As Doctor Odyssey’s Fate Hangs in the Balance, Joshua Jackson Thanks John Oliver for Viral Season 2 Renewal Plea

The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Joshua Jackson on the red carpet for his new film Karate Kid: Legends Tuesday, and asked the star for his reaction to the viral Last Week Tonight segment wherein Oliver pleaded with ABC to renew Ryan Murphy’s seafaring soap for Season 2.

“If I was more proficient at Instagram, I would have plastered that everywhere,” Jackson said. “I should probably still do that because thank you, John Oliver. Whether they pick us up or not, I kind of feel like my career can end now because I got a shout out… like I’ve made it now that I made it on the John Oliver show.”

In the aforementioned segment, which originally aired May 18, Oliver railed against ABC for dragging its feet on a Season 2 pickup for Jackson’s primetime soap.

“I actually agree [with President Donald Trump] that ABC should be embarrassed — not for that entirely legitimate question [about accepting a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from the royal family of Qatar], but for the fact that, as of this taping, they still haven’t renewed Doctor Odyssey for Season 2,” Oliver pointed out. “What the f–k are you doing, ABC? It’s sexy ER on a boat! It’s The Pitt with sharks! It’s got — and I’m not even going to try and beat their tagline on this — ‘big deck energy.’”

After showing his studio audience a clip from the Doctor Odyssey pilot, wherein the series’ central throuple rush to the room of a cruiser with a broken penis, Oliver asked, “How is ABC renewing shows called The Rookie and Will Trent — whose premise is apparently just, ‘despite being dyslexic, he’s become a Special Agent in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’ — but they haven’t renewed the only show brave enough to answer the question, ‘What if sick, but boat?’

“I shouldn’t complain about the other shows,” Oliver continued, as he attempted to keep his composure. “I shouldn’t care that a show called and about a rookie is returning for its premise-defying eighth season, and I don’t begrudge any audience members for sticking around to find out if their favorite characters will or won’t Trent. All I’m saying is, ABC’s The View has been on since 1997, and Doctor Hot Boat is still in limbo.

“You’re a disgrace, ABC!” the HBO comedian exclaimed. “Your network is a disaster!”

Ahead of the series’ freshman finale, TVLine asked Disney Television Group president Craig Erwich where things stand with the network’s renewal/cancellation decision, and when fans might expect one. As seen with the unveiling of ABC’s fall schedule, “Doctor Odyssey is not on our schedule currently,” he answered. “We’re in talks with [series creator] Ryan [Murphy], and we really look to him about what the next chapter might be.”

Alas, as of press time, a decision still has not been made.