Season 1 of The Pitt ended with the staff getting off of what seemed like a never-ending, nightmare of a shift, and season 2 repeats the same formula.
Jumping ahead months later into yet another 15 hours of chaos, Robby arrives at PTMC after strolling in (helmetless) on what seems to be a new motorcycle. What this says about his current mental state is unclear, but we do find out that he's about to enter his pre-sabbatical shift in the ED, before heading on a cross-country road trip to Alberta, Canada. Not only is it the 4th of July, but Robby's soon-to-be replacement, Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi, has arrived early to put her own twist on the operations in the department.
Robby is immediately skeptical of Baran Al-Hashimi's way of running things. It's clear it's not coming from a place of distrust, but rather a strong belief in the talent and abilities of those he is in charge of. Our first look into the differences between Robby and Dr. Al's leadership styles is when she has the medical students and residents running mock drills on medical mannequins, much to their annoyance.
When a patient comes in with a knife wound, Robby instructs Dr. Yolanda Garcia to perform a Hilar Flip on his lung to help stop the bleeding, something Dr. Al-Hashimi is visibly doubtful about. With Al-Hashimi being very procedural and Robby being more outcome-driven, it's obvious that the contrast in their ways of practice will surely cause some sort of headbutting in the coming episodes.
Dr. Al-Hashimi isn't the only new face this season. Episode 1 introduced us to the two new medical students under Dr. Dennis Whitaker's mentorship, Joy Kwon (Irene Choi) and James Ogilvie (Lucas Iverson). Joy appears to be significantly withdrawn from the action of the ED, whereas James may have a little more confidence than his experience really warrants. Whether that overconfidence will push him forward or drag him all the way down, we'll have to see throughout the season.
We are also introduced to a recent med school graduate, Emma Nolan, who arrives at the ED to work under Nurse Dana, who has graciously decided to return after it was up in the air in the prior season, giving fans a reason to finally exhale.
After getting caught stealing medication from patients in Season 1, Dr. Frank Langdon returns post-rehabilitation, which assisted with the pill addiction that ultimately led to his termination. This comes not without a severe hiccup in the trust levels between him and Robby. Tense would be an understatement when describing how the conversation went when Langdon tries to talk with him, but that is obviously not a surprise to anyone, considering the circumstances.
While it is apparent Langdon damaged not only his relationship with Robby but potentially his career as well, he is also trying to make amends by apologizing to the very patient he was caught stealing medication from; maybe rehab really did pay off for him.
The episode does not come without the usual unpredictability of the PTMC patients. From homeopathic medicine and refrigerated probiotics to a man who is practically begging to have the bodily fluids washed off of him, there truly is never a dull moment in the emergency department. A 9-year-old Kylie arrives with what originally started as a cut-up chin from a fall down the stairs, and is quickly discovered to have unusual bruises covering her body. When Dr. Santos and Perlah grow suspicious and give her a urine test, a concerning amount of blood is found in her urine, leading to the eventual call of social services.
Of all the patients, the one who stands out the most happens to be unable to tell her story herself, a newborn who was abandoned in the hospital bathroom. It's unclear if the baby is over 28 days old or not, which would determine liability and prosecution of the mother due to Safe Haven laws. When Dr. Al is handed the test results that Mohan assures prove the baby is in good health, she goes pale and tightens up, unable to let out an explanation before the credits roll.
With some unanswered questions and a lot of questionable dynamics, audiences should be prepared for yet another pulse-pounding season of The Pitt. And with 14 episodes to go, it's impossible to tell just how intense this shift will get.
The Pitt is streaming now on HBO Max.