Not long after The Pitt Season 2 Episode 13 begins, as Dana attempts to catch the night shift up on everything from the patient who attacked Emma, to Jesse’s arrest, to all the procedural stuff the day shift has had to learn (or remember), the assembled staff spontaneously breaks out into applause. For the series’ fictional healthcare workers, it’s a moment of relief as the computer systems are finally back up. As a viewer, I figure it’s also a great response to what the series has done to date. But even though that moment marks the end of the shutdown, there will be no bows. The onscreen characters don’t get to rest. Because the work continues. In fact, it never ends.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Yes, as long as there are people on this Earth, healthcare workers are likely going to have a lot to do. And yes, some days will be worse than others, with more illnesses or injuries. That’s just…life. But quite a lot of what we’ve seen on The Pitt thus far—and the bulk of what we see in “7:00 P.M.”—could’ve been avoided. One of the newest patients, Ashley Davis, gets her medical advice from following naturopaths and functional medicine influencers online. That, compared with her pretty obvious belief that she knows everything, at least as far as her tone and demeanor indicate when she explains to doctors that turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties, has brought her here. With serious damage to her liver. Consulting with actual experts could’ve prevented that.
Then, there’s Grady Barnhill. Severe breathing trouble brings him to the emergency department, something that’s not necessarily out of the question for an asthmatic. But we learn that, thanks to a Medicaid re-verification letter being incorrectly sent to an old address, he’s not been able to take medication that would’ve likely saved him the trip. If his situation sounds at all similar to Orlando Diaz’s diabetes treatment (or lack thereof), that’s because it is. In both situations, a functioning safety net would’ve kept patients alive and well.
As we see with Grady, even when your family struggles enough to actually qualify (unlike Orlando) for assistance, that still doesn’t suddenly make things easy. But at least, despite a very narrow miss for something even more serious, The Pitt Season 2 Episode 13 ends with some hope for Grady and his asthma. Until next time, of course. But Orlando and his family aren’t so lucky.
Somewhere in all of this, there’s also the fallout from the hospital going offline. Maybe if Ogilvie had been able to access Mr. Green’s electronic record, he could’ve saved him. As it is…he missed a serious diagnosis, and the patient didn’t survive surgery. It’s awful to think about the what ifs here, and Ogilvie gets simply lost in the trauma. That makes for a lovely scene where Dr. Whitaker shares the story of Mr. Milton, who died on his first day as a student in the emergency department. Gerran Howell and Lucas Iverson are both excellent here.
If Whitaker giving Ogilvie the same “try to find balance” advice Robby gave him 10 months ago feels a little bit like the “you set the tone” tradition on ER, well. So be it. We do have a guest star in this hour who was on ER (Mary McCormack), so it’s not like the series isn’t top of mind again, after all.
All of these stories are as compelling from a TV drama standpoint as they are part of an increasingly-upsetting reality. If other viewers aren’t asking what we, as a society, can and should do better after seeing all of this play out, maybe they’re watching a different series.
Throughout The Pitt Season 2 Episode 13, the performances are, much like in every other hour, remarkable. But this episode well and truly belongs to Supriya Ganesh as Dr. Mohan reacts to Orlando’s return. While Mohan certainly feels responsible for what happens to her patient—she’s spent the last couple of hours feeling like she doesn’t belong, and this absolutely reinforces that self-doubt—she was fighting a losing battle from the start.
Because all, or almost all, of this could’ve been prevented. But we, as a society, caused it to happen. If only it were all fictional and not The Pitt‘s continued scathing glare at a truth that’s far more tragic and infuriating than fiction. Lucky for us, the series also gives us those lighter moments, a dose of optimism here or a sense of warmth there. We get both when Emma has a solo moment with Digby. Laëtitia Hollard does an utterly beautiful job with her look of wonder before the sincere, quiet “thank you” in response to Digby telling Emma she’s “doing really good,” and there continues to be something special about this character’s constant, steady ability to show up and care.
But still. Even 100 Emmas, or 100 Dr. Mohans, or 1000 of both can’t fix what’s so unbearably broken in this world. A lot of The Pitt Season 2 Episode 13 is pretty much the epitome of “IT DIDN’T HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS.” And yet, here we are. It’s exactly like this.
MORE: Read our overall The Pitt Season 2 review!
“…increased intracranial pressure”
If this series has been about nothing else, it’s been about how we’ve absolutely failed healthcare workers and manufactured a mental health crisis for them. Overworked, understaffed, exposed to constant horrors and unfathomable loss at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, those who survived and continue to show up continue to be faced with entirely preventable additional strain on the system. (And, to be clear, we weren’t exactly supporting them even before 2020.) Basically, these are real human beings trying to keep us alive and well, and we repay them with torture. One glaring example: Gun violence. Season 1 did a great job of highlighting both the “post” COVID fallout and what actually treating mass shooting victims looks like.
