What Does That Huge Pregnancy Twist Mean for the 'Doctor Odyssey' Trio?

In the eight episodes that have aired already, Doctor Odyssey has proven that it’s not afraid to test the limits. The Ryan Murphy show has featured all kinds of shocking medical ailments and wild guests that have come aboard. The series pushed the envelope even further in Episode 6 when its three main characters, Dr. Max Bankman (Joshua Jackson), Nurse Practitioner Avery Morgan (Phillipa Soo), and Nurse Tristan Silva (Sean Teale), all engaged in a steamy hookup. The subsequent episode seemed like it was going to head in the direction of making the trio an official throuple, but both men ended up backing out, claiming that they didn’t really want to share Avery after all. Then Doctor Odyssey‘s writers decided to throw one more plot twist into the mix.

Avery Has a Big Announcement on ‘Doctor Odyssey’

In Episode 8, Avery notices that she’s having some odd symptoms (like being disgusted by certain smells). She takes a pregnancy test, which comes back positive. This turn of events would be shocking enough, but then Avery realizes that she has no clue which of her two paramours is the father. She decides to tell them both about this major development, and their reactions couldn’t be more different.

Max jumps right into a rational, problem-solving mode (even mentioning that Avery can take a paternity test during the pregnancy), while Tristan has a much more respectful approach. He reminds Max that it is 100 percent Avery’s choice in how she wants to move forward (or whether she even wants to keep the baby). Tristan also reassures her that they’ll figure it out together and that they’re both there for her no matter what. But Avery’s pregnancy brings up a ton of questions about the fate of the trio.

I Think if We’re Thirsting Over Hot Doctors Again, It’s Proof That TV Has Never Been More Back

I need a glass of water. STAT!

Where Will ‘Doctor Odyssey’ Go From Here?

The biggest question for the series now revolves around whether Avery will keep the baby or not. If she decides not to have a baby, things can pretty much go back to the way they were on the Odyssey (throuple or not). But if Avery decides to have the child, would that mean she has to give up her dream of med school and becoming a doctor? Would she actually be able to raise a child while working on the Odyssey? And how would the question of paternity play out?

Max and Tristan would be very different fathers (with completely different parenting styles), so the path of the child’s life could vary depending on who’s actually the dad. There’s also the possibility that Avery would feel compelled to partner up with whomever is the father, which could leave one of the men in the lurch. And how would either Max or Tristan react to actually becoming a father? Could they just accept this major life change, or would it cause some issues for them? In the end, the pregnancy and the child itself will definitely have a major impact on the crew working on the cruise ship.

This pregnancy storyline also brings up an interesting idea related to the fan theory that the people on the Odyssey are actually all really in a dream state (trapped between life and death). If this is really Murphy’s vision for the show, how would a pregnancy play into that? Could new life actually be created in purgatory? There’s a chance that this twist pokes holes in this theory, but there’s also a possibility that the pregnancy is presenting clues to an overall theory that fans just haven’t even deciphered yet. Maybe there’s some other element of a dream world that has yet to be revealed. It’s true that the Odyssey is a place for hedonism and freedom of expression, so perhaps the pregnancy storyline will somehow fit into a larger plot explaining why these characters have all been drawn together.

The series won’t pick back up until the winter break is over on March 6, so there will be plenty of time to ponder what Avery is going to do about her pregnancy until then. Will she sacrifice having a family in order to continue pursuing her dream career? Will she choose to partner up with Max or Tristan, depending on the paternity of the baby? Will this pregnancy drive a wedge between the trio that can’t be repaired? No matter how the series decides to play out this storyline, this is definitely an exciting time for speculation right now about the future of the Odyssey’s crew.

Doctor Odyssey will return on March 6, 2025, on ABC. Until then, the first eight episodes of Season 1 are available to stream on Hulu.