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Whitaker-Langdon Break Room Scene PART 1: IT’S NOT ABOUT LANGDON! (Audience POV)

INTRO:

okaaaay, let's DO THIS Y'ALL. We gonna talk about: Frank, we're gonna talk about Dennis, we're gonna talk about That Langdon/Whitaker scene in the break room in 2x14 where we've got Skipper, and Gilligan, and the Professor - except we have none of them in this room at the moment. Nor is there a pig! But there IS: a lot of snapping, tension, angst, and HIGHLY interesting analysis. Hey, everyone else has done one, why not me, too!? ‘Cause I got Thoughts as well!

As my small and subtle title may suggest, the Point of this part of the meta is the: WHAT of this scene. Or, more so, the what NOT; ie - that: Langdon is NOT doing what Dennis is accusing him of in this scene, (either metaphorically or literally). He’s not making him his ‘little buddy’ or the Gilligan to his Skipper, or assigning him any specific part at all, either in the scene itself, or overall in the season/show. Which would imply that: there’s another reason for why Dennis goes off at Langdon like this, which will be: part 2. (Meta with a cliffhanger!!! Hell yeah, that’s how I roll). But we gotta demonstrate it’s: NOT about Langdon before we can talk about what I think it IS about. So. Let’s do that!!!!

Now, before we get into the meat of the matter, try and keep in mind: I’m discussing this OBJECTIVELY. That is to say, I am analysing this scene, in this part of the meta, from an audience perspective/how I think WE should see this scene/take and how valid it actually is from a meta ‘big-picture’ perspective. I’m NOT talking about this from Dennis’ POV or thinking about WHY he’s got these takes. That shall come in part 2. But before we get to part 2 we must go through part 1 which requires me to break this down/prove that point and then we can move on to the 'why'.

THE LITTLE BUDDY ROUTINE: LIKE YOU’RE SKIPPER & I’M GILLIGAN/ASSIGNING PARTS & ROLES/ASSUMING CHARACTER:

I’m going to talk about these together. Because the parts Dennis feels like Langdon is assigning him is as his ‘little buddy’, or Gilligan, while he feels Langdon has cast himself in the Skipper character of this sort of dynamic Dennis is picturing. Langdon treating him as his little buddy - like he’s Gilligan and Langdon is Skipper. The kind of dynamic where Dennis is the oft patronised ‘aww, hey there lil’ buddy!’ the out-of-touch, not too smart, bumblefuck fuck-up comic relief character who is put down/walked over by the other characters and serves as a fall-guy. The kind of little dude that needs to kind of be painstakingly ‘babysat’ by the competent leader ‘Skipper’ (Langdon, in Dennis’ analogy) figure, who condescends to his ‘little buddy’, never takes him seriously, thinks he can’t do anything right.

Here’s the thing: Langdon ain’t doing this to him. He’s not assigning Dennis a role/archetype, and he’s not casting himself as Skipper or Dennis as Gilligan, or anything else, really. Not in this scene (nor, would I argue, has he ever REALLY done this/cast him in this role in the season at large) he’s not assigning Dennis roles/parts and, I’d argue, actually sees Dennis for who he is/what he’s done (perhaps more so than others). All of which I shall now endeavour to prove! Huzzah!

First up: in the scene itself. Have a quotation:

Langdon: You look like you got into shape since I saw you last. Didn't peg you as a gym guy. Whitaker: Oh, no. I'm maybe more of a barn guy. I'm helping out a friend on the farm, so... Langdon: Nice. I'm picturing "Babe," except instead of Farmer Hoggett, it's you. And instead of a pig--

Notice how, right off the bat, we’re seeing what Dennis accuses Langdon of (assigning him a part) is already NOT the case. Because Dennis says ‘I’m maybe more of a barn guy’ - that’s a thing HE assigns HIMSELF – and Langdon just runs with it. Dennis AGREES with Langdon’s take that- ‘no, he’s not a gym guy (tuck that away for proof on: Langdon is actually good at reading/gauging people - it’s part of what makes him an effective teacher/Dennis confirms he’s gotten that right). Then Dennis says: I’m a farm guy’ sooo….Langdon goes to his nearest Farm Guy reference (I’m assuming he’s been watching a lot of films with his kids over his 10 month recovery time lol) and says he’s picturing him as Farmer Hoggett from 'Babe'. Alas we’ll never know what the pig was, in this hypothetical, but still. Dennis saying: I am Farm guy = Langdon going ‘I am now picturing you as this farm guy’ feels objectively fair, no?

