9-1-1 is set to cross paths with Ryan Murphy’s new medical drama, but the Doctor Odyssey crossover already has disappointing news to share. Both procedurals air on the same network, with 9-1-1 season 8 returning the same night as Doctor Odyssey season 1 for their respective midseason premieres on ABC. Though both series were created by Murphy, the upcoming March 20 crossover event confirms 9-1-1 and Doctor Odyssey exist in the same universe. While exciting, the crossover won’t be as action-packed as a typical 9-1-1 episode.
In the age of giant crossover spectacles, like Abbott Elementary meeting It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, the 9-1-1 and Doctor Odyssey crossover will be surprisingly small-scale. Although this could be an intentional choice, the subtle connection between the series threatens to fall flat. Arguably the biggest concern for the 9-1-1 and Doctor Odyssey crossover is that it won’t feel like a real crossover, since only one 9-1-1 character will appear in the episode. Despite most of Doctor Odyssey‘s cast of characters likely appearing, 9-1-1 only has one person representing the entire series: Angela Bassett’s Athena Grant.
Athena Is Reportedly The Only 9-1-1 Character Appearing In The Doctor Odyssey Crossover
The Sergeant Will Team Up With The Doctor
As confirmed in the crossover announcement for 9-1-1 and Doctor Odyssey, the event will follow “Athena Grant-Nash showing up during the Odyssey’s Casino Week.” Teaming up with The Odyssey‘s Dr. Max Bankman (Joshua Jackson), Athena will help save the cruise ship from thieves who she suspects are targeting the ship’s vault. Instead of leaning into 9-1-1‘s high-intensity rescues or Doctor Odyssey‘s ridiculous medical emergencies, the crossover event instead takes a more understated approach by focusing on the long-time police sergeant.
Instead of leaning into 9-1-1‘s high-intensity rescues or Doctor Odyssey‘s ridiculous medical emergencies, the crossover event instead takes a more understated approach.
Athena being the only 9-1-1 character confirmed to appear feels surprising, but it isn’t the first time Athena has been the sole character to expand the procedural’s universe. In the grand crossover event between 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star in the latter’s second season, Athena isn’t involved (as the episode chronicles firefighters at a wildfire). Yet, Athena appears in 9-1-1: Lone Star season 3, episode 11 to arrest a caller from the Texas-based spinoff. I’ll never complain about seeing Angela Bassett work her magic, but she seems disproportionately favored for 9-1-1 crossovers.
9-1-1 Just Trapped Athena & Bobby In Season 7
The ABC Procedural Had A 3-Episode Cruise Ship Arc
The most glaring issue with Athena being the only 9-1-1 character to board Doctor Odyssey‘s luxury cruise ship is that she already had a lengthy story in 9-1-1 surrounding her experience going on a cruise with her husband, Bobby Nash (Peter Krause). Athena and Bobby board a cruise ship in 9-1-1 season 7 that quickly falls into chaos, with armed criminals, medical emergencies, and the entire boat eventually capsizing. The laborious three-episode arc is bad news for the Doctor Odyssey crossover, as 9-1-1 season 7 not only did it first; it might have done it better.
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Bobby Nash and Athena Grant are arguably the heart of 9-1-1, but the ABC procedural is overlooking an unresolved conflict in their season 8 storyline.
Out of the many near-death experiences in 9-1-1, none have gotten as much attention as Athena and Bobby on the cruise ship. It’s such a memorable storyline (for better or worse), which makes Athena being the lone 9-1-1 representative baffling because of how it sets up negative comparisons. In a way, incorporating only one 9-1-1 character into the crossover is a cop-out. The pilot season of Doctor Odyssey includes over-the-top, campy, absurdly entertaining plots that helped set it apart from other modern dramas. By forgoing 99% of the equally colorful 9-1-1 cast, Doctor Odyssey is wasting its golden opportunity.
The 9-1-1 & Doctor Odyssey Crossover Is Better Off With The 118 Appearing
If The Firefighters Were Present, It Would Be Totally New For Both Series
The true purpose of a crossover event is never to simply expand a show’s universe. While the narrative circumstances can be surprising or interesting, the selling point of a crossover is two worlds colliding, complete with bizarre combinations of character dynamics. If the 118 were to board the Odyssey, the crossover could have so much more fun by pairing up characters who could complement each other or hilariously clash. Captain Robert Nash could meet Captain Robert Massey (Don Johnson); Buck (Oliver Stark) and Tristan (Sean Teale) could form a bond; and Athena could still be present with her family.
Episodes of 9-1-1 and Doctor Odyssey are both streaming on Hulu.
Doctor Odyssey‘s ridiculous theme weeks would have been the perfect explanation for the 9-1-1 cast to board. “First Responders Week” would be a glaringly obvious vehicle for a crossover, but Doctor Odyssey has instead opted for a more grounded — if not unnecessarily modest — event. Luckily, Athena connecting the universes keeps the door open for future crossovers. 9-1-1‘s first crossover with Doctor Odyssey may not be novel, but there’s always time for the Odyssey to dock in LA and meet the rest of the team.
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9-1-1
8/10
- Release Date
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January 3, 2018
- Showrunner
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Tim Minear
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Angela Bassett
Athena Grant
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Peter Krause
Robert ‘Bobby’ Nash
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Doctor Odyssey
- Release Date
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September 26, 2024
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Joshua Jackson
Dr. Max Bankman
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Don Johnson
Captain Robert Massey
