This is my first‑impression take maybe I’ll feel differently after a rewatch, but for now, that’s where I’m at
I feel like The Pitt S2 slipped back into the flaws S1 managed to avoid :
In s1, even though Robby’s mental health was addressed — and rightly so — as damage caused by a completely broken healthcare system, he wasn’t turned into a martyr. He was "" just"" a doctor living in the harsh reality of frontline care : overworked yet neglected. He was, and still is, suffering, but his suffering wasn’t placed above anyone else’s. It was simply shown through his perspective. His toxic behaviors toward himself and others weren’t excused : they were explained and illustrated, but never in a way that suggested the narrative was taking the stance of : "he owes no one anything, he’s right, you can’t blame him, others should adapt and forgive him because deep down he’s not wrong, he suffers more than the others,..."
In s2, he’s become a martyr. The beautiful pedes shot is proof of that. The scene is stunning, I really love it, it’s powerful. But it ultimately turned Robby into a martyr, placing him 'above' the others. It elevates his suffering above everyone else’s, making it more important. You might say that in the script, that’s not the case, that he’s questioned, that he represents something broader, etc… but the way it’s staged and the final result convey something different, at least to me. It’s Mohan who apologizes to Robby. The final shot of Al-Hashimi implies he was right to try to disqualify her from the start. His interactions with Dana have always been centered on him, not on her own mental load. Same with the Langdon case, etc. You’ll probably say : 'well, he’s the main character, that’s normal.' Maybe, yes — but s1 had found a balance where everyone’s mental health mattered, both in the script and on screen. In season 2, that balance has been broken, in my opinion.
In s1, they had strong messages to deliver, but at no point did I feel like I was watching a script. The dialogue felt natural and believable — I felt like I was watching actual health workers.
In s2, especially in episode 15, I unfortunately felt like I was suddenly facing a script. A very beautiful script, deep, full of metaphors that probably convey very accurate emotions — but still a script. I could feel the writers behind it. I was watching actors playing health workers. Not all the time, but enough for me for it to cross my mind multiple times.
I also had this strange feeling — almost like a kind of cognitive dissonance. The dialogue was telling me things I just wasn’t seeing on screen, or only barely. I do acknowledge that this might come from the final edit cutting scenes that were originally written. But still, the end result creates this odd effect where what you feel while watching doesn’t line up with what the show is telling you.
Al-Hashimi saying she trusts Robby (to talk about his personal issues) ? Mohan’s ‘tough love’, really ? Whitaker being an intern yet portrayed as extremely autonomous ? Victoria suddenly interested in psych ? Some things feel narratively less refined, still compared to s1.
Too much information came afterward, from the actors, in interviews. It really needed to be woven into the story itself for everything to feel coherent.
Yes, I’m going to say it : the season feels white‑male‑centric. Robby, but especially Whitaker, Langdon (and even Abbot, if you think about it). Whether in terms of screen time or narrative focus. For Robby and Langdon, I can find several reasons that "make sense" . But Whitaker ? His narrative role didn’t justify that much importance. We quickly understood who he was — the more confident but goofy good guy who’s always there for others (maybe a bit too much)… and that remained his only function all season. He didn’t have any ongoing themes or personal stakes, unlike Langdon with his first day, Santos having to manage that, McKay and her fear of becoming insensitive, Mohan and his search for his place in the ED, King with his deposition + Becca, etc.
So other characters were pushed aside or cut down to give more space to the third white male doctor on day shift, even though the female characters had arcs with far more potential and narrative strength. I genuinely thought The Pitt would avoid that trap — and my posts from early/mid season 2 show I really believed that. But it’s hard to deny now that they didn’t manage to avoid sidelining the women narratively, and especially Mohan.
It was their job to ensure a good balance among these characters, so that this diverse cast wouldn't just be there as background figures while the main characters —who are highlighted and emphasized by both the script and the direction— all share the same profile.
It's still The Pitt, and the writing isn't "awful" either, but it still stands in stark contrast to S1. And it's precisely because we had that masterful first season that we're so taken aback...
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