‘The Pitt’ Episode 15: The Season Finale Recap

Summary

The Prestige TV Podcast: ‘The Pitt’ Episode 15 – The Season Finale Recap

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Prestige TV Podcast
• Host/Author: The Ringer
• Episode: ‘The Pitt’ Episode 15: The Season Finale Recap
• Release Date: April 11, 2025

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I. Introduction

In Episode 15 of The Prestige TV Podcast, hosts Joanna Robinson and Rob Mahoney delve into the gripping season finale of The Pit. This episode serves as a comprehensive recap, analyzing pivotal moments, character developments, and overarching themes that concluded the season. As seasoned Ringer personalities, Joanna and Rob bring their insightful perspectives to dissect the finale, providing listeners—whether viewers or newcomers—with a detailed understanding of the show's progression.

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II. Initial Reactions to The Pit Finale

Joanna Robinson opens the discussion with high praise for the season, rating it a "9.8 out of 10" and declaring, “The Pit is well-made furniture TV” (01:55). Rob Mahoney echoes this sentiment, describing the finale as "solid" and expressing his newfound appreciation for medical procedurals, stating, "I didn't know how much I needed this kind of procedural in my life, but I did" (01:31).

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III. Case Breakdowns

A. Measles Case

The hosts critically examine the portrayal of "Measle Mom," labeling her as an "instantly hateable character" who lacks depth and redemption (08:21). They highlight the procedural missteps, such as Robbie taking Measledad "into the morgue in this, like, kind of incredible sequence" (08:40), which Joanna admits she would have preferred snipping out of the episode.

B. Santos and the Blue Kid

Santos' character arc culminates in a poignant moment where she connects with a traumatized child, leveraging her own history of abuse to foster trust (14:09). Rob appreciates this growth, noting, "she's trying to fight her way into actually caring about these people" (15:27), highlighting her evolution from ambition-driven to empathetic caregiver.

C. Hector and the Crushed Pelvis

The case of Hector's crushed pelvis serves as the headlining event for Pitfest 2023. Joanna and Rob discuss the realistic medical procedures depicted, including a somewhat exaggerated portrayal of a spinal tap, where Rob skeptically asks, "Is this really how a spinal tap works?" (12:34). Joanna concurs, expressing hope for continued accuracy in medical representations (12:40).

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IV. Character Analyses

A. Measle Mom

Joanna critiques Measle Mom's lack of sympathetic depth, arguing that her character fails to provide a nuanced portrayal of maternal hysteria, unlike other female characters who exhibit emotional distress grounded in realistic scenarios (10:04).

B. Santos’ Growth

Rob commends Santos for her professional and personal growth, emphasizing her move towards connecting with patients on a deeper level and embracing empathy over ambition (15:50).

C. Dr. Mohan

The portrayal of Dr. Mohan is lauded for Supriya Ganesh's performance, showcasing her character's unhinged yet compelling demeanor. The depiction of her emotional breakdown, complete with detailed on-screen aftermath, is praised for its authenticity and impact (17:52).

D. Dr. Abbott’s Role

Rob highlights Dr. Abbott's military background and its influence on his medical practice, appreciating his different perspective on loss and crisis situations. Joanna adds that his interactions, particularly his talk-down scene with Robbie, offer a fresh dynamic to the show's narrative (37:23; 40:21).

E. Dana Langdon

Dana Langdon's emotional journey is a focal point, with Joanna expressing tension over her decision to leave the hospital. The interaction between Dana and Robbie showcases the show's ability to portray raw and unresolved emotional conflicts (25:03; 27:09).

F. Other Characters: Jack, Walsh, and More

Characters like Jack Abbott and Dr. Walsh receive attention for their evolving relationships and professional dynamics. Rob appreciates Walsh's no-nonsense approach, describing her as "game to participate in the discourse" (22:58). Jack's lack of presence in the latter part of the season surprises the hosts, adding layers to the show's suspense (28:16).

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V. Emotional and Thematic Discussions

The finale emphasizes the emotional toll on medical professionals, portraying their struggles with trauma, burnout, and interpersonal conflicts. Joanna reflects on the show's refusal to offer simplistic resolutions, instead focusing on themes of self-forgiveness and resilience: “We're just here to try and forgive ourselves when we fall short and try again” (50:17).

Rob adds depth to this analysis by discussing Robbie’s overwhelmed state, stating, "It's not shocking that Robbie's having an overwhelmingly difficult time coming back from that" (50:48). The hosts commend the show's ability to maintain unique emotional beats for each character without feeling repetitive (45:43).

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VI. Pit Fest Investigation and Listener Emails

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to investigating the fictional Pit Fest, inspired by listener emails. Joanna and Rob discuss potential lineups and local Pittsburgh music acts, integrating suggestions such as Rusted Root and the Clarks. They explore the cultural significance of Pittsburgh's local festivals, blending humor with genuine curiosity about the show's lore (31:24; 34:11).

Notable listener contributions include Christina's detailed analysis of Dr. Robbie's backpack, highlighting its ethical implications and backstory clues (38:53), and Eric's comprehensive email triangulating the Pit Fest's potential lineup to avoid competition with major festivals like Coachella (58:55).

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VII. Conclusion and Season 2 Preview

As the episode wraps up, Joanna and Rob express enthusiasm for the upcoming Season 2 of The Pit. They touch on possible plot developments, such as Dr. Mel King’s family dynamics and Robbie's ongoing struggles, while humorously contemplating the show's potential direction (59:07; 59:42). Rob shares insights from showrunner R. Scott Jamil, mentioning a likely time jump to allow character development and recovery (59:11).

The finale concludes with a heartfelt acknowledgment of the season's emotional highs and lows, paired with a nostalgic closing track, "Baby" by Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise, encapsulating Robbie's journey (53:03).

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Notable Quotes:

• Joanna Robinson (01:55): "The Pit is well-made furniture TV."
• Rob Mahoney (01:31): "I didn't know how much I needed this kind of procedural in my life, but I did."
• Rob Mahoney (08:21): "Measle Mom, just definitely sucks."
• Joanna Robinson (15:50): "She's trying to fight her way into actually caring about these people."
• Joanna Robinson (50:17): "We're just here to try and forgive ourselves when we fall short and try again."
• Rob Mahoney (55:48): "I thought it was really magical."

