Content warning: Reference to suicide

Season 2 of The Pitt, one of the most popular shows right now, has finally concluded after 15 weeks. The Emmy-winning medical drama was lauded for its realistic portrayal of what healthcare workers face day-to-day. What makes it stand out from your classic medical show is its accuracy and the fact that an entire season takes you through a 15-hour shift in an Emergency Room; each episode is one hour of the shift, starting from 7 am and ending at 9 pm. Season 2 takes place roughly 10 months after the first season, on the weekend of the 4th of July, which seems like a promise for messy medical cases and continued character development for some of my cast favourites.  

After binge-watching the first season last year, I became completely enthralled with how unique The Pitt felt–it was unlike any other medical drama, in its medical accuracy, diversity, and realism to the American healthcare system. You can imagine the excitement I had for the second season. As the weeks went by, that excitement died down. I found this season significantly weaker than the first. I finished it feeling disappointed with the creative direction it was taking, both story-wise and in terms of the lack of character development for most of the ensemble. 

The day shift attending, Dr Michael “Robby” Robinavitch (Noah Wyle), also a producer of the show, is the poster boy for the season. I should mention, Dr Robby, with all his flaws, was one of my favourites in the first season, but that’s not the case in the second. The main storyline for this season is Robby’s three-month sabbatical he’s set on taking, and his eagerness to leave the ED to ride his motorcycle around the country, less about travelling and more about grappling with his suicidal thoughts.

Not only did this make the character extremely irritable throughout the shift, but it also had me questioning his actions. I think this plot had potential had it been executed properly. Instead, I got weary fast because there was no balance in storytelling for the rest of the cast. I didn’t feel too worried or attached to the story since I knew it was unlikely Noah Wyle would kill off his own character as the self-appointed lead. Perhaps if the plot didn’t take up as much space, there would’ve been some suspense or worry from the audience; instead, it just exhausted most of us. There were some noticeable cuts, leading to the last half of the season feeling choppy. I found this most apparent with Dr Mohan’s (Supriya Ganesh) character arc.

Before season two finished airing, it was announced that she would not be returning for future seasons. Showrunner Scott Gemmill explained it was part of the medical profession, with staff coming and going. People, including me, were not happy, mainly due to the lack of character development and proper closure to her story. For that matter, I thought most of the characters this season did not get the screen time they deserved. 

Dr Mohan is exactly the kind of doctor you would want–empathetic, compassionate, and incredibly smart. Her arc in the first season suggested something much bigger for her in future seasons. ​​​​Dr Mohan and almost the ensemble cast had incredible story lines. In season one, she was mentoring the new student doctors and interns and grappling with her values on bedside manner while keeping Robby happy. I think the constant emphasis on this tension and that she was made fun of with the name “Slo-mo”, implied something bigger as she grew out of old habits, while also remaining caring and respectful to her patients. However, she spent much of season two being belittled by Robby, evenwhile she was having a severe panic attack due to the personal troubles she was having with her mother. Overall, her complex character was dialed down to something basic, and it did not sit right with me.

Firstly, I think it's weak writing to give both South Asian characters “mummy issues” as their main storyline. Dr Javadi (Shabana Azeez) also faces the pressure of being a student doctor in the same hospital as both her parents specialise, with her mother observing and criticising her actions at every opportunity. Is it realistic? Maybe. But it feels overdone and like a major generalisation. ​We’ve seen it way too many times. The characters felt shallower as they were reduced to tired stereotypes about South Asian women and family pressure, instead of exploring more unique personal struggles. Mohan also spends the season deciding on where she wants to complete her residency and is unsure if she belongs in the ED.

Although part of her storyline involved questioning her path after residency, proper closure and explanation would have been better than nothing at all. Her final scene—​​​​accepting that geriatrics was probably her safest bet for her fellowship—and brushing off Robby’s treatment felt incredibly disingenuous. I couldn’t disagree more with her arc! Although she was criticised for being too slow with patients by Robby early in the first season, she proved that doctors like her are needed in the ER.

Patients trusted her; they felt safe and heard, especially during the mass casualty event. It doesn’t make much sense for her character to simply give up after all that development in the first season. We barely got to see her process the tough cases she was faced with this season. Although she is good with the elderly patients, hence her decision to go into geriatrics, I would have loved to see more confidence in her choice, or to see her process of fielding out the options. Instead, we get scenes of Robby and Al-Hashimi telling her to pursue geriatrics and she sort of just accepts it unwillingly. There just wasn’t much effort put into her storyline this season.

Let’s also not forget Dr Collins (Tracy Ifeachor), who was also written off the show with little closure after season one, reduced to a minute-long scene explaining her absence. The same case seems likely for Dr Mohan, even though her departure was said to be for creative reasons. Although not part of the main ensemble in season one, Kiara, the social worker, and Gloria, the Chief Medical Officer, both women of colour, are also on the list of characters that did not make a return to the second season, with no explanation. So, it’s hard to ignore that many of the characters being sidelined or written off are women of colour. 

While I do have my favourites, the imbalance this season was hard to ignore. The new additions to the cast were all really entertaining to watch, but I really missed the feel of the first season. This season felt more like a “pick and choose” of who received meaningful screen time. It came across more as “Emmy-baiting”, particularly to showcase Noah Wyle’s performance, and it became repetitive. Where was Dr McKay’s story? Why was Dr Whitaker so bland? Why did it feel like Robby’s VIP patient, Duke, got more screen time than the others? I am happy that Dr Ellis is getting bumped up as a series regular, and I hope they do her character justice in the next season. I really love all the night shift doctors and have no notes on them. ​​​​I am rooting for a spin-off!

At the end of the day, it’s supposed to be an ensemble show, and each character should be given their own space to shine. I don’t think the argument of realism can be fully applied here. ​​While the medical side is great, storytelling still matters. It’s hard to accept that argument when the “realism” seems to come at the expense of the women of colour, while others get deeper and more emotional arcs. Certain characters, such as Dr Robby and Dr Langdon, having more scenes than others ​​​​doesn’t make the show more compelling; it just makes the imbalance frustrating, especially when the first season handled the ensemble so well. 

Many plots had potential this season but were either too short or quickly brushed off to focus on Dr Robby, which got tiring. I would say the first half of the season built up multiple storylines but didn’t follow through with them in a meaningful way. Dr Santos’ personal struggles with mental health, Dr King’s relationship with her sister, or charge nurse Dana’s trauma after getting attacked by a patient last season. Instead, the conversation almost always veers back into Robby’s attitude and choices. Dr Langdon’s return from rehab, while important, quickly felt like another arc centered on wanting approval and validation from Robby, and personally, did not draw me in. 

This first season proved they could do a lot with the story and the cast within a day, and I’m sure many viewers don’t expect everything to be answered immediately, just effectively. So, storytelling-wise, maybe it can turn around for the next season. Another reason I loved this show is that I didn’t have to wait over two years for the next season. After this season, however, it made me question if maybe they’re pumping out seasons too fast, for the number of characters and storylines. Time is needed for quality, and this season lost it a little. 

I would still recommend people watch this season, especially now that all episodes are out, because the first half is strong. Episode 6, centring on the work nurses do, was incredible. However, the finale, in my opinion, was disappointing, and I’m still contemplating whether I’ll continue watching, especially if sidelining the show’s characters of colour becomes a recurring pattern.