Entertainment

'American Odyssey' Has Enough Story For More

by Kayla Hawkins

Bad news, American Odyssey fans hoping for more of their favorite show: Season 1 is coming to a close, and ratings are at an all-time low. But the news does not have to be bad, because there's plenty of ways NBC could use American Odyssey Season 2. The network seems to be trying to extend its TV season farther into summer, so that's a point in the show's favor. TV can always use more heroines, especially those that defy stereotypes, like Odelle, who is a combat veteran. And finally, NBC could use the show's renewal to break its "Nothing But Cancelled" reputation, built on series that start with big ratings, but end with nothing, and critically beloved but low-rated shows like Hannibal.

And the network's had its fair share of bombs so far this year. Remember The Slap? Actually, I'm sorry that I ever reminded you of The Slap. Now back to the point at hand: American Odyssey didn't quite set the TV audience on fire, but it's also not an instant joke. There is some potential in the idea of a second season, even though the rest of the characters just found out Odelle is still alive. While the show's source material, The Odyssey, keeps that reveal for the very end, Odysseus' journey has plenty of other twists and turns that American Odyssey could try to adapt for another season if it defies expectations and is renewed.

The Slaying Of The Sacred Cows

In the book, Odysseus and his men kill cows belonging to the god Apollo, drawing his wrath. Wrath = conflict, which would drive more American Odyssey episodes. Of course, this would be a far more metaphorical sacred cow on the NBC series.

The Child Goes Digging

One of the biggest subplots in the original epic was Osysseus' son, Telemachus, going on his own journey to find out the story of his father. Odelle has a daughter, so I'd love to see a gender-swapped version where Suzanne starts becoming an amateur detective dedicated to unraveling some of the SOC mystery.

The Phaeacian Account

To mirror when Odysseus tells much of his story in flashback, maybe the whole season could be told in flashback, as Luc and Odelle or Peter recount how they got themselves deeper into the corporate conspiracy to a lawyer or on the Senate floor.

Capture By Calypso

Odelle has moved quickly though many locations, but one of the hallmarks of the Odyssey is that he was trapped or elected to stay in several places for long periods of time. She doesn't have to be seduced by a nymph, but why not captured or bribed instead?

The Hero's Disguise

For a large portion of the end of the Odyssey, Odysseus is in disguise as an old man. While, again, the show would need to find a version that works better for the adaptation, I'd like to see another season where Odelle is on the run, but instead of trying to convince people she's alive, she'll be trying to convince people that she's someone else.

The Suitors

It would be pretty terrible to have to watch Jim True-Frost's Ron, Odelle's husband, be pursued by a group of women who desperately want to marry him, but who knows, maybe taking a hard turn into sex farce territory for Season 2 would be an interesting and surprising turn for American Odyssey.

Images: Eric Liebowitz/NBC (7)