Season 2, Episode 7: The Clock Strikes One
A heartfelt conversation seems nearly impossible when a helicopter is landing.
As Dr. Langdon hurries to the hospital rooftop to assist a trauma patient arriving by helicopter, he’s unexpectedly trapped in an elevator with his former mentor, Dr. Robby. The silence is deafening during their brief ascent. By the time Langdon gathers his courage to initiate a conversation, they’ve already stepped out, forcing him to shout over the growing whir of the helicopter blades.
In his journey through the 12 steps, Langdon, a recovering addict, desperately needs to reconcile with Dr. Robby for breaching his trust by stealing medication. He attempts to apologize, “I’m just going to say it: I’m sorry,” but the words are swallowed by the escalating roar of the helicopter as it descends, transforming his apology into a desperate shout.
Amidst the swirling wind from the propellers, Robby listens, acknowledging Langdon’s progress. However, he then casts doubt, stating he’s unsure if Langdon belongs in his E.R. Moments later, both doctors are in a frantic race against time to save a new patient. Robby’s intense scrutiny of Langdon throughout the procedure feels like a deliberate attempt to find fault, pushing Langdon to his limits, even as his medical decisions remain sharp and effective.
This dramatic, helicopter-fueled exchange between Robby and Langdon serves as the emotional core of this week’s “The Pitt” episode. It significantly advances a pivotal storyline, placing two key characters in a high-pressure situation — treating a severe “swimmer vs. propeller” boating injury that necessitated a helicopter transport. This scene is undeniably captivating.
This intense sequence beautifully illustrates how the chaotic, confined environment and relentless pace of the Pitt’s emergency room compel individuals to confront each other, even when they’d rather avoid it. The clamor of the helicopter cleverly serves as a shield, subtly obscuring the raw vulnerability both men display. One might even wonder if Langdon subconsciously chose this noisy backdrop to finally open up.
From a cinematic perspective, the scene masterfully blends the emotional weight with an overwhelming sensory experience: the deafening noise, the whipping wind, the urgent shouts, and the dramatic rooftop backdrop. This combination truly showcases “The Pitt” at its compelling finest.
A similar intensity drives the episode’s most persistent storyline. Dana, the E.R.’s sole on-duty Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), temporarily leaves her charge nurse duties to attend to Ilana (Tina Ivlev), a sexual assault survivor. A SANE’s role extends beyond physical and emotional care; they are specifically trained to meticulously gather forensic evidence for potential police charges.
This process is not only thorough but also emotionally draining, spanning the entire episode and remaining unresolved by the credits. Ilana, attacked by someone she considered a friend at a Fourth of July barbecue, finds herself unable to continue the arduous exam. Dana compassionately persuades her to take a break and reconsider, sending her with Nurse Emma for refreshments.
Then, the seemingly unshakeable Dana—the ever-composed charge nurse, the nurturing “mother hen,” the highly trained SANE professional who had bravely returned to work after her own assault—finally succumbs to the pressure and breaks down in tears.
I, too, felt that emotional impact. “The Pitt” possesses a unique ability to deeply affect its audience: by meticulously crafting its most resilient, experienced, and cherished characters, then showing their profound vulnerability. This technique proved effective in Season 1 with Robby’s post-traumatic stress from the pandemic, and it’s equally powerful here. With Ilana’s case still pending, Dana will undoubtedly need to regroup and resume her critical duties in emergency medical care.
If “The Pitt” leaves you pondering how anyone could endure such profound emotional strain and continue their work, then the show is succeeding in its poignant portrayal of its characters.
Meanwhile, other members of the Pitt’s staff grapple with stress in less healthy ways. Santos, swamped by her immense caseload and mountain of paperwork, somehow manages to soothe a distressed baby abandoned in the restroom. Yet, she abruptly dismisses her deaf patient when their remote interpreting device malfunctions and no new translator is available. (Princess, now filling Dana’s charge nurse role, can offer only rudimentary ASL assistance).
Adding to Santos’s burdens, she suspects her roommate, Whitaker, is being exploited by the farmer’s widow, whose relationship status with him remains unclear. In a rare private moment in the bathroom, we glimpse self-inflicted scars on Santos’s left thigh, revealing a destructive coping mechanism for someone seemingly too focused to acknowledge her own emotional struggles.
This season’s ongoing patient cases offer little respite from the bleakness. Mr. Diaz, Mohan’s patient, overwhelmed by staggering medical debt exceeding $100,000, flees the hospital. Roxie, a cancer patient, adamantly refuses to leave, despite her husband pleading with Dr. Robby to discharge her. Jada, whose brother is experiencing an unexplained psychotic episode, is rightly enraged upon discovering her parents concealed a family history of mental illness on her father’s side.
Perhaps the only light relief comes from the unexpected arrival of the dashing Dr. Abbott (Shawn Hatosy), the overnight chief attending physician. Abbott, who secretly works as a SWAT medic, treats injured officers during raids. A recent firefight left one of his colleagues severely hurt and him with a minor superficial wound, which he treats himself with an almost cinematic flair, shirtless and stoic. Later, Al-Hashimi boldly asks him out for a beer!
Beyond Abbott’s undeniable charm, there’s a troubling aspect to the tactical camouflage worn by him and his SWAT team. It starkly suggests that domestic law enforcement is operating akin to outright warfare. This visual is particularly striking given Abbott’s background as a veteran of Middle East campaigns. Dr. Al’s invitation for a drink, stemming from her own time with Doctors Without Borders in Kabul, hints at a shared understanding of conflict’s harsh realities.
Meanwhile, the episode unveils more subplots: The sharp-witted student doctor Joy demonstrates an unexpected depth of knowledge, surprising her earnest colleague Ogilvie. Al-Hashimi’s tense call to a neurologist suggests a potential reason for her recent zoning out. Javadi’s father, Usman Ally, visits the Pitt to advocate for her pursuing a dermatology residency. Robby reassures a stressed King, who is facing an upcoming deposition, that she is among the finest residents he’s ever trained. Throughout, the scorching summer day brings a constant influx of patients suffering from heat-related illnesses, prompting Langdon to ingeniously set up a cooling room.
Finally, a major season-long mystery is solved: the cause of Westbridge Hospital’s shutdown. It was a ransomware cyberattack, which has now crippled two local hospitals. As a preventative measure, the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center decides to proactively shut down all its computer systems.
For the foreseeable future, the Pitt will operate entirely in analog mode. One might optimistically ask, “What could possibly go wrong?” However, this is “The Pitt,” a place where the answer is reliably, “absolutely everything.”