The Pitt Season 2 Episode 15 Review: 9:00 PM

On The Pitt Season 2 Episode 15, “9:00 PM,” Robby must have difficult conversations with the staff, while Al-Hashimi grapples with her condition.

The season finale of The Pitt leaves us on a much lower note than last season. There was a sense of release after making it through last season’s unimaginably brutal shift, but “9:00 PM” leaves a lot of our characters in a sense of defeat and uncertainty.

While we’re not guaranteed closure in this sort of setting, some characters feel like they’re hanging in a sense of stasis, especially Samira. While her story in the backend of the season built toward something very interesting that could’ve been unpacked further, Supriya Ganesh’s impending departure leaves Samira’s final moments feeling less impactful.

The episode shines brightest with how it handles Al-Hashimi and Robby, both individual and as a contentious duo.

Up until this point, Sepideh Moafi plays Al-Hashimi with a laser-like precision. She’s precise with her words and marinates in stillness. She’s never been without emotion or warmth, but Moafi completely drops any semblance of facade on this episode.

The decision to keep Al-Hashimi pretty composed most of the season only to crack her open in the finale is effectively rattling. Watching this woman come undone is devastating thanks to Moafi’s stunning display of vulnerability and honesty.

A lot of Al-Hashimi’s character has dealt with the idea of perception. The first we hear about her comes from characters we already know who have largely made up their minds about her. We spend the remainder of the season pushing back at the biases formed from these outside opinions of her.

Al-Hashimi meets every moment with empathy and an open mind even when the same is not afforded to her. The joy of Al-Hashimi’s presence has been the deconstruction of the idea of her presented to the audience so we can make space for who she actually is. 

The tragic irony of it all is that, at her most honest moment, she’s misperceived again and not given the chance to navigate this hurdle with grace like some of her counterparts. Robby went into this shift wanting a reason to doubt her ability to run the ED and now he’s found one.

The two have constantly acted as foils to one another in myriad ways and that’s no different on “9:00 PM.” Al-Hashimi’s condition starts to worsen throughout the work day but she immediately seeks out support; meanwhile, Robby actively avoids conversations and pleas for him to get help amid his ongoing mental health crisis. Robby deems Al-Hashimi unfit to run the ED, but she is the only one of the two actively seeking solutions for a condition that is impeding on her job.

“9:00 PM” sees Robby’s avoidance finally catch up to him as he is repeatedly confronted about his behavior. As opposed to last season though, Robby doesn’t walk out of the hospital with a resolve to try and get some help.

All is not hopeless, though. We leave Robby clinging to one small shred of hope as he cradles Baby Jane Doe in the dark. This final moment rings emotionally poignant watching this man at the end of his rope acknowledge this human who is just at the beginning of life.

The simple image of Robby holding Baby Jane Doe echoes Abbot’s earlier message. Life is beauty and brutality. It is impossible to live a life untouched by both.

Robby’s whispered assurance to the baby almost feels like a message for himself as if he’s trying to convince himself that there is always a path through the pain. 

The question remains: Where does Robby go from here? Noah Wyle leaves us with just one final tremendous bit of acting before we fade to black. His eyes flicker with debate, and, although we don’t know what he’ll do on this sabbatical, maybe, just maybe, he’s convinced himself he can stay.

Stray Thoughts

• Javadi deciding she wants her focus to be on emergency psychiatry feels like a perfect button for her arc this season. Her small interactions and patient load built toward it all day.
• The post credits scene made me smile so much. Mel yearns for friendship and it’s a nice moment for her to have some socialization outside of the hospital. It’s also a great moment for Santos who’s isolated herself a lot. I hope this dynamic gets explored next season!
• Mel having to come back in for a deposition is so upsetting. 
• Whitaker leaving with the widow…. I hope he works on that next season!
• Do not let Robby take in Baby Jane Doe. Do NOT.

 

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

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