COVID twist, life after death, virtual reality

(Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for the series premiere of Doctor Odyssey.)

Doctor Odyssey ABC set sail on Thursday, September 26, and the first episode of this new Ryan Murphy medical drama quickly got me thinking about the possibility of a big plot twist on the horizon.

I'm far from the only one who thinks something big is coming. We've previously theorized that there's more to the luxury ocean liner Odyssey than meets the eye. But now that I learned important information about Joshua Jackson's Dr. in the series premiere.

Our previous one Doctor Odyssey The theories are still valid, but the revelation of Max's history with COVID in Episode 1 has led to a new one. Here's a breakdown of all of our theories about where this ship could be headed.

1. Everyone on the Odyssey is in a COVID coma

Disney/Tina Thorpe

There are several signs in the show that lead me to believe that every single person on the ship is actually in a COVID-induced coma. First and foremost, there's Max's backstory, which explains why he came to the Odyssey in the first place.

Max revealed to Phillipa Soo's Avery in Episode 1 that not only did he almost die from COVID in the early days of the pandemic, but he was also patient zero in the United States. He spent weeks in near-consciousness, clinging to life, hoping he would get another scan, which he desperately knew was needed to find further treatment. It's easy to understand Max wanting to live a more joyful life after his near-death experience, but making him a COVID patient with zero is even worse. This isn't just something you give away and then never come back to. I think this flashback to his hospital stay will prove crucial to the rest of the plot.

The ship and its surroundings are luxurious and immaculate and positively radiant; One could argue that it looks too fantastic to be real. Don Johnson's Captain Robert Massey also literally says, “This ship is heaven,” repeating words like paradise, angel, and dreamer. And when a man fell overboard in the premiere, Johnson's character, like any captain, was deeply concerned about saving that passenger. But there was something about Johnson's performance that suggested he knew something everyone else didn't.

Also consider the true stories of cruise passengers who were stranded on their ships for weeks or months when the pandemic first hit. Additionally, the ship's name is a reference to Homer's epic poem about a long journey home after a dangerous war. Is Captain Massey some kind of ghost trying to bring all these people back to life? If they die on the ship, does that mean they died in real life? No patient has died on this trip so far.

Even the very small medical team has to be skilful in providing care due to a lack of resources. Being on that ship and not having help reasonably close could also be a sign of hospital staff who were completely overwhelmed and overworked by the COVID hospitalizations.

Additionally, Murphy is bold enough to be the first TV creator to create an entire series around the pandemic, rather than just an episode or a season, as seen in Grey's Anatomy And The Morning Show. Someone would be the first to do a show about COVID, and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if that's what it ended up being Joy Creator.

2. The Odyssey is actually heaven

Given that Max was Patient Zero, it would be easy to believe that he didn't actually survive and that the ship represents the afterlife. He came to the boat without luggage and was allowed to enter without a passport. This could be because his new employers were expecting him, or because the afterlife was waiting for him.

3. The Odyssey takes passengers to the afterlife

That would be very Good place of them if true. Each group of passengers could be aboard the Odyssey to complete a journey before heading off to the great beyond – or being sent back to life.

4. Captain Massey is a ghost

Disney/Tina Thorpe

This previous theory was based on Massey only interacting with Max in the teasers and trailers, leading us to believe that the captain is an apparition sent to guide Max. Although Massey interacts with the ship's employees in the first episode, he could still be some kind of guardian angel or spirit meant to look after these living passengers.

5. It's all virtual reality with real dangers

The reference to “Heaven is a Place on Earth” in the trailer could be a direct allusion to this Black mirrorThe famous “San Junipero” episode is about people who are close to death and choose between their awareness of living forever in a digital afterlife or total death. The show's creators said that the series is a modern take on the classic procedural format. It would be quite modern to have the ship's passengers be part of a virtual reality simulation that has real dangers, like if you get hurt in the game, you'll get hurt in reality too. Good thing there's a doctor on board!

There's also still the possibility that it's really just standard operating procedure on the high seas, but I think the clues in Episode 1 were too heavy for that to be true. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.

Doctor Odyssey, Thursdays, 9/8c, ABC