In the suit, filed in California on Friday, the plaintiffs say they weren’t pleased with Patton’s hiring as a similar suit had already been filed against him for his behavior on the set of House in 2010. Patton allegedly went on to hire some of his “male buddies” from House, all of whom the plaintiffs claim created “an unlawful den of sexual harassment and retaliation” on the Doctor Odyssey set. The unwanted practices allegedly included physical harassment through “unwanted, lingering hugs,” touching one of the plaintiff’s thighs, and “openly grabbing a visiting employee’s buttocks on set.” The assistant prop master also allegedly verbally harassed the plaintiffs by making frequent, unwanted comments about BDSM, and subjected them to “significant sexualized visual conduct” including obscene gestures and clothing featuring provocative images and statements.
The plaintiffs claim that Tammie Patton ignored their complaints about her husband and other male props employees. The production allegedly fired Tyler Patton two weeks after the plaintiffs complained, but quickly replaced him with a new assistant prop master named Don Bracken, whom the suit identifies as “a friend of the Pattons.” Bracken then began to retaliate against the plaintiffs, allegedly telling them “there’s no shame in quitting” and demoting them to tasks they considered “demeaning.” Shortly thereafter, the plaintiffs claim the entire props department was fired to save Bracken, who never worked directly with Tyler Patton.
Mack, Haverland, and Steinbrenner now allege that they have “suffered and will continue to suffer pain and suffering, extreme and severe mental anguish and emotional distress, as well as economic damages including the loss of past and future earnings and benefits” as a result of the Pattons “unlawful conduct.” The suit seeks damages “in amounts to be proven at trial.”
Doctor Odyssey is currently in limbo at ABC without a slot for season two on the fall schedule. “I really love Doctor Odyssey, I think it’s a wildly inventive show, and we’re doing everything we can to support it,” Disney TV Studios president Eric Schrier told Deadline in a May 1 article. “That decision ultimately lies with Ryan Murphy, whether Ryan wants to continue to do it, and he feels like there’s stories to tell that he feels confident in.”