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Final Thoughts

Joanna Robinson and Rob Mahoney deliver an in-depth and engaging recap of The Pit's season finale, balancing critical analysis with affectionate praise. Their discussion not only unpacks the intricate narrative and character arcs but also celebrates the show's commitment to portraying the complexities of medical professionals. Listener interactions and speculative investigations about Pit Fest add a unique and interactive layer to the episode, making it a must-listen for fans eager to revisit the season's highlights and anticipate future developments.

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For more detailed breakdowns and ongoing coverage of your favorite shows, subscribe to The Prestige TV Podcast and stay tuned for weekly insights.

Transcript

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[Joanna Robinson]

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[Joanna Robinson]

Hello. Welcome back to the Prestige TV podcast feed. I'm Joanna Robinson.

[Rob Mahoney]

I'm Rob Mahoney.

[Joanna Robinson]

We're wearing the same clothes we were last time you saw us do a pit podcast. Don't worry about it. We're here to talk to you about the Pit finale. Rob Mahoney, just off the top.

[Rob Mahoney]

Yeah.

[Joanna Robinson]

How are you feeling about the Pit finale?

[Rob Mahoney]

Solid finale. Great season. I just had a wonderful time with this show. It just works, you know, fundamentally, it just works. I didn't know how much I needed this kind of procedural in my life, but I did. How are you feeling about it, Joe?

[Joanna Robinson]

Really good. I will say, like, as a whole, as a season, kind of 10 out of 10, maybe 9.8 out of 10, but basically a 10 out of 10.

[Rob Mahoney]

Yeah.

[Joanna Robinson]

Actually like 9, let's say 9.8, 9.5 because like, I don't know that it ever. There's like a height. It didn't quite hit for me. But your assessment at the beginning of the season in which we were not nearly as high as we are now on, on the Pit as like well made furniture tv, like that is absolutely what the Pit is. And as an, as, like an entirety in, like in its entirety, as an accomplishment. Extraordinary.

[Rob Mahoney]

Yes.

[Joanna Robinson]

Are there moments of television or visuals in television or bits of, you know, monologues or dialogues in, in television that have hit a little bit higher for me? Yes. This isn't like hitting shogun, you know, levels for me, but just I'm so glad we covered it. Thanks to Bill Simmons. He's the one who told us to do it, and he was right. So here we are.

[Rob Mahoney]

He really was on it. The thing that has struck me most about it is I have not been historically a huge medical procedural person, and I feel like I may have been missing out. And maybe this is a reason for me to go back and watch ER and really revisit some of this, because one of my absolute favorite things to see on screen, period, in any format, in any genre. Joe. I love teamwork. I just. I love watching it. I love a different kind of chemistry where there's shared focus, where there's, like, the physical choreography of surgeons and nurses and doctors huddled around someone. Like, they know their stuff. They know each other well enough to sort of preempt what they're supposed to do. I love. I love watching it. And so, yeah, like, as far as delivering on what a procedural is aiming to be and supposed to be, it's hard to ask much more of a medical procedural than this.

[Joanna Robinson]

I really agree. If we're measuring by the stick of medical procedural, this is like. It's really creme de la creme. This is incredible. Okay, so here's what we're gonna do today. We're gonna. Obviously, we're gonna break down the finale. We're gonna talk about where we leave all of our characters, and then we are gonna conclude parts three and four of our very special prestige TV investigation into who played Pitfest 2025. We've got two more categories to go.

[Rob Mahoney]

Can we get an intrepid graphic designer to mock up a Pit Fest lineup list? Like, is that something that's within our power to commission?

[Joanna Robinson]

Here's. Here are remaining two categories.

[Rob Mahoney]

Okay.

[Joanna Robinson]

One is we hear from the Yinzers. We hear from the locals in Pittsburgh who have some specific ideas about who might have been playing Pitfest. The other is I'm gonna call do youo Even Festival, Bro. And it's from all the people who were afraid that you and I had never heard of a music festival before in our. But write some compelling emails in support of kind of their local music festivals and the variety of acts that they've seen there. So we're gonna maybe run through those, and maybe those will give people an idea. You know, it's. It's April. We're headed into summer.

[Rob Mahoney]

Yeah.

[Joanna Robinson]

If you're a music festival kind of person, maybe this will. Will inspire you to do some music festing this summer. Okay.

[Rob Mahoney]

Or if you run a music festival and want to commission us to program your festival, I think we could do it.

[Joanna Robinson]

Or if you run a music festival and you're looking for a podcast stage.

[Rob Mahoney]

I don't think that's the audience for us. I don't think a live podcast into a music festival is quite the right fit for us. Robin.

[Joanna Robinson]

I will. I appreciate your ambition.

[Rob Mahoney]

Look, we'll do that. You put us in a tent with the mildest soundproofing, and I think we can make it work. Other than that, we might get. We might get drowned out a producer's.

[Joanna Robinson]

Nightmare, but let's give it a try. Why not? Okay, here's something I want to say, something we forgot to talk about in episode 14, is that it ends with this cliffhanger of, like, dun, dun, dun, the cops are here for McKay. Right. We didn't talk about that. Resolved pretty instantly. And the only thing that I can think of. I mean, it was a pretty silly cliffhanger. The only thing I can think of in. In terms of how we balance this equation of, like, who these people are, is it's one of those moments where we. We bumped a bit on Robbie and McKay's dynamic.

[Rob Mahoney]

Yes.

[Joanna Robinson]

Around David, this was like them at their most sort of locking horns all season. And yet, of course, Robbie's, like, gonna swoop in and protect McKay because she's one of his. So he's got her back. You know, he's. We bring the cops in to talk to the other cops, and cops can.

[Rob Mahoney]

Only talk to other cops. Everyone knows that.

[Joanna Robinson]

They don't. They don't hear doctors when they talk to them, but they heard the other cops when the other cops are talking to them, and they let McKay off with a warning. Anything else about this?

[Rob Mahoney]

Yeah, everything you're saying makes sense as far as, like, kind of giving us a follow up on the Robby McKay dynamic, I would say, and we just lavish the show with praise. This doesn't need to be a cliffhanger. This could just be a scene in which you don't dangle it as if this is a real thing when it is so clearly and obviously not. It was such a bogus transition between the two episodes. Unless, if you want to book Dr. McKay in episode one of the Pit PD, let's backdoor pilot this thing right now. But you gotta take her out of the hospital. You can't be letting her out of the cuffs right now, Rob.