The Pitt Season 2 Episode 13 shows us another source of (completely avoidable) trauma for emergency physicians: The patients who, because they can’t afford the original treatment plan, leave against medical advice, only to return in worse—heartbreakingly, horrifyingly worse—shape. In short, a lack of affordable healthcare causes irreparable harm. And that harm isn’t limited only to the patient who can’t afford basic care because healthcare workers can blame or doubt themselves with every loss, especially the cruelest ones.
In this hour, the painfully clear example is how Dr. Mohan reacts to Orlando Diaz’s return. Mr. Diaz should’ve never needed to visit the hospital the first time. All it would’ve taken was insulin and test strips. But as we covered at the time of his initial visit, he can’t insurance despite working multiple jobs…an ineligible for Medicaid because he works so hard.
And now, he’s back after an injury on the job—which I have to again stress doesn’t provide insurance—he absolutely couldn’t afford to call out sick from, to the point where he left against medical advice and didn’t even wait for supplies when Mohan begged him. On top of falling through the cracks in the system, he’s now literally fallen over 20 feet and suffered a head injury. If the injury doesn’t kill him, it’ll likely leave him with a longterm disability that will, ironically, make gaining financial assistance easier. Forget, of course, his family’s love for him, or how he provides for them. (And, frankly, anyone who has to live with the sub-poverty level disability assistance knows there’s nothing “easier” about it.)
“Things may be easier,” Noelle says to Orlando’s grief-stricken wife, at one point. Easier. Imagine thinking that.
Seeing a patient return in Orlando’s condition would probably be enough to make a lot of doctors stop and wonder what more they should’ve, could’ve, would’ve done differently. But The Pitt Season 2 Episode 13 doesn’t put just any doctor in this position; it’s Dr. Mohan. Not only is there no doubt, whatsoever, for viewers that she did everything she could reasonably have been expected to do to help—and more—but her day has already been difficult enough to cause her first panic attack. Oh. And she’s met this man’s teen daughter, which means she has a terrible firsthand knowledge of what that girl has in store for her. (As we learned last season, her dad died when she was 13.) Probably the only way to sum all of this up is, basically, ouch with a side of “WTF why are you doing this to her.”
Throughout this hour, as Dr. Mohan struggles to cope with this awful tragedy, Supriya Ganesh delivers yet another remarkable performance. Right from the beginning, the terror in her eyes, the tension in her body, and that awful shake in her voice as she says Orlando’s name all set us up for, to put it simply, an hour of constant pain. As Mohan snaps at Ellis or stares at the monitors, willing the news to be good—to tell her Mr. Diaz has a chance, to reassure her this was a freak accident with nothing to do with his earlier hospital visit—we feel every single bit of her desperation as if we are her. When we learn that Orland’s DKA is actually resolving—meaning a sudden diabetic coma is unlikely to have caused his fall—she freezes, stricken.
Then, she bargains, tries to come up with other perfectly logical reasons he may have fallen. But everything Ganesh gives us as her character tries to rationalize her way through the results of a completely irrational healthcare system tells us that, somewhere, deep down, Samira knows—or, at the very least, fears—this was no accident. In fact, thanks to all the flaws in the system I detailed up above, even if he did trip over something or get a little dizzy from the heat, I’d say U.S. healthcare policy itself may as well have pushed him. At one point, she bolts upright and rushes after the EMT who brought Orlando in, practically begging for someone to make it make sense…but nothing about his situation ever can.
Unless you count Dr. Robby’s heartless, public speculation, The Pitt Season 2 Episode 13 never explicitly says this patient tried to end his own life and failed. But in this moment, particularly if you watch it more than once, Dr. Mohan’s intuition seems to be telling her that’s the case. That’s all I need to see to know.
There’s an urgency in Ganesh’s voice, a panic about her, as Dr. Mohan tries to get Orlando to squeeze her hand. It’s obvious she’s trying very hard to hold it together and put the patient’s care first…but she just can’t. There’s an awful sort of grief to her expression when Orlando doesn’t respond, and she ignores Robby’s question about getting the swelling down. When she snaps “what” at Robby’s second attempt to get her attention, it’s more agony, like she can’t take one more thing, than anything else. And Ganesh’s expression is one of a person who is absolutely drowning. You might even say it’s that quicksand Duke discussed with Robby in a recent episode.
