Reaction: The Pitt, "12:00 PM" | Season 1, Episode 6

The thin line between confidence and cockiness

Photo: Warrick Page/Max

One of the realities of watching a medical drama is the inevitable business side of this setting. So far, Dr. Robby (Noah Wyle) has shown nothing but disdain for hospital administrator Gloria (Michael Hyatt), which continues in “12:00 PM” after he is informed that a for-profit contract management group is looking to come in and take on the ER. The conflict between care and available resources continues to build, and The Pitt has already laid the groundwork about low patient satisfaction scores being a problem Robby has to address. The ER is almost at its breaking point, and so is Robby.

The push-pull comes from how Robby continues to handle all the daily challenges with the on-the-spot obstacles thrown his way. While he bristles at Gloria’s impossible demands, he does try to improve the running of the ER to stave off the contract management group from sinking their claws in. It does feel a little like putting a bandaid over a gaping wound, which could also describe Dr. Robby’s mental health. A sandwich delivery from Dr. Adamson’s sister to mark the anniversary of her brother’s death is a welcome sight for the staff (especially Whitaker, who didn’t know you don’t get a lunch break), except Robby, who loses his appetite as soon as he reads the card. Wyle has been doing press (including this great and a little spoilery interview on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast) about Robby’s mental health and the challenges physicians face. While I have been a little down on the flashbacks (which, to the show’s credit, have been used sparingly), the overall depiction of this high-pressure environment is impactful.

What follows are the observations I took from this fifth episode.

• It has been a few episodes since we spent time with the Bradleys, but this storyline is drawing to a close now the final test confirms that 18-year-old Nick is braindead. Nothing about that outcome is a surprise; this is not the kind of show to pull an unrealistic miracle out of the bag at the last minute. What I appreciate about the time The Pitt has spent on something so inevitable is demonstrating even when there is a foregone conclusion, there is a duty of care to the parents as much as it is to Nick. Samantha Sloyan and Brandon Keener have been fantastic throughout, never overplaying emotions while emphasizing their acute pain. Talking memories of Nick and the man he might’ve become is so beautifully done that I am tearing up just thinking about it. With a different format, the Bradleys would’ve been a two-episode arc max. Now, we have spent six episodes dipping in and out, and the conversation about organ donation means there is more to come.

  

  Photo: Warrick Page/Max

• I know Dr. Robby doesn’t like the nickname “incel kid,” but it is a helpful shorthand (sorry, Dr. Robby!). There is a clear conflict between how he and Dr. McKay (Fiona Dourif) want to approach this; McKay wants to get the cops involved, and Robby doesn’t think a kid should get into trouble for what he calls a “thought crime” (thank you, George Orwell). I can see why Robby wants to be cautious, but there is a threat here, and McKay makes a valid point about the mom making herself sick to raise the alarm.

• One thing I think we all saw coming is that Dr. Santos (Isa Briones) would end up making a mistake as a result of her confidence that leans into cockiness. Santos has given the other students so much crap (including nicknames) for their errors or human reactions, so I did take pleasure from Whitaker's (Gerran Howell) and Victoria’s (Shabana Azeez) smiles as the unfortunate scalpel incident is discussed. While I could foresee Santos messing up the chest tube, I did not consider it would involve dropping a scalpel directly on Garcia’s (Alexandra Metz) foot—the pointy end! Until now, Garcia has been giving Santos a lot of attention (perhaps too much) and cutting her some slack (where others like Langdon are not), but she is understandably less forgiving about this painful mishap. I must admit that it was pretty impressive seeing Garcia sorting out her sutures (I guess if you want a job done right!). I didn’t expect Santos to be less spikey suddenly, yet she is still pretty grating even after this humbling.

  

  Photo: Warrick Page/Max

• Mel’s (Taylor Dearden) reaction to Ginger’s daughter seemingly abandoning her mother is framed through her personal experience. Mel has previously talked about being a carer for her sister; now, we get to meet her via FaceTime. Again, this show works within its parameters to introduce elements of doctor’s personal lives. It also offers a brief respite from the hospital's interior, and after spending so much time in the strip lighting environment, it is good to see the outside world.¹

• A couple of cases are a little ripped from the headlines. First up, the guy who had the seizure a couple of weeks ago is told he had a parasite in his brain that has since died. As predicted by Robby, he does not take this well because who would? Langdon’s delivery could do some work, and his attempt at humor probably isn’t helping—this scene is tonally all over the place too. It is impossible not to think about RFK Jr. The other is a patient who had a silicon butt injection via a guy she found on TikTok, which has gone horribly awry (he used silicon caulk from Home Depot). There are videos on TikTok of cases gone wrong, which will haunt my dreams, and this feels like The Pitt is offering a low-key PSA.

• While the number of loose threads continues to grow, I am impressed with how The Pitt juggles many different storylines and delivers resolutions. The ambulance theft has come full circle, and the frat boy doing it to make his pledge popular is a little on the goofy side. But I appreciate that it made me aware of the Captain Morgan hip reduction technique (a very real thing!). While I am on the subject of medical procedures, I want to note that various illnesses and injuries continue to surprise and shock and are enhanced by the incredible special makeup effects.

The teen pregnancy bookends the episode rather than pulling focus. However, it is Dr. Collins (Tracy Ifeachor) who I am going to keep an eye on as there are a lot of signs pointing to her own pregnancy being in danger. Red flags include Collins clutching her stomach, saying to another teen patient’s mother that she hopes to have kids soon, and then splashing the cash she won from the stolen ambulance pool (a hefty $850!) on a pram. Collins also gets pushed in the final scene, and while this probably isn’t enough to cause a miscarriage, I do worry about her. I have watched enough TV to be on the lookout for these kinds of warning signs. Am I reading too much into this? How are you finding the way personal and professional lives overlap in The Pitt so far?

1. Myles here—don’t entirely disagree, but “outside world” is a stretch. “Random corner of the Warner Bros. backlot with an unconvincing urban backdrop” is more accurate.