[Joanna Robinson]

Oh, my God.

[Rob Mahoney]

I'm just saying, like, are you secretly.

[Joanna Robinson]

Pinching Casey Bloys right now?

[Rob Mahoney]

I have the vision of a streamer. You know, when I dream at night, I'm just. I'm seeing Interfaces. I'm seeing tiles. I just.

[Joanna Robinson]

That's the rudest thing you've ever said about yourself on this one.

[Rob Mahoney]

I'm just pulling it together, Joe. I'm just algorithmically trying to navigate your life.

[Joanna Robinson]

Great. Okay, so here. Here are the cases that we're wrapping up mainly in this final episode. We're wrapping up the Measles case. We're wrapping up Santos and the. And the Blue kid case.

[Rob Mahoney]

He was quite blue.

[Joanna Robinson]

Very blue. And Hector and the Crushed Pelvis, which I believe is headlining Pitfest 2023.

[Rob Mahoney]

For some reason, when you said Hector and the crushed Pelvis, I got more of, like, a herald in the purple crayon children's book kind of image in my head. But I think yours is better.

[Joanna Robinson]

Where do you want to start? Choose your own adventure.

[Rob Mahoney]

Of those three cases, let's start with. I just think it's very ambitious for a show like the Pit, with two episodes left to introduce the big bad of the entire season. Who is Measle Mom? Just an instantly hateable character thrown into the mix so that we all can gather around and point at her and say, what is wrong with this lady?

[Joanna Robinson]

Okay, Measle mom sucks.

[Rob Mahoney]

And just unequivocally sucks.

[Joanna Robinson]

Just definitely sucks. Robbie takes Measledad, which. These are their Christian names. Robbie takes Measledad into the morgue in this, like, kind of incredible sequence where he's, like, walking and talking him the whole way. Tell me about your kid.

[Rob Mahoney]

Tell me about his games.

[Joanna Robinson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then we know where he's walking him. We're like, jesus Christ, Robbie. Right? As does every character who hears about this throughout the episode.

[Rob Mahoney]

Later, they're like, thank goodness.

[Joanna Robinson]

What the fuck did you do? Exactly. Okay. So walks him into the morgue.

[Rob Mahoney]

Yeah.

[Joanna Robinson]

Measle dad says, you're an asshole. And then Robbie gets another one of those, like, sort of. I would have snipped it out of the episode. Yeah, I'm an asshole who's trying to save your son's life. Like, sort of muttered to himself. And I was just sort of like, yeah, we know. I mean, we know what you're trying to. Robbie.

[Rob Mahoney]

Yeah, we get it.

[Joanna Robinson]

Here's also.

[Rob Mahoney]

This is not the move. Don't take him to the morgue, please.

[Joanna Robinson]

Well, or did it work? Because it seems like it kind of worked.

[Rob Mahoney]

I don't know, Joe. A real means to an end.

[Joanna Robinson]

I wouldn't do it myself.

[Rob Mahoney]

Strictly utilitarian.

[Joanna Robinson]

Here's where I'm going to be. A little bit of a. Of a wet blanket on our Our pit praise.

[Rob Mahoney]

Okay.

[Joanna Robinson]

It has to do with measle mom.

[Rob Mahoney]

Yes.

[Joanna Robinson]

Can you think of an instance this season where we had loved ones that were a man and a woman paired and the woman was not the problem in the scenario?

[Rob Mahoney]

Because question we do we get it with the DNR early?

[Joanna Robinson]

Yep.

[Rob Mahoney]

In terms of the brother and sister. Brother and sister, yeah.

[Joanna Robinson]

And with the kid. And then with the kid who OD's. And yes. They're asking about organ.

[Rob Mahoney]

Organ donation.

[Joanna Robinson]

Donation.

[Rob Mahoney]

That one to me is a little different. Right. That's. That's not treatment. That's.

[Joanna Robinson]

But it's still.

[Rob Mahoney]

She was like, she was the holdout.

[Joanna Robinson]

Like hysterically upset about it.

[Rob Mahoney]

Right.

[Joanna Robinson]

And so I believe that plenty of women, let alone moms, are hysterically upset about things in er. And I think that is like a fine thing to depict. I'm not sure it was. I feel like every time Robbie needs to like talk people around, he's got to talk to the guy and then go ahead and convince the woman. You know what I mean? And that, that like it just hit one last time. Measle mom was just so bad.

[Rob Mahoney]

She was very over the top. I do think we got some dads in that equation.

[Joanna Robinson]

I mean, softball dad.

[Rob Mahoney]

Softball dad is the one case in point. But there was no mom there to be the counterpoint to say the right thing.

[Joanna Robinson]

Yeah.

[Rob Mahoney]

And yeah, that's where I hear you. And I mean, we did get progesterone abuser dad. He was a patient and not a dad overseeing the care of his kids. So slightly different scenario. But yeah, I hear you on that front. And like there is a certain. I would say the difference is this woman is not being played for emotional hysteria. She's being played for like a certain sort of like Internet know it all, self cultivated proficiency where she actually has none. So it is a slightly different pitch of that same thing. But you're right, it is often the moms.

[Joanna Robinson]

And. But that being said, obviously measle mom sucks. And obviously I'm glad that Dr. Mel King got to do the Spinal Tap and all of that resolved the way that it did.

[Rob Mahoney]

Jo, how much do you know about a Spinal Tap?

[Joanna Robinson]

The band, the mockumentary.

[Rob Mahoney]

Not the mockumentary nor the band, but the actual medical procedure.

[Joanna Robinson]

Here's what I'll. Here's. Here's everything. I, Joanna Robinson, a daughter of medical professionals, but has never expressed actual interest in knowing anything about what my parents do. You put something in to the spine.

[Rob Mahoney]

Yep.

[Joanna Robinson]

And then collect liquid that comes out.

[Rob Mahoney]

Yeah. This is, I mean, this is not That I know.

[Joanna Robinson]

Yeah.

[Rob Mahoney]

I know as much as you do, which is you're collecting that spinal fluid.

