The Pitt Season 1 Episode 9 is, overall, a moving episode that meets the very high standard the series has set with its previous eight episodes so far. Beginning with one devastating image — that of the area where Amber Phillips was treated before ultimately dying — and ending with the aftermath of Dana being punched by Doug Driscoll, the hour somehow manages to breathe more than most others. And that’s saying a lot, considering how much happens here — as things do, in fact, remain chaotic. ‘3:00 P.M.’ brings us a dog, the return (and demise) of the rat, MDMA, more with Dr. McKay’s trafficking victim, a mortified young med student, and…another punch, actually.
MORE: Revisit the premiere(s) with our reviews of The Pitt Season 1 Episode 1 and The Pitt Season 1 Episode 2.
“That’s as hard as it gets”
The Pitt Season 1 Episode 9 features an opening sequence that focuses on all sorts of little post-trauma details. These are all things that, as a general rule, don’t usually get the same attention as everything that happens during a trauma. But they’re evidence of a life fought for — and, in the case of Amber Phillips, lost — just the same. So, what remains? A treatment area in complete disarray, with often-overlooked custodial staff left to pick up the pieces. Mostly garbage. But there’s a little blue hair bow, probably once loved, left behind in all that clutter. Something about that just…sticks with you.
And what about our doctors? How are they dealing with this latest blow, after hours and hours of being hit hard? Dr. Langdon needs to call his kid, and Mel’s taking a minute to cut out the noise…but still appears to be just…emotionally awful. Then, there’s Dr. Collins, mourning her own child — the one most people didn’t even know was on the way — as she berates herself for buying that stroller a few hours ago. For daring to hope. At least she has Dana with her, who not only knew and shared her cautious joy at the beginning of the shift but is also a pillar of strength as Heather collapses into that hug. Tracy Ifeachor and Katherine LaNasa remain undefeated, for what it’s worth.
Needless to say, it’s a lot. Sure, we’ve already journeyed through plenty of grief with these characters. But this tragic, senseless loss bears more weight than all that came before it. Partially because we already have had a Nick Bradley, and a Mr. Spencer, and Mr. Milton. Then again, a child so young who was looking out for her sister…well. That might hit harder than all of those, regardless.
Dr. Robby tries to gather the staff and give them some advice, to share with them that he understands how hard this is for them. He tells them they’ll never forget the kids. Instead, they’ll “linger.” Then, he immediately relives the first kid that died on the very first day of his residency at County General Big Charity in New Orleans…and gets lost in the retelling. Whatever message of comfort he was going for doesn’t come. Instead we get Noah Wyle at his finest, playing a Robby who’s struggling against his every emotion — physically trying to shake it out of his head, breathe it out, rub it away — slowly losing control of his own voice, and the battle, as he works toward the word “died.”
“See? Still hurts” is quite the understatement, and when he talks about walking all night to try and find a “safe place to put these feelings,” one can’t help but wonder if he’s talking about his mentor’s death just as much as this child’s. As Wyle plays a character slowly unraveling, exposing wounds for his whole staff to see, it seems more than just a little bit of a hint that the rawness here is either something Robby can’t maintain control of because he has that other thing he can’t let them see in the back of his mind. Or, maybe, he’s just showing them one thing while claiming it’s another. In some sense, the answer may even be both.
Regardless, like far too many other attempts to reset before it, the moment is cut short. Dr. Robby never exactly gets to a place that can actually help the other doctors. There’s no sage advice by the end of that speech, whatever he thought he was building up to. Chances are, even without the interruption, there’s nothing he could’ve said anyway.
MORE: Here’s our reaction to the heartbreaking moments in The Pitt Season 1 Episode 8 that got us to this point.
“You’re, uh, feeling like — like maybe you’re not up to it?”
The Pitt Season 1 Episode 9 shows two very different sides of Dr. Langdon. One is the complete and total jerk who lashes out at Dr. Santos and even gets caught mid-explosion by Dr. Robby, of all people. The other side, however, is someone who not only can we root for, but we also kind of adore. It’s the guy who fidgets with that bracelet as he nervously waits to hear his kid’s voice on the phone, the one who notices something’s off with Mel and sends her to take a 20-minute break. He’s the Langdon who tells his dog-loving patient Walter about his own Goldendoodle and, later, gives the ok for Donnie to bring Crosby the dog over to Walter while Mel picks gravel out of the man’s leg.
Above all, the doctor we really want him to be is the one who quietly approaches Dr. King and sits down in the floor of that lounge with her — even after he’s just been at his absolute worst. It’s such a beautiful scene, with Mel not quite ready to get back to work yet and Dr. Langdon just…seeing her. He remembers how she took all the excess noise out of the picture to get Terrance to “unlock” just a couple of hours ago. So, now, he approaches her with the same care and caution. As in, the student appears to have taught the teacher a thing or two. Langdon even knows that the idea of meticulously picking gravel out of Walter’s leg will delight his “least problematic trainee” — and it does. (As always Taylor Dearden is a delight.)
