The Pitt Episode 2 Features A Quick But Touching Callback To Season 1

Minor spoilers for "The Pitt" season 2, episode 2 ahead.

"The Pitt" has returned for its long-awaited second season, and while there's still plenty of drama and tragedy in the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center ER, there's also lots of kindness and empathy. A scene in episode 2 not only demonstrates that fact, it even calls back to a moment from season 1 in which Taylor Dearden's Dr. Melissa King teaches Patrick Ball's Dr. Frank Langdon how to put an autistic patient at ease.

"The Pitt" came out of creator R. Scott Gemmill and his fellow producer/writers Noah Wyle and John Wells wanting to tell the story of an increasingly exasperated and beleaguered medical workforce in a post-COVID-19 quarantine world. But there was more to the show than that. After the success of the first season, Gemmill said that he hopes "The Pitt" accomplishes one thing: people being kinder to one another. No character exemplifies that ethos more than Dr. King, who throughout the first season was a shining example of empathy and selflessness, both in the ER and in her personal life, where she looks after her autistic sister, Becca (Tal Anderson).

Dr. King also managed to spread her compassionate nature among her peers in season 1, particularly with Dr. Langdon, who returns to the ER for season 2 of "The Pitt" (where he awkwardly reunites with Wyle's Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch). Despite Ball's character being a more senior doctor than Dr. King, he learned how to best treat an autistic patient from Dearden's second-year resident, and in season 2, he demonstrates that he took that lesson to heart in a brief but surprisingly touching moment.

"The Pitt" is the best new medical series in years, much of which has to do with the interpersonal relationships and the drama that arises in that regard. But there's also been a lot of empathy and understanding, such as in season 1, episode 7, "1:00 P.M.." When an autistic patient named Terrance (Coby Bird) was admitted to Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center with an ankle injury. Dr. Frank Langdon attempted to treat him. But Terrance clearly needed a different skill set in order to feel comfortable. Once Dr. Melissa King, who's neurodivergent herself, stepped in, things started to improve, with the junior doctor shutting the door to the treatment room and turning off the lights. "It's a little bright in here," she remarked as she made the room a more calming environment, sat next to Terrance, and added, "The ER can be very noisy."

After Dr. Langdon witnessed Dr. King communicate with Terrance so well, he asked, "How did you do that?" She promptly replied that "the ER can be a very, very overwhelming place for autistic people, so it just takes a different approach." Soon after, however, Langdon cut her off and left her standing by herself. In episode 2, season 2, though, we learn that he was actually paying close attention.

After Dr. King is pushed off her stool by a patient and hits her head, Langdon comes to check on her in one of the treatment rooms. When he's called away, he shuts the door behind him but not before he turns off the light in the room and says, "The ER can be a little bright and noisy." It's a very quick moment, but it's more significant than it may seem.

Taylor Dearden has spoken about wanting to avoid clichés and stereotypes in her portrayal of Dr. Melissa King, and this scene was particularly memorable for showing how a neurodivergent person is perfectly capable of demonstrating compassion and connecting with others — something that isn't always showcased on-screen. That makes the fact that Dr. Frank Langdon clearly learned from his experience in season 1 all the more meaningful, as it demonstrates that he, too, takes neurodivergence seriously and recognizes Dr. King's needs.

What makes his turning off the light even more significant is that Dr. Langdon is returning to Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center after a stint in rehab. Noah Wyle's Dr. Michael Robinavitch clearly hasn't forgiven him for stealing painkillers while on the job, but otherwise, Langdon seems to have turned things around, and no doubt fans will be rooting for him to overcome his demons and remain a good guy this season. As such, his interaction with Dr. King in episode 2 bodes well for his ongoing redemption and shows that he never was quite the villain that Isa Briones' Dr. Trinity Santos suspected him of being.

Whether things will change as this season goes on remains to be seen, but for now we at least know that Langdon took Dr King's advice to heart. "The Pitt" season 2 continues to turn empathy and competency into great TV, and this brief interaction between Langdon and King is the perfect example. Now, we await the inevitable onslaught of drama and tragedy that characterized the first season and is surely just around the corner in season 2.

New episodes of "The Pitt" premiere Thursdays on HBO Max.