[Joanna Robinson]

Yeah.

[Rob Mahoney]

My question is the portrayal of it in this show is roughly a leaky faucet of spinal fluid into a vial that Mel King is catching with her hand.

[Joanna Robinson]

Yeah.

[Rob Mahoney]

Please email [e-mail] Is this really how a spinal tap works?

[Joanna Robinson]

How do you, like, do you plug it back up? Like, how do you keep the spinal. Like, you gotta put a cork in it. Like, what do you do?

[Rob Mahoney]

I think you gotta put a cork in it. I mean, this is basically the plot of the substance in a lot of ways. But also, yes, spinal fluid is the source of, like, all kinds of terrible medical situations that people can find themselves in. And so the idea that it's just sort of like leaking out of a needle with a spigot. I did not know this is how it was, and I kind of hope that it's not, but sure. It's been accurate on so many other medical things. I'm afraid to say that it probably is.

[Joanna Robinson]

You're like, please let this be on the slap bracelet. End of accuracy on the pit. Anything else you want to say about this. This measles case?

[Rob Mahoney]

No, I think it's pretty open and shut otherwise. I do wish the measle mom had been a little more fleshed out in a. In a slightly more sympathetic fashion, that she had some redeeming quality to her that would make it make sense. But otherwise, she's just a lady representing a cause in a way that is. Is quite blunt and in a way.

[Joanna Robinson]

That, like, the rest of the season felt like it had so much leisurely time to not make people, you know, because, like, even with the dnr, you know, that. That. That was such an incredible evolution of that woman in the DNR when we were like, why is she resisting this? Robbie seems right. Her brother seems so reasonable. Why is she being so unreasonable? And then we get that sort of deathbed.

[Rob Mahoney]

Yes.

[Joanna Robinson]

Reason that makes us really sort of invest in her measle mom, unless she's back in season two, remains a caricature, alas, at the end of the day. Okay, about. I would like to talk about Santos.

[Rob Mahoney]

Yeah, please.

[Joanna Robinson]

So Santos, who all season we've been tracking her bedside manor, has this moment with this blue kid who is no longer blue. Blue plus blue equals pink. As Langdon tells us. That's math. And she talks about, you know, she had already alluded to a history of abuse, sexual abuse when she was younger. She talks about a friend she had who killed herself as a result of that shared experience that they had in helping this kid. Saying, you know, she wants to make sure this. She doesn't want to hand this kid off. She wants to make sure he doesn't slip through the cracks. Yeah. She not only seems to, like, correctively corrected correctly diagnose him, and hopefully give him the kind of bedside chat that will help him going forward. That's what it seems to have happened. But then also we follow this up with the. With the Whitaker coda. So it all feels like it bleeds together for me, this sort of end of season moment of growth for Santos or end of a single day in a person's life character arc for Santos. How are you feeling about this?

[Rob Mahoney]

I mean, you can grow a lot in 15 hours, it turns out. I think for her, the idea that she is not only learning how to approach patients differently and to hear them out, but she's also learning how to apply her own experience a little bit differently. Like, when she brought up her previous abuse, it was in a way that was irresponsible and dangerous and outside of the realm of normal medical practice.

[Joanna Robinson]

Correct.

[Rob Mahoney]

Here she's bringing it up to not in a situation where, as you said, she's not only right about the merits of what's happening in the case, but she's using it as a point of connection, not as a point of threat or division or to drive a point home. Like, she's trying to get Max to open up by offering something of herself. And we just haven't seen Santos open up to basically anybody else this season on the staff or not. Like, she has kept to herself. She's kept to her ambition. She's kept to trying to get into the red zone as quickly as possible to do the most adventurous medical things. And if anything, this is her embracing her inner, like, Dr. Mohan a little bit. Right. Like slowing down, connect with the patient. She's coming from the other side of the spectrum in terms of medical practice and is. Is trying to fight her way into actually caring about these people. And it's cool to see her get there with. With Max.

[Joanna Robinson]

On the flip side of that, I love that you invoked Mohan, because on the flip side of that, we get this, you know, this high from Mohan, who's just sort of like, she's deranged. I will say adrenaline up and then crash. And two things I want to know. One, I really like the. The actress who plays Mohan, Supriya Ganesh, is so beautiful. It's hard to make her not beautiful. And they don't succeed, but slightly frizzing out the tendrils around her face as she is, like, in this unhinged mode was. Was pretty phenomenal. But also, you know, Dr. McKay saying, like, you're. You're about to crash. And then watching her in the bathroom cry. And the. The detail to me in that moment is she's washing her hands in the sink and there's not just, like, blood in the. In the trash can, like bloody paper towels in the trash can, but, like, under the soap dispenser. It's just like it's kind of everywhere. And it's just like this is. This is the aftermath. Were existing in Shout out to, like.

[Rob Mahoney]

The split and splat team that just went in there to blood that thing up. There's even, like, little, like, marks under, like, shoe marks.

[Joanna Robinson]

Industry term.

[Rob Mahoney]

It is. Yeah.

[Joanna Robinson]

Okay.

[Rob Mahoney]

It's official. I mean, look for best splitting and splatting at the. At the Emmys this year. I think we just need to recognize our crafts.

[Joanna Robinson]

It's Esme and her team, I think, on the splitting and splatting beat. Wow. Incredible. Anything else you want to say? What else do you want to say about Mohan?

[Rob Mahoney]

I mean, yeah, she is behaving like a lunatic for most of this episode in a very enjoyable way and one that I love to see her in, and I think that performance is super fun. She's also sort of juxtaposed, we should say, with Javati as well, who is already well into the crash, completely gassed, ready for a nap. And, yeah, I love. I think one of the best things about this finale, to me, which is a cool down episode, right? Like, we kind of climax with 12 and 13, and then we're cooling down over these last two. Overall, there are some cases coming in the door. There's still plenty of emergency medicine to participate in, but it's characters getting off the clock, trying to get out of their shifts and go home. Someone like Javati, too, like, the character beat of her just like in the elevator forgetting to get out as she sort of slouched against the gurney, I thought was wonderful.

[Joanna Robinson]

That was an extremely. I was like, I have been there. I have not, you know, but, yes.

