It has been three long months since Doctor Odyssey’s popular love triangle last appeared on screen. The midseason finale left viewers in suspense as Avery (Phillipa Soo) faced the consequences of her romantic involvement with Max (Joshua Jackson) and Tristan (Sean Teale).
The new episode, titled “Shark Attack!”, begins immediately with Avery dealing with an unexpected pregnancy, forcing her to make a difficult decision about her future.
Also Read: ‘Doctor Odyssey’ Episode 7 Recap: Brings Gay Week, Family Drama, and Throuple Turmoil
Avery Confronts Max About the Pregnancy
The episode opens on a peaceful beach where Max approaches Avery to talk about how badly he handled the news of her pregnancy. Avery listens but does not appreciate his approach. He expresses his desire for commitment and family, but Avery is not sure what she wants yet.
In past episodes, she considered the idea of a family, but now she feels uncertain. She firmly tells Max that she needs time and space to decide on her own.
Max struggles with her request, but Avery stands her ground. She even questions if he is the father, which adds more tension to their conversation. Before they can continue discussing, something urgent pulls their attention away. Tristan and Spencer (Marcus Emanuel Mitchell), the ship’s first officer, are surfing nearby when a dangerous event occurs.
A Shark Attack Changes Everything
While surfing, Spencer is suddenly attacked by a shark. The moment is intense as the water turns red, and Tristan rushes to help him. Max, Avery, and Tristan immediately take action. They pull Spencer onto the shore and stop the bleeding with a tourniquet. The situation is critical, and they waste no time getting him back to the Odyssey for treatment.
Captain Massey (Don Johnson) quickly makes a decision to steer the ship toward the nearest port to get Spencer medical attention. However, the journey takes an unexpected turn when the crew receives a distress call from another ship, The Flicka. Instead of heading directly to safety, they must now rescue passengers from the sunken vessel.
A Dangerous Rescue Mission
Avery stays on the Odyssey to continue treating Spencer. Meanwhile, Max and Tristan join the search team to find survivors from The Flicka. The rescue mission is intense as they discover that the sunken ship suffered a brutal shark attack. They manage to save five people, but two have severe injuries.
Among the survivors is Brooke Lane (Adrianne Palicki), the ship’s captain and a former trauma surgeon. She immediately bonds with Max as they work together to help the injured passengers. One of the victims, Brodie, has suffered two massive shark bites, leaving the team with no choice but to amputate both his arm and leg.
A High-Stakes Medical Operation
The Odyssey is not equipped for such a major operation, but the medical team gets creative. Brooke, Max, Avery, and Tristan work together to find a solution. They consult Rosie (Jacqueline Toboni), the ship’s engineer, who provides a band saw as a substitute for a bone saw. They perform the difficult surgery with precision, successfully saving Brodie’s life.
Although Brodie’s surgery is a success, Spencer’s condition continues to get worse. His body is now fighting a dangerous infection from the shark bite. Max suggests using a method doctors used during the COVID-19 pandemic. They decide to lower Spencer’s body temperature, induce a coma, and intubate him. The hope is that this will give his body a chance to recover.
Spencer agrees to the treatment and even gives permission for them to amputate his leg if necessary. However, when the treatment does not work as expected, the team considers going through with the amputation.
Tension Rises Between Max and Avery
As all of this is happening, Avery begins noticing the growing tension between Max and Brooke. The two argue throughout the episode, but after Brodie’s surgery, their dynamic shifts. Feeling relieved from the successful operation, Brooke decides to take a shower and Max offers to let her use his private bathroom.
After her shower, Brooke walks out wearing only a towel and flirts with Max. She clearly wants to celebrate after the stressful day, but Max does not seem as interested. However, before he can fully reject her, Avery walks in and sees them together. The moment is awkward and does not help Max’s situation at all.
Avery refuses to let Max explain what happened. She feels betrayed because she had just told him she needed space, yet he immediately got close to someone else. To her, this proves that his earlier talk about commitment and family was not sincere. Their argument is cut short when Spencer’s condition worsens again, forcing them to shift their focus.
A New Threat: Orcas Enter the Scene
While dealing with the shark attack victims, the crew faces another unexpected problem. Captain Massey and Brooke’s first mate learn that the sharks in the area were drawn there due to rising ocean temperatures. Warmer water makes it easier for the ship to travel faster, but it also brings new dangers.
As the Odyssey continues on its course, it heads straight into a pod of orcas. These killer whales are hunting a great white shark, and the situation turns deadly when the shark swims straight into the ship’s propeller. This angers the orcas, who now believe the Odyssey killed their prey.
Captain Massey shares a chilling story about his past. He once encountered a pod of orcas near Spain, and it was the only time he ever lost a vessel. With the ship now directly in their path, he fears history may repeat itself.
A Last-Minute Effort to Save Spencer
Spencer’s infection keeps spreading, and the team must make a bold decision. Brooke suggests using Brodie’s severed leg for tissue grafting to save Spencer’s leg. It is a risky procedure, but they decide to proceed. As they prepare for surgery, the great white shark that the orcas were hunting crashes into the ship’s propeller.
The impact causes the Odyssey’s engines to fail. Rosie works to stop a fire in the engine room, but she cannot prevent the ship from losing power. Now, the Odyssey is completely stranded in the ocean, surrounded by angry orcas who believe the ship is their enemy.
A Major Cliffhanger Ends the Episode
The episode ends on a dramatic note. Max, Avery, and Brooke must finish Spencer’s surgery in complete darkness. Meanwhile, Tristan makes a shocking discovery—one of the Flicka’s passengers, played by Rumer Willis, has suddenly died.
With the ship stranded, Spencer fighting for his life, orcas circling outside, and Avery still dealing with her personal struggles, the situation is more dangerous than ever. The episode leaves viewers with many unanswered questions and sets up intense drama for the next chapter.
New episodes of Doctor Odyssey air Thursdays at 9 PM ET on ABC and are available the next day on Hulu. Catch up on the first half of the season now!
Also Read: ‘Doctor Odyssey’ Midseason Recap: A Wild Cruise of Drama, Romance, and Medical Mayhem
