Joshua Jackson: ABC’s Doctor Odyssey Cruise Ship Sudser Is ‘Ryan Murphy at His Outrageous Best’
Doctor Odyssey, ABC’s new cruise ship procedural premiering this fall, is “Ryan Murphy at his outrageous, over-the-top best,” reports Joshua Jackson.
From 9-1-1 creator Murphy, Doctor Odyssey stars Fringe alum Jackson as Max, the new on-board doctor for a luxury cruise ship “where the staff works hard and plays harder,” says the ABC synopsis. “It’s all hands on deck as Max and his small but mighty medical team navigate unique medical crises and each other, miles from shore.”
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Don Johnson also stars.
Speaking with TVLine at ABC’s Upfront red carpet this week, Jackson in the video above first weighs in (best he could!) on the last-minute decision to now spell out “Dr.” in the show’s title.
With not a single frame of footage filmed yet, we then asked Jackson what tone he expects this Ryan Murphy joint to deliver.
“The word that [Ryan] first used with me is ‘sparkle,’ that everything should have a sparkle in your eye,” he shares. “The scripts are written with a lot of joy, and they’re very funny and they move very fast,” he notes, “and it’s our job as the cast to remember that this is supposed to be an entertaining and enjoyable ride every week.”
So, is Jackson playing “Doctor Odyssey”? Like, is his character’s full name Dr. Maximus Odysseus? He sets the record straight on the show’s title at the 00:55 mark above.
TVLine also spoke this week with Disney Television Group president Craig Erwich, who said he is “very excited about having Ryan [Murphy]’s next show for broadcast TV.”
As seen with 9-1-1‘s season-opening homage to The Poseidon Adventure, “What he and [showrunner] Tim [Minear] have done on 9-1-1 this year in terms of creating an event that demanded to be seen was incredible to watch, and a reminder of how powerful broadcast is for creating cultural events.”
Fronting Doctor Odyssey, “We have two massive television stars in Joshua Jackson and Don Johnson,” Erwich raved, “and I think it’s going to be the perfect blend of high-octane procedural, wish fulfillment and captivating soap.”
Does Jackson, for one, reckon that Murphy will endeavor to create a full-size cruise ship set?
“I don’t reckon,” he answers. “I’ve seen it with my own two eyes!”
Doctor Odyssey will air on Thursdays at 9/8c, between 9-1-1 and Grey’s Anatomy.
Want scoop on Doctor Odyssey, or for any other TV show ? Email [email protected], and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line!
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