[Rob Mahoney]

Just zonked out of her mind. And so, yeah, that we're seeing all these characters wind down in their different ways, I found to be a really enjoyable part of this finale and a way to kind of give us different points of connection from what we've seen. Javati's been so eager and precocious this whole season to see her at Energy Zero, I thought was really exciting to see Mohan revved up in a way she's never been before. We love to see it. I just love to see these characters in slightly different emotional places, if only because they've had this incredibly traumatic experience together.

[Joanna Robinson]

And Victoria being like, you know, I'm not sure everyone. Like, this day might have put me off practicing medicine altogether. How do you guys deal with this? How do you. How do you, you know, experience all of this? Which is a similar question that, you know, was at. Was a question that was put to Mel king in episode 14, and she just said, I don't know. And that was sort of right before her breakdown. Victoria is asking this question, how do you. How do you do all of this? And. But then she also gets. You know, she had several medical wins, but she also gets this social win with, like, Mato being like, let's go get beers with people in the. In the park across the street.

[Rob Mahoney]

Look, it's an unquestionable win.

[Joanna Robinson]

Yeah.

[Rob Mahoney]

I'm gonna say on Mateo's part, a bit of a misleading, like, invitation.

[Joanna Robinson]

He might actually be interested in her. You don't know.

[Rob Mahoney]

I don't doubt it. But for him to come up and be like, hey, do you want to get a drink? She says, yes. He's like, oh, eight of us are going to the park across the street. Like, that's. That's not quite what you asked. You know, you're right, and you're right.

[Joanna Robinson]

And you should say it. He did give her a juice box, though, earlier, and he did.

[Rob Mahoney]

He already bought her one drink. This is just the second drink.

[Joanna Robinson]

Yeah, yeah, exactly. All right, let's go now to your favorite couple, which is Abbott and Walsh.

[Rob Mahoney]

Love.

[Joanna Robinson]

Basically. This is Hector, the crushed pelvis. This is hospital staff. Crushed pelvis on the. On the loading dock. Robbie and Jack are initially on this. I did love this moment when Shen and Ellis come in, and they're like, two old white guys. Posture, patient. Was like, a great moment for the night shift. Shen and Ellis, an unbeatable duo. Later, when they're doing rounds and. And the nightcrawler guys, like, there were rats on their bed. And Ellis is like, okay, sir, we'll look into that for you.

[Rob Mahoney]

Like, see, you put this question to me in the last pod. Yeah, I want your answer on it. Do you want the pit night shift?

[Joanna Robinson]

The only reason I would want the pit night shift is that if we could get two pits a year. And I don't mean to be greedy and overstretch them, like, Basically, take your time, take however long you need to make a great episode of the season of the Pit. But if we could be so lucky. We used to live in a society with 22 episodes a season.

[Rob Mahoney]

We did.

[Joanna Robinson]

If we could be so lucky as to get 15 episode day shift, 15 episode night shift in two different seasons of the year.

[Rob Mahoney]

That is more hours than there are in the day. I don't. I don't know what to tell you. The shifts are bleeding into each other at that point.

[Joanna Robinson]

But that's what you like. You like this handover. We could get some of the day shift coming in at the end of the night shift season. You know, you're absolutely right. All right, so initially it's. It's Robbie and it's Jack. But as you noted in the previous episode, Robbie is not fine out of the beads room. He is not doing well. And he just starts to zone out in Hector's room when they're trying to decide about sort of slightly experimental procedures, pack his pelvis with some things that are going to stop the bleeding, and can't even concur.

[Rob Mahoney]

Joe, like, he can't even agree with the basis of, like, medical recommendation.

[Joanna Robinson]

Do you concur? So it's. It's Walsh and it's Abbott, and they're just sort of like going back and forth and looking at Robbie for this sort of final go ahead. And Robbie is incapable of interacting. And they're. And Walsh just like, okay, I guess we're doing this then.

[Rob Mahoney]

This is why I like Walsh, though. Like, she's a bit of a ball buster at times, but ultimately she's like, fuck it, let's do it. I'm going to scrub up. We're going to make this thing work here rather than in the or. Like she. She is game to participate in the discourse. And that's what I appreciate about Dr. Walsh.

[Joanna Robinson]

I did like her in this episode. I thought that was great. And I, you know, in general, I do like a ball buster. Okay, so what else do? Let's talk about Dana. Okay, we didn't talk about her. Let's talk about Robbie, Langdon and Dana. Right? So we get. Langdon is like. Langdon's like, oh, God, there's only one more hour left of this season of television. I need some answers on what we're gonna do with my situation here. And he approaches Robbie in the ambulance bay in a way that I would say it was not entirely productive. But we do get some nice expedition exposition from Robbie about what it would take. And this is. This echoes an email we Got from a listener two weeks ago. About sort of. If you get treatment, there is a road back from. I guess the gentle term is diverting medication from the er.

[Rob Mahoney]

So that is quite, quite gentle.

[Joanna Robinson]

For stealing diversion of medication.

[Rob Mahoney]

For just stealing very intense drugs.

[Joanna Robinson]

The Dana Langdon scene, though.

[Rob Mahoney]

Yeah.

[Joanna Robinson]

Which is an incredible television scene because we get Dana comes in. We know Dana has already mentioned, like, this might be it for her. Right? Yeah. And at the end of this episode, we see her pack up her, like, personals and looks like maybe she's not coming back for season two of the pit Calamity. She better come back. Okay.

[Rob Mahoney]

But yeah, if we have any demands.

[Joanna Robinson]

Yeah.

[Rob Mahoney]

Nurse Dana has to be back for season two.

[Joanna Robinson]

Let's throw the entirety of the Pit Night shift in the trash. If it means I can get Dana back for season two, I'm willing to do it. Okay. So in this scene, they go into the break room, and her entire purpose of being in there is to make a cup of coffee.

[Rob Mahoney]

One single cup of coffee.

[Joanna Robinson]

One cup of coffee for poor Dana, who has been on her feet all day. Except for that time when someone punched her into the ground. Okay, so, like, get this woman a cup of coffee. Can't happen. The moment that Dana had to wash her own mug, Heartbreaking because no one had done their dishes and she just needed a mug for a cup of coffee. I was like, you fucking animals. Absolute animals.

[Rob Mahoney]

Look, it's been busy.

