Physician Odyssey Season 1, Episode 4 Evaluation: ‘Wellness Week’

Each week, Physician Odyssey welcomes a novel group of friends on board. Episode 4, ‘Wellness Week,’ was much more distinctive than we imagined. One would assume per week devoted to wellness would have no points, however not on this ship. There have been an entire host of issues to cope with, from friends getting sick to having to trip out what may have been a catastrophic occasion. Let’s unpack all that went down onboard The Odyssey.

Bethany (Amy Sedaris) is a well-known wellness guru with 10.2 million followers. She has a contract with the Odyssey to deliver all her wellness seekers on for per week full of bizarre blue smoothies, rectal machines, and all of the lip lotions you will get. This week, we realized that Avery is all about Wellness Week, in contrast to Plastic Surgical procedure Week. Actually, like Max was having a fanboy second over the “Human Ken” (RIP), she is falling throughout herself to see Agnes Simkin (Kate Berlant), some psychic chick who we predict sucks and has a horrible angle. This was in all probability the primary episode with us yelling on the TV, “Shut up, Agnes.”

That outdated saying, “By no means meet your heroes,” couldn’t be extra correct on this state of affairs as a result of Avery rapidly learns that Agnes isn’t as nice as she thought. The primary time they meet, Agnes refers to Avery as somebody who “works for the enemy” as a result of she’s a nurse, and apparently, all nurses and docs are all about massive pharma and don’t care concerning the well-being of their sufferers. Avery takes offense to this, and rightfully so. However Agnes rapidly learns that her little wellness smoothies aren’t so nice after she develops points together with her liver. Watching Max and Avery work to assist her was annoying. She was one of many worst sufferers to deal with, and contemplating what else occurred on the ship, that’s saying one thing.

As Avery and Max are dealing with the care of the sufferers, Tristan, who was voluntold, is working within the kitchen to make sure the uncooked meat menu Bethany needed was being dealt with appropriately by the visitor chef Vivian Montgomery (Laura Harrier). There’s a right away attraction between the 2 of them the primary time they meet, and it solely grows. That appears to hassle Avery, which is odd as a result of, as Tristan factors out in a confrontation the 2 have later within the episode, she rejected him. To not point out, she’s getting nearer to Max proper in entrance of Tristan’s eyes. So, we’re not sure if Avery actually is aware of what she desires in that relationship. However now that Captain Massey has employed Vivivan to complete the remainder of the season (No shock there), issues will get much more attention-grabbing for the love triangle. Or is it now a sq.? We didn’t get the sense that Max was into Vivian, however solely time will inform. 4 folks spending all that point collectively on a ship will get attention-grabbing.

We sit up for assembly new characters on Physician Odyssey each week, however truthfully, it was so good to lastly see extra of the folks behind the ship. Those that work so onerous to maintain The Odyssey operating easily out on the excessive seas. Do not forget that image we confirmed you within the preview for episode 4 that had Captain Massey sitting at a desk enjoying a pleasant recreation of strip poker? Effectively, that is some bonding time for the crew. In the course of the recreation, we get launched to a couple extra crew members. First Officer Spencer, we already met in episode 2, ‘Singles Week,’ however this time, we received to fulfill Rosie, the engineer. And in keeping with Captain Massey, she’s probably the greatest. We’re inclined to agree after the way in which she saved it collectively and maintained her calm regardless of the loopy hurricane the crew needed to get by means of. Captain Massey trusts her with every little thing he has. As we mentioned, he runs a good ship. As a matter of reality, everybody is comparatively calm. They couldn’t afford to lose their calm when certainly one of their very own was dealing with a medical emergency. All whereas attempting to maintain the ship from happening in a hurricane.

