The Pitt Season 2 Episode 6 ’12:00 p.m.’ begins with a devastating blow, ending the life of a patient who’s visited us in both seasons of this series and has always been such a warm, bright presence. Then, as the hour progresses, it provides viewers with an unflinching, moving look at what happens after doctors’ and nurses’ desperate attempts to save a life fail. We end in the only way that could ever possibly make sense for the death of a one-of-a-kind patient like Louie Cloverfield—with a one-of-a-kind debrief. Not only do we learn more about this man and who he was outside of his addiction (and the liver damage it caused), but Louie’s debrief isn’t only about a hospital staff and a patient—it’s about a family, grieving a loved one.
This hour is yet another brilliant one for the series, which has always been at its best when dealing with loss of some sort. Featuring standout performances throughout—especially from (in no particular order, other than listing the actors who play nurses first) Amielynn Abellera, Kristin Villanueva, Katherine LaNasa, Laetitia Hollard, Noah Wyle, and Gerran Howell—the final chapter in Louie’s story centers not just the individual patient but also the humanity of the healthcare workers treating him. This is, of course, the other way this series always excels, and this episode is no different. Or, rather, if it’s different at all, it’s in that it’s better because so many of these characters have their own, special Louie stories that the others don’t know. And even some of the newbies who didn’t know him witness the gravity of this loss.
Although he’s the main focus (as he should be), Louie’s isn’t the only moving story in The Pitt Season 2 Episode 6. We continue to follow Harlow Graham, Gus Varney, Jackson Davis, Roxie Hamler, and everyone else who needs care today. Not to mention, there’s the ever-growing warning signs about Dr. Robby’s upcoming vacation—seriously, another motorcycle patient? Dude. Red. Flag.—and so, so much more.
MORE: We meant it when we said “Ernest Leroy Harden Jr. totally lights up every scene he’s in,” so he (and our Louie!) will be sorely missed.
“I’m gonna go clean him up”
Perlah is in the room when Louie dies. Perlah is in the room, and Dana and Emma come in just as it’s ending, while Princess is busy with other patients. (Jackson Davis, specifically, to start.) So, before The Pitt Season 2 Episode 6 gets to the point where Dana’s showing Emma how to clean a body, Perlah’s the one who shows viewers what it’s like to watch a patient become just…the body. She’s the nurse who, in the episode’s earliest moments, just knows. And so, when viewers see Amielynn Abellera’s face become that mask of anxiety, followed all-too-quickly by hopelessness, it’s her performance as Perlah, moments before Noah Wyle’s Dr. Robby works through his own loss of hope, that lets us know that the worst is happening before our very eyes. Louie is dead. Not dying—dead.
That also means it’s Perlah who states his time of death, fighting to get the words out— words she’s probably said countless times with no trouble. And, initially, Perlah feels responsible for continuing to take care of Louie. It doesn’t matter how awful, quiet yet pervasive, her grief is as she takes those tiny swallows to hold the emotions at bay. “I’ll clean him up,” she tells Dana. But Dana suggests she take a few minutes to herself first. Which, she does leave the room, apparently in search of Princess. But it’s like she doesn’t really know where to go or what to do now, other than that she fully intends on going back to that room. It’s usually so easy for these people to compartmentalize and move on. But with Louie? No.
Indeed, even after a very brief chat with Princess, so very few words spoken between the two friends yet so much shock and grief, and…emptiness portrayed by Abellera and Villanueva, she says a second time that she needs to go take care of this—to go take care of Louie—one last time. Princess offers to help, but duty (in the form of an agonizing wail from Roxie, her end stage cancer patient) calls. Which leaves Perlah, wandering back and ultimately responsible for telling Donnie about Louie along the way. She’s there when the “f***ing new guy” makes a snide comment about Louie that focuses only on his disease, and she tries so hard to be careful about telling Dr. Whitaker what happened. Before, of course, Ogilvie (see also her description of him) just carelessly blurts out, “he croaked.”
Perlah’s also right there when Dr. Langdon finds the picture of Louie’s wife, smiling fondly through her sadness as she says she thought Louie “only had eyes for Rita Moreno.” Ultimately, though, it’s not Perlah who cleans up the body. Because she is not, in any way, ok. So, Dana fills in.
