The Pitt Season 2 Episode 2 Recap: Penis Problems, Mel-Langdon Feels & Robby’s Situationship

Critic’s Rating: 4.2 / 5.0

4.2

Good grief, The Pitt.

It’s only 8:00 A.M., and the hospital is already overflowing with patients; the drama has ratcheted up a notch, and someone dared to harm my beloved Mel. I’m pissed, but I’m also locked in for this shift.

So much happens during The Pitt Season 2 Episode 2. It’s just stressful enough to deliver The Pitt’s chaotic vibe, yet not nearly enough to match the energy of The Pitt Season 1.

We opened with Samira successfully snapping Baran out of her baby trance, and Samira is not the only one wondering what Baran’s deal is with this baby. Or what the deal is with the baby. To paraphrase Katt Williams, whose gosh damn baby is this?

But we have little time to ponder that before we dive into the whole situation with Kylie. Santos is doing her diligence, approaching Robby about the case and her concerns. If this girl is experiencing abuse, they have to get on it. Robby is … Robby.

Yes, I know people had some gripes about how they’ve addressed these issues, but Robby brings up the notion of bringing in a trauma specialist. And Baran, for all her acquired-taste energy, does peep that Robby’s implication to Santos is that she could be overreacting.

We’re never overreacting when it comes to possibly abused kids, my guy. But at least Baran is in-universe clocking this. This is the point of The Pitt. You can’t have subtle commentary on things without broaching the topics and pitfalls of those things, even if that means making the characters we like flawed.

Robby spreads that same cavalier all-knowingness to a trauma he’s pulled in on with McKay and Mel. This dude looks gnarly and requires his shoulder to be popped back in. Baran wants to call Ortho. Everyone chuckles at this, and Robby shows off by initiating the procedure himself—typical Robby thing.

It’s a pity because I hear Orthopedic surgeons have the best playlists. Boo.

Meanwhile, Robby’s protege, Whitaker, in all his Glo-UP glory, is still trying to teach these medical students how to tap Mr. Louie. But he gets interrupted from this endeavor because the lady with Alzheimer’s is looking for her husband, the dead guy. This should be fun … not.

And it isn’t, because Whitaker has to break the news to this woman multiple times that her husband died because her Alzheimer’s has her forgetting. This is tragic and emotionally grueling for all involved.

In the land of banishment, I mean triage, Langdon is making good use of his first day. The only thing I love more than this version of Langdon is the bromance he’s developed with Donnie.

His chronicles entail a young Gen-Z sort who has somehow superglued her eyelashes shut. HOW? Don’t ask, but she’s indignant, not here for Langdon at all, and I’m amused.

She’s also looking for Dr. J. She speaks about this mysterious doctor as if she’s an icon. Because it’s Javadi, right? Has to be!

Frankly (pun intended), he gets kudos for not laughing in this girl’s face.

If it is Javadi, she’s too busy trying to convince Santos not to get double-board certified, particularly in surgery, particularly if it involves Shamsi, whom Santos totally s ucks up to. But Santos doesn’t listen to anyone.

Javadi is already becoming the eyeball doctor around these parts. Remember that nun with conjunctivitis? It’s gonorrhea. Javadi is horrified, I am side-eying, and Santos is entertained. “Come to Jesus,” Santos quips, and you know what? Point to you—A+ joke.

Javadi and Samira speak to Sister Grace and realize she isn’t breaking her vow of chastity; she’s doing dirty laundry without gloves. It’s how she got an infected eye.

Samira, angel that she is, gives Sister Grace hospital gloves. Screw the budget; this is important. Samira keeps emerging as the doctor most tapped into the community. Honestly, the Pitt doesn’t deserve her.

Proof of this is that Dana enlists Samira to help an unhoused man whose cast needs to be removed. It’s been on for months, maybe years.

Dana has to show precious pig-tailed Emma how it’s done. Samira removes the cast and … there are maggots. Everywhere. It’s jarring and gross, and surely this will be added to the discourse on how The Pitt addresses homelessness onscreen.

Baran is still on the heels of Robby’s feet. Yes, he’s still annoyed about her, but she’s still imposing and irritating, too. This running gag of her pushing her way into everything is already tiresome.

First, it happens when they’re checking on Louie’s tap. Then, it’s with Mel. Robby notices that Mel is “off.” She’s spacing out, fidgeting, and generally an anxious mess.

She opens up to Robby about her deposition, and she’s clearly worried. Robby reassures her that doctors get sued all of the time, citing his four suits, and asks Baran about hers, hoping it’ll help, but she says she’s never been sued, which does nothing for Mel’s nerves. Thanks, Baran.

But back to work Mel goes. She’s checking on the patient who wants a Boba date with her. It’s cute because he asks her about herself and seems genuine. She keeps telling him things she does with and for her sister, and he keeps redirecting to MEL.

She needs that. It’s a great reminder that Mel’s identity is deeply tied to her sister, and that her sister’s needs always eclipse her own. Even Mel’s own identity as an Autistic person gets buried beneath her sister’s autism requiring more focus.

