Upamanyu Biswas
Episode 8 of ‘Doctor Odyssey,’ titled ‘Quackers,’ sees Avery facing the consequences of her threesome with Max and Tristan from a couple of episodes ago. The free-spirited nurse has a dent placed in her med-school aspirations after the reality of a potential newcomer in her life threatens to upheave all the harmony. However, personal troubles are not the only thing on the crew’s mind as the Quackers movement sprouts its legs on the Odyssey for a week. Max is particularly annoyed by the innumerable rubber ducks floating around the ship’s interiors, waiting to be found by the passengers in an annual treasure hunt game. Things get further complicated when one of the quirky Quacker followers becomes the center of this episode’s medical mystery.
Avery Confronts the Female Dilemma
The cruise starts with Avery uniting with two childhood friends who stop by the Odyssey for a week. The three immediately retire to Avery’s room and share some gossip about their lives, with most of the talk revolving around the nurse. She reveals to her friends her desire to start med school and hopefully live out a “white picket” fantasy in the future. However, during the discussion, Avery gets slightly existential and wonders whether her life on the cruise is her destiny. While her friends are somewhat baffled by her seriousness, Avery tells them quite blatantly that she is pregnant. To make matters even more complicated, the ménage à trois from two episodes ago with Max and Tristan was the conception event that led to her unplanned pregnancy.
The revelation dumbfounds her friends, who immediately start comforting her when they confirm she is telling the truth. Although they provide sound counsel, Avery realizes that her next moves have to be her own, and she has to decide what is best for her future and the future of her potential progeny. Of course, the worst part is she has her med-school dreams looming over the horizon. It seems highly improbable in her mind that she can juggle the responsibilities of motherhood while also going through the rigors of med school. She nicknames it the “female dilemma,” a problem she ponders over for most of the episode. However, it is also exacerbated by the fact that she does not know whether the father is Max or Tristan, adding to the situation’s awkwardness.
Tristan and Vivian Share Some Special Moments
After the drama from the previous episode with Avery, Tristan seems to take a backseat, enjoying a leisurely cruise alongside the Odyssey’s chef, Vivian. It has been clear for a few episodes that the two have a unique chemistry, but one that has been going nowhere because of Tristan’s inability to move on from Avery. This time around, Vivian actually puts that problematic question to Tristan, feeling like a third wheel all the time. However, so far, things have not gotten any serious between the pair, meaning that Tristan can explore his feelings for Avery and Vivian without stepping on anyone’s toes. However, it is evident that the nurse is tied up in knots over how he feels for one girl and the other. The decision might have to be made eventually, but not in this episode.
Tristan and Vivian laze around in the Odyssey’s swimming pool, which is filled to the brim with rubber ducks. Max shows up to educate the pair about the potential dangers of these rubber ducks and how they can contaminate ocean waters for decades, citing a real-life example as his evidence. He also warns them to stay away from the ducks as they are breeding grounds for bacteria and germs. Naturally, Tristan and Vivian ignore the doctor’s slightly passionate rant but fall prey to a bacterial infection almost instantly. Annoyed though he is, Tristan has to get an official diagnosis from him at the infirmary, where Max orders the nurse to take some days off for his illness. Strangely, this works out perfectly for him and Vivian, as the two infected patients spend some time together in quarantine.
The Curious Case of Jerry and Jill Manafort
In this episode, the Odyssey plays host to the Quackers movement, which, contrary to its alarming name, proves to be one of the less eccentric attractions to stop by the cruise ship. It is primarily a traditional treasure hunt game involving rubber ducks hidden around the Odyssey. The crew meets up with the Quackers United founders, Jerry and Jill Manafort, who, despite their quirky association, are not as kooky as previous episode guests. However, secrets start surfacing when Jerry Manafort falls sick due to some underlying condition unknown to his wife, Jill. When Max and Avery take him into their care, the truth starts emerging regarding Jerry’s psychological state and how it has led to a horrifying case of inanimate objects blocking his digestive system.
As it turns out, Jerry is suffering from Pica disorder, a condition that creates a craving within people for substances that have no nutritional value. Jerry has been compulsively wolfing down inanimate objects throughout the numerous cruises he and Jill have been on. The news comes as a shock to his wife, who tries to trivialize the concerns to cope with the facts. Things go from bad to worse after Max and Avery find rotten bowel in Jerry’s intestines, indicating the length of time for which his disorder has been ongoing. It underlines the deeper problems the Manaforts have been ignoring, particularly in relation to their lifestyle. While Max and Avery manage to save him in time, the couple have to find a way to address the issues in their relationship and their constant cruise vacations.
Avery Has the Talk With Max and Tristan
At the end of the episode, Avery has a frank discussion with Max and Tristan about her pregnancy. The news slightly overwhelms Max, who starts flooding Avery with his own fears and concerns about the baby. Eventually, Tristan puts a stop to his thoughts, telling him to reign himself in as it is not his responsibility nor choice to influence what Avery does with the pregnancy. Max immediately realizes that Tristan has had past experiences in this subject matter, which has allowed him to exercise a degree of knowledge and calmness in these situations. While it momentarily allays the concerns of the three, the big issue still persists about what Avery is prepared to do with the pregnancy moving forward, as it will ultimately come down to her choice.
Additionally, the crew will have to answer the difficult question of who the child’s father is. The strangeness of the conception event cannot be downplayed and is sure to cause some spiky discussions. However, ‘Doctor Odyssey’ has had some false dawns in the past, especially in relation to its big character development arcs. There is nothing to suggest that something similar might not follow. It does feel slightly different, though, considering the two massive events looming over the horizon – Avery’s medical school course and, now, her pregnancy.