At any rate, her first, breathless answer to his question, isn’t the best. The misery is clearly clouding her judgment because her second answer, blurted out the instant Dr. Ellis finishes explaining why the Mannitol might be a bad idea, is delivered with more conviction. And it’s the right choice. Unsurprising because she actually is good at this!
How many ways can a person experience hopelessness? In The Pitt Season 2 Episode 13, Ganesh’s portrayal of Dr. Mohan seems to imply there are no limits. Case in point: By the time we meet Dr. Conley (the Chief of Neurosurgery), Samira’s gone from hyper-focused on trying to create a miracle, to lost. It’s like she’s slowly disappearing before our very eyes. She’s shrunk herself and withdrawn to the edges of the scene, unable to stay fully present in the room but still unable to leave Orlando’s side completely. As she tries (and fails) to compartmentalize, her entire being is basically screaming, “I’m trapped in a nightmare.” And it actually goes downhill from there.
Mohan turns down the opportunity to do an interesting procedure but stays in the room (physically), eyes downcast, head bent lower and lower in increments as the hour drags on. (It drags for Samira. Unfortunately, despite how rough it is to see one of our favorite characters suffer like this, it’s still yet another great hour of TV. So, for us viewers, it feels like it’s over before it even has a chance to begin.) Just when it seems like she can’t disassociate anymore, just when it seems like she can’t experience anymore guilt, can’t feel anymore doom, The Pitt Season 2 Episode 13 will deliver another blow, and Ganesh will take Mohan deeper into the depths of her despair. When Dr. Conley quotes the statistics on patients in Mr. Diaz’s condition, for example, those eyes just…cloud. It’s like a light has totally gone out.
Another stunning display of emotion comes when Orlando’s wife Lorrie returns with dinner, completely unaware of how much worse things have gotten in just a few hours. The reaction Mohan has to this woman’s optimism, of knowing she’s about to ruin her life, can only be characterized as “oh God, oh, God, oh no no no no no.” And as Mohan and Robby explain to Mrs. Diaz that her husband left AMA, her explanation of everything she tried to do to keep him in the hospital and save him isn’t only about trying to convince Orlando’s grieving wife that she did her best. No. The breathless way Ganesh reads the lines, coupled with her guilty look and the awful sense of self-blame she’s carried this whole time, is all about Samira also trying to convince herself there was nothing more she could’ve done.
And, again. We know. There really wasn’t anything. The system doomed this family before they ever showed up at PTMC on this day when everyone’s supposed to celebrate the USA. The only thing worth celebrating here is the quality—of storytelling, of Ganesh’s performance throughout the hour and Loren Escandon’s portrayal of Lorrie’s gut-wrenching reaction to her husband’s situation, and of The Pitt‘s dedication to showing us the ugly reality we continue to allow.
MORE: Earlier this season, student doctor Joy Kwon found a creative solution that would’ve significantly cut Orlando’s hospital bill, but it was still going to be too expensive.
On the flip side…
At a teaching hospital, one doctor’s nightmare scenario can be another’s learning experience. In The Pitt Season 2 Episode 13, student doctor Javadi’s in the same room with Mohan, but it’s like she’s in a completely different universe. When Dr. Conley comes down and says Orlando needs an EVD, Javadi looks for all the world like someone’s just spoken a foreign language. And although Dr. Mohan can explain to her that it’s “an external ventricular drain to take down the pressure,” Ganesh’s voice absolutely breaking (and breaking us) on the forced out “pressure,” she refuses to assist. “I’m good,” she lies with that tight swallow giving her away. Then, when an actually halfway gentle—shocker at this point—Robby tries to get her to reconsider, she’s a bit more assertive on that “I said I’m good,” but her inability to even look up says otherwise.
As in, Dr. Mohan is not, in fact, good. She’s shutting down.
That leaves Javadi. Initially, she also tries to bow out. In her case, she’s all excuses about her shift being over—as if that matters in The Pitt. That might be surprising to viewers who remember how valuable her skills were during the mass casualty event. But it turns out she’s trying to avoid the challenge here for exactly the same reason she went off back then—her mother. In this case, instead of proving something to Dr. Shamsi and getting her to back off, Javadi’s faced with someone who is utterly delighted to see her mother’s daughter here in the trauma room.
Which, for her, is its own kind of nightmare. If you’re trying to prove you’re not a nepo baby, working alongside someone who literally went to your mom’s baby shower while she was pregnant with you…doesn’t quite help with that. Not to mention, Javadi’s having her own crisis of confidence today, having missed a very serious diagnosis. What if she’s not her mother’s daughter in the way Conley expects?
