Anatomy Of A Finale: Clocking out of The Pitt season 2

Danette Chavez

I’ll admit, I was a Dr. Robby apologist for the first quarter or so of the season (certainly before he was an unforgivable dick to Dr. Mohan). Maybe he wasn’t showing his usual patience and mentoring skills, but have you ever tried to clear your desk so you could finally go on a much-needed vacation, only to have problems keep popping up? But what Robby seemed to seek was oblivion instead of relaxation, as Dana, Abbot, Caleb, and Langdon, to name just a few, pointed out. Even Duke picked up on the false note of longing in Robby’s voice as he talked about his itinerary. And it was clear that season two would be a continuation of Robby’s struggles in season one, and not just another charge unto the breach. 

As you point out, Saloni, The Pitt‘s structure isn’t designed to provide closure, and the final scene of “9 P.M.” is bound to enrage anyone who watches this show for the plot above all else. But it does offer a full-circle moment for the physician who’s been intent on healing everyone but himself; when he reassures Baby Jane Doe, it’s like he’s connecting with his past self (a bit on the nose, in a talking-to-your-inner-child way, but this isn’t a subtle show). “I’m not convinced a part of you doesn’t die every time you see a fellow human pass,” Robby tells Abbot in a charged exchange just moments before. “And I’ve seen so many people die that I feel like it’s leeching something from my soul.” There’s so much pain and desperation in his voice when he makes this admission that I wanted Abbot to hug him…and inject him with some kind of sedative, then bundle him off to his home, maybe in the back of that truck Whitaker was driving.

I wonder if we’ll find Robby just as worse for wear in season three, if he does indeed come back to run the ED. But at least Javadi, Whitaker, Santos, Mel, and even Langdon have found more balance in their lives—for now, anyway. Overall, I found season two to be in conversation with season one; where the first outing offered a welcome dose of competence porn, the second showed just how much of a toll it takes to be there for others. I don’t know about a spin-off, but the night crew’s energy is definitely different, more offbeat, than the day crew’s, so I’d like to see them tee things up in season three. 

Drew Gillis

In “9 P.M.,” there are babies everywhere. Baby Jane Doe is still unattended when we start, the doctors perform an emergency C-section, Mohan admits she was acting childishly, and Whitaker is playing house with his farm friend, and now literally becoming the (temporary?) master of Robby’s house. Meanwhile, Robby admits that he himself is still kind of a baby, or that he needs to be baby more often than he’s letting himself. His scene holding the baby at the end suggests that he’s so exacting toward the staff of the Pitt because it’s the part of his life that allows him to feel in control in an otherwise chaotic world. I’ve felt like Robby has had a bit of a martyr complex this season, which I haven’t especially enjoyed, so I did like that the scene tried to color that element in a bit more. He is trying to parent everyone to some extent, even the colleagues closer to his age and stature, like Langdon and Al-Hashimi. I do wish we got a bit more closure with Al-Hashimi’s storyline, but otherwise, the kids are alright. It’s Daddy who’s in crisis. Perhaps the theme of the season was less “Fourth Of July” and more “Independence Day.” Obviously, Robby will be back, but the finale left me feeling like things will be fine without him or anyone else (as much as it pains me to see Mohan leave, which is a normal amount). As for next season potentially being The Pitt: After Dark, I welcome it. Why not?

Monica Castillo

Considering last season’s adrenaline-rushed climax, The Pitt’s season two finale, “9 P.M.,” felt like a return to some normalcy. Dr. Robby (Noah Wyle) finally softened after hours of worrying his colleagues and tearing them down, but not necessarily enough to make amends. It’s just one day, not all hard feelings are soothed so easily, as seen with Dr. Robby and Dr. Langdon (Patrick Ball). It’s unfortunate to see Dr. Mohan (Supriya Ganesh) go so quietly, but her story was one of the weaker plots this season, as if the show’s team didn’t know how to develop her character. The same happened with Dr. McKay (Fiona Dourif), who also felt a bit sidelined this season. The reveal of Dr. Al-Hashimi’s (Sepideh Moafi) condition starts an excellent thread alongside Dr. Robby’s suicidal thoughts that looks like it will be continued into season three. What exactly does “doctor heal thyself” mean to healthcare professionals today?

As much as I want more of The Pitt, I appreciate the self-contained universe of the show. People come and go. Maybe you work with them a little, maybe for hours on end. We don’t need another Dick Wolf-sized universe of varying qualities. Part of the appeal of The Pitt is that it’s a familiar formula of a medical drama with a new approach, one that’s clearly connected with an audience. Instead of remaking a successful formula, there should be other original dramas that have the opportunity to keep us on the edge of our seats until next week’s episode.