SPOILER ALERT: The following contains spoilers for The Pitt Season 2, Episode 1.

The stakes for The Pitt Season 2 feel raised simply because of all the praise and awards that the HBO Max show has garnered. Season 2 is the highly anticipated second album, as fans wait to see if the band is a one-hit wonder. Season 2, Episode 1 is not as big an event as it could have been given the off-camera circumstances, but that actually works in the show’s favor.

It would have been too easy to make “7:00 A.M.” big and bold, trying to capitalize on the attention. Season premieres typically are some of the broadest episodes of a show anyway, as creative teams want to make a splash out of the gate. The Pitt simply proceeds with business as usual, save a few already well-known cast updates. The show’s real-time pace means there isn’t that crackling sense of urgency that medical dramas often thrive on. In fact, most of the episode is just establishing what’s changed in the ten months between Season 1 and Season 2.

The primary development is the introduction of Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi, portrayed by actor Sepideh Moafi. Al-Hashimi appears to be filling the empty spot left by Dr. Heather Collins, after it was revealed that Tracy Ifeachor wouldn’t be returning for Season 2. Ifeachor, and the dynamic that Collins had with Noah Wyle’s Dr. Michael “Robby” Rabinovitch, is absolutely missed in the Season 2 premiere. But that’s because Ifeachor was so good and Collins had such potential.

Al-Hashimi, on the other hand, is so far playing the typical “differing approaches” storyline with Robby. She’s already asking if he’s read her ideas to improve the ER and wants to talk about AI. There’s not much new in this; Chicago Med had a whole “OR 2.0” technology storyline a few seasons ago, and it had its own philosophical difference between Dr. Dean Archer and Dr. Caitlin Lenox. That being said, Moafi hits her stride pretty quickly; viewers just need to see more of her character to understand who Al-Hashimi is beyond this basic caricature, and she should fit right in.

Anyone who keeps up with TV news already knows that Dana Evans and Dr. Frank Langdon return, which is meant to be The Pitt‘s other major development. This is one of those instances in which one rues spoilers; it would have been fantastic if the whole audience could’ve been surprised by at least one of those characters walking back into the ER. Langdon gets the meatier stuff in the premiere. He’s trying, unsuccessfully, to make amends with Robby, and he has better luck explaining himself to one of his patients. The latter is his “come to Jesus” moment, and Patrick Ball (who spent part of his hiatus playing Hamlet) is fantastic at playing this humbled version of Langdon. It feels like the character honestly has changed, but he’s not so different that he’s unrecognizable.

Medical case-wise, the Pitt Season 2 premiere is a mixed bag. The storyline of the unhoused man feels like it’s there purely for comic relief, and it’s not funny. Then there’s the mystery of an abandoned baby, which could go either way. Season 1’s story about a woman who temporarily abandoned her elderly mother was one of the best cases, because it explored the stress that comes with being a caretaker. The baby storyline could be as compelling as that—or is it going to be just a straightforward medical mystery? Because of the real-time format, it’s too early to call.

Lastly but certainly not least, Dr. Trinity Santos gets a case that may or may not be child abuse. This is the one to keep an eye on; audiences saw how strongly Santos reacted to abuse in Season 1, and that was when actor Isa Briones really had a chance to shine. It gave Santos a depth that she didn’t always have and a ferocity that the audience could feel. The problem was that Santos’ sarcasm and her self-serving approach overshadowed the rest of her character, and that’s still a bit of the case in this episode. When Javadi’s mother appears to chastize her daughter, Santos is still angling for her attention. The Pitt would be wise to scale that back a bit, and focus more on what’s underneath all the bluster. The one thing the show hasn’t quite figured out is that it doesn’t necessarily need the levity of a comic subplot or a sarcastic one-liner—not if those things don’t work.

The Pitt Season 2 premiere has almost everything that made Season 1 an attention-grabbing success. Ifeachor and Shawn Hatosy’s absences are felt, although at least Hatosy isn’t out of the picture. But Noah Wyle continues to be the sun around which the entire show orbits, with great reason; this is his wheelhouse in so many ways. And the returning cast seem understandably more comfortable in their roles with that initial season under their belts. All the show needs now is to build momentum, which thanks to the format, viewers know is just around the corner.

The Pitt streams Thursdays at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT on HBO Max. Photo Credit: Courtesy of HBO Max.

Article content is (c)2020-2026 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram. For story pitches, contact me at tvbrittanyf@yahoo.com.