In The Pitt, change is constant.
The Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center’s nonstop stream of patients leaves its staff in eternal flux. Anything can roll through the doors and alter the course of an shift. Conditions can jump from stable to life-threatening faster than you can say “yinz.” Because of this, Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch (Noah Wyle, fresh off an Emmy win) and his team have to be ready to switch up their care plans at a moment’s notice.
That sense of oscillation is a huge reason why The Pitt’s ER-meets-24 formula is so intoxicating. Thankfully, the HBO series only doubles down on it in Season 2, forcing its characters to confront change not just where their patients are concerned, but also in the Emergency Department itself. New faces, new rules…all these additions risk destabilizing the Pitt’s already shaky equilibrium, creating another captivating high-wire act of TV.
There’s a new sheriff in town in The Pitt Season 2
Sepideh Moafi in “The Pitt.”
Credit: Warrick Page / HBO Max
A new season of The Pitt means a new shift. This time around, it’s the Fourth of July, meaning several months have passed since Season 1’s PittFest tragedy.
Since then, the unthinkable has happened: Dr. Robby has decided to take a vacation. A three-month sabbatical, no less! His plan to take a motorcycle trip has his coworkers worried — especially since he’s not wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle in the season’s opening scene — but Robby is just focused on getting through one last shift before he departs.
His last day overlaps with the first of his replacement attending, Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi (Sepideh Moafi). Right off the bat, their dynamic crackles with barely-disguised annoyance. Robby bristles at Al-Hashimi’s arrival, and instantly decides she’s stepping on his toes. Al-Hashimi, meanwhile, takes offense at Robby’s prickly attitude — towards her, towards her relationship with the student doctors, and especially towards the changes she wants to implement in the ED.
The Pitt’s new characters may aggravate you at first — but that’s the point
Gerran Howell, Amielynn Abellera, Noah Wyle, Sepideh Moafi, and Supriya Ganesh in “The Pitt.”
Credit: Warrick Page / HBO Max
And what changes Al-Hashimi has in store! On top of wanting to do away with the ED’s nickname of “the Pitt” — the horror! — she’s also hellbent on bolstering departmental efficiency. Tactics include the implementation of “patient passports” and the use of AI apps in patient charting. Everything she says sets a vein popping on Robby’s forehead. How dare she try to shake up the system the ED’s staff has used for years?
Given that audiences are more familiar with Robby, chances are they’ll side with him at first. His own disgruntled reaction feels like a meta parallel to TV audiences’ irritations at new characters shaking up the casts of their comfort shows. Like Robby, these audiences wonder, why disrupt a well-oiled machine with a new part?
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Of course, it’s these disruptions that make things interesting from season to season, and Al-Hashimi is an immediately interesting addition to The Pitt. Moafi’s calm, pointed delivery makes Al-Hashimi a clear counterpoint to the controlled chaos of the ED, positioning her as an outside authority figure. Seeing which staff members embrace her versus which stand by Robby weaves an engrossing, yet subtle, web of tension throughout the season.
But Al-Hashimi is more than just a thorn in Robby’s side on his last day. Over the course of the first nine episodes sent to critics, The Pitt also shines a spotlight on her point of view, especially when it comes to her well-intentioned, if flawed, proposals. That much-needed depth turns Al-Hashimi from antagonistic force to a new cog in The Pitt’s medical machine.
The same is almost true of The Pitt‘s new student doctors, Joy Kwon (Irene Choi) and James Ogilvie (Lucas Iverson). At first, the former seems almost apathetic towards her work, while the latter is a textbook jerk genius with little social awareness. As the shift’s hours tick by, The Pitt does its best to bring Kwon out of her shell and humble Ogilvie, but for the most part, they feel more like mentee accessories to Dr. Dennis Whitaker (Gerran Howell). That could change in the season’s final episodes, though. After all, The Pitt‘s first season proved adept at altering our perceptions of its cast over the course of a day. Dr. Trinity Santos (Isa Briones) first struck me as a one-dimensional portrait of overconfident condescension, but I soon came to admire her quick wits and conviction in calling out Dr. Frank Langdon’s (Patrick Ball) medication theft. Perhaps Kwon and Ogilvie are on a similar, Santos-esque path.
The Pitt remains timelier than ever
Sepideh Moafi, Taylor Dearden, Katherine LaNasa, Gerran Howell, and Supriya Ganesh in “The Pitt.”
Credit: Warrick Page / HBO Max
In addition to all of its new characters — plus developments like Robby’s sabbatical or Langdon’s return — The Pitt continues its track record of providing unflinching looks at the modern medical landscape. You can still expect hyperrealistic medical procedures, with the Fourth of July setting adding extra specificity to the season’s injuries. Grills? Firecrackers? Festive pub crawls? All end with new patients getting wheeled into the ED.
Plus, just as Season 1 tackled tough issues like abortion and gun violence, Season 2 treads new ground with its discussions of current hot-button issues. At the forefront, the incorporation of artificial intelligence into the ED, which turns The Pitt into a microcosm of the wider debate behind AI technology. Is it a useful tool? Or do its frequent errors outweighs the benefits? Will it streamline humans’ work days, or reduce healthcare jobs for humans? These are the questions The Pitt ponders — and loudly — throughout the season.
Elsewhere, in a more quiet fashion, The Pitt examines the impacts of the Trump administration on healthcare. Donald Trump’s name is never stated outright, but mentions of the White House cutting funding to research — such as a study about racial disparities in healthcare that Dr. Samira Mohan (Supriya Ganesh) was involved in — make it crystal clear who The Pitt is calling out.
The standout, though, when it comes to Season 2’s look into key social issues, is its portrayal of the procedure of gathering evidence for a sexual assault forensic exam, including a rape kit. Over the course of several episodes, charge nurse Dana Evans (Katherine LaNasa) walks sexual assault victim Ilana (Tina Ivlev) through the process, giving her support, resources, and space when the situation becomes too much. The examination room becomes a quiet bubble in the midst of the ED’s pandemonium, one where The Pitt is able to offer the deliberate care such a storyline (and a survivor) deserves. LaNasa, fresh off an Emmy win, remains extraordinary here. Dana sheds the tough demeanor she exhibits around the ED and its more unruly patients, instead becoming the quiet, supportive figure Ilana needs.
This storyline, among the many other highlights from Season 2, remains proof of The Pitt’s staying power. As Dr. Robby and his staff weather change after change, the show itself remains empathetic, educational, and totally unforgettable.
The Pitt Season 2 premieres Jan. 8 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO Max.
If you have experienced sexual abuse, call the free, confidential National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), or access the 24-7 help online by visiting online.rainn.org.