And you know what? it also seems fair in the sense that Hoggett is a largely positive, and accurate, comparison for Dennis character wise; a farmer who's quite quiet, soft spoken, has a lot of kindness, an open-mindedness, and an optimism and hope for the world to see a pig and believe it can be a sheepdog. Which....I mean, idk about y’all, but to ME: that's all pretty valid for how Dennis is? (again: Langdon is actually a heck of a lot more perceptive than people tend to give him credit for, he has a solid insight score, and you can see this in how he adjusts his tone and teaching methods according to who he’s teaching). Regardless. This doesn’t seem either demeaning/belittling or negative.

IN FACT: this comparison actually rejects/refutes the ‘Langdon sees Whitaker as his ‘little buddy’ or ‘Gilligan’” idea because: Hoggett is the 'Boss' on the farm (no, literally, that’s what his farm animals call him lmfao). He’s also: the story’s main (human) protagonist and a good chunk of its heart. In other words: he’s about as far as you can get from the comic relief, butt of the joke, fuck-up character of Gilligan.

So, all-in-all, It’s a relevant/Dennis-specific comparison (because…again…Dennis just mentioned farm) but it is also subtly indicative that Langdon understands/sees Whitaker’s growth in his absence. He’s not a background NPC character, he’s not a bumbling stablehand; he’s THE farmer. Langdon sees how he’s stepping up and has been running things in his absence (and I’d say Dennis is having to do more than he should have ever had to, btw, but that’s a whole separate thread/rant lmfao).

Regardless, Langdon only says he’s picturing this and, even if we ignore the technicality/semantics in ‘picturing’ (which PAINS ME bc DETAILS ARE IMPORTANT. But FINE!!!) even IF we take that as Langdon assigning Dennis a part: it’s a pretty positive/accurate one. But, frankly (heh) it feels, to me, more accurate to say that: Langdon ain’t assigning parts at all. You know who is?

DENNIS.

Dennis is picking parts.

Observe via: another quotation!!

Whitaker: [T]he little buddy routine, like--like--like, you're what, you're the Skipper, I'm Gilligan? Dude, you're not the Skipper. Langdon: I know I'm not the Skipper. Robby is the Skipper. Whitaker: No, Robby is the Professor. Dana's the Skipper. Langdon: OK, somebody's watched a lot of Nick at Nite. So who am I?Whitaker: Play whatever part you like. Just don't pick mine for me.

Help my man Langdon!!! He is CONFUSED! Langdon has pretty much fuck all to do with this lmfao. He was minding his business, talking about Babe and imagining Dennis in farmer's overalls (for fully heterosexual purposes I'm SURE), and now Dennis is yelling at him about Gilligan's Island. He’s just been ushered on stage and handed a script for a completely different play to the one he thought he was in.

Also, please note: Langdon LITERALLY 1)- accepts Whitaker’s assigning of Robby as Professor and Dana as Skipper immediately/without question. Then quite literally follows that up by 2)- asking Whitaker to tell him who he is. He could not be picking less parts; he ain’t even picking his own!

But no, seriously tho, look: Dennis is the one who brings up Gilligan's island. He suggests Langdon has been doing the ‘little buddy’ routine with him - like Langdon is the Skipper and he’s Gilligan. Dennis’ analogy. Dennis’ character assignments.

Dennis is the one who assumes that Langdon, in his head, is assigning himself the role as Skipper and Dennis as his ‘little buddy’ Gilligan. So what this DOES tell us is: how Dennis thinks Langdon thinks of him (god this got convoluted fast. And is just ironic/amusing to me. Dennis is pissed at the idea of Langdon assigning him a role. Meanwhile Dennis is assigning Langdon a thought in his own head that has assigned Dennis a role - and now he’s yelling at him for it. Iconic.).

“like, you're what, you're the Skipper, I'm Gilligan? Dude, you're not the Skipper.”

But look - in one breath, Dennis has told him that Langdon thinks of himself as the Skipper and Dennis as his Gilligan - and then immediately follows that up without pausing to let Langdon so much as blink, by telling Langdon, ‘bruh, you’re clearly not the Skipper’ (why would u ever think that, u arrogant moron!?). And Langdon, bless his dumb doormat shaped ass, instead of pointing out, FAIRLY, that, ‘uh? I never said I was!?’ Just automatically goes, “I know I'm not the Skipper. Robby is the Skipper.” Doesn’t even cross his mind to try and defend himself/point out Dennis just told him he’s the Skipper just so he could shoot it down and be like ‘but you’re NOT!!!!”. My man Frank has priorities and they are: not pointing out obvious logical fallacies committed right in front of his salad but instead: simping for Robby 26/8. I mean I have to support his commitment to the bit but COME ON, MAN!!! HE’S NOT EVEN HERE TO WITNESS THIS!!!! Anyway.

Okay so hopefully we can see/accept from all of this that, in the break-room scene: Langdon assigns no parts to anyone. Except, maybe, Dennis as Farmer Hoggett, and Babe the pig as…alas, we will never know!