[Joanna Robinson]

I don't care. No, it should be. When Dana needs a cup of coffee, there should be a clean mug for her. And I feel. I agree with that about that. She walks out of the room not getting her cup of coffee. She does not get the cup of coffee. She has this interaction with Langdon. She does give us the lethal weapon. I'm too old for this moment. And she has that moment where he's like, he's. He's sort of, you know, he's bartering and he's like, robbie's wrong. Robbie has the wrong idea. You know, blah, blah. She's like, trust Robbie. He will do what's best for you. She keeps calling him kid, even though he's like a 40 something year old man. Whatever. And then. And then he's like, he thinks I'm an addict. And she goes, arya. And in a way that, like, really reminded me of, um, the John Carter scenes that you and I had looked at from his confrontation in a break room in the ER about his addiction. What did you. How did this Dana Langdon or. Or the Robbie Langdon stuff work for you?

[Rob Mahoney]

I mean, I Think the Dana Langdon stuff, especially as you highlighted just a great scene in particular, because I am very invested in Dana getting her copy. And it is heartbreaking to watch her walk out of there just having to listen to Langdon grouse and basically not even beg and ask. But, like, I need you to back me up if I need.

[Joanna Robinson]

Like, can I just tell you, Rob, if I'm Langdon, if you and I are in this situation and you are Dana and I am Langdon, I am washing that mug for you.

[Rob Mahoney]

You're making her the coffee.

[Joanna Robinson]

I am making you the coffee. God damn it. Okay, go ahead.

[Rob Mahoney]

A career saving favor and you can't even make the woman a cup of coffee?

[Joanna Robinson]

Jesus Christ.

[Rob Mahoney]

I think Langdon's pitch overall with all of these pleas is just way off. And I think my question about his interaction with Robbie out in the ambulance bay is, did he burn this bridge or did he shake it a bit? Because when he turns it personal, pointing the finger at Robbie and saying, well, what about you guy having a breakdown in the peds room? Aren't you broken by this in the same way that I'm broken about this or more by this line of work than I am? And once he does that, I'm curious to see if they try to come back from that or not. Like, Robbie is the kind of guy who having slept on something, might come back with a more compassionate response or even just kind of the same offer. Like, look, the deal is still the same. You go away for your 30 day treatment program, you can come back and we'll help you with whatever the next steps are. But, I mean, Langdon comes in really.

[Joanna Robinson]

Aggressive with him and, like, just so accusatory. I just. I just as. As Langdon's attorney, I would like to suggest that these are not the moves whatsoever. Anything that he's doing here. And do I want Langdon back in. In the pit. Yeah. Because that's good drama.

[Rob Mahoney]

It is good drama.

[Joanna Robinson]

So I would like him to do a better job that he's doing of arguing himself back. What do you make of the fact that Dr. Collins doesn't show up at all for the rest, you know, this back stretch of the season? She's on your own.

[Rob Mahoney]

That was pretty surprising. But canonically, that woman's got her phone off and is trying to get some sleep.

[Joanna Robinson]

Slept right through a mass casualty.

[Rob Mahoney]

She looked better for it. It seemed like a pretty tough experience for everybody involved. I'm surprised by it just from like a. It seemed like she would come in in the 11th hour and like, kind of jump in, in the way that Langdon did and kind of give a helping hand. But the fact that it was Langdon who came back and not Collins is. It's a fascinating kind of twist of the knife as far as the drama goes. And clearly like he was, he was really valuable in treating all these patients in a moment of crisis. And as soon as the like the temperature got turned down, everyone starts looking around who knows about what happened is like, so what's this guy doing here now? Is he just back? Santos is alarmed. Robbie is constantly telling the nurses are chattering. Dana, as we're told in this episode or reminded in this episode, knows that Langdon was sent home but was very specifically not told the extent of what.

[Joanna Robinson]

She now she does.

[Rob Mahoney]

Well, yeah, I mean he came out with it.

[Joanna Robinson]

Yeah.

[Rob Mahoney]

Or he came out with a version of it that is just not very convincing. Like what he tells Robbie that I was taking these drugs to treat my withdrawal symptoms and not as an addict. I was never high on the job is just about the least convincing line in this entire show.

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[Joanna Robinson]

All right, so given that we're just talking about the legend that is Dana, who seems to me and to our listeners to be the most Pittsburghian of Pittsburgh characters, quite let's go to part three of our investigation into Pit Fest. Okay. And let's hear from the Yinzers. Okay.

[Rob Mahoney]

Are you gonna do the accent or no?

[Joanna Robinson]

No, not even if I could.

[Rob Mahoney]

Just wanna make sure.

[Joanna Robinson]

Here's some. Here's some local information that I found very illuminating.

[Rob Mahoney]

Okay.

[Joanna Robinson]

Dana suggests that the one thing always brings Pittsburghers of all ages and ilk together, and it's fireworks. And she said maybe Pit Fest features a Zambelli fireworks display at concert end. That sounds so specific. I don't know who the Zambeli fireworks people are, but apparently all of Pittsburgh like their likes there.

[Rob Mahoney]

I bet they're doing great work.

[Joanna Robinson]

We got multiple suggestions from locals for Rusted Root.

[Rob Mahoney]

Okay.

[Joanna Robinson]

They're from Pittsburgh, and some members are or have been local music teachers. So they would have a more diverse audience in their hometown than they would in other cities. So Rusted Root. Brenna writes in about Wiz Khalifa. Brenner writes Wiz Khalifa, probably Pittsburgh's biggest musical export right now. There's a chance he could have gotten Snoop there, who likes to rep PGH sports gear and has collaborated on songs. I think the kids could be into whiz, though I don't know. They are young and I'm 35, and he was just getting big when I was their age, so. Oh, God. And our old stoner buddy could vibe with him and Snoop on the marijuana of it all, maybe.

[Rob Mahoney]

Okay.

[Joanna Robinson]

So don't put it past an old stoner in Pittsburgh to like literally any music. We're not terribly judgmental people. We like to have a good time. So do you think.

[Rob Mahoney]

Do you think the hippie has seen Furious 7?

[Joanna Robinson]

I think he loves the entire Fast and Furious franchise.

[Rob Mahoney]

I would hope so.

