Warning: SPOILERS for Doctor Odyssey episode 10.Doctor Odyssey’s luxury cruise ship. Along with Nurse Practitioner Avery Morgan (Phillipa Soo) and Nurse Tristan Silva (Sean Teale), the Odyssey’s medical team navigate unique emergencies that arise on the cruise ship and in the nearby port destinations. Although Doctor Odyssey is primarily a medical drama, the three coworkers have engaged in less-than-professional proceedings in the procedural’s pilot season.

Doctor Odyssey began the infamous love triangle by having Avery kiss Max, Avery kiss Tristan, and Avery, Max, and Tristan kiss each other across three separate episodes. From Doctor Odyssey episode 1 to Doctor Odyssey episode 6, the drama introduces every possible romantic combination of the three characters (save for Max and Tristan). While the trio are meant to be the level-headed group of medical professionals in the throes of Doctor Odyssey’s ridiculous theme weeks, their fickle affections and dramatic conflicts make them seem guided by their overwhelming emotions more than the Hippocratic Oath.

Doctor Odyssey Episode 10 Revives Max, Avery, & Tristan's Love Triangle By Making It More Complicated

Somehow, Avery Decides She Wants Tristan

Since three out of four of Doctor Odyssey’s main cast of characters were thrown into a love triangle, their romantic conflict has been inescapable. Following a spur-of-the-moment threesome in Doctor Odyssey episode 6, Avery discovers she’s pregnant but is unsure about what she wants to do. Doctor Odyssey’s midseason return implied that Avery and Max were over, only for Avery to be jealous later that episode of Max flirting with Dr. Brooke Lane (Adrianne Palicki). Though Avery clearly has unresolved feelings for Max, she makes the confounding decision to turn to Tristan for affection.

Out of every combination explored, it seemed as if Tristan and Avery were the least probable outcome. Tristan had a much healthier love interest in Vivian (Laura Harrier), Avery never seemed to take him seriously, and the “love” Tristan professed for Avery never seemed believable as anything other than a schoolboy crush. Yet, Doctor Odyssey episode 10 includes Avery insisting she never realized what she had in front of her, and Avery kisses Tristan during the power outage. What could have been an impulsive move is doubled-down at the end, when Tristan and Avery plan to go on a date.

Avery's Abrupt Decision To Go To Med School Means The Love Triangle Is Pointless

If She's Serious About Leaving, Romance Is Inconsequential

Aside from her surprise pregnancy, Avery had a subplot in the first half of Doctor Odyssey season 1 focused on her goal of going to medical school. Avery even earns a scholarship that would lead to her eventually becoming the Odyssey’s main doctor, but the pregnancy complicates her decision. Whether Avery would still go to med school was one of the biggest unanswered questions in Doctor Odyssey, but episode 10 implies she’s made her mind up. When Avery s Brooke to accompany their patients off the cruise ship, Avery asks Brooke if she has advice about going to med school.

If Avery is truly planning on going to medical school, there’s no reason for Doctor Odyssey to continue exploring the love triangle. Committing to med school would mean leaving the Odyssey until she finishes her M.D. program, and Avery would have no time to deal with the drama of Tristan and Max constantly playing tug-of-war over her companionship. That said, Avery’s character in Doctor Odyssey is known to be indecisive and, at times, hypocritical. It’s possible that Avery may have asked Brooke about med school but will choose not to go by the end of Doctor Odyssey season 1.

Doctor Odyssey Has Better Stories To Tell Than Be Stuck In An Unnecessary Love Drama

The Love Triangle Makes Doctor Odyssey Feel Like A Bad Soap Opera

With only 10 episodes under its belt, Doctor Odyssey has introduced romances for every main character and laid the foundation to explore even more. However, just because Doctor Odyssey can have a new couple every episode doesn’t mean Doctor Odyssey should. The medical procedural’s greatest charm is its camp factor, with the silly themes and fun guest stars adding a layer of levity to the emergencies. Even if Doctor Odyssey doesn’t want to lean into an upbeat tone, the high-octane rescues and action-packed adventures would benefit from not being weighed down by unnecessarily complex romance.

Just because Doctor Odyssey can have a new couple every episode doesn’t mean Doctor Odyssey should.

If Doctor Odyssey is renewed for season 2, the medical drama needs to take a long, hard look at the flimsy identity it has formed for itself in the first 10 episodes alone. All characters have flaws, but Doctor Odyssey should have characters that don’t constantly contradict themselves. All procedurals have conflict, but Doctor Odyssey should abandon its melodramatic storylines. All medical dramas have surgery, but Doctor Odyssey should decide whether it’s a grit-and-gore series or a patient-first program. Doctor Odyssey can definitely still succeed, but cutting its love triangle loose would be the best place to start.

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Doctor Odyssey continues Thursday on ABC.