It’s no surprise that Dana sees how badly Perlah’s struggling. How could she (or anyone else, for that matter) not notice, with the way Abellera performs in this hour? The sad, little way she bites her lip when Dana asks Perlah if she’s ok is almost…childlike? Her eyes, so usually so full of light (and a little mischief) while she chats with Princess, are just so sad and pitiful with those barely held back tears. Even the way she presses her lips together before answering “guess it’s good it happened here, not out on the street” in a voice that just isn’t what we expect from this nurse just…hurts. Then, when Dana does let Perlah off the hook, it’s like she’s so torn. Every fiber of her being wants to do this for Louie, but it’s also painfully clear that she’s grateful to not have to.
The Pitt Season 2 Episode 6 reminds us how much emotional weight nurses bear. People like Robby, Langdon, Whitaker, McKay, and so many others—a totally-exhausted Santos, even—may hurt, and hurt deeply, after losing a patient who’s been such a regular presence at the hospital. But there’s something more difficult, something that lingers and makes even more of an impact with the people who are often there in the background, doing all the messy, thankless work of nursing. There’s something about the constant sadness (literally, my notes are just “OMG she’s so sad“) that follows Perlah here, which Abellera just masterfully performs, that helps to highlight that.
Nurses are the people it might be easy to forget about, to overlook in favor of all the heroics performed by the doctors. But, the actual heroes? Anyone who knows anything will tell you they’re people like Perlah who can barely hold themselves together but have every intention of picking up the pieces just the same.
MORE: Find out which scene from The Pitt made our Best TV Scenes of 2025 list.
“What’s the hardest part of this job”
That brings us to Dana, who tries so very hard to be, well, Dana as she teaches Emma how to clean Louie’s body. But she’s…decidedly not her usual self. That shot of her alone in the trauma room, eyes closed, head down, speaks of a person trying to gather herself for the task at hand. And it is a difficult task. The Pitt Season 2 Episode 6 draws out the cleaning, zooms in on the body as Dana shows Emma how to roll him, wipe him down, remove all that blood. (Emphasis on him because that’s the word Dana uses. Because she still sees this as a patient—and one she cared about very much at that.) All the while, Katherine LaNasa masterfully portrays a portrait of someone struggling to hold it together.
Her voice whispers and wavers. There’s an attempt, a sense of fighting for it even, to use that “punchy” Dana voice we know and love. But she never quite gets there. Every time a little bit of normal comes close, Dan has to explain some other difficult truth—about Louie’s ultimate fate, cremated and placed in a mass grave if his body is unclaimed, or about the many people she’s lost to burnout in this job, for example—and the emotion takes over.
Just as Dana can’t escape her grief, she can’t hide from Emma’s empathetic, intelligent gaze. Whenever LaNasa turns away from her scene partner, Dana’s trying to gain control of herself and push down all that pain to be strong for her trainee. But viewers still see her face. And Laetitia Hollard stays within our line of sight, as well—portraying a sense of fully, truly seeing someone else and feeling for them with a sense of ease.
Emma’s been curious and more than a little bit terrified all season, but The Pitt Season 2 Episode 6 sees her asking all the most gutting questions. Obviously, it’s a way of informing the audience of what happens to people like Louie when they die. But it’s also a way of cementing the character as someone kind, someone with a big heart—someone who’s exactly who we need as a nurse, yet exactly the type of person this job can destroy.
Emma doesn’t just ask about Louie’s fate. She also asks Dana about the job itself, and that’s important. Again, it shows she cares. Additionally, because Dana’s in such a fragile state already, we get that gorgeous vulnerability out of her that we normally wouldn’t. In the moment, she has no answer for why she keeps coming back, which kind of makes us wonder if she’ll maybe leave again. There’s also maybe a little bit of doubt about whether or not Emma’s cut out for this work, after she’s left behind to process everything Dana just told her about how “a lot of people broke” during the early days of COVID.
The Pitt Season 2 Episode 6 gives us some pretty strong evidence that Emma simply gets it, though. Dana skips the debrief by making the excuse to Dr. Robby that someone has to hold down the fort—it’s difficult not to wonder if maybe she just can’t take it. But Emma’s there, surrounded by all these hurting people, sharing their stories about Louie. But nobody holds that one hand Dana made a point of telling Emma to leave outside the sheet. Why? “So loved ones can hold their hand.” Well, Emma never really got the chance to know Louie the way everyone else did. But, when there’s no one else there to do that for him, she steps up. She stands in for those loved ones, gently taking that dead stranger’s hand.
