Been Chemistry Between ‘Doctor Odyssey’s Main Trio

From the very first episodes of Doctor Odyssey, it’s clear that Tristan is in love with Avery. She has always brushed him off, labeling him more like a little brother to her, but she hasn’t ever really done a lot to dissuade his feelings either. And then there’s Max, who pursues Avery even after Tristan confesses his feelings for her. Although Max and Avery try to keep their distance (it’s a tad unprofessional after all), they are drawn together, especially in times of crisis. Early on, Doctor Odyssey sets up a very compelling love triangle (which is a hallmark of most drama series). Who will ultimately win Avery’s heart? Well, most people probably weren’t guessing that the answer would be both men!

Related

I Think if We’re Thirsting Over Hot Doctors Again, It’s Proof That TV Has Never Been More Back

I need a glass of water. STAT!

Can ‘Doctor Odyssey’ Actually Pull Off a Throuple?

In Episode 6, after experiencing the loss of two patients within a short time, Avery, Max, and Tristan are all dealing with their own feelings of existentialism. After a night of imbibing pretty heavily, the three of them talk about what’s still on their bucket lists. Tristan admits that one of his life goals is to have a threeway. Avery then adds that item to her to-do list as well. Avery suggests that the three of them should make the dream a reality; at first, the two men think she’s joking, but then quickly hop on board once they realize that she’s totally serious. The episode ends there, but it brings up the potential for the three to actually become a throuple in the future.

A throuple would seem to end the tired trope of a love triangle. Avery has always seemed torn between the two men, and this would be the perfect way to never have to choose one over the other. At first, Tristan seems open to the idea of a throuple when Avery suggests they can keep their three-way connection going. But then Max is the first one to back out. He claims that he’s too much of a traditionalist and can’t really wrap his head around how a throuple would work. At the end of Episode 7, Tristan also tells Avery that he doesn’t think he can continue with the throuple idea either. He admits that he loves her and doesn’t want to have to share her with Max (or with anyone else). This turn of events begs the question: has the Doctor Odyssey throuple ended before it could ever really begin?

There’s a possibility that Avery will somehow still be able to convince the two men to go through with her plan. She’s pretty persuasive, and they both obviously have feelings for her and want to make her happy. But the only way the series will be able to pull off this type of triangular relationship is by having all three characters completely on board. It would be an interesting route for the series to take (there aren’t a lot of throuples on television these days), and it would fit right in with the theme of hedonism and freedom that the Odyssey itself represents.

Future episodes will let us know how this is going to play out, but a throuple would only succeed if the three can figure out a way to work and play together in harmony (and if all three are in complete agreement with the throuple plan). As messy as it would be to have three co-workers in a relationship (and living in extremely close quarters!), the Odyssey does seem to foster outside-the-box thinking, so it would be a plausible storyline for the series to explore — but only if Max, Avery, and Tristan are all committed to sharing.

New episodes of Doctor Odyssey air Thursday nights on ABC and are available to stream the next day on Hulu in the U.S.

Release Date

September 26, 2024

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

1

Expand