Reaction: The Pitt, "10:00 AM" | Season 1, Episode 4

It’s a beautiful day in The Pitt

Photo: Max

Hey everyone—Myles here again. As we get a feel for these Episodic Reactions, and as frankly I’m too underwater on multiple levels to write weekly newsletters, I’ve decided to keep these free for all for a few more weeks. Want to join the conversation as the season progresses, though? Become a paid subscriber and get every review for the next month for only $5.

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Noah Wyle isn’t just the star of The Pitt; he also has a creative role beyond his executive producer title. Wyle wrote the fourth episode, “10:00 AM,” and being involved in the writers’ room this early into the first season underscores his involvement. It is Wyle’s fourth writing credit (he wrote an episode of Leverage: Redemption and two of The Librarians, in which he also appeared) and arguably gets the season’s most significant emotional scenes. It isn’t unusual for an actor to wear multiple hats, and Wyle’s additional experience in the medical show genre likely serves him well in crafting dialogue and plot developments.

It is still early doors, but The Pitt shows confidence in depicting recurring characters, building arcs, and offering variety in each hour of this 15-hour shift. It is also apparent that the format leads to some sped-up resolutions and character growth. The latter is evident in the depiction of the medical students as the morning continues in the ER and the senior staff reacts to mistakes made. With multiple threads covering everything from staff placing bets on who is driving the stolen ambulance to the death of a loved one, The Pitt continues to be one of the most entertaining shows of the new year.

What follows are the observations I took from this fourth episode:

• My knowledge of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood comes from general pop culture references, Marielle Heller’s A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, and the documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (British person here). So, while I haven’t seen a single full episode of the iconic children’s show, I know the link between Pittsburgh and Fred Rogers. Making the elderly Mr. Spencer an integral part of the Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood art department directly links to The Pitt’s location. It also taps into what that make-believe world represents long after it ceased airing, resembling a lover letter from Wyle to Fred Rogers. It is sensitively handled with some dialogue that might tip too far into overly sentimental for some tastes. For me, it works because we have built a connection with Helen (Rebecca Tilney) and Jereme (Mackenzie Astin) across the four episodes. It also reveals the limitations of the format as the siblings reach this point of forgiveness and reconciliation over a handful of hours. Even if some of the resolution is rushed, Tilney and Astin sell the hell out of the material.

• One thing I have noticed is the lack of a score or soundtrack. Very minimal music has features, adding to the unflashy production. Pulling on those heartstrings (pun intended) with some well-deployed music would be easy, but I appreciate the almost bare-bones approach. Considering I still welled up a couple of times during “10:00 AM,” it seems it isn’t needed, but I am curious if others have noticed this.

• The flashbacks are back! The room where Mr. Spencer spends his final hour is the source of Dr. Robby’s (Wyle) trauma and likely where his mentor, Dr. Adamson, died. I wonder if I am alone in resisting this narrative device and how it tips into doing too much territory.

  

  Photo: Warrick Page/Max

• We still don’t know who stole the ambulance rig from last week. However, the way every single staff member is placing bets on who the thieves are and where the rig will end up is the most ER the show has felt to me. Adding some levity through an old-fashioned police chase being monitored by a news chopper is the biggest callback to the ’90s, and I love every moment.

• There are several references to how much time has passed this week, reminding us that it is still morning. Some of these are tongue-in-cheek, such as Dr. Robby saying, “I remember you saying… just like it was this morning.” Dr. Santos (Isa Briones) deflects a comment from a patient (“I met her two hours ago”), and Dana (Katherine LaNasa) observes Robby is on his third cup of coffee before 11:00 AM. The multiple references hammer the single-shift structure without sounding too inorganic.

Photo: Warrick Page/Max

• A few years ago, I did a deep dive into the making and use of prosthetic penises, so I do need to address The Pitt joining this appendage club. In scenes like this, you remember the freedom of streaming (pun not intended) regarding nudity. So far, The Pitt has been judicious in how much skin it is showing, and I was surprised we saw this much here. Milo “The Kraken” Krakozhia (Ian Stanley) whipping it out isn’t just about showing a penis as Whitaker (Gerran Howell) has to change his scrubs again after earning his “yellow wings.” On a serious note, Krakozhia is symbolic of how the ER becomes a dumping ground for patients for multiple days, pointing to the ongoing systemic issues.

• A lot is going on in the waiting room this week, including disgruntled patients, misgendering (the way Victoria solves the form issue without fuss or fanfare is a nice moment), and a teen (played by Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret breakout star Abby Ryder Fortson) late for an abortion appointment. The array of patients covers relevant issues, and while I think a lot of this is necessary and essential (and is done sensitively and with grace), it does, at times, resemble ticking those hot-button topic boxes.

To wrap this up this week, I’d like to touch on the waiting room and how it factors into the end of the episode. A man who has been there for around four hours has a seizure. Unlike the ball of simmering racist rage sitting beside him, this man has flown beneath the radar. A steady stream of new characters comes from this location, and scenes within the crowded space (featuring people who would rather be anywhere else) can spike tension. It is a familiar part of any hospital setting that The Pitt is already utilizing well, including this cliffhanger. I am eager to know how everyone feels about how the creative team chooses to end each hour. I know it is early in the season, but are you glad this is a weekly release rather than dropping them all at once? What else stands out to you about the format of The Pitt?