On July 4th, Robby meets his replacement for his upcoming sabbatical, and a familiar face returns to the Pitt.
Change is coming to the Pitt. That's evident in the hiring of Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi. Gloria obviously brought in someone who aligned with her vision for the emergency department. The new attending has plans for addressing various issues. She's eager to implement them on her first day. She arrived hours before her shift started to get a better understanding of the environment. She has the interns and medical students practicing on a dummy. Robby is walking away from this mess. He has a three-month sabbatical planned. He has one more shift to get through. That's the background for the second season. Overall, the premiere highlights the continued competence of the way the show depicts the medical profession. Nothing crazy is happening. The staff are simply doing their jobs. They handle a wide array of cases that require different approaches. They step up when people are in need. Like the audience, the staff knows what to expect. The newcomers were through for a loop during their first shift in their emergency rotation. Now, folks like Mel, Santos, Whitaker and Javadi are familiar with this place. They understand the rhythms of how things are done. They are trying to pass that along to the new faces. Even with the changes, so much remains familiar. This is the job every day.
The premiere hones in on the arrivals of Robby, Dana and Langdon. Their futures were in doubt at the conclusion of the first season. Robby and Dana were broken following the emotionally grueling shift. The system has taken so much from them. They didn't know if they had anything else to give. They both found a way to come back. They may talk of leaving but they can never truly walk away. Meanwhile, Langdon had to put in work in order to be accepted back. He had to step away to enter rehab and counseling. He only now recognizes he committed crimes that jeopardized his patient's care. He returns as a changed man. He feels the pressure to earn the respect of his colleagues again. Mel is the only one overjoyed to see him. He made an impression on the only shift they worked together. None of her other colleagues have matched that in the months since. Langdon has gone through the required soul-searching. He's forced to confront the truth as soon as he sees Louie in the waiting room. He confesses even though Louie doesn't fully appreciate the severity of the theft. Langdon did so because it was important for his healing. He didn't need someone else to pressure him to do so either.
It's awkward for Robby to be working alongside a peer. He's always been the one overseeing everything in the department. He monitors the traumas. Everyone reports to him. He accesses the skill levels of the physicians. He encourages them to arrive at solutions. He pops in with out-of-the-box maneuvers to provide one last option for success. All of this is evidenced in the trauma he and Al-Hashimi observed. He trusts Garcia, Mohan and Whitaker to handle the situation. He's also proud to watch Whitaker guide the new medical students through this place. He sees Whitaker passing along the tradition of taking a moment of silence to honor those who have died. The doctors and nurses didn't have anything to do for their dying patient. They just had to keep him comfortable. Death was given the dignity to be peaceful. Whitaker appreciates that. The students are eager for the more exciting elements of the job. This is part of the profession too. Robby is a crucial piece in forming the identity of this place. And now, Al-Hashimi wants to start a campaign to drop references to the Pitt. She believes it's too pessimistic for a place where healing is meant to occur.
Al-Hashimi isn't naive to the harsh realities of the job. She understands the medicine and the law just as well as her fellow physicians. The big complication is the discovery of a baby in the restroom. The staff have no idea how old the infant is. That carries huge implications for the legality of what to do next. That's fascinating. They have to be broad with the treatment rendered. The results that come back signify something heartbreaking. That's how the episode concludes. Mohan fears she missed something. That's probably not true. The situation is simply depressing in the face of what has clearly already been a traumatic life. That's the only way to process a baby being abandoned after a month. That recognition is crucial. The personal lives of the characters are on display as well. Mohan had her future planned out. She was moving home to New Jersey to be near her mother. Instead, her mother is going on a yearlong cruise with her new boyfriend. Mohan only sees the downsides. McKay is positive about the situation. She also overshares about her desire for sex. That's not what's needed in this situation. In fact, it's rather inappropriate.
All of this amounts to a showcase for these characters doing what they do best. Plenty of intriguing storylines are established right away. It's unclear which of the cases will have lingering consequences for multiple episodes. Mel is distracted because she faces a deposition in a few hours for a lawsuit. It's strange for that to be happening on the Fourth of July holiday. Santos tells her not to stress out. The hospital bears all liability. It's not on Mel. That doesn't comfort her much. Santos is also eager to make a good impression on Dr. Shamsi. She wants a surgical fellowship. She has become much better at advocating for patients and providing the care they need. She doesn't know what's responsible for her young patient's multiple injuries. She's concerned, asking the right questions, and keeping Robby informed. That's wonderful progress. Meanwhile, Javadi is purposefully avoiding her mother. She wants the opportunity to decide her own life instead of doing whatever her mother wants. That tension was always apparent. Now, Shamsi is bringing her concerns to Robby who wants to avoid it for another day. All of these responses and developments are reassuring to who these characters were and how they've grown after more time in the Pitt. As such, they shine brighter than the newcomers. Hopefully, they are also given the opportunities to become endearing figures in this world too.
Some more thoughts:
- Robby riding a motorcycle without a helmet is very concerning. It potentially showcases how he continues to be reckless with his own life. It comes in the same episode in which a patient has multiple injuries after falling off his bike. The doctors even ask if he was wearing a helmet. He wasn't because he was just going around the neighborhood.
- Upon entry, Robby remarks upon how the waiting room looks almost manageable. Nevertheless, Shen, Ellis and Lena are eager to hand over their cases and end their shifts.
- Some notable moments of levity include Mel perking up when her flirtatious patient asks about boba, Javadi questioning the number of gods with a nun, Louie believing he can talk Whitaker through his procedure, Mohan’s patient not understanding she fits into the elderly category for dementia risk due to marijuana usage, and Dana removing all the unnecessary objects from new nurse Emma.
- Things are particularly gruesome in the trauma that essentially cracks a patient's entire chest open to save his life. Robby and Al-Hashimi have to really get in there to see what's going on. It's only broken up by Mohan's phone going off. She can't help that but she can get the patient stabilized alongside Garcia and Whitaker.
- McKay's altered patient is the most concerning out of the gate. He's just present enough to be intimidating. That's communicated through his fears of being overcharged and overlooked. McKay handles him well. He gets a sling for his wrist. Yet more issues pop up and she feels the need to bring someone else in to monitor.
- Urine being extremely bloody is a troubling sight for Santos' young patient. She and Perlah are asking the right questions about any abuse at home or at school. Nothing is adding up quite yet. Her father's girlfriend being the guardian who brought her in also has to be further examined.
- Langdon no longer having the same locker is a solid metaphor for him having to start over at this job. He was on top. Now, he's on the bottom. He may view triage as a punishment. It's mostly a way for Robby to avoid dealing with him. That's all Robby wants to do with everything this shift.
