REVIEW: ‘The Pitt’ Episode 11 – “5:00 P.M.”

After a clunky reveal in the last episode, The Pitt Episode 11 gets back on track with a decent episode full of chaos in the wake of Dr. Langdon’s (Patrick Ball) departure. More than anything, this episode does much-needed character work that speaks more to the history of the characters outside this one shift.

Robby (Noah Wyle) has kept things steady and calm for much of the shift. He guides people through difficult decisions and realizations and handles the bustling ER precisely. But in the last few episodes, the cracks have started to appear. His PTSD from the COVID-19 days and the anniversary of the death of his mentor have been creeping into his psyche more and more in every episode. Dr. Langdon’s transgression has widened those cracks a lot more.

With Langdon gone, Robby takes over for him while still in his role as an attending in The Pitt Episode 11. This makes for a wonderfully fast-paced hour of television as Robby is caught between two major cases — a surrogate mother with a difficult pregnancy and a woman bleeding continuously from her mouth. Unlike the illogical flow of scenes in The Pitt Episode 10, it’s an intense back-and-forth sliced together nicely. All the while, Dr. Langdon (Patrick Ball) rings every phone known to man to try to get in touch with Robby, further escalating the stress of this current hour. A remarkable comeback from the haphazard way Dr. Langdon’s reveal was shown in the last episode.

While the relationships between the doctors have felt lived in all season from the way each medical team bickers or chats during procedures, Dr. Langdon’s dismissal provides a deeper look into their histories with each other. The simultaneous concern and annoyance about his disappearance ripples through the ER throughout The Pitt Episode 11.

The nurses gossip about how Robby has never been so angry, and others worry why he left so suddenly. Dr. King (Taylor Dearden), who’s camaraderie with Dr. Langdon has been a staple of the show, is particularly sad to hear he left without saying goodbye. Robby’s assurance to Dana that she doesn’t want to know what’s happened with Dr. Langdon suggests that his addiction wasn’t well-known amongst the staff.

Dr. Collins (Tracy Ifeachor) is forced to confront her miscarriage during the surrogate delivery. There have been hints about the history between Dr. Collins and Robby, but The Pitt Episode 11 confirms their past relationship. A scene out in the ambulance bay gives Robby and Dr. Collins a moment to process the difficult delivery and what Dr. Collins admits earlier in the episode. It’s a wonderful, quiet scene that gives the audience a break from the chaos of the ER. It also further establishes the history between Robby and Dr. Collins, further solidifying their characters into what feels like real people.

Tracey Ifeachor’s performance during The Pitt Episode 11 deserves a particular shoutout.

She displays strength and vulnerability throughout the episode, which showcases many layers of Dr. Collins. Although she says she’s fine with working the rest of the shift, she finally accepts Robby’s offer to go home early in a moving scene of acceptance.

It’s also revealed in The Pitt Episode 11 that there’s only one more hour in their shift. Considering The Pitt is 15 episodes, and each episode is one hour in their shift, perhaps there are episodes toward the end that take place outside the ER. It would be good to see some sunshine. However, the cliffhanger that closes this episode out might extend everyone’s shift to a few more hours.

All season, a looming threat has existed outside the walls of the ER. Theresa (Joana Going), the patient from the first few episodes worried about her son’s threat against some girls he goes to school with, comes to Robby when her son posts a concerning message on social media. However, Langdon’s absence has made the ER even more chaotic than expected in The Pitt Episode 11, so he doesn’t have time to address her concerns adequately.

It’s been hours since Theresa’s son ran from the hospital, but his violent threat has steadily been gaining speed all season. Now, that threat has arrived, and Robby’s stepson, Jake, is in the path of an active shooter. While the aftermath of how this plays out is yet to be seen, this was an adequate build-up to a shocking twist that carries significant emotional consequences for Robby.

While the real-time format continues to make The Pitt a unique medical drama, character work is necessary to make the audience care about the characters on the screen. The past few episodes, and especially The Pitt Episode 11, manage to do just that.

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

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