But then, there’s another aspect here that we need to point out. Not only does he see all the many things that make Mel, well, Mel, but Dr. Langdon also sees those doubts creeping in. And with the way Patrick Ball delivers in the moment, we know he’s not just telling her he’s “been there” as an empty statement to get her back to work. He 100% means it. Might even still go there from time to time. This is the most honest and open the guy’s probably been all shift. Yes, even more than when he’s goofing off with Dana or working so hard to impress Robby. An open and honest Langdon is a great Langdon to watch.
And, again, this is right after he was such a d—bag to Dr. Santos. Right after he was arguing with Robby. That we’re able to see the character’s vulnerabilities, and believe the character’s complete transformation, is a true testament to the work Ball does here. But we also have to say, without a shadow of a doubt, that there’s also something very special about Mel and the way Dearden brings her to life. We see it. Dr. Langdon sees it. And this series is so much better off for including a character like her and having her work with a wildly flawed, yet not all terrible, one like Langdon.
“Mel, you’re a sensitive person. This…this is a tough place for sensitive people. But we need you. Badly.” Anyone else wonder if Langdon used to wear some of that sensitivity on his own sleeve?
MORE: Ever wonder why Dr. Langdon is so much more willing to see the best in Mel than, say, a Dr. Santos? (Other than that Mel is the best, obviously.) We asked about that, and a lot more, during our Taylor Dearden interview. You can also see our initial impression of what happened with Terrance in our The Pitt Season 1 Episode 7 review.
“You call yourselves adults?!”
If The Pitt Season 1 Episode 9 stumbles at all, it’s in including that fight over masks that reads as, basically, “Karens Gone Wild.” A lot of folks aren’t going to want to hear this, so feel free to skip to the next sub-heading while Yours Truly screams into the void? (But you should really hear this.)
So. First of all, no, someone suggesting that a kid coughing around sick ER patients wear a mask to prevent putting those patients in emergency situations at further risk shouldn’t be depicted in a way that makes her seem as irrational as, if not more nuts than, the anti-mask woman. Like, all the irrational, shouting…whatever is given a false equivalence in terms of how out of control they are. The average person who’s still wearing a mask isn’t shouting in someone’s face, and if they are, they’re definitely not as shrill as the weirdos calling us “Fauci zombies.” Also. No need to add the antivax part in there with the anti-science anti-mask lady…because that’s even the “good and smart” people lately.
Furthermore, Dr. Langdon’s big moment of throwing all that BS back in his patient’s face doesn’t exactly land in the “yesssss, go off” way it was probably intended.Why? Well. Do we really need to spell it out? Let’s do that just in case. Langdon’s all, “well, those of us who save lives for a living believe strongly that masks minimize risk when it comes to spreading disease and infection,” when literally nobody else — including him — is wearing a mask anyway. Or, rather, Whitaker finds himself a surgical mask and shield (plus a gown and surgical cap) to approach the patient who peed on him hours ago. And that’s played for laughs.
But eh. Ok. Fine. Whitaker getting all decked out is kinda funny after the day he’s had. But still. You can’t have it both ways. Either Langdon’s the big hero who knows better, or he’s playing the same games as everyone else.
It’s all an unfortunate. Does it ruin an otherwise-amazing episode? No. But it certainly taints it. Then again, it’s certainly true to life. And — small mercy — at the very least, none of the fictional doctors on The Pitt have been openly hostile toward an immunocompromised patient for asking them to wear a mask. Ahhh, escapism into a heavenly fantasy (less than the bare minimum)!
Anyway. There were ways to do this in flashback that might have worked a lot better. Even then, it would’ve still stung. But back to your regularly-scheduled praise…
MORE: Sometimes, the “too much happening” of it all can be frustrating. Or at least that’s what we thought when we watched The Pitt Season 1 Episode 4.
More on The Pitt Season 1 Episode 9
- “I shouldn’t have bought that f—ing stroller.” “F— that f—king stroller.” Yeah. So. I love them.
- “Losing a kid is hard on everybody.”
- This cast. Every single actor brings so much emotion to that “debrief,” even if they’re in the background. They all have their own type of devastation to show us that fits who their character is, but everyone is on such a powerful level.
- Case in point: The shot of a heartbroken Dr. Collins tensing up even more, just as Dana reaches for her hand, during Robby’s “the kids you’ll lose will linger” line.
- “I just need a safe place where I can put these feelings…” Same.