But okay, literal in-scene activity to one side, what about the season as a whole/extending this out beyond picking apart a literal analogy and looking at from a broader perspective to see if there’s merit to the idea of Langdon pushing Dennis into the ‘little buddy’/Gilligan role in the season as a whole (spoiler alert: I’m gonna argue no to that!)

LET’S DO IT!!! ROLL THEM SEASON SCENES FOR ANALYSIS!!!

Okay I’m gonna break this up into two chunks/parts. One for social/personal interactions, aka workplace banter/chit-chat/small talk style conversations. And one for professional/patient-based interactions and we’re gonna compare and contrast from there. I am also not delving into season 1 because: it was 15 hours 10 months ago and I don’t judge any of the Langdon/Dennis scenes there to be relevant here…and I yap enough with just season 2 shit. SO. Let us stride forth!!!

PROFESSIONAL/PATIENT-BASED INTERACTIONS:

Okay, so I DID go and gather up transcripts for every Langdon/Whitaker scene/interaction this season, but (you will be thrilled to hear) I am not gonna talk about all of them. Because I, too, would like this meta to end at some point (and because I don’t need/want to discuss ‘give me 5ccs of medical thing and inject into the patient hole and then suture it with a flip-flop needle and strength 8.96 cat-gut STAT!!!!’/they just ain’t relevant. I need you guys to practice Trust and just go with me on this, okay? For my SANITY).

First up: 2x01: New resident badge

Langdon: Where's your new resident badge buddy, buddy? Whitaker: Oh, uh, yeah, they... they didn't give me a new one yet.

Okay I’m going to talk about the ‘buddy, buddy?’ thing more in the personal interactions section - but I wanted to note this here quickly that: this is the first time Langdon and Whitaker interact in season 2 and one of the first things Langdon does is notice that: Whitaker still has his student badge and ask him where his new resident badge is - because, after one shift 10 months ago, he remembers that Whitaker was previously an MS4 but should now have qualified as a doctor/officially be a resident, and he makes sure to make note of this/make Whitaker aware that he knows he’s a doctor/resident now, not a student doctor anymore. And THIS is relevant/interesting to me because then we get THIS very interesting interaction in 2x02:

Langdon: Dr. Javadi, Dr. Whitaker. Javadi: Oh, I'm... I'm still a student doctor. Whitaker's the real deal now. Whitaker: *nods in agreement with this statement*

Now then, the reason this is Extra Interesting to me is: this is NOT the first time Langdon has called Javadi ‘Doctor Javadi’ - he does so a couple of times in season 1 (and is the only character apart from McKay, Dana, and Shamsi to do so. We love a man who respects his med students!!!). This IS the first time Javadi has corrected him/pointed out she’s still just a student (and this is an interesting little callback to season 1 and Whitaker’s little mini arc of insisting/correcting patients who called him ‘Doctor’, pointing out he was still only a student doctor). Keep in mind, too, that the above scene I talked about happens BEFORE this - Langdon has already affirmed/made clear he knows/remembers/recognises that Whitaker is a resident now and is not the same student doctor he met 10 months ago. (Tho Javadi doesn’t know this).

Javadi’s “Whitaker’s the real deal now” is also interesting and feels to me like she’s trying to give him a lil confidence boost/is aware he’s maybe struggling with a bit of insecurity/uncertainty about being a Real Doctor now (not least because of how much Robby is expecting of him/the pressure he’s putting on him - but that is a separate extended edition rant). But I feel it mirrors the later scene in 2x09 where Robby and Whitaker talk;

Robby: Really great work earlier today, Doctor. *gives Whitaker his new resident badge* Whitaker: Huh. Ow, wow. You can just call me Whitaker. Robby: Not a chance. You earned that.

Both Javadi and Robby take pains to point out that Whitaker is a real doctor now and that he earned it/earned the use of the title. Just. Something to chew on/my showing that Langdon noting Dennis’ qualification/upgrade to resident in their first scene is definitely important/telling -and very much NOT in-keeping with the whole ‘little buddy’ idea. Because if it WERE, Langdon would NOT have acknowledged that/would treat Whitaker as a med student because that fits into that idea way more than being like ‘hey you’re still being labelled/identified by your badge as a student doctor - but I know/get you’re a resident now.’ (which, you know, in the context of the whole ‘picking roles’/Dennis feeling like he’s being cast as certain parts/not taken seriously feels: KINDA HIGHLY RELEVANT, DO U SEE!? It alllll comes back around. All roads lead to the break room scene).

OKAY. Now the actual medicine/doctoring content - and honestly? There ain’t a tonne. Langdon and Dennis do not work that many cases together at all in s2, but there are a couple of interesting/relevant scenes that I shall now: dissect minutely, as is my way.

