Margo Martindale: Last News

The Love Boat premiered on ABC, a campy dramedy that followed the crew of a cruise liner as they traveled the high seas and welcomed new passengers aboard each episode.That formula—which was essentially an excuse to shepherd in eclectic guests stars and involve them in wacky hijinks week after week—was a huge hit for the network, and would go on to run for 250 episodes across nine seasons through 1986!So why then did it take nearly 50 years for television to repeat such a successful formula? (UPN’s short-lived revival The Next Wave notwithstanding.)Subscribe to our newsletter for your front-row seat to all things entertainment with a sprinkle of everything else queer.Well, thankfully Doctor Odyssey is here to sail those same waters The Love Boat once charted, but is doing so in its own ridiculous, endlessly watchable, and much more overtly queer way!The Ryan Murphy-created ABC drama has the brilliant idea to fuse the cruise-of-the-week format with a medical procedural, following on-board doctor Max (Dawson’s Creek’s Joshua Jackson, now in his daddy era) and nurses Avery (Hamilton‘s Philippa Soo) and Tristan (Reign‘s Sean Teale) as they address medical issues on the titular luxury ship The Odyssey, captained by Robert Massey (Miami Vice‘s Don Johnson).From the moment it left port, Doctor Odyssey proved it was down to get a little silly as its many sea-mergencies involved everything from a boob job gone wrong to a broken schlong to hallucinogenics-laced salt water taffy.And, in the grand tradition of The Love Boat, its constant parade of guest stars seems specifically designed to have the gays gagging.