In the first few weeks since Doctor Odyssey‘s embarkation on ABC, the medical dramedy has already tackled a bevy of quirky theme weeks for the crew to navigate. So far, we’ve seen week-long cruises dedicated to singles, plastic surgery patients, wellness gurus, Halloween, and a wedding, and coming up are Gay Week and a cruise dedicated to rubber duck obsessives.
If this theme trend continues — and there’s no reason to think it won’t — the creators are going to have a lot of theme ideas to think up. And we’re here to offer a few humble suggestions beyond the usual prom night themes like masquerade ball and under the sea and casino night.
Murder Mystery Week
Step aside, Death on the Nile. It’s time for Murder on the Odyssey. Murder mystery parties are usually limited to a single night with just a handful of people gathering in a mansion for some bloody good fun. But expanding that concept to an entire ship full of passengers and crewmembers who are being “murdered” one by one throughout an entire week would be next-level.
Titanic Week
Yes, it sounds a bit morbid, but when it comes to big boats, the people simply want to hit the nose of the boat, cuddle with their loved one, and shout those immortal words, “I’m the king of the world!” Allowing people to cosplay as Jack and Rose — y’know, without the tragic ending — would be full-on fan service that only a cruise liner could pull off.
Petting Zoo Week
It could get messy (and in the real world, there are probably lots of laws against it, but this is television), but turning the Odyssey into a roving petting zoo would definitely spark the kind of quirky health catastrophes our favorite medics love to grapple with.
Gamers Only Week
What happens when you mix a thousand video game nerds with the high seas? Well, we sure would like to find out! The trick would be to make sure there aren’t any computers or systems in their rooms so they’ll have to venture out into the sunshine from time to time.
Grand Ole Opry Week
Yee-haw! Country music legends and fans colliding for a week of square dancing and do-si-doing around the decks would be a twangy trip. (The show has already featured Shania Twain and Kelsea Ballerini, so the producers clearly already have an in with the industry.)
Escape Room Week
What if the passengers all had to use their wits and beat the clock to get out of their own rooms? And what if the dining hall doors suddenly shut and required all of the patrons to work together to find a way out? Escape rooms are ultimate icebreakers, so people would become fast friends (or enemies) with this theme.
Superhero Convention Week
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s cosplayers gone wild! Imagine Comic-Con but with an oceanic bent. How many Aquaman and Mera couples would we see? The possibilities are endless.
Crossover Week
ABC is big into the crossover game right now — with the latest being a mash-up of Abbott Elementary with It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia — so what if the medical crew on the Odyssey had to share tools and talent with other famous doctors from the network’s repertoire. Could a collision with a ferry boat bring them all to Grey Sloan? Could a brush with a barge land them in the 9-1-1 crew’s orbit? It could happen.
Doctor Odyssey, Thursdays, 9/8c, ABC