[Joanna Robinson]

Okay. Joshua points out that there is a musical festival in Pennsylvania, the Four Chord Music Festival. Okay. And this year's lineup is Blink 182, Jimmy Eat World, Jawbreaker, and Bowling for Soup.

[Rob Mahoney]

This is. I mean, we're. We're hitting a little close to home.

[Joanna Robinson]

Yet again, Joe does sound right. Do you feel like Pitfest is for you, Rob Mahoney?

[Rob Mahoney]

I mean, it depends on who's in the lineup. Like this version. See, some of these acts I've seen before. Some of them I would not see in their current nostalgia slash reunion phases. Bowling for Soup, Plano Legends, if I'm not mistaken. Plano, Texas Legends, my hometown. Shout out to Bowling for Soup. I would. I would see Bowling for Soup if I happened to be at a festival where they were playing. Would I go out of my way to see Bowling for soup in concert. I cannot say that in 2025, I would.

[Joanna Robinson]

Last but not least, and this will wrap up this section of our investigation. Multiple people from Pittsburgh wrote in to tell us about what they call locally famous dad rock band the Clarks. Had you heard of the Clarks?

[Rob Mahoney]

Had not heard of the Clarks. I tuned in, I checked them out.

[Joanna Robinson]

I also checked out some YouTube clips. I watched a clip of them on Pittsburgh Today. Some live clips, very like dad banned and offensive.

[Rob Mahoney]

Soft alt rock, Americana. They are what they sound like and.

[Joanna Robinson]

Have been going like since like their. Their front man is this like, tall drink of water. And you can watch him from like the early 90s with like a big, like dark poof of hair. And then here he is on Pittsburgh Today, still now with like a gray poof of hair. And he's just like, still doing it. Also, did you know that Pittsburgh has a very famous rib fest? This is part of the whole Clark's information that we got from people.

[Rob Mahoney]

Okay, you have my attention now, Joe.

[Joanna Robinson]

Yeah, it's like a, you know, three day festival dedicated to the. The deliciousness that is ribs. And one of our listeners, Rachel, wrote, I assume Pitfest is an amalgamation of our various summer festivals. Art fest, Rib fest, Picklesburg, Picklesburg rib fest, and Picklesburg. Two delights you can enjoy in Pittsburgh.

[Rob Mahoney]

I hope they're adjacent. I hope they're connecting. Festival chaser.

[Joanna Robinson]

A Picklesburg chaser.

[Rob Mahoney]

You want the acid with the barbecue? For sure.

[Joanna Robinson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Rob Mahoney]

You know what? As we, as we ponder season two of the Pit, which is imminent, we should say. Well, close to imminent. It's on the books. There is a plan. This show will be back in January, Joe, and I'm thrilled about it.

[Joanna Robinson]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Rob Mahoney]

I don't know how much I want to be going home with the staff because I love being on the floor. I suspect we will be.

[Joanna Robinson]

But you kind of want to go to Picklesburg.

[Rob Mahoney]

This is the thing. Like, if the pitches were going to Picklesburg, that's a different enterprise than am I going to see Santos Whitaker roommate hijinks.

[Joanna Robinson]

Right. She knows Krav Maga, though. So I just want you to consider that.

[Rob Mahoney]

Look, if Santos wants to do Krav Maga on the show, that's again, different. If she wants to do Krav Maga at Picklesburg, all the better.

[Joanna Robinson]

Okay, here's another full circle moment, and I want to get into this. Another incredible email that has nothing to do with music. Take a breather from Pitfest. Okay, We Wind up back on the roof as we did at the beginning of the season. Robbie is up there. Dr. Abbott goes up to find Robbie. There has some very important information about whether or not Doordash will come up to the roof or not. And is sort of talking Robbie down from the roof to a certain degree. And we've got these two sort of leader of men. We talked two weeks ago about Jack Abbott and what adding him into the show did. Sean Hadesy gave a great interview as part of that big Vanity Fair package about episode 12. He was talking about how hard it was for him to come in like 12 episodes later. These people have all been working together for like 12 episodes and he's just sort of like, hi, I'm here. And he was like very stressed out about, you know, integrating back into the cast. But we learn in this episode as we already clocked Dr. Abbott, who was a, you know, a combat medic, like had had worked in combat. And then we get this reveal at the end of the epis that he has this prosthetic on his leg, which.

[Rob Mahoney]

We should say means he had a prosthetic leg and was donating blood out of the other leg.

[Joanna Robinson]

Off the leg, yeah, exactly, off the other.

[Rob Mahoney]

Or was it the same leg?

[Joanna Robinson]

No, I think it was the. It was the other leg. Yeah.

[Rob Mahoney]

I mean hardcore. Either way, this guy.

[Joanna Robinson]

So that's what we know about Dr. Abbott based on his backpack and other things.

[Rob Mahoney]

Yes.

[Joanna Robinson]

Here's what we now know about Dr. Robbie based on his backpack thanks to an email we got from Christina. That is one of my favorite emails we've ever gotten. Okay, Christina wrote here to report on the niche sub interest trenches on a costume prop choice for Dr. Robbie in the pit in the 7am and 11am episodes we get peaks of the backpack Robbie carries. It's made by a very if you know, you know, company, Tom Bin. If you're not familiar with Tom Bin, it's a supremely ethical company that makes backpacks, travel bags, etc. They call their company, quote, human scale capitalism. All their bags are designed and sewn in their Seattle factory. They're not cheap and they're quite dorky looking. Basically you only end up with that backpack capital O on capital P purpose. Robbie's also. Robbie also has a Doctors Without Borders patch on it which can be seen in this freeze frame that she sent over. That Robbie chose his backpack and placed that patch on it says a lot that he makes choices with ethics in mind, that he takes things pretty seriously. And maybe his backstory includes a deployment or two. With Doctors Without Borders. I wonder whether Noah Wiley or a costume designer is the nerd who chose that backpack for that character. Yours truly, bag nerd, Tina. So love this.

[Rob Mahoney]

First of all, Tina, incredible work. The level of expertise, as you have said, Joe, that we're getting from our emailers. We have ER doctors and nurses left and right emailing us in. We had, like, venue bartenders trying to indulge us on who might be playing at Pitfest.

[Joanna Robinson]

Yeah.

