The Pitt Season 2 Episode 7 Review: 1:00 PM

On The Pitt Season 2 Episode 7, “1:00 PM,” Dana attends to a sexual assault victim while Mohan tries to keep Mr. Diaz in the hospital. Meanwhile, Abbot brings in an officer injured in the field.

While last week dealt in restraint and utilized Louie’s death as a central thread, “1:00 PM” pivots back into chaos. The episode ramps the energy back up with myriad cases and sets us on a trajectory that will likely continue through the rest of the season.

Abbot’s Return

One of the biggest highlights of the episode is the return of Dr. Jack Abbot. Shawn Hatosy anchors his arrival with his calm, cool, collected demeanor; it feels like seeing an old friend despite the severity of the emergency unfolding.

Abbot simultaneously functions as someone who understands Robby thoroughly and as a needed counterbalance to Robby. He’s able to step outside of things and see the whole picture, especially when Robby is in the thick of it. 

His return at this point in the season presents an additional pushback on Robby’s behavior thus far, specifically toward Al-Hashimi. Initially, the introduction is a bit awkward and it is easy to assume that Abbot will side with Robby.

“1:00 PM” immediately subverts this as the two find middle ground with their experiences in the overseas. There’s an innate understanding between the two, much to the chagrin of Robby. It introduces another interesting point of conflict for one of Robby’s closest allies to find connection with his foil, while also exploring more of Al-Hashimi’s backstory.

Dr. Mohan

Mohan’s desperation to keep Mr. Diaz in the hospital is both endearing and devastating. She wants so badly to give this man the care he needs, but she’s no match for the systemic financial burden Mr. Diaz faces.

It’s an interesting moment for Samira where she is forced to confront the fact that she simply can’t “save” everyone. Typically she’s able to maneuver this system to make sure her patients get the care they need. In this case, though, she’s forced to reckon with forces out of her control, putting her in some unexplored territory.

It leads to a terrific exchange between Mohan and Abbot when she finds him in Mr. Diaz’s abandoned room.

It’s incredibly intimate and allows the intricacies of their relationship to flourish. Both support the other and tend to their respective wounds, Abbot with Mohan’s personal defeat and Mohan with Abbot’s bullet wound. They both hold each other up in a small but impactful way.

Abbot strikes a level of comfort and understanding that Mohan can’t always get with Robby. He recognizes what a great doctor Mohan is and, because of this, she’s fully seen and supported by him, regardless of their limited interactions.

Hatosy and Supriya Ganesh play with the layer of flirtation that’s been present since last season. Both performers bring little nuances to the interaction (Mohan’s initial flustered reaction, Abbot’s clear disappointment Mohan isn’t worried about him) that bubbles beneath the surface and enhances the overall dynamic.

Dana’s Patient

Despite the increase in energy, “1:00 PM” still manages to find space for these quietly impactful moments to shine, especially with Dana and the sexual assault victim she tends to.

There’s this tricky dichotomy happening between the clinical, cold nature of the exam versus the warmth of Dana and Emma’s presence. It highlights just how dehumanizing the experience of reporting assault is on top of the assault itself. We feel the suffocating discomfort in this moment completely.

Tina Ivlev’s portrayal of Ilana is staggering. She’s clearly traumatized from the ordeal, but trying her best to keep it together. She projects visible frustration with the extensive protocol and we know that no amount of testing and reporting will undo the pain inflicted upon her.

Though quiet and clipped, Ivlev also masterfully conveys the struggle Ilana faces with reporting someone entrenched in her inner circle. Her situation is loaded and, though we aren’t privy to all the details, the show successfully conveys the conflict and pain in the room.

Katherine LaNasa holds the space perfectly, walking through each step with as much warmth as one can muster in this moment. This process is invasive so she’s trying to bring as much dignity as she can to the room while making Ilana feel cared for. 

It’s not only a powerful glimpse into this piece of medical care, but continues the thread from The Pitt Season 2 Episode 6, “12:00 PM.” While she may be questioning why she comes back to this job, it’s undeniable to us as we witness the level of care she’s able to give to those that need her.

Mounting Pressures

The moment Javadi and Santos share in the restroom feels so intentional and creates an impeccable dichotomy. Both shoulder immense pressure in their day-to-days. While Javadi’s comes more from external forces and Santos’ within, that pressure informs every decision and how they proceed in their jobs.

Javadi uses it to her advantage. Not only does her parental pressure force her to double down on her job, but she also utilizes it to connect with her patients. While her social manner already improved greatly from Season 1, Javadi shows immense growth in how she handles Jada.

Rather than allow it to distract or hinder her ability to assist Jada, Javadi creates a building block. Shabana Azeez’s small, detailed shifts in Javadi culminate in someone exercising emotional maturity. The growth is gradual but palpable.

Meanwhile, it feels like every snafu and roadblock pushes Santos closer and closer to the edge. She’s not failing in terms of her job, but it’s clear she’s struggling to hold all this pressure herself. Additionally, Santos is more isolated than Javadi and she feels farther way as the season moves along. It’s a fascinating devolvement for a character that entered the series almost too confident.

In a big ensemble, it can be tricky to juggle the numerous stories weaving in and out; however, “1:00 PM” takes these seemingly innocuous beats to push the characters deeper. It admirably doesn’t rely on one big “ah-ha” moment. Rather, The Pitt allows the development to play out in the everyday.

Stray Thoughts

• What do they mean a cyber attack?! Just when I think they’ve maximized the ways to make this environment stressful, they go and find something I never considered.
• Mel’s reaction to Robby telling her she is one of the best is so sweet.
• Poor Harlow can’t catch a break. It’s agonizing and frustrating to see how ill-equipped the hospital is to assist her.
• Robby and Langdon on the roof felt like a gut punch. There’s this flicker of hope at first that Robby can move past it, and then he hits us with the fact that he doesn’t know if he wants Langdon in his ER.
• Al-Hashimi calling her own doctor is a fascinating moment of vulnerability for her. Sepideh Moafi plays it brilliantly without overdoing it.

 

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The Pitt airs Thursday at 9:00 PM ET on HBO Max.

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