2x01: Louie’s Paracentesis

Langdon: Yo, Whitaker. Whitaker: Dr. Langdon. Langdon: You and, uh, your ducklings got time to tap a six-pack off our friend here? Louie needs a paracentesis.

Langdon, still in Triage Exile at this point, brings Louie back for his procedure - he clocks Whitaker and calls him over to take care of Louie instead of either: doing the procedure himself, or seeking out someone else. Whitaker is a doctor now, and Langdon is v making it clear he’s aware of and respectful of that. Details to note: 1)- he acknowledges Whitaker’s “ducklings” (his med students in the form of Joy and Ogilvie, that he’s been charged with), another indication of his moving up in the world. 2)- He doesn’t order Whitaker to do anything - he notes that Louie needs a paracentesis and he asks if Whitaker has the time to do Louie’s procedure/show the med students (even though all three were just kinda…floating around the hub when he rocked up). He doesn’t treat Whitaker as a subordinate/someone he can order around/acknowledges he may be busy with other tasks. So he asks.

Whitaker: Okay, well, first things first... we are going to make you more comfortable by draining some fluid. Langdon: You're gonna take off a big volume, so start with 60 grams of 25% albumin IV. You tapped him before? Whitaker: No. Louie: That's okay, Doc. I'll talk him through it. Whitaker: Okay.

He also notes Whitaker kinda looks around a bit at Joy/Ogilvie//his surroundings/doesn’t seem immediately hella confident of his ability to do this. So Langdon gives him a quick prompt “you’re going to take off”, note the phrasing: he gives info without giving Whitaker orders or patronising him/the assumption there is that ‘you are going to do this - you can/will do this’. Because, whatever else: Langdon is insightful/good at reading people - and he’s also good at teaching/mentoring; there’s a reason we were told in s1 he was gunning for an education fellowship, this is his special sauce. From a teacher perspective, this is a really nice way of handling Whitaker’s moment of hesitation/uncertainty/giving him a nudge and confidence without making it hella overt what he’s doing.

Also note that, even when Whitaker says he’s never done this procedure before - Langdon STILL doesn’t push to either do it himself, or to come and supervise/walk him through it. Langdon knows from Louie’s notes that he’s had paracentesis 3 times in the last 6 months, and given Whitaker’s familiarity with him, he likely figures Whitaker has seen the procedure done himself and is capable of doing it. Whitaker doesn’t ask for his help, so he doesn’t force it/stands by his conviction that Whitaker is capable of this. Langdon heads back to triage (because Louie is chill with this, too) and leaves them to it. All in all: a very respectful, professional, ‘we are equals/colleagues now’ interaction. And very much NOT in-keeping with the whole ‘you’re my little buddy/incompetent sidekick’ idea.

2X05 - LOUIE’S LIBRIUM

Next time we see them working together/overlapping is 2x05, again with Louie, and we get: The Librium Prescription Incident (dun dun duuuuun (it’s not actually that dramatic lmfao)).

Langdon: Let's get Louie 50 milligrams of Librium. Whitaker: I'll put in the order. Perlah: I will get it from the PDS. Whitaker: I'm already assigned as Louie's treating physician. Just makes sense that I put it in. Langdon: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Of course.

SO, because I’ve seen some WILD ass takes/interpretations of this scene, I decided that words (for once) were: not enough. And so I have stirred myself to GIF for you all. So behold! Some faces! (everyone needs all the awards for this scene, every frame is iconic and I mean that so seriously)

Okay so first thing to notice is: Perlah’s reaction. Because that woman looks directly at Whitaker like ‘oh bruh, u just committed an Accidental Social Nope’, then glances back to Langdon with concern - but not concern in the sense of ‘ohhh damn son, this bitch about to blow!!!!!’/concern about Frank getting angry, more the concern that’s along the lines of: ‘oh, that’s rough, buddy, r u okay???’ [Perlah and Langdon actually have a really nice little subtle dynamic/there are a couple of beats between them I just find very wholesome and like a lot. They’re one of my, like, ‘underrated friendships’ and a gifset: will be coming soon to a tumblr near you just as soon as I make it]. But yeah, from her reaction it’s pretty clear that this….was not exactly a big W on Whitaker’s part, let’s just put it like that lmfao.

Patrick Ball has managed to produce like 99 different variations of the kicked puppy expression and that really needs to be studied by science bc I’m: Impressed. But this is NOT a man having an aggressive/superior/’how fucking dare you do this to me, peasant!?’/Get thee beneath me, Gilligan!!!! Reaction. This is a man just…getting kicked in the nuts (again) when he’s already down. (Important context/extra ‘kick in the teeth’ information: approximately 10 actual, real-life episode minutes before this scene (and probably less in-world) Robby did: EXACTLY the same thing to him. Langdon was on the point of ordering more antibiotics for their soon-to-be-septic patient when Robby barged him out of the way, scanned into the computer to override his login, then told him to fuck off because ‘you’ve done enough here’. So. Y’know. That probably adds to the ouch-factor JUST A SMIDGEN.