But Robby won’t take no for an answer. As The Pitt Season 2 Episode 13 continues, and Javadi cautiously steps up to the plate, Shabana Azeez brings a sort of intense focus to the character that speaks to just how badly she wants to get this right because she knows how much is at stake. For Javadi, it’s not only about making sure not to do anymore harm than has already been done to this patient—although, of course, that has to weigh on her. She’s human, after all—but it is about getting her confidence back and avoiding more disappointment. She absolutely can’t let this woman who knows her parents down, and she can’t let herself down either.
For all her hesitation, and that worried expression as her eyes track back and forth when she asks “a—and just keep going,” Javadi performs brilliantly. And although it’s a big moment for her future career as a doctor, the way The Pitt Season 2 Episode 13 utilizes all that technical work to highlight something deeply personal is what’s most fascinating here. In the first place, it’s a lovely sort of passing of the torch. We learn here that Victoria’s mom did her first assist with Dr. Conley, back when she was a resident and Conley was a new assistant professor. Furthermore, when Conley says she doesn’t know how Eileen got through her residency and pregnancy at the same time, that appears to have a profound impact on Victoria. It’s almost as if, after probably hearing that story forever, it finally hits her. There’s a moment of recognition.
Furthermore, as if the pressure on her wasn’t already enough, it’s a reminder of how much she has to live up to. Since Dr. Conley seems impressed with Javadi at the end there, will that help her finally realize she’s good enough on her own and not only as “Raymond and Eileen’s daughter”? Here’s hoping.
LINK: At least Dr. Conley treats Javadi like any other medical student once she gets past the delight at seeing her colleagues’ daughter here…her mom’s little impromptu quiz in front of everyone last season was the total opposite.
Checking in on the roommates
Whitaker and Santos continue to be just…equal parts wildly entertaining and purely fascinating as roommates. It’s not particularly surprising that Whitaker would do everything possible to make friends and look after Santos—him absolutely scrambling to help her with the charts when she drops them is a sweet moment. But the way Trinity lets herself…almost peek out of her shell, yet not quite, is so lovely. She doesn’t say “I’m going to miss Robby” or “I don’t want you to leave.” But she does hint around about whether or not Whitaker’s still going to Amy’s and admit how “it’s gonna be very weird without [Robby] here.” It’s a start!
Isa Briones and Gerran Howell play this really, really well. Briones studiously focuses on the work and tries to force this whole conversation to be casual, no big deal. (Spoiler: It’s a huge deal.) But whenever Trinity prepares herself for, and/or butts against, something that causes her obvious insecurity, she sneaks these nervous, little glances in. For his part, Howell only spares a direct look in his scene partner’s direction when she’s not looking at him. And even then, every single line is delivered in the most non-threatening way possible.
Whitaker knows he can’t go on the direct attack, so to speak, and has to draw Trinity out. He does exactly that—he hedges, hints, circles the point. Instead of just offering to keep living with her, he frames it as a hypothetical. Santos is so good at pushing people away by now, she’s not letting herself hope that someone is really going to stay. She doesn’t do vulnerable, definitely doesn’t do needing people, and barely does friends. But Whitaker’s not letting her get away with it this time. I love it.
The fact that Dennis is her friend but still won’t share what he discussed with Ogilvie—another person who’s on the verge of giving up because of something that was largely out of his control—with Santos, actually, ought to convince her she can trust him. Because he’s not sharing anything anyone shares with him in a weak moment. So, he won’t judge or share her broken pieces with anyone else either. Period.
MORE: Last season, Whitaker successfully caught a rat—seems easier than getting Santos to admit she needs her friend to stay.
“More loose ends than a macramé wall hanging”
After spending the entire 12th hour of their shift at odds, Dana and Robby don’t magically snap back to their usual camaraderie in The Pitt Season 2 Episode 13. Which, ok. Fine. That’s realistic, actually, but it doesn’t mean it’s easy to watch. Early in this hour, when Dana points out the time, she and Robby are positioned about as far away from each other as they can get while realistically still having a combative conversation that isn’t actually a shouting match. It’s certainly entertaining to hear Dana compare Robby to a wall hanging her mom had that “took up the whole godd**n wall,” and it may seem on the surface like she’s doing her usual jabbing at him. But…um…no. Instead of poking fun, she’s just flat out poking.
