A legal battle has erupted involving former crew members of the medical drama "Doctor Odyssey," who have taken legal action against 20th Television and its parent company, Disney. The plaintiffs, Caroline Mack, Alicia Haverland, and Ava Steinbrenner, allege that they endured pervasive sexual harassment and faced retaliation after reporting misconduct to management. This lawsuit uncovers a troubling workplace culture centered around inappropriate behavior from supervisors, leading to wrongful terminations and claims of blacklisting within the industry.
The case revolves around allegations concerning assistant prop master Tyler Patton and his wife Tammie Patton, who oversaw the props department. According to the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Tyler Patton subjected female employees to relentless unwelcome advances, explicit comments, and degrading treatment. His actions reportedly included texting pornographic content, physically invading personal space, and fostering an environment where crude humor was normalized. Despite prior knowledge of similar incidents involving Patton during his tenure at Universal Network Television, it appears that insufficient measures were taken to prevent further harm.
In one particularly egregious instance cited in the complaint, Tyler Patton allegedly referred to a crew member using derogatory language and made sexually suggestive remarks toward her. Another incident involved questioning colleagues about why someone hadn't been exploited romantically or otherwise. These actions created significant discomfort among those working under him.
Beyond individual transgressions, the lawsuit accuses management of mishandling complaints regarding replica firearms used on set—an issue separate yet indicative of broader systemic failures. Following reports to human resources and unions confirming awareness of these issues, Tyler Patton's employment ended abruptly. However, this did not stop alleged retaliatory actions by Tammie Patton against whistleblowers, including assigning demeaning tasks designed to provoke resignation. Eventually, most of the original props team was dismissed, replaced swiftly with new hires, suggesting deliberate efforts to erase traces of ongoing employee-relations problems tied directly to the Pattons' conduct.
The repercussions extend beyond immediate dismissals; plaintiffs contend they now face industry-wide exclusion preventing them from securing future roles within 20th Television or Disney projects. Their lawsuit seeks compensation for damages resulting from sexual harassment, unlawful termination practices, negligent hiring processes, and other related grievances.
This development casts a shadow over "Doctor Odyssey," a first-season series produced by Ryan Murphy Television starring Joshua Jackson as a shipboard doctor. As uncertainty looms regarding its continuation, questions arise concerning accountability mechanisms within production environments to safeguard worker dignity amidst creative pursuits.