What a gutting moment…and part of why she’s my favorite new character. It’s such a small thing to do, but it’s meaningful on so many levels. Especially because Emma takes Louie’s hand just as Dr. Robby, in one of Noah Wyle’s strongest performances this season—definitely his best in this hour—tells us what happened to Louie’s family that, in the long run, brought him to this very place. In fact, if you watch the episode through a few times so you can take in everyone‘s performances in that moment, Hollard again brings this sort of emotional and social intelligence to the character that indicates she knows Robby’s about to turn all of that fondness, all of that gratitude at Louie telling him about his life…into an awful heartbreak. And, of course, he does.
MORE: In my The Pitt Season 2 advance review, I said, “Emma (Laetitia Hollard), gets to see some of the absolute worst of the job but, despite being very green and very, very empathetic, she’s more than capable of doing the work.” The Pitt Season 2 Episode 6 is a prime example of that.
“I think you’re missing the point”
There’s a very strong disconnect between Robby’s love for Louie and the way he brushes off Dr. Al-Hashimi’s concerns about Gus Varney. In fact, the person we see fighting so hard to save a life at the beginning of The Pitt Season 2 Episode 6, whose eyes light up as he talks about Louie one minute but then takes on that hoarse, gravely quality as he fights back his emotion to get to the heartbreaking end, is nowhere to be found. Instead, that empathy just shuts down. What’s left is someone who wants to assume the worst in Gus, who’s (rightly) worried about other patients’ safety and the hospital capacity, but (wrongly) puts those things over this bloody, broken, malnourished man’s life.
Or, to put it more bluntly, he’s a complete a**hole. Some of that is certainly coming from the way he and Dr. Al have been at odds ever since before they ever really met. And, to be fair to Robby, she’s still on her AI slop BS—to the point where pushing it on Dr. Santos caused some, uh, trouble with other departments. But, on the other hand, this doesn’t come across as Robby only having a problem with the messenger. He also seems to have lost his capacity to hear the message from anyone; it’s like he’s switched off the part of himself that’s capable of caring.
And, for all the things she’s been wrong about so far, Dr. Al’s 100% right about Gus. Prison is not remotely safe for someone in that man’s condition, whether they have their little clinic or not. Anyone with any concept, whatsoever, of how the prison system works should grasp that. Not to mention, if that place was safe, Gus wouldn’t have gotten beaten that badly to begin with. Also, doctors could’ve treated him without the cuffs getting in the way. Somewhere, deep down, Robby should know all of this. So, Al-Hashimi tries to make the comparison to Digby, but Robby finds a way to explain how this is different. It’s one of those debates that, especially at a time when another emergency room is shut down, might be interesting to have—if it was handled with nuance and care. But…Robby’s just kinda being a jerk about it.
Since the very beginning, this series has always promised viewers that healthcare is about care. These characters might not always get it right, and they often don’t have the resources, but they just keep trying to work toward getting it right. So, for The Pitt Season 2 Episode 6 to show Robby delivering the exact opposite message, that’s one of many indications that, while he might not be barreling toward the exact type of meltdown he had in Season 1, he definitely remains entirely not ok. Louie’s death definitely gets to him, he probably has some biases and assumptions about incarcerated people, and on top of that, he’s still messed up.
Dr. Al, on the other hand? I’m again going to have to say she’s right. Ironically, the tech she keeps praising 100% would go with Robby’s heartless suggestion, based on just the diagnosis and treatment plan as opposed to considering Gus’ situation. But credit where credit is due! And that credit goes not only to the character, but also to Sepideh Moafi. Every time Al-Hashimi and Robby argue, she’s right there, meeting the moment. I particularly love this sort of…look she’s mastered that screams “I’m not going anywhere. I am not to be denied” whenever Robby tries to deflect or find an excuse to stop the conversation. Bonus points for getting that man squirming.
The way she turns around, jaw dropped, and a look in her eyes as if to say, “OMG THE AUDACITY OF THIS MAN” when Robby leaves after saying they’re not admitting Gus “because this is not about social justice”? Priceless. Also priceless: Dana, finding a way to make that admission happen, no matter what else’s she’s dealing with in this hour. Queen.
MORE: Our first impression of Dr. Al-Hashimi was…complicated.
