The Pitt Season 2 Premiere Delivers An Excellent Season 1 Callback Using Whitaker
by Joe Roberts · /FilmThis article contains spoilers for "The Pitt" season 2, episode 1.
There are a few fresh faces among the staff of the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center in "The Pitt" season 2 premiere. But the show also goes to great lengths to demonstrate that it hasn't forgotten the harrowing events of the first season, and even picks up on several minor storylines from the original run of episodes. At one point, for example, Gerran Howell's Dennis Whitaker teaches the new student doctors to take a moment of silent reflection following a patient's death. But far from being a minor moment, this evolution of Whitaker hints at something truly significant in the young doctor's future.
Following a tumultuous first season, "The Pitt" fans will surely have endless questions going into season 2. Is Noah Wyle's Dr. Michael Robinavitch actually okay following his breakdown in season 1? How is Patrick Ball's Dr. Frank Langdon going to fit back into proceedings, given his addiction to pain medication? And who might have taken his place as Dr. Robby's de facto protégé? Well, "The Pitt" season 2 not only continues to turn empathy and competency into great TV, but it also answers all those questions in the season premiere.
Dr. Langdon returns following a stint in rehab, but Dr. Robby clearly isn't over what he views as Langdon's betrayal, and banishes his former mentee to triage. Otherwise, Robby seems to have become quite fond of Whitaker, who, as the rest of the episode shows, has basically transformed himself from the nervous youngster we saw last time around to a competent leader. That becomes strikingly clear in a moment that directly echoes a scene from last season — only this time Whitaker is in charge.
Dr. Dennis Whitaker is filling the hole left by Dr. Frank Langdon in The Pitt season 2
Just like with last season, The Pitt" season 2 is tackling major cultural issues, but it hasn't forgotten that viewers are here just as much for the personal stories, and Dr. Dennis Whitaker's is perhaps one of the most intriguing this time around. In season 1, he was a fourth-year medical student at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. In season 2, he's a first-year resident and is clearly embracing his more senior role — something that Dr. Michael Robinavitch is obviously proud of.
Back in season 1, episode 1, "7:00 AM," Dr. Robby stops Dr. Langdon from leaving the room after a patient dies. "One of the things we do here is to take a moment of silence when we lose a patient," says the attending doctor. "To respect their humanity and also to remember that this was somebody's child or sibling or parent. A friend." The solemn moment of silence is soon ruined by Whitaker, however, after he receives a phone call and happens to have the most perfectly obnoxious ringtone.
Later that season, in episode 3, "9:00 AM," Whitaker loses his patient, Mr. Milton, after trying and failing to restart his heart following a cardiac arrest. It's the young doctor's first patient death, and he takes it hard, struggling to come to terms with the loss and blaming himself for not placing Mr. Milton on a heart monitor. Soon after, Dr. Robby gathers the staff around Mr. Milton's bed for a debrief, but before he dismisses them, he once again encourages them to engage in a "brief moment of silent reflection" to "harness some good thoughts" for the deceased. Season 2 basically repeats that scene but with Whitaker in the leadership role.
Dr. Whitaker is following in Dr. Robby's footsteps
In "The Pitt" season 2 premiere, Dr. Dennis Whitaker and the team treat an elderly man who arrives from an assisted living facility but soon dies. This time, however, Whitaker is almost unrecognizable when compared to the grief-stricken version of season 1. He gathers the new student doctors, Joy Kwon (Irene Choi) and James Ogilvie (Lucas Iverson), and asks them to reflect on the treatment, remaining calm, composed, and competent in a way that's not unlike Dr. Michael Robinavitch himself.
As we start to get the sense that Whitaker might be a potential successor for Dr. Robby, the writers all but confirm it. When Ogilvie asks to find a new patient, Whitaker stops him, just as Dr. Robby stopped Langdon in season 1. "Stay here," he says before echoing the words of his mentor. "One of the things we like to do here, when we have the time," he explains, "is to take a moment of silence when we lose a patient, to respect their humanity. He was someone's son, perhaps a father himself. A brother or friend." In a perfect conclusion, Whitaker reminds Ogilvie and Kwon to silence their phones while Dr. Robby watches from the door.
In season 1, Dr. Frank Langdon was essentially Dr. Robby's protégé. But when it was discovered that Langdon had been pilfering medicine to feed his addiction, he was dismissed by an angry Robby. This was one of the first times we saw Dr. Robby crack ahead of his major breakdown in episode 13 (which featured Wyle's best performance yet). Now, it looks as though Whitaker has filled the hole left by Langdon's departure, and it will be interesting to see how things play out as Langdon tries to regain his position.