This review contains spoilers.
The critically acclaimed medical drama “The Pitt” has swept HBO Max with an exciting Season 2 debut. While a challenge arose for showrunner R. Scott Gemmill in keeping the show feeling fresh, the introduction of new characters and the backdrop of the new season were poised to do just that.
Like Season 1, each episode corresponds to an hour of the shift — Episode 1 is titled “7:00 A.M.” However, this season is uniquely set on the Fourth of July.
This season opens with an arcing shot of Pittsburgh before focusing on the protagonist, Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch (Noah Wyle), who rides up to Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center on his motorcycle helmetless. This, and the three-month sabbatical he starts after this shift, labels him as a man experiencing a risk-seeking midlife crisis.
The younger staff of the Pitt, a semi-affectionate moniker for PTMC’s emergency department, have changed as well. Dr. Trinity Santos (Isa Briones) gained notoriety last season for a brusque attitude that belied closely guarded vulnerability — and for reporting the suave Dr. Frank Langdon (Patrick Ball) for stealing pain medication from the hospital. Dr. Langdon makes a toned-down return this season, and Dr. Santos’ swagger is subdued whenever he was nearby.
Similarly, the lovable Dr. Mel King (Taylor Dearden) is missing her hallmark cheer. Dr. King faces a deposition for medical malpractice later in the day, but her dimmed demeanor isn’t necessarily out of place in the tense department.
The early arrival of Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi (Sepideh Moafi) — Dr. Robby’s replacement while he’s on sabbatical — forces the pair into a power struggle over changes the newcomer wants to make to the department. Dr. Samira Mohan (Supriya Ganesh) and medical student Victoria Javadi (Shabana Azeez) struggle to draw a line between their familial and work lives, and we watch this season’s batch of new graduates and medical students trip as they try to find their footing.
“The Pitt” remains a trailblazer in its genre. Unlike many hospital procedurals, it doesn’t rely on shock value to drive an episode – though this season’s first case involves a gory emergency surgery that was all but forgotten by the episode’s cliffhanger conclusion.
The show is also uncommonly realistic, regarded by medical professionals as one of the most accurate hospital shows of all time. Beyond its dedication to ensuring its cast is intimately familiar with the vernacular of an emergency department, it brings an uncomfortable realism to the screen.
A key case in the first episode centers on a homeless man in the waiting room who is noticeably lacking in personal hygiene. The reactions of both people in the waiting room and some hospital staff were borderline cruel, grabbing at their noses and groaning ostentatiously, but it provides a harrowing look at how homeless people are treated.
The main characters, as much as they are loved, are imperfect in their responses to this patient.
Despite these differences, the show maintains the conventions that have helped medical dramas withstand the test of time. It builds character relationships beyond medicine and maintains viewer interest without being difficult to follow. Its fast-paced plot holds enough intrigue to offset the sometimes-campy or expository dialogue, and the hour-long episode flies into a clever cliffhanger that leaves me hungry for more.
Set for weekly Thursday releases until April 16, “The Pitt” remains a one-of-a-kind series, and its second installment is not one to miss.
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