Recap: "Casino Week" Brings Angela Bassett into the World of "Doctor Odyssey"

“Casino Week" is simultaneously my favorite and least favorite episode of the series thus far. Favorite as the 9-1-1 crossover allowed Angela Bassett to board the ship of (possibly COVID induced) dream and give the show a sense of gravitas it doesn't deserve. Least favorite due to the fact that everything else was a steaming pile of garbage.

Let’s get the most superfluous conversations out of the way first: Max, Tristan, and Avery are on light speaking terms, but these adults can’t have a cohesive conversation to save their lives. Max is wanting to commit to Avery, Avery seems fully committed to Tristan, and Tristan wants to commit murder towards Max. An illuminati triangle of people who need therapy. After vague looks throughout the episode, “Casino Week" ends with Max saying he’s all-in on Avery and the baby. However, in typical Avery fashion, she beats around the bush and ends up stating that she will be having the baby. Tristan looks on in dismay, because anytime Max and Avery have a chat he seemingly combusts.

With that garbage out of the way, Angela Bassett (I know her character name is Athena, but it’s Angela Bassett) ends up on the ship being trapped in a housekeeping closet that is, apparently, unable to be opened from the inside. Smart. For those familiar with 9-1-1, she previously had an apocalyptic cruise experience, so being stuck onboard another floating trauma trap is not ideal. However, she is under the care of a staff and Captain who wants to make sure she feels safe and comfortable.

Bassett is on the hunt for a “Bonnie and Clyde" duo who are embellishing and grifting tons of jewelry and cash. However, that hunt is quickly put on pause as a fashion montage occurs. A cabin neighbor, who happens to be an elderly woman, joins the festivities trying to enjoy the ship while her grandson remains stuck playing video games next door. This woman then becomes the toast of the staff, regaling the group with stories, buttering them up with compliments, and so on. Unfortunately, one night at the blackjack table, she has a seizure, sending her to the infirmary for a spell.

Lo and behold: this is all part of the woman’s plan. She is there to distract in big ways as she and her grandson work to steal diamonds and create fakes. It’s a pretty decent scheme (especially since he manages to board the ship with a 3D printer??), but it ultimately leads to being detained and picked up via helicopter by the FBI. Max and Angela Bassett work together to solve this case, noticing clues along the way. Cool. Rad. Sure.

For recap posterity sake, elsewhere the episode finds a possible suspect accidentally showcasing a wicked nickel allergy, a gambling man who experiences a blood clot from sitting at the slots for too long, and a sweet twenty-something trying to have one last hoorah as she deals with her late stage heart failure. Luckily, she gets a heart transplant call mid-cruise and is able to hitch a ride with the convicts on the helicopter back to land. Good for her!

9-1-1 took the front seat this episode, allowing for the mystery to take over for the usual medical emergencies. In the grand scheme, absolutely nothing happened. Yet, maybe the real purpose of the episode was to thank the Angela Bassetts we’ve met along the way.