Katherine LaNasa and Noah Wyle don’t even look at each other for most of that exchange, and when LaNasa does have to move ever so slightly closer to Wyle—while still maintaining a huge distance—that Dana swagger is of a totally different quality than normal. And Wyle just increases that nastiness as Robby reminds Dana that she should also sign out, yet won’t. “Yeah. Maybe you should, too. Oh, that’s right. You sent Lena home. Are you planning on calling in a replacement, or are you just gonna work ’til sunrise?” Dana says she’ll stay the whole time if she has to, all while Wyle keeps the nervous energy going, fidgeting away at his neck. And then, there’s that condescending “Oh! So, you get to go the extra mile, and the rest of us just get accused of being martyrs.” Annnnd the sardonic wink.
Low blow: Landed. That camera lingering on Dana’s moment to gather herself just makes it that much more effective.
Later in The Pitt Season 2 Episode 13, when Dana has to remind Robby it’s “not a great idea to have a conversation about a patient in a public area” (especially when that conversation is speculation about him trying to end his life to get out of medical debt), we’re treated to another excellent interaction. Not only is there Dana’s warning tone and Robby’s explosion when his “I know, I know” doesn’t get her to stop, but the two characters also totally get in each other’s way. In place of the usual smooth rhythm that LaNasa and Wyle have together, it’s like this clumsy, awkward dance where both want to take the lead and neither’s relenting. And so, they bump into each other.
Then, there’s their last big confrontation, which closes The Pitt Season 2 Episode 13 on a worrisome note. It’s another powerful scene for LaNasa and Wyle—no surprise and nothing new there. Wyle’s agonized “I can’t” when Dana tells Robby to sign everything out and get out of there further enforces how difficult it is, even with obvious burnout, for him to pull himself away. And his reaction to Dana bringing up her kids…is a huge one. Initially, she’s ready to fight…but when Robby answers, rapid-fire, “no, I had one. She left. I don’t need another one,” we learn that for as close as these two are, Dana never knew this. LaNasa puts those hands up in surrender, takes a much more gentle tone and just pours on the emotion. But that sympathy isn’t going to get through either.
At this point, Dana goes back to begging Robby to take a break, he lashes out with the sarcastic whispering about his sabbatical. But he’s…not leaving! Instead, he continues just being ripped apart from the inside out with the knowledge that this place is killing him…but he doesn’t know how to break away. Similar to Season 1, Robby’s unraveling. This time, though, it looks different. Instead of falling apart, he’s trying to make everybody around him feel as bad as he does. Because if he pushes them away…maybe it’ll be fine if—when—he doesn’t come back.
Empathizing with someone in this situation is complicated, to say the least. Depression, and overload, and anxiety, and clear abandonment issues shouldn’t be excuses for treating other people who are also struggling like trash. But when someone is in this much pain, writing them off and helping them continue to self-destruct doesn’t work either.
Aside from the empathy and concern she displays so wonderfully here, LaNasa also does phenomenal work in the moment when Robby tells Dana he’s also worried about her. Her facial expression falls in a way that feels like the bottom’s just dropped out—the solid ground Dana’s standing on has collapsed. She’s so very hurt. Of course, Robby rightly mentions the bottle of Versed she carries around in her pocket. But Dana’s not in a place to hear she’s not ok any more than she’s in a place to notice how not ok Robby is. So, she turns and makes that face like “ugh, not this still.”
Oh. And while we can’t blame the world at large for his mommy issues—very interesting he attacked Mohan over hers, huh—the state Robby’s in, with as much as this job has broken him, also very much could’ve been avoided. If not that, then at least some of that pressure on him could’ve been alleviated. But, as the guy in charge of this department, every horror, every bit of pressure, every loss gets lumped on his shoulders the same as everyone else—and then some.
The Pitt Season 2 Episode 13 ends on a painful note. Dana’s grieving, weighed-down expression about sums up how anyone would feel after a day like this.
…and there are still two hours to go.
MORE: Earlier this season, Dana told Emma “we do what we can to give the best care to traumatized people in their darkest days.” But what happens when the caregivers are the ones having the dark days?
More The Pitt Season 2 Episode 13 reactions
- Garcia’s reaction to Mohan snapping at Ellis is so very different to her putting Santos in her place back in Episode 10. And it should be—this is a wildly out of character moment for Mohan because she’s in such a state over Orlando. Yes, she still gets the side-eye, but that’s it. No lecture, no snide remark. Just Garcia answering Ellis’ question. That she’s even so unlike herself that someone from a completely different department notices and adjusts their own behavior says a lot. And that’s only the beginning!
- “Is there a card to sign for Robby?” [Sips dunkin.] “No, he said no card, no presents.” “Oh. Was there a cake?” Oh, he didn’t want that either.” Shoutout to Dr. Shen here. Dude looks equal parts WTF, disappointed, and disgusted as he’s like, “that sucks. I need some cake.” How relatable, right down to him just sipping away at that coffee there.
