ABC Cancels Ryan Murphy's Medical Drama 'Doctor Odyssey' After One Season

The network has removed the show from its lineup, confirming the series will not return for a second season.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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ABC has officially canceled the medical drama series "Doctor Odyssey" created by Ryan Murphy. The show, which followed the staff of a luxury cruise ship dealing with weekly medical emergencies, aired its first and only season in 2024 but has now been removed from the network's lineup, confirming it will not be returning for a second season.

Why it matters

"Doctor Odyssey" was seen as an ambitious and unique medical drama concept from the prolific producer Ryan Murphy, known for his creative and provocative television shows. Its cancellation after just one season is a disappointment for fans of the series and raises questions about the challenges of launching new, unconventional shows on traditional broadcast networks.

The details

"Doctor Odyssey" starred Joshua Jackson as the lead and featured a bold, procedural format that mixed medical emergencies with personal storylines. While the show posted decent ratings and had a dedicated cult following, it struggled to win over a wider audience. ABC had maintained that the series was not canceled and was simply waiting on Ryan Murphy to decide its future, but the network has now officially removed it from its lineup, confirming the show will not be returning.

  • "Doctor Odyssey" aired its first and only season in 2024.
  • The show was removed from ABC's lineup in February 2026.

The players

Ryan Murphy

A prolific television producer known for creative and provocative shows such as "9-1-1" and "American Horror Story".

Joshua Jackson

The lead actor of "Doctor Odyssey" who played the role of Max Bankman.

ABC

The television network that aired "Doctor Odyssey" for one season in 2024 before canceling the series.

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The takeaway

The cancellation of "Doctor Odyssey" after just one season highlights the challenges that even acclaimed producers like Ryan Murphy can face when trying to launch unconventional new shows on traditional broadcast networks. While the series had a dedicated fanbase, it ultimately struggled to attract a wider audience, leading ABC to pull the plug on the medical drama.