Joshua Jackson stars as Dr. Nice Guy at Sea

“Welcome aboard the Odyssey.”

On Wednesday, Ryan Murphy, Jon Robin Baitz and Joe Baken challenged audiences to explore the macabre with their FX horror series “Grotesquerie.” Shifting gears to the brighter side of humanity, the same series creators premiered a new medical drama called Doctor Odyssey the following night. Joshua Jackson plays Dr. in the lead role. Max Bankman. His Yale-trained doctor is tasked with treating medical emergencies aboard a luxury cruise ship.

In the first few minutes of the show's premiere, Dr. Bankman is introduced to Smokey Robinson's “Cruisin'” as he gets dressed for his first day on the job. Taking on a new job can often be an intimidating undertaking, but this doctor likes to wear Hawaiian shirts and you just know he's laid back. Post-COVID, he moves through the next phase of his life by boarding the Odyssey, a beautifully designed and sophisticated cruise ship full of honeymooners and vacationing retirees.

The Good Doctor's staff may be small, but it's certainly powerful, as its new medical offices resemble a top-notch hospital with a few caveats. There's nurse/obvious lovesick Avery (Phillipa Soo), who works with nurse Tristan (Sean Teale), a competitive and egotistical young man whose heart is set on Avery. All three report to Captain Robert Massey (Don Johnson), a respected man who asks his staff to take on the role of guardian angels for the guests who come aboard.

Dr. Bankman easily transitions from country doctor to one of the greatest medics to ever set sail on the high seas. Initially, several notable emergencies require his watchful eye and skills, including a guest who ate too much shrimp, resulting in iodine poisoning. As the series premiere progresses, however, the medical cases increase and it becomes clear that the restrictions of the atmosphere on a cruise ship do not meet the high standards that Dr. Bankman is used to this due to his previous surgical experience.

Doctor Odyssey is portrayed as a typical medical procedural drama, but when it comes to executive producer and co-creator Murphy, none of his series can ever be described as typical. Jackson sheds some of the nastier roles he's built up on his resume in recent years (“Dr. Death,” “Fatal Attraction”) and steps into the new era of “Dr. Nice Guy”. As Dr. Bankman is Jackson's effortlessly charming, personable and quick on his feet, urging his audience to embrace the journey of work-life balance at sea.

And boy, does he look good in white pants.

The chemistry between Jackson and Soo makes this series premiere captivating as the two get to know each other while drinking on exotic beaches. Your characters live in a floating circus, and in a small moment of intimacy, the doctor shares some traumatic experiences with his nurse, adding depth to a man looking for adventure while showcasing his dance moves. There are moments in the series where the drama is in full swing, particularly when someone says the terrifying words “man overboard” while navigating the waters of ease.

Comparisons are inevitable between Doctor Odyssey and The Love Boat, as each episode promises new guests and new medical problems for Jackson's character to solve. The premiere gave us an underused Rachel Dratch, but the series promises more prominent cast members like Shania Twain, John Stamos, Kelsea Ballerini, and frequent Murphy collaborators Chord Overstreet and Cheyenne Jackson in future guest roles.

“The body is a miraculous healing machine,” notes Dr. Bankman tells Avery, drawing attention to the many situations he faced in his distinguished medical career. But everything about “Dr. Odyssey” has so far stuck to the surface of the glamorous life on a cruise ship, where anything can happen at any time. The series starts strong, but it will be fascinating to see where the good doctor takes his patients as the season progresses.

“Doctor Odyssey” airs Thursdays on ABC and streams the next day on Hulu.