- Why does the night shift have all the chill dudes???
- “Monica, this is Nazely, new intern.” Not this rude b**ch ignoring Nazely’s outstretched hand like it’s going to give her something 10 times worse than Ebola and COVID combined. She’s RACIST-racist, huh. Can’t believe Monica seemed like a hero when she first showed up. She can go.
- “Excellent. Night shift’s on Crus control.” And that wink from Dr. Henderson. I just really need The Pitt to invite us to what is obviously a nightly party sometime.
- Abbot is so unbothered about getting the latest terrible update from Dana. But as soon as she mentions Jesse getting arrested…Wow. Abbot’s usually such a calm counterpoint to Robby’s constant dangling on the edge of collapse (series premiere excluded), but that “for what” from Shawn Hatosy, coupled with the frozen shock/horror in his expression, is absolutely everything.
- Also, his “are you f—ing kidding me” is, well, basically the way to react to 99.9% of the news these days, so. Yeah. Go the eff off, Jack.
- I very much adore how Dr. Al-Hashimi is so warm and welcoming when Whitaker introduces her to Nazely. And the Armenian!
- ….Monica Davis can die mad.
- “It was a little bit more than that.” Dr. McKay, Gossip Columnist.
- “I—I’m fine.” Someone should find a way to bottle Emma’s smile and hand it out as (free) medication. What a ray of sunshine. I hope she actually stays this steady and able to cope. (This place does not inspire confidence.)
- Kinda living for all of Dana’s hand motions during this handoff, too.
- Poor Dr. Santos is so exhausted, she can barely get those hands clapping. Nice physicality from Isa Briones there.
- “Shall we join them?” Oh, Dana is impressed. “Might as well witness the magic. It’s like changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.” “Except we’re allowed to smile.” “Smile though your heart is aching.” This Emma/Dana walk and talk is the best. Emma? Chiming in and kinda expanding on the joke??? After being scared of Dana earlier? AMAZING. Not to mention, between Emma getting attacked in the first place and Dana’s agony after the fact, they both deserve this moment of levity.
- Eh. Who am I kidding? They both deserve the world. Anything they want. Everything they want.
- Once again glad The Pitt isn’t letting up on the ICE storyline. “He’ll be processed at DHS Southside and then transferred to ICE detention in Clearfield.” “Clearfield? That’s two hours away.”
- The way Dana is with Digby is the way she would get to be as a nurse without the weight of the entire system crumbling around her. Just saying.
- “Hey, stay safe out there.” “Back at you in here.” I think if I let myself scream about the injustice that makes exchange necessary, I may never stop. Ever.
- I love Abbot and all, but OMG can he let McKay rest. (He can’t because there’s no one else. I get it. But still.)
- “Sorry. Everyone else is tied up.” “That’s ok. How’d you get stuck on night shift for your first rotation?” “Just lucky, I guess.” The tone here says “lucky” is, uh…not so much. “Yeah, if you like a good horror movie.”
- “Tylenol?” “God, no.” Just say you listen to roadkill-eating whackjobs instead of scientists and go.
- Javadi’s little “oh, sh**” expression when Mohan has that attitude with Robby…girl, same.
- I know I mentioned this up above, but I absolutely adore everything about the scene where Emma oh, so gently and carefully gives Digby his shave.
- Hot take: Dr. Al-Hashimi can’t handle it. Not because of anything wrong with her specifically, but because no one can.
- “She’s smart.” “It takes more than that.” That it does. And nobody has what it takes because what it takes is superhuman strength to just keep fighting against that broken system.
- “Why would you do that?” “I don’t know. Why not?” BECAUSE HE’S YOUR FRIEND AND LIKES LIVING WITH YOU.
- “Hello, Linda.” “Robby.” Mannnn, this exchange speaks of a history I want to know everything about. If they want me to believe this isn’t just Dr. Carter and Debbie, I’m going to need The Pitt to bring Mary McCormack back and explore this further.
- “Division Chief working on a holiday weekend.” “Well, somebody’s got to.” Hm. At least we know she has the same problem Robby and Dana both have…
- What an aggrieved reaction to both Mohan and Javadi turning Robby down there.
- “I do not want to come back here and find out that you’ve applied for a residency in derm.” But like. What if that’s what she wants? (She totally doesn’t, huh.)
- Usually, someone being all “I knew you when you were a baby!” (or, uh, before in this case) is so embarrassing. They almost never see you as an adult in those moments, and Azeez’s performance during that whole exchange absolutely makes it clear she’s had this happen way too many times and expects she’s going to be treated some kind of way. Conley doesn’t do that, though. As soon as Javadi starts working, she’s working. As an adult—and a very capable one at that. What a relief for someone to be able to see her for her while at the same time having that soft spot.
