Warning: This review contains full spoilers for The Pitt Season 2, Episode 7!
The overall quality of The Pitt Season 2 may be slightly less consistent than it was in Season 1, but at its best, the series is still every bit as good as before. That much is clear from these last few episodes. Episode 5 was the best chapter up to that point, while Episode 6 stumbled a bit from some frustrating character moments and an emphasis on relatively less interesting medical cases. But now the series bounces back again in Episode 7, as things really start to heat up in the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. Literally.
If last week’s crop of medical cases proved slightly underwhelming, that’s not at all a problem here. Thankfully, we’ve already moved on from that inexplicably mundane motorcycle accident. Instead, the show pivots to a handful of new cases and provides newfound momentum with several ongoing subplots. The season is nearing the midway point now, and the tone is definitely shifting in a darker and more frantic direction.
Perhaps most notably, we see Dana (Katherine LaNasa) and Emma (Laëtitia Hollard) take charge of a sexual assault case. These scenes are hard to watch, and they do a great job of conveying the dehumanizing ordeal involved in being poked, prodded, and tested in the aftermath of a terrible trauma. LaNasa really shines throughout, radiating warmth, compassion, and experience. But as things start to go off the rails at the end, we see the terrible toll this work takes on her. LaNasa really is one of the show’s MVPs.
Elsewhere in the ER, we got the surprise return of Shawn Hatosy’s Dr. Jack Abbot, who, it seems, doesn’t get enough thrills in his night job. More Jack is always a good thing for the series. The fight to save the life of the injured SWAT member adds a welcome sense of urgency to the episode. And in the aftermath, we get to savor several memorable scenes between Hatosy and other cast members. The moment of bonding between Jack and Samira (Supriya Ganesh) is especially enjoyable (if a bit heartbreaking, given the sad turn in the case of her diabetic patient).
And if the series has been a little slow to advance the plight of Dr. Langdon (Frank Ball), that finally changes here as Langdon and Robby (Noah Wyle) finally have their big confrontation. It’s very brief, sure, but Robby clearly says everything that he feels needs to be said. That brief exchange leaves Langdon crushed and at loose ends. Once again, it’s impressive just how differently Ball is playing his character in Season 2. The swagger is gone, replaced by a weary man trying and failing to make amends for his misdeeds. I can’t wait to see where Langdon’s story arc progresses in the back half of the season.
This is all pretty heavy material, but the show doesn’t entirely lose sight of the humor that characterized earlier episodes. The focus on Javadi’s (Shabana Azeez) family strife continues to amuse. The poor kid never stood a chance with parents like these. And the show continues to make a meal out of Santos (Isa Briones) and her futile quest to get her charts in order. It even turns out that she has a pretty decent singing voice. Though it should be noted, we also get some newfound insight into her personal struggles and learn that she has a habit of self-harm. Santos has become one of the show’s most well-rounded and compelling characters in Season 2.
Finally, Episode 7 wraps up with the big reveal about what’s been going on with the mysterious Code Black. It seems multiple hospitals are being targeted with ransomware attacks, forcing The Pitt to not only accept even more patients, but to go offline in the process. If the tension wasn’t already soaring along with the heat, that’ll certainly do it. The season’s slow start is making way for a very interesting and high-stakes struggle to survive the holiday onslaught.
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