Editor’s note: The below recap contains spoilers for The Pitt Season 2 Episode 8.
About halfway through Season 2 of The Pitt, a lot has already happened, with Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch (Noah Wyle) struggling to get through his last shift before a three-month sabbatical. Meanwhile, Dr. Frank Langdon (Patrick Ball) is back, despite Robby’s concerns, and a new attending, Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi (Sepideh Moafi), is getting ready to assume Robby’s place. However, as Episode 7 shows, Robby’s not the only doctor struggling, as Al-Hashimi is inwardly panicking and trying to reach her therapist. There’s no time for the staff to get too distracted, because a cyberattack has just forced the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center to shut down its entire network. What else can happen in Episode 8, “2:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M.”?
Joy Saves the Board in ‘The Pitt’ Season 2 Episode 8
Robby isn’t happy that Al-Hashimi didn’t warn him about the hospital’s cyberattack response after meeting with PTMD’s CEO. She insists she was on her way to inform him, but Robby’s not hearing it. Maybe the department chair should break the news, so together, Robby and Al-Hashimi inform the doctors and nurses about what’s going on. Everything from the digital patient board needs to be copied onto a dry-erase version. Too bad Dr. Dennis Whitaker (Gerran Howell) was only able to snap an unfocused cellphone photo before it all went down. Then, Joy Kwon (Irene Choi) impresses everyone by reciting the contents of what was on the original board, courtesy of her photographic memory.
With that taken care of, Dr. Trinity Santos (Isa Briones) goes back to Deaf patient Harlow Graham (Jessica Flores) and talks to her through an interpreter. Harlow works from home and looks down at a screen all day, so neck pain appears to be the source of her headache. Meanwhile, Robby and Dr. Jack Abbott (Shawn Hatosy) show off the old school chart rack that the staff will be using. Everything’s done on paper, just as it was way back when. They even break out a fax machine!
Robby moves on to an incoming patient, Howard Knox (Craig Ricci Shaynak), who’s presenting with abdominal pain. Dr. Cassie McKay (Fiona Dourif) and med student James Ogilvie (Lucas Iverson) jump in to assist. They decide on a CT scan, which will be a struggle because he’s obese and can’t lie down properly for the machine, and it’s then that Ogilvie makes inappropriate comments about Howard’s weight in front of the patient. At the same time, Victoria Javadi (Shabana Azeez) takes Roxie Hamler’s (Brittany Allen) parents to her room. They decide to take their grandsons out for ice cream as Roxie gives her father a long, grateful look.
Al-Hashimi shows up to assist with Howard’s care, and the doctors numb his throat in preparation for a tube insertion. As that’s happening, Al-Hashimi leaves to help Dr. Samira Mohan (Supriya Ganesh) and Dr. Melissa King (Taylor Dearden) treat Brook Maccord (Staci Lynn Fletcher), a woman with sudden-onset blindness in one eye. As that’s happening, Nurse Princess Dela Cruz (Kristin Villanueva) is trying to keep up, doing Dana’s (Katherine LaNasa) job because she can’t stop in the middle of Ilana Miller’s (Tina Ivlev) sexual assault exam. While it initially looks like Ilana may have left, Dana waits just in case she comes back, and Ilana returns with Emma Nolan (Laëtitia Hollard), ready to keep going. After the exam, Ilana tells Dana that she’s glad she was here today. It’s a feel-good moment that’s soon shattered by a frustrating reality. When Dana drops off the evidence kit, she discovers another one still sitting there from two weeks earlier, so she calls the police and gives them hell.
A Kind Patient Shows the Best of the Doctors and Nurses on ‘The Pitt’ Season 2 Episode 8
Caleb Jefferson (Christopher Thornton) introduces Javadi to Nicole Steadman (Adargiza De Los Santos), who runs a parent support group, and suggests that Jackson Davis’ (Zack Morris) parents speak with her. Meanwhile, as Cassie and Ogilvie return to Howard, she lets the new guy know that he needs to treat patients with respect. The group huddles to talk about what’s next. If he needs surgery, Howard’s looking at a 50% chance of death. Before the tube goes down his throat, taking away his ability to speak, Howard takes a beat to thank everyone in the room.
Al-Hashimi returns to Brook and tells her about a clot-busting medication that might help her blindness, but there are risks. Some get worse, and there’s a one percent chance of death. After talking about it with her wife, Wendy (Victoria Mack), Brook decides to go for it. Out in the hall, Santos and Kwon are wheeling in Jackie Liddell (Briana Burnside), who’s bitten through her tongue, accompanied by her friend Jaquie Warren (Esther Omegba). Santos numbs up Jackie’s tongue before she gets stitches, and Langdon tries to instruct her, but Santos gets easily annoyed with him. She hasn’t forgotten their past. Catching up on paperwork,Cassie asks Langdon how he’s doing. She’s on nine years and counting of being clean and knows the first year is the hardest so he can call her if he needs anything. Langdon looks at her with surprised gratitude; finally someone else is showing him some sympathy.
Due to confusion over the dry-erase board,Javadi and Ogilvie accidentally end up with the same patient, a man (Ryan Brody) with a horrible rash all over his body. He hasn’t left the house so he doesn’t know where it came from; both med students are stumped. Meanwhile,Mel is with Brook when she’s called away by another doctor who has just finished giving her deposition in the same case Mel is worried about.
In Just 49 Minutes, ‘The Pitt’ Completely Changed Who the ER Is Really About
These unsung heroes are the hospital’s heart and soul.
With the tube down his throat,Howard weighs in at 474 pounds, but the max weight for CT is 450 so he’ll be taken to a different hospital with a machine that can fit him. He’s a kind man and the doctors and nurses look at him with care. It’s not the same energy for Jackie’s case where Santos is still displaying her annoyance with Langdon. Jackie’s so drunk though that she doesn’t even remember why she’s there anymore. Joy wonders if they should recommend rehab to the patient which leads to an uncomfortable look with Santos and Langdon.
Dana and Robby Are Very Concerned About ‘The Pitt’ in Season 2 Episode 8
The plan is to keep Baby Jane Doe overnight then send her to emergency foster care.This option is not acceptable for the doctors.
Meanwhile,Troy Digby (Charles Baker), an unhoused man finally reappears admitting he was spending time with Louie Cloverfield’s (Ernest Harden Jr.) body as they were friends.This makes Dana smile.
Robby stands next to her when Javadi and Ogilvie run up highly concerned about their patient.The situation resolves when Joy figures it out by simply talking to Troy.
This leads them to discover it’s dermatitis caused by squeezing lemons outside in the sun.
The chaos continues at the desk as Robby checks in on Javadi and Ogilvie’s patient.
Cassie talks with Robby about Roxie who is in pain.Santos tells Cassie they need more pain meds for Roxie.
The situation escalates when Robby insists treating Roxie’s pain is paramount even if it could lead to death which he believes “could be the best outcome.” The chaos continues at their desk while they wonder how they’ll get through these next few hours.
- James Ogilvie continues to be the perfect character to hate.
- The Howard Knox storyline shows how great staff can work together.
- Shutting down computers humorously illustrates how newer doctors struggle without technology.