- Annnnnnnd everyone caught Dr. Al-Hashimi’s latest Moment™. Not good, not good. That awful quiet pause as Robby sees it happen, and sees everyone noticing it…
- “It’s not brain surgery.” You know The Pitt Season 2 Episode 13 is punching me in the guts (repeatedly) when the Chief of Neurosurgery says this and I don’t even chuckle at it.
- The suspense.
- Oh? A worried glance in Mohan’s direction? IMAGINE IF YOU TOOK CARE OF HER A FEW HOURS AGO INSTEAD OF BEING A BUTTHEAD, ROBINAVITCH.
- That bright way Dana offers Digby his “fresh summer look” and then jokes about giving him a pixie cut. Mannn, it’s work like this—the type others deem “beneath” them—that brings her back to life after that awful low point. Only someone who really wants to make a difference would keep coming back. And, well. Here we are. Also, I love how they use the space and the shape LaNasa makes with her foot up and, like, leaning like that.
- “Where do you live?” “Wherever I want.” That…is an uncomfortable expression from Emma.
- That rushed “I’m sorry” when Mohan is totally disassociating and misses Ellis saying her name…
- Ok, Dr. Two Thumbs Up.
- “Does she eat polar bear liver?” Tag yourself. I’m McKay’s “WTF” look.
- OMG I felt that “seriously” from Santos. She is tired, she has enough to do, she wants to go home.
- That “take the compliment” is a great moment, though, too.
- $400 for asthma medication without insurance—$400 to breathe. And that’s only one of Grady’s medications.
- “I really did do everything i could to try to make Orlando stay…” “Yeah, I don’t doubt it.” I just wish, before Robby started using Dr. Mohan’s previous work with Dr Al-Hashimi for intel gathering, he’d…actually sound convincing here? To borrow his own phrase, I don’t doubt that he believes her and has confidence in at least that part of her work style and ethic. But she does, and he sounds dismissive. And the whole time she’s trying to defend herself, poor Samira looks terrified that Robby’s going to lecture her the way he did after her panic attack, or over Mr. Green’s triple A, or, or, or…
- Like, just throw her a bone, Robinavitch.
- Oof. The way her face morphs into that questioning look, and then the memory of Dr. Al freezing with Baby Jane Doe at the beginning of the day…
- Aaaaaaand back to the anxious Dr. Robby neck rub.
- “Kiwis before bedtime, lettuce water, mouth taping.” GIRL WHAT.
- On a serious note, the work Fiona Dourif and Isa Briones do with all that wordless communication in front of the wellness grift—I mean sleep—maxxing lady is super. The show Dr. Santos puts on with loudly suggesting that while shooting all those looks at Dr. McKay (to convey a totally different message than the one this patient’s picking up), coupled with the increasingly bewildered reactions makes for comedy gold. Or, at least, it would be if the whole situation wasn’t infuriating. What if we just, like, relied on science and experts instead of influencer quackery?
- And when they land on the answer…whew. Tiny lift of the chin, one sharp nod in McKay’s direction. Brilliant from both.
- That mirror shot on Digby is a stunner, and when he starts to panic about his family possibly not recognizing him…ouch.
- “Then, she will always remember you.” Emma for President of the Universe. What a touching, stunning couple of moments here. Start to finish, from the reveal, to the slight misstep, to Dana kinda starting to cover for Emma, to Emma fixing it herself. Beautiful. (I cried.)
- “That sucks.” Basically a whisper, yet the emotions are so loud. And, yeah. Perlah’s right. The whole situation sucks.
- Abbot’s little offended look when Mel says they don’t need him because they have Shen.
- “You let him leave?” “He insisted on leaving to work at his second job.” “You couldn’t make him stay?” This broke me.
- …but at least Robby speaks up here and remains objective in a way that supports Mohan in front of Mrs. Diaz. “He was competent; he knew the risks. We honored his decision to leave.” “Even if it was a stupid one?” Just an overwhelming amount of heartbreak here.
- “I tried to stop him. Offered to get him all the supplies he’d need to take care of himself at home. But he left before I could give them to him. He said he couldn’t afford to lose a paycheck.”