“Go get em kid”
Another major personal development in The Pitt Season 2 Episode 6 comes when Dana finds a completely deflated and defeated Dr. Langdon in the break room. The scene gives Frank a chance to work his amends step with her—right in the same place where, in Season 1, he inadvertently demonstrated how completely unwell he was. Back then, he wasn’t trying to keep his relationship with Dana intact so much as desperately trying to get her on his side against Robby as his life was falling apart before his very eyes. As he says here, he was selfish back then. But now, he’s a little (ok, probably a lot) self-conscious and approaches her, genuinely, to try to repair what he broke.
But Dana stops him before he can really start laying it all out there, giving him that quiet, soft, “you can check me off your list, kid. We’re good.” So, he’s still her kid. She still loves him, and if we relate all of this back to Louie—which we should!—this is an example of a caring family, very badly wanting their person struggling with addiction to recover and stay in recovery. 10 months ago, Dana might’ve been trying to shut the truth out and living in denial about Frank. But even there, she told him, “Trust Robby, ok? He’ll do what’s best for you.” As we see now that Dr. Langdon is back at the hospital and trying to do the work to stay better, she was right. (When is she not?)
There’s a physical distance for the early part of this scene. Similar to that Season 1 break, Dana’s still trying to make her coffee and keep herself busy for a difficult conversation. Now, though, keeping herself busy isn’t about shutting Frank out or avoiding the issue. And the two characters end on a reassuring note, taking a step in the right direction—together. These are all good signs. And since Dana wasn’t wrong about Robby before, her “give it time” advice is probably spot on now.
Patrick Ball’s performance here is so very open and vulnerable. It’s easy to feel Dr. Langdon’s doubts right along with him, especially when it comes to Robby. And for all Dana’s reassurances, every time Ball looks away, LaNasa is giving him all these careful, pitying looks. For me, personally, though? I’m a sucker for a happy ending, so that proud mama bear grin as Dana gently ushers Frank out to “get back on the horse” is absolutely everything. Same goes for the fact that this is happening—this bookend to the scene where Langdon was in active addiction comes here—in the episode where Louie dies from his addiction. The character and relationship development both speak of hope for those who seek help, yet the series never insults viewers’ intelligence by acting like healing is a done deal for Langdon.
Indeed, he still desperately needs to talk to Robby…and during the debrief that closes out The Pitt Season 2 Episode 6, there’s this silent moment where he maybe gets to open the door for that, just a crack. As everyone shares memories, the news that Louie didn’t come in for months last summer pops up. “How many times did he say he was gonna quit drinking,” the doctor asks, then looks at Robby and nervously swallows. Robby glances back at Langdon, giving a little lift of his chin and look of acknowledgement. It’s as if Langdon’s saying, “I get why you don’t trust me when I say I’m better.” And Robby? He’s saying, “yep. Exactly.”
More The Pitt Season 2 Episode 6 reactions
- I’m not sure it’s intentional because it kind of gives the result away before we even get started, but the ending of Episode 5 and beginning of The Pitt Season 2 Episode 6 made me immediately think of the second and third episodes of the first season. Dr. Robby is much, much more experienced than then-student Whitaker was as he lost his first patient, but the transition from one hour to the next kind of…isn’t history repeating itself, exactly. But it has a certain parallel, a “history rhymes,” quality to it.
- Robby might not be sure he still believes in God, but Wyle plays the opening moments of this hour like he’s praying to something that he can pull off a miracle.
- Methinks our Dana is still just a wee bit not over what happened to her last season. Understandable! But poor, terrified Emma, watching her just snap on that guy who grabbed her arm.
- “Perhaps you didn’t see this, which is strange, because they’re all over the place. Aggressive behavior toward healthcare workers is a felony. $2000 is the fine, possible jail time. Got it?” And the way she tilts her head, just so. Who wouldn’t be afraid? Super performance from LaNasa here, just a totally different energy from Dana—and, ironically considering that sign she rips off the wall and what she’s telling this dude, our girl is AGGRESSIVE.
- But then, you know, it’s right back to comforting Emma, wrapping her arm around the new girl and shepherding her away.
- …while Emma gives her that wary side glance.
- I mean, LaNasa kills this hour in general, with the way she can just immediately change tone. For example, when she goes into the trauma room with Louie, peeks through that chaos with the searching/questioning look for Robby, and then absolutely melts into complete heartbreak after she sees his tiny shake of the head and grave expression.
- “Is he going to make it?” And then…that awful, awful look. I also love the camera work and blocking here. The way we see Dana and Emma through that tunnel, that wall of healthcare professionals trying (failing) to save Louie…wow.