Perlah, like a queen: fucking yeets from this awkward af interaction and then we get: this cinematic masterpiece of a frame (gifs are hard and time-consuming, y’all, be satisfied with ur screenshots!!! Movement was not necessary for this bit)

Someone remake this as a renaissance painting. Or at the very least: a meme format. Every face here is ICONIC lmfao.

Louie's bewilderment/"bruh" expression in the background Dennis' "ohhhh my god what did i just DO!? i AM a fuckleberry!!!" expression Frank looking part-way done, part-way miffed, part-way resigned, and part-way through all 5 stages of grief simultaneously (as well as having an absolute DEATH GRIP on the bed rails) EXQUISITE.

So I’m gonna take a slight time-out here to remind y’all of something you don’t usually seem to like to acknowledge which is: Frank Langdon is a human being. (I know, shocking. Yet still: true). He has feelings and emotions (again, utterly shookling information to some people, apparently). He is ALLOWED to have those feelings and emotions. He is allowed to be angry and upset here that a guy who’s been a doctor for a week and who, when you saw him 10 months ago, was looking up to you and respecting you/trusting you to guide him through procedures, just sashayed in and prescribed meds for you because some kill bill ‘warning! Warning! Frank is approaching: benzos! Everybody: have abnormal reactions!!!!’ Right or not (and Perlah’s expression implies that, even if it was technically the right thing, there was probably a way more tactful way of doing it) and that still has to fucking sting - and Frank is allowed to fucking feel that and react to the absolute gut-punch that this must have been for him.

Especially because he DOESN’T react with any of that emotion/take any of it out on Dennis. At all. (The bed rail/his hands: different story). But whatever anger/frustration/hurt/NATURAL AND VALID FEELING he has to this: he doesn’t direct any of that at Dennis, it all goes inwards (or into: that poor poor bedrail). Nor does he turn this into A Thing, which he absolutely could have; insist on prescribing the meds himself/making a fuss about this or turning into a scene/hissy fit. He just. Agrees with Dennis’ excuse/cover of being Louie’s assigned physician, and then…leaves. In defeat and disgrace.

And we also see, quite clearly: Dennis feels guilty af about doing this to him!!!! This was NOT his intention - and Frank knows that, and Dennis knows that, but he still feels bad because the guy is obviously having: A Day, and Dennis doesn’t like to hurt people, so he feels bad. Which we know absolutely/without a doubt, too, because in addition to: His Face. Dennis also talks to Mohan about this later in the episode.

Whitaker: I think I overstepped with Dr. Langdon earlier. [...] He was trying to prescribe a patient benzos, and I told Langdon that it'd be better if I did it. Samira: Oof. Whitaker: Only because I was already the assigned physician. But yeah, now I feel like an asshole.Samira: Langdon's fine. He went to rehab, he's working the steps, and hopefully it's all behind him.

Given that, at 2x05 atm, we’re at the point where WHITAKER feels (probably justifiably) like an asshole towards LANGDON that’s very interesting given where we end up by 2x14. And, you know, a lot can happen in 8 episodes/8 hours….but also: it kinda doesn’t lmfao. And: what does happen is largely positive with regards to Dennis’ experiences with Langdon.

2x06: Louie’s death.

So after Ogilvie breaks the news to Dennis, he goes to Louie’s room to find the aftermath - which Langdon is sitting in alone, sorting out Louie/his things.

(Which, something else I think is important to remember in the context of the Louie scenes, and for Langdon’s journey as a whole: Langdon has been at PTMC for at LEAST four years doing his residency, and it seems fairly likely that he also took part in ED rotations there as early as his MS3 year, like Javadi or Joy. He knows this hospital, and he knows its people. Louie has been a part of his life/someone he’s known for 4-6 years, and has watched him become the doctor he is. Louie also asks about Frank’s children (in spite of not having seen him for 10 months) and Langdon sits and chats with him for quite a while/I think that’s the longest conversation we ever see him have about his home life, as it’s not something he tends to talk about a great deal. He also seems very affected by finding the picture of Louie’s wife/that being something he didn’t know - he’s still holding onto it/is looking at it in the break room when Dana finds him processing later, and has held onto it still/brings it with him at the farewell scene in the break room.)

Langdon: I'm sorry, man. We didn't have time to find you. Whitaker: What happened? Langdon: He was apneic and pulseless. We started CPR and intubated him. He had a massive pulmonary hemorrhage. Robby called it. Found this [pic of Rhonda, Louie’s wife] with his stuff. Guess he was married at some point. Never knew that.