- “Imagine that! She probably learned it from you. Seriously? You just gave a speech titled ‘How to Literally Bury Your Feelings.’” I. LOVE. HER. DELIVERY.
- Dana ending that fight in chairs? BAMF.
- “Too much almond milk in your soy lattes!” “That doesn’t even make sense.” Exactly.
- “Can I get you a cup of bad coffee? Dry sandwich?” I LOVE HER.
- So, the thing with Piper is…all I want to do is hug Dr. McKay. She really tries everything — refuses to give up even when Piper has already asked to go, to the point where she doesn’t even know what she’s asking Kiara to say or do but just rushes to get her for something. Anything — only to lose her. But, as Dana pointed out, at least Piper took one of the pens.
- Thank you to the universe for Gerran Howell and Whitaker. This show so desperately needs those silly, little moments like Whitaker telling the rat its days are numbered. I do not know how anyone would survive all the pain otherwise.
- “Yup. Keep chillin’.”
- “Gotta bend those knees.” “I gotta quit showing off.” “Is that what you were doing?” “Always.” Hm. Yep. I continue to love whatever it is that Collins and Robby are doing here, too.
- Another thing on the Piper case: The way Fiona Dourif switches from what can only be described as drowning (too soon???) as Dr. McKay sees herself fighting a losing battle for Piper, to barking “I need Piper to answer that one” at the so-called “accountant,” back to being gutted for her patient…just brilliant. All of it. Brilliant.
- “F—k!” “That about sums it up.”
- “That’s why I’m here. To be brilliant. And bring peace.”
- WHY ARE THEY LIKE THIS. (Referring to Robby, Collins, and her reaction to the rat that he adorably tries to get her to avoid seeing. Obvs.)
- Dr. Santos choosing to just…take the beating, so to speak, rather than taking credit for her stroke of genius really makes me respect her in a whole new way. And the way she just…stands there and really, really takes it but only manages to look a little haunted — moreso than the expected hurt — also makes a lot more sense in the context of the gymnastics background that Isa Briones talked about during our interview.
- No but when Robby tells Langdon to STFU, though.
- I can’t stress enough how meaningful Whitaker’s conversation with Mr. Krakozhia is. There’s something I can’t quite put my finger on about the massive amount of heart shown here, both from the patient and our very unlucky med student. And thank you to the The Pitt for continuing to remind us that unhoused and mentally ill people — the overlap here is…too much — are not, in any way, the stereotypical monsters (krakens, if you will) people try to make them out to be.
- Despite all the complaining about PPE being used as a joke up above, I will say it’s incredibly effective how they have Whitaker strip off a little bit more with each additional bit of humanity he sees in Krakozhia. It’s so reassuring. Like, “look. I came in here thinking I needed armor. I’m promising you I know I don’t and neither do you” kinda thing. And Ian Stanley does a great job playing that character who really wants to stay on top of his meds and can’t because of his situation…and just so overcome with emotion when he realizes he’s getting through to the doctor he wanted so desperately to apologize to.
- “That’s a lot of gravel.” GRINNNNNNN.
- “I’m about a long, long hot shower, comfy sweats, eating some takeout in front of the TV. Ideally watching something that makes me laugh” He gets me.
- But OMG poor Javadi. Thank you to Dana for rescuing her and mommying her! “A human Utah” indeed.
- …and LOL forever to Earl enjoying his romcom.
- “Dr. Mel King, detail specialist.”
- Ok but when Langdon uses his A-hole powers for good on Mr. Angry Entitled White Man, it’s kinda hot.
- “Well, for what it’s worth, he’s wrong. You’re very good at this.” “Thank you. That’s actually worth a lot.” 1) Dr. Mohan continues to be a hero. 2) You can tell it means a lot to Santos. So good.
- “Are you saying I was biased against the patient because of her weight?” “I raise it as a possibility. Not as an accusation.” “Wow. I…I mean, I really don’t think that’s the case here. But I will look out for it.” This could’ve gone so far sideways, but Dr. McKay is a good person, so it did not. Like, her ego rose up for a split second of indignation there…but she squashed it right down. MORE OF THIS!
- Also: YES. MORE DOCTORS WHO SAY NO TO FATPHOBIA IN MEDICINE.
- Whitaker is cool.
- OMG? HE GRABBED THE RAT AND BROKE ITS NECK.
- True story: My kitty woke up from a very peaceful sleep when she heard that rat squeaking on TV, so kudos to the sound people who got the squeak just right!
- Not Dana! WTF?!
- …Siri? Play Battleflag.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of The Pitt Season 1 Episode 9? Leave us a comment.
New episodes of The Pitt stream Thursdays at 9/8c on Max.