- Another smart choice: Dr. Langdon’s searching look, as he’s at Louie’s head and seeking Robby out, questioning him on what more he can do, forces him to look up at this guy he’s always looked up to and seen as a giant in the room. He needs his mentor to help him, make everything right. But Robby can’t.
- Notably, Robby and Langdon aren’t that far away from each other physically, but the camera does the work of making it seem like they’re miles apart. Still. (My heart.)
- “Nothing else we can do?” Wyle’s searching look in that closeup, unsure head shake “no,” then the more definitive one after he calculates options again. Ouch.
- The Pitt Season 2 Episode 6 may put Louie and everyone’s reaction to losing him front and center, but there’s still so much going on. Poor Jackson, so afraid of those voices that don’t want him to pass the bar. And his poor sister, trying so hard to support him and care for him while actually kinda getting in the way. But, like, she very clearly has no idea what to do here. When Princess coaxes her out so Jackson can be alone with Dr. Jefferson, Jayda even struggles with simply getting up and leaving him. Erin Croom’s excellent here, that jaw working as if it’s trying to say goodbye but can’t, so Jayda settles on telling him she’ll “be right outside.” And she just…those lingering looks at her brother as she goes…oof.
- Seriously can’t say enough about that tiny interaction between Princess and Perlah. I know I already broke down over it in the longer section above, but what a moment.
- And then, Princess has to pretend like she didn’t just receive terrible news while she carefully tends to Roxie. There’s a brilliant sort of way Villanueva plays this, where she has that bright, upbeat sort of stereotypical “kind nurse” personality about her on the surface. But whenever there’s a split second where the patient turns away, or is too focused on her excruciating pain, we see exactly how Princess feels—both her sadness and concern for this patient and that lingering grief over Louie that stays with everyone once they know.
- “I don’t know how you do it, care for people day after day.” This poor woman, gasping these words out. And then, “I’ll tell you my secret. I go home, at the end of every shift, leave this allllll behind, and escape to Love Island.” TV is important!
- “How many cups have you had today?” “Don’t judge me.” “Just asking!” “You’re judging.” When every hour is actually an hour, and you only see these people for a single day, moments like this are so important. And a total joy. Also: Don’t judge Donnie. Let him have all the coffee he wants. I said what I said.
- “You two are thick as thieves.” Nothing but respect.
- “Why not give him some privacy? Everyone can see him in BH-2 like he’s a monkey at the zoo.”
- Poor Dana, stuck in the middle of World War…whatever they’re up to.
- “Yeah, chronic alcoholic? Go figure.” If you don’t get 100% pi**ed off after this, you haven’t been paying attention.
- That “f***ing new guy” subtitle. Yes.
- That visceral, physical reaction Dr. Whitaker has when Ogilvie (rudely) just blurts out the news is just amazing, amazing work from Gerran Howell. The tone of voice, the way he’s that scared, little student from last season all over again almost. Just watch that awful stillness, to the deep breath, the hand on his chest, and his turn to run to that room. Absolutely broke me. Then, when he pulls back the curtain and sees what’s left, his face. Perfect mix of grief and horror.
- Emma is so delighted to speak French with Princess! So bubbly and bright!
- “No sh— talking in front of me. I get enough of that from her and Perlah.” I mean..
- Mannnnn, that angry walk and talk after hearing about the donuts. It’s like Dana’s a cartoon character being all tough and “why I oughta…” before making punching motions or something.
- Also, they’re right: Decent wages, better hours, and actual protection are how to show nurses (or any workers!) you value them. Not donuts. (But I’d still eat them.)
- “Want me to get you one?” “Of course I do, but I’m not taking admin’s blood pastries.” And then, the melodramatic gasp and facial expression that I can only manage to describe as “Dana became the o rly owl” when she sees Donnie eating one. Amazing.
- “Were you wearing a helmet?” “Of course.” “Oh. What do you know? They’re still in style.” GET HIM MAMA. I love that tone there!
- “Yeah, give me Whitaker. He could use a distraction.” Dad’s playing favorites again…
- Every time we go back to that room with Louie in The Pitt Season 2 Episode 6, there’s just this horrible, dead silence and stillness. It’s like a new character in the room, the grief itself. And yet, depending on who’s in the scene and what they’re there for, it’s always just slightly different.
