Be warned, this article contains spoilers for season 2 of The Pitt! Even with the busy holiday season for the doctors, the show managed to subtly reference a major, heartbreaking event from season 1.
The second season of HBO Max’s medical drama, The Pitt, begins 10 months after the first season, taking place on the 4th of July. The doctors are now working with a new head doctor, Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi, and have already faced a number of challenging cases. These include a young girl with a chin injury that raises concerns about abuse, a homeless man needing medical attention for his cast, and the return of Ernest Harden Jr.’s character, Louie, who is again suffering from health problems related to alcohol.
Before the new season really gets underway, there’s a quiet reference to the mass shooting at PittFest from season one. Dr. Robby, played by Noah Wyle, walks by a plaque honoring the doctors who helped. In an interview with Grant Hermanns from ScreenRant about season two of The Pitt, Johanna Coelho – the show’s cinematographer and director of photography – explained the meaning behind this subtle connection to the show’s original tragic event.
Most shows would clearly show a plaque to the audience, but in this case, the camera quickly follows Dr. Robby as he walks by it – it’s a very quick, almost missed moment. According to the cinematographer, Coelho, this is intentional and a recurring element throughout the series. He explained that dwelling on any single detail for too long could reveal too much, and the show isn’t about the objects themselves, but rather the experiences of the doctors.
When you watch it again, you start picking up on details you missed the first time – things happening in the background or very quickly. We hint at these details to spark curiosity, encouraging viewers to pause and rewind to catch everything, but we never push it too hard. We also avoid drawing attention to specific things on screen. If Dr. Robby doesn’t stop to focus on something, we don’t either – that’s generally how we approach it.
The shooting at PittFest was the central event of the first season of The Pitt. Episodes 11 through 15 focused on the doctors treating the many injuries caused by the shooting and the resulting chaos as people tried to escape. Throughout the final episodes, the hospital staff also dealt with the anxiety of not knowing who the shooter was and the fear that they might return, with Dr. McKay initially suspecting a mysterious teenager named David, but ultimately discovering he wasn’t involved.
John Johnson/Max
Similar to what Coelho observed, the first season of The Pitt carefully chose when to reveal important details about its characters’ histories. The show didn’t dwell on the past unless it directly moved a character’s story forward. For example, it explored Dr. Robby’s PTSD stemming from his early pandemic experiences and the loss of his mentor, and Taylor Dearden’s own neurodivergence—revealed so she could better assist a patient—only when these details were crucial to their development.
Surprisingly, a small plaque is the only mention of the PittFest celebration in season 2 of The Pitt. Everyone is focused on their own personal issues: Dr. King is preparing for a legal hearing, Dr. Langdon (Patrick Ball) is readjusting to work after rehab and facing cold shoulders from Dr. Robby and Dr. Santos (Isa Briones), Dr. Mohan (Supriya Ganesh) is considering a job offer in New Jersey, and Javadi (Shabana Azeez) continues to deal with her mother’s disapproval.
Beyond the individual stories, season 2 of The Pitt might be introducing a new large-scale crisis to replace PittFest. Several hospitals are now overwhelmed and sending patients to the hospital in The Pitt. While the cause is unknown, the doctors appear to be focusing on this new emergency, potentially overshadowing their memories of PittFest. However, with half the day still remaining and few cases related to the Fourth of July, there’s still a possibility that something else – perhaps even a different kind of tragedy – could take center stage.
New episodes of The Pitt season 2 air Thursdays at 9 p.m. EST on HBO Max.
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2026-02-15 21:58