So Langdon has known Louie a while, and is obviously close to him/upset by his death. Yet he still: has clocked, just from the two interactions he witnessed between them, that Dennis has also gotten close to/fond of Louie, to the point that the first thing he does when Whitaker enters the room is to comfort him/apologise and tell him there wasn’t time to find him. When asked what happened, Langdon gives him the details - enough to cover the important points and reassure Whitaker, again without directly stating it, that this wasn’t his fault and that there was nothing he or anyone else could have done.

Langdon: Oh, didn't miss this part of the job. Whitaker: Yeah. [...] Langdon: Can we check to see if there's an emergency contact? Perlah: Yeah, there's a number listed. Langdon: You were his primary. Do you want to… Whitaker: No. Langdon: makes the call for him without comment/judgement.

In spite of my best efforts (making y’all: yet more GIFs) I cannot convey tone, but Langdon is incredibly gentle throughout this scene. And there is NO malice in him asking Dennis if he wants to make the call to the emergency number listed. There very well could have been a jab-back there to Dennis taking over the Librium prescription, because he was Louie’s doctor; but Dennis uses the phrase ‘assigned physician’ in the scene with Langdon (and again with Mohan) and given that we HAVE seen repeated call-backs to s1/previous lines in this season, and they always use the exact words and phrasings from previous moments, I’m inclined to think not.

Especially with the context we’ve seen/I’ve discussed previously in terms of Langdon acknowledging and repeatedly, deliberately respecting Whitaker’s new role as a fully-fledged doctor. This is part of the role of the fully fledged doctor: a part that Langdon himself has just admitted he doesn’t miss. But again: there is no order or assumption here. There is a question. It’s not a “well, you’re his doctor, prescribing his meds etc - you do it”, not even a “you should do it”, it’s a “do you want to?”

When Whitaker says no - there’s no condemnation or criticism, no judgement, no pushing, no comment at all from Langdon. Just acceptance and the taking over of a burden that he can bear right now that Whitaker can’t. It’s actually a really small but really beautiful moment, imo, and one of the great examples of scenes The Pitt excels at where sometimes you can say so much more by saying nothing at all than by trying to put something impossible to put into words into words. But definitely not a moment of superiority/Langdon thinking he’s better/that Whitaker is incapable or anything like that.

2x06-2x12

They work together with Oliver the dialysis patient, and with the slash-trach waterpark kid but they’re very much just: in the same room working on the same patients and: doing their jobs. Nothing much of note happens, at least not in reference to this. The only slight thing we’ve got is at the very end of the 3rd scene with Oliver the dialysis guy where we get a dinky:

Langdon: Yep. Uh, I'm gonna go give this guy's kid an update. He's probably freaking out. Come find me if you need me. Whitaker: Uh, yep.

Which really just does what it says on the tin. Langdon like: you got this, but if you don’t, you can come and find me if you need me. Again (it’s like there’s a pattern here!!!): it’s Whitaker’s choice/he’s trusting Whitaker’s judgement on what he needs help with/is not deciding for him or assuming him as incompetent/incapable.

SOCIAL/PERSONAL INTERACTIONS:

So, professional wise/as colleagues and doctors: Langdon is doing pretty damn solid, I hope you can see from this, in terms of NOT treating Dennis like his ‘little guy’, he’s not undermining him, he’s not taking over/assuming he can’t do things - he’s been consistently respectful of Dennis now being qualified (for all of a week). Buuut what about personally/in more social interactions? Well let’s have a looksie, shall we?

2x01: Badge Buddy

Langdon: Where's your new resident badge buddy, buddy? Whitaker: Oh, uh, yeah, they... they didn't give me a new one yet.

Oh Frank. Did this scene feel awkward to y’all? Well yeah that’s because: it was/was supposed to lmfao. That’s just what this is: it’s awkwardness. On Langdon’s part. This is the first time he’s seeing Whitaker again plus having to be like ‘so I did done be sentenced to triage, which, if our boss wasn’t having Personal Issues, is probably where you would be/our roles should probably be reversed in this instance and I should be responsible for the med students, not you - and in fact, when we last saw each other, this situation WAS reversed, and you were my med student. But I acknowledge you’re a doctor now and capable of this/it isn’t your fault how things have been set-up here, so I’m going to try and make this definitely not typical situation seem as typical as possible and I shall now give u this patient to treat for me so I can scuttle back to triage. It’s odd and strained and he’s still trying to figure things out having just come back, and he’s trying to make it less weird by…being weird (bless him), because this situation is weird and he knows it’s weird and Whitaker knows it’s weird and there’s an elephant in the room and he’s trying to address it and make fun of it to make things less weird and it’s not quite working but look: he’s TRYING. The repeated ‘buddy buddy’ really tells you more about Langdon than it does about Whitaker/how Langdon sees Whitaker. Man is just: awkward (there’s gonna be a lot of this in this section, prepare thyself).