- Even Dana’s voice is totally different and hushed like she might wake the dead, at least until she sends Whitaker and Santos out. “I push you cause I know you can take it!” (I mean, she’s falling asleep on the job, so…can Trinity take it?)
- And not only right back to a gentler, quieter voice for LaNasa but…man, this broke me: “No one tells you what it looks, feels, or smells like, but…you get used to it. Over time.” It’s like Dana’s placing that whispered emphasis on “over time” here more to convince herself than Emma at this point.
- “Everyone has family. The social worker always tries to find them. Sometimes, the family loved them, tried to get them to come home. Other times, the family wants nothing to do with them.” HER. VOICE. KEEPS. GIVING. HER. AWAY. THERE’S A CATCH HERE. And like, a…tension. It’s…she’s trying SO HARD to maintain professionalism, but that means TRYING SO HARD so she doesn’t sound like herself. AT. ALL
- “That’s sad.” Imagine how Dana would normally say this next part: “That’s life.” Now, think about what the completely abnormal delivery conveys. (Hint: It’s a lot.)
- I know it’s technically only a few minutes, but man, that cleaning scene feels so drawn out. Time doesn’t exist there.
- “These frequent fliers. They can be a real pain in the a**, but…you miss them when they’re gone.” That pause. The swallows…the struggle not to cry????
- “Another motorcycle accident.” GET HIM GARCIA.
- Can someone please at least wipe Gus’ face????
- That muttered, “I don’t have a blender.” Dr. Mohan’s eyes before she apologizes.
- And he’s so happy to get himself a chocolate Ensure???
- “Pretty sure it’s three trays a day.” If someone could give this dude three trays a day of F you…
- “Don’t encourage him.” I do love how literally nobody at this hospital is putting up with Dr. Robby’s motorcycle bro BS.
- Poor, self-conscious, letdown Dr. Santos when Dr. Garcia says she “may need a raincheck.” Rejection hurts. Not quite as bad as dropping a scalpel in her foot…but still. Great moment from Isa Briones, who takes a little more of a backseat in this hour but still manages to do work.
- “One of my uncles drank himself to death. I barely recognized him at the end. At least Louie always seemed happy.” “I’m here if you want to talk.” The fist bumps—a Whitaker/Robby thing this season, apparently!
- Again, though: Dad’s playing favorites.
- Sure, the Langdon/Dana scene is beautiful and meaningful and all, but like. It’s also kinda hilarious at one point. See also: “You’re not as fast as you used to be…[expletive deleted] DONUTS.” Super physical acting from LaNasa as she rips that flyer down with emphasis before the “ouch” in response. These two can get back to their old, easy humor. I just very much hope Langdon and Robby have a chance.
- Ok but this hurt: “No, not really. Didn’t hear from anyone while I was gone.” Pause. “…sorry.”
- …and she really gave him “barfing hot dog contest guy” as his next patient. A menace!
- “The most important thing is to let others help you.” I feel so attacked?
- Brittany Allen and Taylor Handley are heartbreakers. It’s obvious Roxie doesn’t want to go home—has to steel herself when Princess mentions calling the transfer ambulance, even. And Paul? Poor, sweet, loving Paul…is clueless.
- Obligatory “this is a Dr. Mohan appreciation site” comment time. This poor, lonely old man really comes in on the regular and asks for a test…and she’s the one he asks for because she’s her.
- “Donnie’s the best. You’ll learn a lot from him.” And later, Whitaker’s students do.
- “Sorry. She’s a little….cranky.” The sign for “cranky” is iconic. I said what I said. But man, The Pitt Season 2 is not letting up on showing us how badly the healthcare system fails deaf patients. And you know what? GOOD. We need to see this. You think your ER wait is long? Imagine having to wait not only for an available staff member but the one—at best—in the whooooole hospital who actually speaks your language.
- Joy is shocked when Kim starts rattling off everything Motorcycle Guy needs. Meanwhile, Robby’s just amused: “She just does.”
- “Always listen to the nurses. They run the ER. We just try and stay out of their way.” This is why Dr. Whitaker is Robby’s favorite (and one of mine). Nice pause for Kim and Robby’s proud/impressed, little reactions there, too.
- But also: He doesn’t just talk the talk on this—he walks the walk. As much as it’s got to sting to have his students want to learn from Donnie instead of him later, Donnie’s the master. So he steps back.
