Season one in every of The Pitt ends unexpectedly, but inevitably. Whereas a number of circumstances nonetheless linger, the quiet, meditative first-season finale focuses much less on medical drama and extra on the place its characters have ended up emotionally on the finish of a harrowing shift. “9 P.M.” takes its time tying up unfastened ends whereas creating new character dynamics. And, fittingly, for the primary time all season and subsequently on this complete collection, we lastly see the characters exterior of the hospital. Within the final hour earlier than going dwelling, Dr. Langdon pleads his case, Dr. Santos reveals a delicate facet, Dr. King will get to look at Elf in September, and Whittaker finds a house. However most significantly, Dr. Robby and Dr. Abbott circle again to a theme that’s been omnipresent all through the episode and the primary season of The Pitt as an entire: Everybody’s just a little fucked up, and in addition: Males, go to remedy!
The finale immediately establishes a reflective tone by eliminating the penultimate episode’s cliffhanger instantly. Dr. Robby berates and pleads with the cops who arrested Dr. McKay for disabling her ankle monitor—and feedback on how ridiculous they’re to do that amid the aftermath of a mass capturing. When Robby reminds them that McKay saved a brother officer’s life right this moment, they comply with let her go, on the situation that she resolves the damaged ankle monitor very first thing within the morning. Dr. Robby then convinces Flynn’s dad, whose spouse is aggressively anti-science, to approve the spinal faucet, by some morbid manipulation—their walk-and-talk ends within the Peds room, which is now the Pitt’s packed-to-capacity makeshift morgue.
“We couldn’t save them,” Robby says, as they stand over the our bodies, “however we may nonetheless save your son.” The dad calls him a “fucking asshole,” however it works: Dr. King performs the spinal faucet whereas the mother takes her daughter to get meals. She walks into the room through the process, horrified—and unsupported in her resolution to threat her son’s life due to what she’s learn on the web. Dr. Robby has a short, fully horrible dialog with Jake, who says, “We’re not pals and also you’re not my father, so fuck off!” proper earlier than he tells Leah’s dad and mom the information about their daughter. Regardless of his unending hardship on this shift, Dr. Robby has the power for an inspiring speech to the day shift workers earlier than they head dwelling. “This place will break your coronary heart, however it’s additionally stuffed with miracles.” He encourages everybody to cry, as a result of it’s grief leaving the physique.
Dr. Abbott communicated the “Males, go to remedy” message fairly actually. That is, primarily, Dr. Abbott’s reveal episode: right this moment was his time without work, so he got here in on his personal volition (I, for one, assumed he merely got here in a number of hours early for his evening shift) and he’s an amputee. After referring a affected person to Dr. Shen, Utensil Specialist, Dr. Abbott visits Dr. Robby, who’s standing disturbingly near the roof’s edge, a reversal of Abbott’s first look within the pilot. The 2 previous guys discuss by it, however it’s principally Abbott speaking and Robby asking Dr. Abbott to cease speaking. Dr. Robby admits he choked through the MCI. “So fucking what?” Dr. Abbott says. “That’s what occurs if you’re in a warfare and nothing is smart.”
Then, earlier than assembly the workers for park beers, Dr. Abbott—who’s coming again to work round 2am—tells Dr. Robby that his therapist says he “finds consolation in darkness.” When Dr. Robby asks if remedy helps, he says, “I haven’t jumped off the roof but.” These exchanges are becoming bookends for the season, and for these characters, particularly Dr. Robby, who not solely survived a personally triggering day, however did glorious work regardless of the interior and exterior stress. Regardless of the continuing horrors of their day-to-day life, it’s of their DNA, like Dr. Abbott says.