2x14: Break room buddies:

Langdon: Relax, buddy. It's Advil.

Listen. I recognise that Whitaker is like ‘enough with the little buddy routine!!!’ three minutes after Langdon called him….’buddy’. Which does feel like rather damning evidence, I admit. HOWEVER! Pitt Peeps just do be like this. Calling each other ‘buddy’ honestly isn’t that unusual? No, seriously, Abbot calls Langdon ‘buddy’ like literally 10 minutes after this break room scene, while complimenting his brass balls (this is starting to sound like a meme now but I’m so serious).

Duke and Robby both call each other ‘buddy’ in the same way Langdon uses it here a couple of times in this season, and Abbot uses it also to refer to his injured SWAT friend. Methinks this is (yet another) habit/thing Langdon has sponge-absorbed from his attendings, alongside groundbreaking MacGyver medical procedures, wisdom of doctoring, and compartmentalising/repressing all of your trauma and emotions until you explode, he’s also managed to obtain some: old man slang. And, like the badge buddy moment, he’s trying to make a weird/awkward situation less weird/to defuse it.

Also, notably, he’s trying to make this less awkward FOR WHITAKER. Who walked in and reacted to finding Langdon with a bottle of Advil like he’d just stumbled upon him with a full blown crack pipe. So Langdon using ‘buddy’ here is like: “this is chill, I know you’re a friend/don’t mean anything by this/no hard feelings.’ Compare without the buddy, if he’d just gone, “Relax. It’s Advil.” That could very much have come across as potentially passive-aggressive/flat out aggressive-aggressive or sarcastic/genuinely upset. Adding in the lil ‘Chill, bud’ is meant to make this less awkward for Whitaker/to indicate Langdon isn’t actually pissed. Again: it’s a lil awkward (and clearly doesn’t fully work) but he’s trying. We’re also on hour 14 of everyone’s Very Bad No Good Day: Take 2 Electric Boogaloo - so, on the whole, I’m willing to allow him an awkward buddy at this point.

So now I’m going to suggest that just the word/term ‘buddy’ isn’t what’s pissing Dennis off here, we gotta draw a line between ‘buddy’ and ‘little buddy’ bc these: ain’t the same thing. (This is why semantics and details MATTER goddammit!!!!). ‘Buddy’ is a term for friend or acquaintance, ‘little buddy’ is a state of mind/being!!! No but seriously - little buddy is that kind of ‘aww, look at the lil’ fella!’ kind of vibe/attitude, there’s a connotation of being patronised/condescended, of being infantilised and thought incompetent or incapable, of being belittled or demeaned by, particularly, superiors/betters - THAT is what Whitaker is upset by; his presumed Gilligan-isation (that’s not a thing…but it is now! Because I made it so!!!).

So, while I cannot say Langdon never calls him ‘buddy’, I CAN say he doesn’t do the demeaning/belittling/Gilligan-isation thing.

2x02: Exile on Triage Island

Javadi: Welcome back. Langdon: Thanks. Yeah, thank you. It's good to be back. Okay, I will be in exile on Triage Island with the rest of the drug addicts, if anyone needs me. Whitaker: That was weird. Javadi: Very.

This is the only other little moment that I haven’t already talked about/that doesn’t really have anything to do with Doctoring, but that I see brought up a lot to shade Frank (y’all really need to chill, istg). This is just, again: an example of Langdon being fucking awkward lmfao. It’s kinda like the Advil moment/the first Whitaker encounter moment in that: there’s a palpable awkwardness/tension that all of the characters in the scene are (painfully) aware of. There is an elephant in the room and the elephant is: the size of the whole entire hospital. It cannot be avoided. So Langdon is, again, trying to bravado and bullshit his way through this because: we cannot ignore the elephant (it is crushing all of us) so we should just call out the elephant and make it as obvious as possible and also attempt to make light of it because if we laugh at it then it’ll all be okay: it’ll all be okay, right guys!?!?!?!

Hence the retreat back to Triage Island Exile (sidebar, bc I KNOW someone will bring this up if I don’t: I’ve seen y’all complain at Frank about using this term for it/for asking Robby of it was punishment - it is and it was. There’s nothing wrong with calling a spade a spade. Punting Langdon to triage, which is (by Robby’s own admission) fairly quiet/manageable/didn’t have a doctor to cover it before Langdon came in when they are already short-staffed and, specifically in the senior resident department with only Mohan as an R4, then Mel as an R3 (where, in season 1, they had Langdon and Collins who are both R4s plus Mohan as an R3) was very clearly and obviously: punishment/personal. Robby gets called out/pushed back on it multiple times throughout the season. Robby knows this is punishment. Langdon knows this is punishment. Whitaker and Javadi knows this is punishment, too - the whole fucking hospital knows.)

