Much of the drama on The Pitt Season 2 has revolved around the mental health status of Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch (Noah Wyle). He was on the verge of a nervous breakdown for the entirety of Season 1, but it felt like he would be on the path to healing in Season 2. Instead, Robby is faring even worse — and it’s gotten so bad that some fans are even wondering if The Pitt would go so far as to kill off its lead character.
Robby isn’t the only one struggling, either. Charge nurse Dana Evans (Katherine LaNasa) arguably keeps the ER running, but what she’s experienced, not just during this shift but in Season 1, is starting to drag her down. In Season 2’s latest episode, “6:00 P.M.,” Dana finally raises her concerns about everything she’s been seeing from Robby over the last several hours, but Robby is quick to call her out in exchange. No two characters matter more to The Pitt, yet they’re the ones who may have finally reached their breaking point.
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Every doctor and nurse in the Pitt holds Dr. Robby in high regard as senior attending, and although they might notice him struggling, there’s nothing they can do to get through to him. Dr. Jack Abbot (Shawn Hatosy) has already expressed his concern for what his friend is going through, but the only other character who seems willing to call it like she sees it is Dana. Given her longtime friendship with Robby, it’s no surprise that these two are willing to broach more uncomfortable topics with each other.
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When Emma Nolan (Laëtitia Hollard) is attacked by a patient, Dana intervenes, drugging the assailant with a syringe she conveniently had in her pocket — only Robby suspects it wasn’t so convenient, and that Dana has been carrying that syringe around ever since being assaulted by a patient in Season 1. Robby’s role as attending also puts him in a tough spot where he has to consider the potential legal repercussions of Dana giving a patient a sedative that wasn’t originally prescribed.
The first time the two argue, Dana cuts the conversation short by walking away, but Robby isn’t willing to let the subject drop. He’s concerned that she’s not acting like herself today, which is exactly how she feels about him. Their conversation ends with Dana declaring, “It’s like you’re just tempting death ’cause you don’t give a shit anymore.” It’s a brutal truth that is made obvious from the first scene of Season 2, when Robby is shown riding his motorcycle to work without a helmet. Robby’s so far gone that when Dana calls him out, it doesn’t even phase him, whether because he’s lying to himself or simply no longer cares.
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In the aftermath of The Pitt‘s latest patient attack, Dr. Frank Langdon (Patrick Ball) tells Dana she did what she had to, but the fear in her eyes speaks volumes; she’s scared that she may have messed up in a way she can never come back from. With how little attention he pays to his next patient, Robby is wondering the same.
The leaders of this hospital are having a hellish day on top of the trauma they already carry. Patients have died, the computers are down, and ICE agents have one of their own away in handcuffs. By the end of The Pitt‘s latest hour, Robby mentions not knowing whether he can leave the ER in its current state, but Dana boldly asserts that the hospital can survive without them, just as it did after Robby’s mentor passed.
As Dana storms off, Robby is stunned into silence. It’s a heartbreaking conversation to witness, but one that needed to happen. The Pitt‘s two best characters are teetering on the brink and could still fall over the edge by the end of this shift. Let’s just hope they’re both still strong enough to endure whatever comes next.