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Some problems are effortlessly resolved, a notion often depicted in typical medical dramas. However, with the activity board buzzing and the night shift fully staffed, Episode 13 of The Pitt Season 2, titled “7:00PM,” still has half a season—12 more episodes—of intense medical protocols and gripping staff dynamics to explore. And don’t forget to keep track with a T-sheet!
Dr. Abbot’s exclamation, “Are you kidding me?” captures both the shock at ICE’s abrupt intrusion and Jesse’s arrest in the emergency department, as well as the daytime team’s reaction to the night shift’s new instructions. They now face the task of digitizing every patient chart from the Pitt’s five-hour low-tech period. With Kwon having left in the previous episode and Ogilvie occupied with surgery upstairs, Whitaker and Santos begin the tedious scanning process. Meanwhile, night shift regulars like Drs. Ellis and Shen dive into patient care. Dr. Abbot is pleased to see R4 Dr. Crus Henderson (played by Luke Tennie) leading as the senior resident. A mess? Not for them! They’re on “Crus” control.
Orlando Diaz has returned to the ER in a worse state than before. Despite warnings from Dr. Mohan, the laborer experiencing a diabetes flare-up left the hospital to work his second job as a security guard. Unfortunately, he collapsed and fell 20 feet, resulting in a severe brain injury and landing him in a trauma bay. As his treatment begins, Orlando’s case emerges as one of the most intriguing of this The Pitt season. Enter Mary McCormack as Dr. Linda Conley, chief of neurosurgery. Though hesitant and critical, she is pushed by Robby to have Victoria Javadi assist, encouraging her to trust her emergency skills over pursuing dermatology. With a manual skull drill in hand, Javadi begins her task under Dr. Conley’s meticulous guidance.
Creating an access point in Diaz’s skull to manage intracranial pressure and stabilize him is a delicate and captivating procedure. Yet, it will be weeks before they know if Orlando will fully recover or face permanent disability. Noelle Hastings suggests this critical development might qualify the Diaz family for Medicaid again. Samira, however, is anguished that she couldn’t prevent this outcome. “He said he couldn’t afford to lose a paycheck,” she reflects. Now, he’s facing dire consequences.
Meanwhile, Ogilvie is found dazed and tearful, covered in blood, as Nurse Emma prepares to leave for the day. She finds him slumped at the loading dock, devastated over the death of Austin Green, the English teacher he bonded with over a James Baldwin book, who didn’t survive surgery. Ogilvie confides in Whitaker, expressing doubts about his fit for the relentless cycle of death and suffering in the ER, contemplating pediatrics or private practice instead. Whitaker advises him to take a break and reconsider, reminding him that while the loss is part of the job, helping others on their worst days is rewarding. “I like being here for people on the worst days of their lives,” Whitaker shares, hoping Ogilvie might find the same solace.
Dr. Al-Hashimi has drifted again. She’s in an Above Patient Scrum and recommending treatment when staffers notice her latest unexplained freeze, including Robby. He quizzes Mohan on her time with Dr. Al at the VA, and learns about her similar episode from the start of their shift. But when Robby asks the incoming attending directly – “Anything I need to know?” – she is not forthcoming.
And as we all probably suspected, there is bad news about Duke. Robby’s consult with Dr. Clay Barrett (Geoffrey Owens) over the CT results for his mechanic pal indicates a potentially fatal ascending aortic aneurysm, and this sets him off. “Fuck!” This, as he’s still lingering in the central work area and in no way preparing to ride off for months. But it’s not just Duke’s plight. It never was. In her latest Robby intervention, Dana shifts from the tough talk of their ambulance bay throwdown to speechless worry, as it all tumbles out of the senior attending. The past 12 hours of managing a mess that is made still larger because of his own flagging mental health.
“It’s not just Duke. I’m not sure that Dr. Al-Hashimi is fit to run this place. I also don’t know if Langdon is going to relapse. I don’t know if Whitaker is gonna to be able to take care of my shit. I don’t know if Javadi‘s gonna give up on what she’s good at, or if Samira’s gonna flame out because of some bullshit with her mother.” There is more. “I don’t know about you – running around with a full syringe of Versed in your pocket. I’m worried about the people I care about.”
They’ll manage! They always do! But Robby’s not hearing Dana. And he’s tearing up as he walks off. What happens to the people he cares about if never comes back? And does he mean to the ED, or life in general?
Nurse’s Desk for Season 2 Episode 13 of The Pitt (“7:00PM”):
- Robby also hugs it out with Noelle. Even if what she calls his “vision quest” is currently stuck in park. He flips Abbot the bird as his friend notes their flirtatious farewells.
- McKay knows Santos “has a way of figuring out the weird stuff,” and sure enough, she traces a new patient’s liver issues back to her healthmaxxing mass amounts of turmeric. Fast fact: the patient, Ashley Davis, is played by actress Sara Wyle, Noah Wyle’s real-life wife.
- Dignitymaxxing for Mr. Digby! Dana and young Nurse Emma give him a shave and a haircut, and listen as he shares stories of his life, which is fuller than his unhoused status might suggest.
- And Mel King is there again for her favorite colleague. “That which does not kill me makes me stronger,” she answers to Frank Langdon’s self-doubt, that he returned too soon. He attributes her encouraging quote to Friedrich Nietzsche. And Mel – Mel! – is like sure, but also Kelly Clarkson.
Johnny Loftus (@johnnyloftus.bsky.social) is a Chicago-based writer. A veteran of the alternative weekly trenches, his work has also appeared in Entertainment Weekly, Pitchfork, The All Music Guide, and The Village Voice.