Warning: The Pitt season two spoilers ahead!
The season two finale of The Pitt aired last Thursday, and I don’t know about y’all, but I did not get the sense of resolution I was yearning for! Not that I thought it was bad. I guess I’m comparing it to the season one finale, where it felt like a true completion of the stories for that day. Even though Robby (and everyone else) had been through it that day, the tone of that finale was hopeful. This year, though, I’m worrying just as much about Dr. Robby at the end of the season as I was at the beginning. And if what they were hinting at in the last scene comes true, that Robby adopts Baby Jane Doe… While very sweet, that is NOT a good idea! Robby needs to work some sh-t out, especially to find a way to do the job he loves without it taking everything out of him. Adding a three-month-old baby to that situation is, I repeat, NOT a good idea!!
Also, it didn’t feel like they really wrapped up Dr. Mohan’s storyline. Based on her final scenes, I never would have guessed she’s not returning next season if they hadn’t announced that a couple weeks ago. And like I’ve said before, I think that character deserved better. Last week I mused that Mohan should join Shawn Hatosy’s Dr. Abbot in the Night Shift spinoff everyone is asking begging for. (To be clear: Shawn isn’t campaigning for a spinoff, he just keeps getting asked about one.) Well, Noah Wyle has heard our pleas… and is here to say a spinoff is not likely. Dr. Robby bringing us down again, sigh.
Series star and executive producer Noah Wyle is aware of how much more time viewers would like to spend with the folks from the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center’s emergency room night shift, and told Deadline whether or not they’d consider doing a spinoff series.
“Anything is possible, but it’s not probable,” Wyle, who plays Dr. Robby on the critically acclaimed medical drama, shared during an interview with Deadline last week.
While that may not be the answer anyone was hoping for, there is something to celebrate.
Season 3 will bring fans a lot more of Dr. Parker Ellis, played by Ayesha Harris, a character who worked as part of the night shift for the show’s first two seasons. Since Harris was recently promoted to series regular status, we asked creator R. Scott Gemmill if that meant Season 3 would be spending more time with the night crew.
“Dr. Ellis is going to be working days,” he confirmed.
Up until now, the most interactions with the doctors and nurses who take over from Dr. Robby and his crew have happened either early or late in a season when they’re taking over the shift. Since Season 2 spanned the Fourth of July weekend, fans got a lot more interactions between the day and night staff.
“I like touching base with the night shift when we can because it’s a whole different dynamic,” shared Gemmill.
The night shift is led by Dr. Jack Abbot, played by Shawn Hatosy. The team also includes Mateo Diaz (Jalen Thomas Brooks), Dr. John Shen (Ken Kirby,) Dr. Cyrus Henderson (Luke Tennie), and Dr. Nazely Toomarian (Sofia Hasmik).
Hatosy played a pivotal role in Dr. Robby coming around and away from his suicidal thoughts, even if a little bit, in the Season 2 finale. The newly minted Emmy winner, honored for his guest acting work on The Pitt, also directed Episode 9 of Season 2.
“It’s great, I love working with Shawn. He’s fantastic. He directed one episode this season, and he’s gonna direct this year, I think. And I love writing for him; it’s a great character. He adds gravitas to the scenes he’s in. The more we can use him, the better.”
I gotta say, I was surprised Shawn Hatosy wasn’t bumped up to a series regular for season two. Actually, going back to season one, I was surprised Shawn was technically a guest actor instead of supporting. He’s such a strong force on the show! He was the freakin’ framing device for the first season! At this point, though, we know Dr. Abbot is night shift through and through. Which is why commenters on the Deadline article had a genius idea I’m ashamed I never thought of myself: have 24 episodes a season where we get to see a full rotation of day and night shifts!! C’mon, Pitt crew, let’s give the “nightcrawlers” their due!
Photos credit: Warrick Page/HBO Max
Shawn is fantastic in his role. And I wonder what a show like the Pitt would look like with a well adjusted chief attendee and not well, Dr. Robby. Me thinks Noah doesn’t want any other head doctor besides Robby to be the star of the ER.
I read somewhere that they are longtime closed friends. Not surprised.
All I want from this series is Noah Wiles and Shawn Hatosy together. They are both great actors and their chemistry is over the top. This series is top quality with every actors, their stories and the stories of the patients.
I read an interview with Noah Wylie where he said Dr Robby is absolutely not fostering or adopting Baby Jane Doe!
I love Shawn Hatosy but I feel like you get just enough of the night shift to see the relationship between the characters and how each shift relies on the work the other shift does. A spinoff for night shift would be too much.
This season was a slower burn than last, but I still enjoyed it and wish here was more.
It’s a shame that they won’t do a nightshift though- hopefully down the road they change their mind!
I loved the finale, I thought it was a really smart and satisfying way to do this. Today was terrible but it’s their day and it ends and they go back tomorrow. That means things aren’t all going to be wrapped up.
I have also seen the conversation about Robbie adopting Baby Jane Doe, and I never saw that in the finale, I thought that scene was about him realizing that he has a lot to live for and there is a lot of good coming for the baby and himself. Never thought he’d adopt but they have had to clarify a few times so it must have given that vibe and I missed it.
I don’t need a nightshift spinoff but a season where some of the mains are covering the nightshift would be interesting.