Former Doctor Odyssey crew allege rampant harassment, sue Disney for retaliation and toxic work culture
A disturbing lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court has cast a shadow over Doctor Odyssey, the medical drama from 20th Television and Ryan Murphy Television, with three former crewmembers accusing Disney of allowing a workplace rife with sexual misconduct and retaliation.
Allegations of harassment and a toxic environment
Caroline Mack, Alicia Haverland, and Ava Steinbrenner allege that they endured a 'persistent and unchecked campaign' of sexual harassment while working in the props department. The complaint describes repeated verbal abuse, inappropriate touching, and retaliation after reporting the incidents to management.
Tyler Patton's conduct at the centre of the lawsuit
The plaintiffs worked under assistant prop master Tyler Patton, whose behaviour is at the centre of the complaint — though he is not listed as a defendant. According to the lawsuit, Patton created an environment where sexual comments and discomfort were routine. The suit alleges he made crude remarks, including asking aloud why one crewmember 'had not been broken yet,' and referring to another with vulgar suggestions about oral sex.
Patton is also accused of sending explicit content to colleagues under false pretences. In one incident, he allegedly sent a link appearing to reference political news. Upon clicking, recipients were redirected to a pornographic image. The plaintiffs claim Patton later joked that only his relationship with the prop master, his wife, Tammie Patton, prevented his firing.
HR complaints and claims of retaliation
The plaintiffs reported this to human resources and their union. They allege that 20th Television and Disney were aware of ongoing misconduct, including issues related to mishandling replica firearms. Patton was eventually terminated. However, the lawsuit claims that Tammie Patton retaliated by giving the women degrading tasks and threatening their job security.
According to the complaint, the entire props department, except Patton's replacement, was later dismissed under the guise of a layoff. The plaintiffs argue that this was a strategic move to silence complaints and remove any remaining ties to the controversy. They allege the department was quickly replaced with new hires for the same production.
Ongoing industry fallout
Since the incident, Mack, Haverland, and Steinbrenner state they have been unable to secure further work on Disney or 20th Television sets, effectively blacklisting them from the industry.
The lawsuit accuses Disney and its affiliates of sexual harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and negligent hiring. The plaintiffs seek unspecified damages. As of now, Disney and 20th Television have not commented.
Meanwhile, Doctor Odyssey , starring Joshua Jackson as a physician aboard a cruise ship — remains the only ABC scripted series still without a decision on its future.
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