I see what you’re doing, The Pitt. I like it. What I don’t like is the patient knocking Mel over when he sees the police and decides to bolt. She takes a worrying crack to the head when she hits the floor. I want to fight someone, and so does Mama Dana.

But ultimately, it’s this incident they use to give us a Mel-Langdon moment.

Langdon examines Mel. She tells him that she’s glad that he’s back. He tells her he’s in rehab and apologizes to her, and she tells him he’s never let her down. I’m not a shipper, I’m more on the sibling train here, but regardless, this scene is so special to me.

The cops want to talk to Mel about her patient. They mention that she might testify in court if necessary, and she clearly gets overstimulated. And this is where the Mel-Langdon dynamic always sings. Langdon strikes me as someone with extensive experience with a loved one who has autism.

He gets it. Langdon SEES Mel, knows how to treat and soothe her, effortlessly, without making a big deal out of it. It’s actually rare to see that displayed so well onscreen. He ushers the cops out, turns out the lights, removes all overstimulating factors, and tells her to rest.

To be seen and understood is a powerful thing. She doesn’t need to be “fixed,” just understood and accommodated.

Baran is at least willing to acknowledge Langdon. She tells him how she’s heard about him after welcoming him back. She’s taking over his next patient while he checks on Mel. It’s a chance for her to show off her fancy AI system to the medical students.

However, Whitaker notices that the AI charting system makes a GLARING mistake with the patient’s meds. Hell no. Baran still insists the key is double-checking the work, but this is a recipe for disaster. A.I., almost intelligent,” Joy snarks. I take it back, I like Joy.

Ogilvie, on the other hand, is obnoxious. He sucks up to Baran by speaking Farsi. He also engages in a battle of the Baby Geniuses with Javadi in every scene they show.

Robby is more amused by this than I am, but he reminds them that they have to be team players. Ironic given that he’s in a cold war with Baran. He also gets smug about how correct he is regarding a patient who choked on broccoli—cocky bastard.

Santos has a social worker come in for Kylie, and it’s NOT Kiara. I am pissed about this. The Pitt erasing characters who matter is annoying. Kiara had a vital role in the first season, and I’m bummed at the loss of not one but two pivotal WOC.

Dylan, the social worker, updates Santos about how he doesn’t suspect the girlfriend of abusing Kylie. And they can’t say anything for sure about the father yet until he gets there. Robby also speaks with Kylie and gets nowhere.

If Superman Robby hasn’t succeeded, then what?

Speaking of Superman Robby, he, Super Hot Nurse Jesse, Samira, and Baran successfully perform a urine test on the mystery baby, and Robby is in such adorable Dad Mode with this kid that it’s precious. Now, we have to wait for the police to arrive about this baby.

McKay also consults with Robby about the trauma patient, and Noelle Hastings, a case manager, comes in; he’ll have to be transferred to another hospital. Noelle is gorgeous, and McKay totally picks up on the vibes between Robby and Noelle. Yeah, they’re boning. And Robby has a type.

Dana clocks Noelle, too, and tells her that she hopes that Noelle knows she’s doing. God, I love Dana.

Santos isn’t getting anywhere with this case with poor Kylie, and it’s frustrating. However, we do have a brief but awkward moment between her and Langdon. They’re really going to let the tension build here, eh?

But both of them have other patients to tend to here. Langdon’s is less exciting, but at least it has him back with Donnie; they’re my new favorite duo. Robby takes his first trauma, which is annoying, and at some point, Robby needs to grow up and talk.

Donnie then interrupts Langdon, treating the racing cousins’ case, because a man comes in with an erection that still hasn’t gone away after using double the recommended dosage. Why are men men?! OMG!

Enter Santos, Mel, and sweet nurse Emma. Emma watches as Santos and Mel remove all the fluid from the erect penis guy. Hilarious. Awkward. A Penis I did not need to see.

In this case, a flaccid penis is a happy penis, so congrats to that guy, I guess.

So, of course, this is the perfect time for Baran to give Mel advice about that deposition. She knows that by sticking with the facts and because of Mel’s work ethic, she’ll be fine. But tell that to Mel’s anxiety! Mel staring at the “What’s your pain level” chart is such a MOOD though. Girl, same.

Maybe this day is panning out. Louie has four liters of urine removed, and now, all he needs is pus drained from his incisor, but he’s in jolly good spirits.

“Punchy’s my new baseline,” is a quip Dana actually utters when she, Robby, and Samira are convening at the nurse’s station. Langdon is rocking his first day, Nurse Jesse is still a smoking-hot scene-stealer, and Emma is in good spirits, albeit slightly traumatized.

Robby finally gets a moment outside to take a breather. Baran asks him about her packet and whether he read her suggestions and attached them to her; they’re really not making Baran endearing at this point.

They’re interrupted when the ambulance brings in a hyped up college kid resisting restraints. I’m still trying to figure out when we addressed the previous cliffhanger, and now we have a new one.

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