“I can’t wait for this shift to be over.” – Dr. Robby.

I think it’s only going to get worse from here.

Episode 10 of Max’s The Pitt begins to place the season into the endgame with only 5 episodes left. With a total of 15 episodes, it’s hard to believe that 5 episodes doesn’t feel like enough, especially after what happens in this episode. I winced. I looked away. I was shocked. I was emotional. That is The Pitt for you.

The show remains faithful to starting off from the prior episode. In last week’s episode’s final moments, we saw Dana Evans (Katherine LaNasa) get assaulted form a patient. When she walks back in and you see everyone drop what they are doing, you realize how much everyone loves her. Seeing Dr. Robby (Noah Wyle) run to her even made me a little emotional. Robby goes through quite the arc in this episode (more on that later).

We don’t see much more of Evans. We don’t even see more of what happened to the guy that punched her. In less than an hour, she gets treatment and she’s back on the floor. Notably, she shares a scene with Dr. Heather Collins (Tracy Ifeachor) where they reflect on the horrible day they have been having. That’s no joke. Everyone is having a bad day. It’s nice to have these two characters sit in this moment, because I think it’s only going to get worse.

In what is probably the least exciting plotline involves Dr. Samira Mohan (Supriya Ganesh) & Dr. Melissa King (Taylor Dearden) who helps a patient who had a stroke. It’s certainly intense, but this plotline gives these characters a moment to reflect on who they are and find some humor out of it. It’s nice to see these two character share some dialogue with each other. They are more alike than I ever thought. It’s great to see these two characters grow together.

Dr. Cassie McKay (Fiona Dourif) probably has the most interesting story in this episode. First, we see the aftermath of her calling the cops on a potential school shooter. It leads to some intense interaction with Dr. Robby. We also learn she has a romantic fling with a co-worker that Victoria Javadi (Shabana Azeez) has a crush on. It leads to some awkward scenes. I am truly impressed by how the show can make me not like someone one episode, then care for them in another.

Medical student, Dennis Whitaker (Gerran Howell), deals with a burn patient. He interacts with the patient’s wife throughout the episode. Based on where this story ends, it makes me think that this may not be the last time we see the wife. Whitaker’s story also involves Dr. Frank Langdon (Patrick Ball), who makes him question himself on what kind of doctor he can become.

Back to Dr. Robby. The guy goes through the emotional ringer this episode. I appreciate how the show doesn’t show too many flashbacks with the pandemic. You can just see the trauma through his emotions and actions. The guy has his morals in tact. Unfortunately, his morals lead to him making a big decision that will in no doubt impact the rest of this season. It makes me very nervous for how the remaining 5 episode will be. I remain hopeful that we will get a nice ending to it all.

I typically can stomach blood and gore. Due to how realistic the show is with that, I found myself consistently looking away. I winced and held my breath. While some may not want something so anxiety inducing, there is no denying the fact how realistic the show is with its approach.

The show’s pacing manages to get better and better. I don’t mind the episodes being short an hour now. The show consistently has something going on. There is a nice balance between the dialogue giving the characters a chance to grow and putting them into action. It tests every single character in a way that makes us question who is the best character. I am 10 episodes in and I still can’t find one. Each one is morally complex, just as they would be in real life.

Overall, I can’t believe how perfect this episode is. Episode 10 of The Pitt gives everyone plenty of character development through their actions and dialogue. It’s a jam-packed episode that will leave you devastated and wondering what else could possibly happen in the season’s final 5 episodes.

VERDICT: 5/5 (Perfect)