REVIEW: ‘The Pitt’ Episode 3 — “9:00 A.M.”

It’s the third hour in The Pitt Episode 3, and things slow down a bit as the show closes out some patient stories that started in the first two episodes. This allows for more exploration into who these characters are insofar as the pace of the ER and the nature of the show allows. 

Compared to the heavy action of Episodes 1 and 2, The Pitt Episode 3 balances the ER’s ebb and flow nicely. The intense opening, when Dr. Whitaker (Gerran Howell) continues the life-saving measures that closed out Pitt Episode 2, is interspersed with the quieter cases. 

But quiet doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a break. In those scenes, while there aren’t a group of doctors shouting stats, there is an oppressive grief between the Bradleys (Samantha Sloyan and Brandon Keener) coming to terms with their son’s death and the siblings who went against Robby’s (Noah Wyle) suggestion to let their father die a natural death and instead intubate him. Both families’ joint realizations of the reality of their situations are the first truly heartbreaking moments of the series. 

Balance flows through The Pitt Episode 3, except when it comes to its characters

Some hints to larger plot points exist beyond the ER, such as the woman who made herself sick just to get her son the help he needs. His threat against girls at his school is a haunting what-if so far, one that could eventually see the ER filled in the aftermath of that tragedy. Otherwise, The Pitt Episode 3 keeps the stories inside the ER again. 

There are times throughout The Pitt Season 1 Episode 3 that allow for a break, like when Dr. Robby calls everyone into one room to mourn the loss of Mr. Milton (David Reivers) and to debrief every action taken during Mr. Milton’s stay. 

The interplay between the more senior doctors and the medical students is a highlight, oftentimes allowing room for compassion. The doctors and nurses allow Dr. Whitaker to call the shots with Mr. Milton; the lingering shots on their knowing faces create a sense of camaraderie between them, knowing they’re about to welcome someone into the reality of emergency medicine. 

The show is only three episodes into a 15-episode season; there’s a lot of time still to go. However, with the characters almost exclusively focused on work, their interior lives are revealed in bite-sized increments and not wholly satisfying so far. There’s plenty to glean from the way they all act around each other, but there’s also little time to explore them fully.

Take Dr. Santos (Isa Briones), for example. She’s sarcastic and witty, willing to make friends but only if it benefits her. And she explains this in practically every scene she’s in. Last week, Dr. Mohan (Supriya Ganesh) let some paramedics have it when they were treating a woman with sickle cell rudely.

More character exploration would allow us to understand who they are better

Her compassion for her patient led to a teaching moment for Dr. Whitaker, as well. But this week, the only comment made about her is that she moves too slowly in the ER. Dr. King (Taylor Dearden) and Dr. Javadi (Shabana Azeez), along with Dr. Whitaker, are the most fully realized medical students so far. 

As far as Robby goes, his compassion for his patients and students is an interesting mix with the exhaustion existing beneath the surface of him. There have been hints of past trauma concerning COVID-19, but The Pitt Episode 3 didn’t revisit that this week.

Because Robby constantly moves from patient to patient, Wyle does an amazing job of showing the audience who Robby is in each conversation he has with the patients and/or their loved ones. However, it’ll be good to dive more into his past and how it shapes his present. 

The Pitt Episode 3 uses its real-time format to its advantage, keeping the flow moving, even if some characters are slightly left behind so far. 

The Pitt airs new episodes every Thursday on Max, formally HBO Max.

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