Robby uses unorthodox tactics to persuade a father to let his son receive treatment. Whitaker searches for a patient who has disappeared.
What has this 15-hour shift done to these healthcare workers? It resulted in many of them hitting their breaking points. Most of the veterans of the department still carry lingering emotions from the COVID-19 pandemic. They then had to rally to respond to a mass casualty event. The shooting at PittFest occurred following an already emotionally grueling shift. Every action they took was draining. They saved over a hundred lives. Only six people died. Of course, one had a personal connection to Robby. As such, he was forced to confront how much more of this he was willing to take. At the start of the shift, he had to talk Abbott off the ledge of the hospital's roof. The amount of suffering these workers witness every day is unbearable. It forces each of them to reckon with their own humanity and mortality. They can't save everyone. They try the best they can. That still isn't good enough. Robby is proud of his team. They came together as a collective unit to offer the absolute best of humanity. Some aren't willing to go home just yet. Santos and Mohan are still looking for more patients to treat. Their shifts ended hours ago. They need to recognize the importance of walking away from this work. And yet, it still leads Robby back to the roof while he stands in a role-reversal with Abbott.
Everyone recognized that something was up with Robby throughout the shift. It was something they noticed but didn't feel the need to comment on. As the intensity of the narrative increased, it required more attention from his colleagues. He tried to have a private moment for his ultimate breakdown. He was found by Whitaker. He felt the need to ensure his new student didn't say anything. Yet Whitaker wasn't the only person who witnessed it. Instead, Robby's well-being hit the rumor mill. A night shift nurse saw him. She concocted an elaborate lie of him losing his mind and talking to the animals painted on the wall. In reality, Robby was trying his best to get his head on straight. It required engaging with someone else to pull him out of it. Whitaker wasn't capable of providing a rousing speech. He just knew the department would fail without Robby. He was needed. Instead, that moment of grace comes when Abbott finds his friend on the roof. Sure, he delivers his theory about why they can never leave this work. It's in their DNA. This is how they are wired. They may always feel tempted to leave. They walk away feeling defeated. Yet they keep coming back to face it all over again. Some won't. Dana doesn't know if she will return. However, Robby choosing to come back down signals his willingness to accept that clarity.
Of course, Robby still returns to a changed world. He and Jake remained close even after Robby broke up with Jake's mother. Now, Jake is done with their friendship. Robby checks in on him to ensure he isn't blaming himself. He couldn't handle that emotional stress inflicted upon the teenager. It's still heartbreaking to lose this relationship for good. Jake relied on the staff at the Pitt. They couldn't save Leah. Robby still has to inform her parents about her tragic death. He doesn't get a break. He doesn't believe he deserves that luxury. The system will fall apart. That's the assessment Whitaker and the other newcomers made. However, Abbott has the wisdom and experience to know that the system can still function even if one of the attendings has to step away for a few minutes. It's nourishment for their own mental health. It's the only way for them to cope. All of these difficult emotions are coming to the surface now because the day shift is told to hand off their cases. It's time for the transition to actually occur. Shen and Ellis are capable of overseeing patient care. They still face uncertain medical traumas. The waiting room is quick to fill up again. The environment essentially returns to normal. The system still functions. It's broken. It's not the best. That means the people have to step in to fill in the gaps. They make mistakes. They aren't perfect. Yet their humanity allows them to connect with patients.
Santos shares that a close friend of hers committed suicide. It was a result of the exact same trauma she endured when she was younger. They were groomed by an adult. Santos escaped. It pains her that her friend didn't survive. She's also grateful for the life she gets to live. This is a new side of her. This backstory has been teased previously. It allows her to connect with the patient who overdosed during the festival shooting. She sees the warning signs. She picks up on the verbal clues when others think she is making too big of a leap. The conversation she strikes up is significant. It gets him to accept help. The same applies to McKay when she talks to David. She and Robby are left questioning if anything they did throughout the day made the situation better. They are left in that ambiguity. Robby was in the wrong to blame McKay for escalating the situation. He monitors her when she speaks to David by herself. Yet she communicates the fear that defines life as a woman. She enters the dynamic from that perspective. Robby saved her when the police arrested her for tampering with her ankle monitor. She was given the freedom to get it replaced because her skills were necessary in a heightened situation. She's needed with David too. Talking to someone is a powerful first step. In fact, it could benefit many of the healthcare workers. Abbott mentions he has a therapist. He offers to recommend Robby to him. It's not accepted now. Instead, the team copes by drinking beers in the park across the street.
This shift would be enough for anyone to question whether they want to continue practicing medicine. It was a daunting first day for Javadi. Robby has a nice laugh at her expense. It's dark humor. It also comes with the realization that the next shift will probably be easier. The team hopes they never have to face something like the shooting ever again. Abbott acknowledges that it will happen elsewhere if not them directly. That's just the cynical worldview on the subject. Some people get to escape the tragedy. They get to act as if it is happening somewhere else. It has an impact on the mental health of the entire country. These are the frontline caretakers. Gloria sees them as heroes despite how annoying they can be. Robby and Abbott don't want that recognition. They just want to finally sign off for the day. That too reveals new details about these characters. Mel and her sister have a routine of dinner and a movie on Friday nights. Whitaker has been living in the abandoned wing of the hospital. Mohan doesn't have a life outside of work. McKay's ankle monitor is the result of a custody dispute. These characters lean on each other. That's the only way to survive. That also requires self-reflection and humility. Langdon refuses to accept any blame for his actions. Instead, he tries to weaponize Robby's breakdown to coerce him into looking the other way. Langdon tries to get Dana's support. She doesn't want to be in the middle of it. She has her own life to prioritize. It's unclear what a new season will bring and which characters will return. This was an influential shift. Everyone managed to survive. They may not be thriving. Their lives are a work-in-progress. Yet it comes with the awareness of knowing the system keeps chugging along and so do the people who populate it.
