9-1-1 Crossovers With Doctor Odyssey: Why Athena Grant?

by

After debuting on ABC last year, the hit series “9-1-1” has had an unexpected crossover with “The Bachelor”, and when it returns to the 2025 TV schedule, it will share universes with another Ryan Murphy production. Much like how “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Station 19” used to have crossover episodes, the Los Angeles first responders are expected to encounter the medical team from “Doctor Odyssey“, a Ryan Murphy creation. I find myself puzzled as to why they selected this specific character for this task.

According to Variety, on March 20th, Angela Bassett is set to appear as her character Athena Grant from 9-1-1, in an episode of Doctor Odyssey titled “Casino Week”. In this episode, it seems that Athena requires the help of Dr. Max Bankman (portrayed by Joshua Jackson) to locate a pair of suspects. The synopsis suggests that:

An unanticipated visitor, Athena Grant, has her suspicions about two travelers aiming to pilfer the ship’s safe. With Max by her side, Athena increases the tension as they both engage in a perilous cat-and-mouse game, where not all players will receive a favorable outcome.

It seemed as if Doctor Odyssey was drawing inspiration from 9-1-1’s cruise ship disaster scenario, and now it appears that Ryan Murphy and team merely found an opportunity to repurpose the large roll room they created for their procedural drama. In other words, the set for the casino on the 9-1-1 event was actually built inside the roll room, and the upcoming episode of Doctor Odyssey, titled “Casino Week,” seems to be a direct echo of this setup. I’m guessing we’re in for some dramatic scenes involving moving rooms.

My main curiosity is: Why was Athena chosen as the character who joined The Odyssey following the ordeal she and Bobby (Peter Krause) experienced during Season 7 on the show 9-1-1? In its premiere on ABC, the series presented three episodes where Athena and Bobby embarked on a honeymoon cruise, but they came perilously close to drowning due to pirate attacks, bombings, and a hurricane.

Simply put, Athena is not leaving dry ground.

Was it essential that Angela Bassett become part of Joshua Jackson and Phillipa Soo’s world, or is the narrative illogical for any other character? Oliver Stark was thrilled about the possibility of crossovers with 9-1-1 moving to ABC, but maybe it wouldn’t fit Buck’s character as a firefighter to interfere with the robbery of The Odyssey’s vault.

Despite Athena’s seemingly unlikely decision to embark on another cruise this century, it’s equally questionable to criticize a Ryan Murphy show for confusing reality. This is a series where one character already suffered from iodine poisoning after consuming too much shrimp, a zombie-like sickness occurred during “Halloween Week”, and the spring premiere is teased with a two-week-long “Shark Attack!” (complete with an exclamation mark). Here’s a glimpse of the chaos:

It seems strange that Athena would go on another cruise this century, but it’s also odd to criticize a Ryan Murphy show for being unrealistic. This series has already had a character get iodine poisoning from eating too much shrimp, a zombie-like illness during “Halloween Week”, and is planning a two-week “Shark Attack!” event in the spring (yes, with an exclamation point). Check out this sneak peek:

It seems that fans of Doctor Odyssey are in for some exciting times, although I must admit I’m puzzled by Athena being picked for another cruise catastrophe. But honestly, who am I to object when it means more Angela Bassett? 9-1-1 will be back on ABC at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 6, and may pave the way for the upcoming Doctor Odyssey crossover airing at 9 p.m. ET. Both shows can be streamed with a Hulu subscription.

Read More

2025-02-21 07:37