- Mel and Langdon have a beautiful, vulnerable scene in The Pitt Season 2 Episode 13. Taylor Dearden and Patrick Ball continue to be great together. And Mel being so sure Langdon would’ve saved Grady before it was too late is so healing. Not just for Langdon, who is so very busy beating himself up over being, essentially, rusty and not having every single answer on his first day back—who could, on any day?—but for her, too. She mentions that deposition and actually seems to be in the process of moving past it and realizing, after a day of dreading the whole thing, that she’s human. She’s not a bad doctor. (And, for the record, she didn’t do anything wrong there anyway. That kid’s illness was preventable. His parents chose to listen to unqualified hacks and risk exactly what wound up happening.)
- “And with Robby gone, I really don’t want you to leave either.” The way she rushes through that last part when she’s kinda been…comforting and consoling and mostly confident this whole time! My heart.
- “That which does not kill me makes me stronger.” “Wow. Friedrich Nietszche.” “Yeah. Nietzsche, yeah…” And her little smile! She is so cute! And the muttering on “Not Kelly Clarkson” before his answering smile…two. adorable. dorks.
- “I just think ‘what’s the stupidest thing this person could’ve done?’ Then assume they did it.” Honestly? Genius.
- “Well, I mean, she was trying to be healthy.” “Yeah, by taking advice from fools.” “Turmeric is recommended by a lot of doctors.” “Yeah, then ask your doctor for the dose or check someplace reputable like the CDC—oh, right. I forgot. It’s now a medical toxic waste site.” GO OFF.
- Just think how many more avoidable emergencies we’re going to be seeing here over the next…God knows how long.
- Normally, I’d side with McKay on that “wow” over Santos’ complete lack of empathy. But, well, this situation is an exception to that rule.
- “You had quite a day.” “It wasn’t so bad.” PROTECT EMMA.
- Speaking of: Monica can STFU and leave Emma alone. She’s done plenty today.
- “You were about to start yapping.” “But I DIDn’t!!!”
- “I’ve been trying for months. To get re-enrolled, you need tax returns, pay stubs. I cut hair. My income fluctuates. A lot of my regulars are struggling, so it’s been…tough.” Tianna Mendez kills it here. The system is rigged. It’s infuriating, and frustrating, and heartbreaking all in one. And her performance here—that shaky voice, the grief in her expression, the tone that’s equal parts gutted and resentful, the way she breaks in mentioning the regulars’ struggles—nails it.
- Imagine going to flirt with Robinavitch after that “things may be easier” nonsense. Not a fan.
- Hatosy with the hilarious reaction to make whatever that was worth my time. Also, Robby giving Abbot the finger cracked me up. Children. They’re children.
- Howell’s little swallow after Whitaker mentions Mr. Milton’s cardiac arrest drives home—probably better than anything else about that scene—that some losses just stay with you, no matter how much you’ve otherwise grown and changed. Mr. Milton is Whitaker’s.
- “I couldn’t save him. People die. And we do the best we can…but people die.”
- Iverson is so raw here. After spending most of the day being a know-it-all, getting people to feel for Ogilvie could’ve potentially been an impossible task. But Iverson’s portrayal of this trauma response is so good, not feeling for him actually becomes impossible here.
- “I see I’ve been replaced.” And Mel, scrambling to apologize because she doesn’t get the joke. PROTECT HER.
- BEEP BEEP BEEP
- “Just give it a little love tap.” CRASH.
- What a delightful little way to break up the emotional tension after that ambulance scene, and with everything else going on…and what comes very soon after between Robby and Dana.
- Sir. That is a travel mug. Those usually contain coffee. Be gentle! Have some respect!
- Annnnnd more hits for Dr. Mohan. She just loses hope for her future in agonizing increments there, the longer Crus talks about his own experience—in a totally friendly way, no wrong done there with him.
- And Monica the racist can, once again, STFU.
- I mean, sure. Let her know her other patient’s dead, too. Go ahead.
- Check out how Dana, like, barks at Robby to take a walk as she whips off those glasses…
- “I also don’t know if Langdon is going to relapse, I don’t know if Whitaker is gonna be able to take care of my shit, I don’t know if Javadi’s gonna give up on what she’s good at or if Samira’s gonna flame out because of some bulls**t with her mother.”
- “Is there anything else?”
- “I’m worried about the people that I care about.” Me every time I start an episode of this show.
- …but also, he’s including Mohan in that list? After how he’s behaved today? Sir.
- Imagine if Robby went to therapy. Like, ever. I don’t want to minimize what he’s going through or make light of his behavior. But holy F, man. Therapy.
- It’s the way Dana pulls back like she’s been hit for me. She’s totally overcome by how much worse off Robby is than even she thought. Ugh.
- 10/10 concern to 100/10, honestly.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of The Pitt Season 2 Episode 13 “7:00 P.M.”? Leave us a comment!
New episodes of The Pitt stream Thursdays at 9/8c on HBO Max.