- “…we always make them presentable in case anyone comes. That’s the last thing we can do for them…didn’t get to do that during COVID.” I adore how quiet and reflective this performance is here, and I appreciate the nod to those early days and how hard it was.
- …but also COVID STILL EXISTS. It is still “during COVID.” Especially for those folks suffering from Long COVID, who will likely never get better because there’s no political will to find treatment.
- “…but we always leave one arm outside the sheet.” “Because?” “So loved ones can hold their hand.” SHE IS MOVED, AND THEN SHE HOLDS HIS HAND AT THE END. If Emma has no fans, I’m dead.
- Dr. Robby is so disgustingly smug when he finds out about that AI F-up. But like. Good. For all his faults with the Gus situation, he’s right here.
- Same goes for this other doc. “Yeah, I really don’t give a s*** whether or not you want to use robots down here. I need accurate information in the medical record.”
- “Death and chaos” after the Pittfest shooting. “Miracles and blessings” after his daughter was born. Beautiful touch.
- “But I don’t blame them. They needed to do what was best for their mental health. A lot of people broke.” LaNasa’s voice gets so rough on that last part.
- “We are a safety net, but nets have holes.” A good point, to be fair.
- But Robby, bff, you suck right now.
- “Everything I’ve done in my career is an effort to improve the system. Just because you know it’s broken. Doesn’t mean you stop trying.” Allll the awards. We need more people like this!
- …except for the AI mess.
- “What’s wrong with him?” The higher pitch, the tears almost in her voice…Poor Jayda. Look at her, collapsed on Princess’ shoulder after that.
- Baby update! Still nothing on why Dr. Al reacted the way she did at the end of the season premiere, though.
- Total night and day between this Dana with Gus and the Dana with that dude who grabbed Emma.
- “I feel like I was born to be here,” says the guy who was shook to have to do a disimpaction, like, an hour ago.
- “You have an interesting energy.” Donnie gets it.
- …and Joy is like that one intern Dr. Carter had on ER that time, except way cooler.
- “No worries, Doc. I won’t fall again.” “Uh…huh.” Nothing but respect for Dr. Whitaker.
- Dana Evans: Not great at looking not-guilty.
- “Didn’t I just see you eating a donut?” “Don’t judge.”
- “I want to stay. Please.” Imagine wanting to stay in the hospital instead of going home. It’s that bad.
- “Did Dr. Al-Hashimi put you up to that?” “Al-Hashimi. No.” Dana, offended AF that this man would ask her this.
- This little Langdon/Emma moment? I teared up.
- Speaking of tearing up: That debrief. My God. These people were Louie’s family.
- “That’s Rhonda, Louie’s wife. High school sweetheart. About five years ago, I was covering a night shift. He came in feeling talkative. Born and raised in Pittsburgh. Lifelong Steelers fan. Groundskeeper at Three Rivers Stadium until 1998. He never really wanted kids, buuut Rhonda wore him down. And when she finally got pregnant, he changed his tune…he got excited. And then, about a month before the baby was due, Rhonda and the baby were killed in a car crash. Louie never really came back from that.” Noah Wyle, folks. That is all.
- Let this be a learning experience to all who need it: That “drunk” you see in the park, the one who frequently winds up in the emergency room, isn’t their disease. The disease is not a failing. This is a person. They might even be someone you love.
- Also: This staff, fondly smiling and laughing about their experiences with Louie, even through their tears…just brilliant.
- The Pitt Season 2 Episode 6 ends with a scene where, if you ever wondered whether or not the excellence of Season 1 was a fluke, those doubts had better be gone. This entire cast, and the way the scene is crafted around them, is pitch perfect. Like, that little breath from Perlah after hearing about the crash, Wyle’s speech, everyone looking surprised about that photo or having their moment in focus to sit with their grief, or sharing the memories…ALL. OF. IT.
- “May his memory be a blessing.” Most Jewish thing Robby’s said since telling Whitaker he’s not sure if he actually believes in God…after literally saying Shema in his lowest moment.
- Or maybe since avoiding Yana’s questions about where he attends synagogue because he’s, at most, a once-a-year kind of guy. Either way, I love this representation for me, personally.
- Look how heavy everything is as they walk out of the viewing room to go back to work. Oof.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of The Pitt Season 2 Episode 6 ’12:00 P.M.’? Leave us a comment!
New episodes of The Pitt stream Thursdays at 9/8c on HBO Max.