He’s kinda awkwardly trying to make the best of it/make light of it to make it less awkward for Javadi and Whitaker here. It very clearly: does not work/they just find it and Langdon weird but that…That is also not unusual lmfao. Because, uh: Frank IS weird lmfao. I still don’t understand how people were picturing this man as some sort of popular, baller jock-type guy (I do: it’s because y’all have a tendency of seeing/assuming characters to be as you expect them to be/want them to be rather than what they actually are) because this man is, and always has been: an absolute fucking dork. Please remember this is the man of season 1 fame who, when told to be gentle with a patient about his diagnosis, wrapped up the conversation wherein said patient said, with mild horror, “so there’s gonna be a worm graveyard in my brain forever?” with, what he truly seemed to think would bring levity/comfort to the moment by, again, mocking the elephant: “yeah, but they’re resting in peace.” HE HAS FORM FOR THIS SORT OF THING, OKAY. IF THERE’S AN AWKWARD ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM HE DEALS WITH IT BY POINTING AT IT AND MOCKING IT. And it never quite works/is absolutely cringeworthy but listen: I love him but he’s fucking useless in that regard. This is not new/not something he does just with Whitaker, or even just in season 2. This is simply: Who He Is (god love him).

Here’s the thing about confidence and charisma: does Frank have that? Yes! Absolutely! He CAN be charming and eloquent and articulate and charismatic. But that comes for him with such a gigantic * and a long list of conditions. In general, if he’s in a pressured situation/one where he feels in control of/if he’s comfortable with the people he’s with and knows how to engage with them: he’s golden. So he’s great with Robby, or with Dana, or Perlah, or Collins etc – because he knows them, and they know him, and he’s comfortable with that. He and Garcia have some iconic, fast, witty, seemingly effortless back-and-forths with each other without pausing for breath, all while covered in blood and gore because, again, that’s an established dynamic that he knows and is confident in. He understands the boundaries/what’s okay and what’s not/how to talk to her - almost like they have their own language at this point. He’s also really really good at explaining to patients what’s going on when they get brought in with trauma and he has to explain: what’s wrong with them, and what they’re going to do to fix it - he explains clearly and concisely and does well with this (in general). So, in short: when it’s someone he knows, or if there’s a clear purpose to the conversation: he’s good.

In every other regard: he’s a disaster area. This man should be banned from having to make any/all small talk for: the remainder of eternity. He’s SO bad at it. SO bad. Langdon getting sentenced to triage for like the first 5 or 6 episodes was hell for him but my god I was LIVING, that was some of the funniest shit I’ve ever seen. Bc the best/worst part about it all is: like with the Javadi-Whitaker moments or the ‘it’s Advil, bud!!!’ - he’s trying. He’s trying SO hard!!! He’s aiming for cool and sarcastic and funny and it’s just…it just never quite lands. Because that kind of thing is something you sorta need to establish with someone/for them to have at least a basic understanding of who you are/how you vibe. Random patient you met 5 minutes ago who is obviously a bit overwhelmed and scared: NOT the time to make a “I know what I’m doing…Most of the time :)))” joke. LIKE I GET WHAT YOU’RE GOING FOR HERE BUT SIR. PLEASE. GOD. I’M DYING.

I say all this to kind of prove the point that…Langdon isn’t doing this to Whitaker specifically/isn’t trying to be demeaning or belittling. He’s just…he’s in an awkward social scenario and he doesn’t quite know how to navigate it, so he tries for humour, and it doesn’t land… but that’s not a crime, y’all!!! (or god knows I’d have been locked up LONG AGO). There’s no malice or ill-intent behind any of his interactions with Whitaker – he’s just: fuckin’ awkward/Like That.

Okay I think that (you will all be thrilled to know) just about wraps that up. So, again, as a reminder of the Purpose of this: this was to demonstrate TO AN AUDIENCE, AKA: YOU - that Langdon is NOT actually guilty of the crimes Whitaker’s charging him with in the break-room. So that does beg the question of: so, if we have proven (which dear god say I have, this is so long/has taken so much of my life goddammit) that Langdon is NOT ‘little buddying’ Whitaker - WHY then is Whitaker yelling at him for it? Well that’s a gr8 question, I’m so glad u asked, and it shall be covered in: part 2!!!! (yes I’m clickbait/cliffhanger-ing y’all. Partially because: I Love You and I recognise this is very very long. So I’m ending it here. As ever: I thank u very much for reading and if u made it to the end, u can of course have a cookie in a flavour of ur choosing. And I hope u shall join me for part 2 in the coming….well in the coming. Let’s not put a timeframe/Shen Jinx on it lmfao).

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