One factor about Max, Avery, and Tristan is that they’re a fantastic staff. That they had one medical case after the opposite and dealt with every with out even blinking a watch. However, when the affected person grew to become Avery, who wanted an emergency appendectomy, that calm slipped somewhat. That’s comprehensible, although, as a result of Max and Tristan needed to function whereas Captain Massey and his staff have been driving by means of the waves. Captain Massey takes some unorthodox measures and does one thing referred to as “trough using.” It’s purported to be a method to purchase them time to permit Max and Tristan to finish Avery’s operation. It was in all probability one of many tensest TV moments to look at. As Captain Massey and co are all targeted on holding the ship afloat and the passengers secure, Max and Tristan start to function.

The process, which ought to be easy, turns into Max’s most difficult case. As he and Tristan try to finish the process, the ship rocks forwards and backwards, they usually should maintain on to Avery to maintain her safe. Oh, they usually even have to guard the devices from falling on the ground and keep a sterile subject as a result of if something falls, it’s instantly contaminated. Max can get Avery’s appendix out, however due to the way in which they’re being tossed round within the ship, he’s unable to maintain clamp on her, and he or she begins to have some uncontrollable bleeding. That’s, after all, mounted, however then Max has issue sealing Avery’s wound. Tristan steps in and sews her proper up in a second that had us asking if he was additionally purported to go to high school to grow to be a health care provider. The extra time we spend with these three, the extra we study them, and after that, we’re much more interested in Tristan and what he desires for himself. Does he need to keep a Nurse? Or does he actually need to be a health care provider?

Physician Odyssey has been holding us engaged because the pilot episode. Whereas the medical circumstances are distinctive (Bethany contracting copper poisoning attributable to her consumption of uncooked meat and a visitor getting a punctured lung from acupuncture needles), the collection retains us invested due to the relationships being shaped. Avery, Tristan, and Max have grow to be a household of types. When conflicts come up, they sort out them head-on. Max knew one thing was up with Avery and Tristan, and he made them squash it as a result of he didn’t need anybody taking no matter beef that they had into the medical suite. They’re all there to do a job. And that job is to guard the passengers, which implies placing all of the mess apart. Physician Odyssey is an excellent present that delivers surprising moments each week. We don’t know what else is in retailer with this collection, however we all know there’s nonetheless way more drama to return.

Different Nautical Ideas

• I liked Captain Massey’s dialog the place he schooled Rosie on the realness of worldwide warming. He’s received years of ship navigation below his belt, so belief the skilled.
• “I forecast smiles, clean crusing, and sunny skies.” Captain Massey saying this was the equal of Nurses saying “It positive is quiet on the unit right now.” That’s asking for hassle.
• Avery received the scholarship! woo-hoo!!
• Sean Teale’s accent is pleasant.
• I would like to begin paying extra consideration to The Odyssey’s walkway because the friends are coming in as a result of I simply seen it adjustments primarily based on the theme for the week. Wellness week having capsules floating round was an odd alternative contemplating so lots of the friends have been so towards “Huge Pharma.”
• ”Bethany telling Max his aura was a crimson bloody shadow… Ouch. We realized why she was seeing that aura, however nonetheless… ouch.
• Uncooked crimson meat and sushi should not the identical.
• Judy (Margaret Cho) and Agnes’ beef was petty. So petty. However once more, Agnes is annoying so I’d in all probability need to combat her too.
• So, First Officer Spencer spent the primary half of the storm excessive off a shroom-laced piece of taffy.
• “You’re larger than Snoop DO double G.”
• We love that Max took cost to get Avery to the infirmary regardless of her protestations. As we mentioned, medical professionals make the worst sufferers. However Max made it clear they don’t self-diagnose. They get handled like anybody else in want of medical care.
• Ahh, the outdated “Seize and stab” Bethany positively wanted that dose of Ativan.
• Max making that request to Captain Massey to have 20 minutes of calm seas so he may function on Avery had us saying, “Yeah… that’s not gonna occur.”
• Worst Wellness Week EVER.
• Captain Massey ending the wellness week contract was the finest choice ever. He doesn’t want that sort of drama anymore.

Physician Odyssey airs on Thursday nights on ABC.