[Rob Mahoney]

And now we have bag nerds. I'm just. I'm blown away by the level of expertise.

[Joanna Robinson]

It's true. We're together. We're. We're putting something really special together, I think here on the prestige TV feed. I did not clock the Doctors Without Borders patch. I love that she highlighted that. So when we get to the. The beer debrief in the park at the end and we're talking about this day that we went through as this sort of battle we've survived together, how we were battle bonded by this experience. They have a laugh over the fact that this is Victoria's first day. All this sort of stuff like that. We get, I would say, slightly heavy handed. Cut to Dr. Abbott when we're talking about, have you ever seen something as intense as this? And it's like this unspoken thing is, yes, I, you know, lost part of my leg in pursuit of this.

[Rob Mahoney]

As he takes off his prosthetic and wipes blood off.

[Joanna Robinson]

Thanks for the wet wipe, princess. So, but then we have. Yeah, we've got Robbie, who's done Doctors Without Border. He's done. He's done not the same thing, but like something else. Where he has gone into. This is something Dr. John Carter did do on ER.

[Rob Mahoney]

Again, this is not ER. Legally speaking, the pit is not ER.

[Joanna Robinson]

Came back in a relationship with Tendiwe Newton, who. Who among us would not want that as a result of Doctors Without Borders? But I just thought that was interesting, positioning him as having. There's also a moment when he puts his hoodie back on. It's in episode 14, but he puts his hoodie back on. A very like Mr. Rogers like move. But it's just a very, like, Dad's back. Like, Dad's here again. Everything's gonna be okay. It won't, but we'll try to make it feel okay.

[Rob Mahoney]

And Dad's problems in many ways are only beginning at that point. Robbie has a very tough, emotional episode. But I do love this kind of subtle Doctors Without Borders wink for Robbie and maybe we'll get that explored or maybe we won't. And as far as Dr. Abbott goes, I've really enjoyed having this sort of, like, we knew that him being a veteran gave him a different skill set. He's talked about that a bunch of times in combat situations, in combat hospitals. This is what we did. We did these all the time, et cetera, et cetera. But in this talking down scene on the roof, it also just gives him such a different perspective on loss and such a different perspective on being in intense situations in particular, where everything is so hectic and so harried and so violent that none of it can possibly make sense. And then you're left to make sense of it afterwards. And so to have the person who's talking Robbie down come from such a radically different frame of reference from a downtown Pittsburgh hospital. I love what that brings to the show and ultimately what that's bringing to the staff.

[Joanna Robinson]

I love his, you know. Can we stop talking for a second with Jack? Jack being, like, almost physically unable to do that. I'm gonna need some beers if we're gonna do this. Like, all. It all, like, worked really, really well for me very much. In terms of going home. I think the closest we get to going home is Mel picking up her sister. Yeah, this, like, sort of Mel King coda where we meet her sister, who we've seen a bit during the season. I loved this. So, I mean, like, as. I love everything with Dr. Mel King, obviously, but the, like, we can get pasta and pizza, like, in a movie. The King sisters can do that. No, the way she's like, let's watch. She just says elf. And Mel's like. Or maybe something we haven't seen reminded me so much of when I was a. I was a babysitter. I used to babysit this, like, one kid who, like, every single time he was like, the Lion King. I was like. Or literally anything else. And he's like, the Lion King. And that was.

[Rob Mahoney]

At least he picked a banger.

[Joanna Robinson]

He did. But I was like, what about Aladdin? Have you considered. And he's like, no, the Lion King. So, yeah, this was a beautiful little character moment for Dr. Mel King.

[Rob Mahoney]

And. And, yeah, is a good counterpoint to the idea of whether we want to go home with these doctors or not. I. I think overall, I mean, we've sung Taylor Dreden's praises all season long.

[Joanna Robinson]

Yeah.

[Rob Mahoney]

I would encourage you, if you've just been watching the Pit and not been consuming any extracurricular material, go watch a Taylor Dearden interview and get a sense of, like, how different presentationally voice, like, Literally everything about this person. And you get a sense of kind of the overall scope of that performance to become Mel is really remarkable. And specifically in terms of making Mel then feel so lived in and lovable and like, a real tangible person who has all this stuff to carry with her is really a remarkable thing on the.

[Joanna Robinson]

Like. Let's wrap things up with everyone. We already mentioned that Dina packs up her personal belongings. What do you make of this? I really love this final exchange, I will say, with her and Robbie when they're looking at Dr. Adamson's photo. You know, she's trying to give him the grace and asking him to give him the grace that he would afford other people and all of that. But what I really loved most of all, I think, actually was the tossed away see you Monday. Right where he's not even, like, looking at her when he says it. She pauses slightly, but not in a deeply dramatic way, and just sort of walks out the door. And I. As much as I want her back, like, it would. Not that they would never see each other again, obviously, like, she would come visit or whatever, but, like, I. I like that resolution or lack thereof for them. And I like that there's no resolution with Jake either. We don't end the day with Jake being, like, fine with everything. It's. It's not. It's an open wound right now for Robbie.

[Rob Mahoney]

Very much so, yeah. Quite the opposite in the Jake case in a way that is so devastating to watch. And I think that we were primed in many ways to think, okay, maybe by now Langdon's talked to him, Dana's talked to him, his mom has been there. Like, there's been enough time passing. He's been scrolling through pictures of Leah on his phone. Obviously, he's not going to absorb this kind of trauma in a matter of hours, but could he bring himself to just, like, look Robbie in the eye and accept that maybe it wasn't his fault? Right, right. Like, the shooter's been apprehended. Like. Like, movement has been made as far as who did this. Yeah, but it's. Man, that scene with Jake is so tough. And it's. It's so tough in the context. Like, Robbie then has to turn around and go talk to Leah's parents immediately afterwards.

[Joanna Robinson]

What do you make of the fact that we didn't go in the room with him?

[Rob Mahoney]

I appreciate it. Yeah, I like it. I like the restraint on that. I will say one thing about the pit. If you were to just go back and think about the beats, we've Been talking about. Almost every character has had a breakdown moment, and not once have I thought, oh, this feels repetitive.

[Joanna Robinson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Rob Mahoney]

You know, like, they're all breaking down in their own ways with their own pressure points. Right. Like, something very specific to them happens that kind of pulls them apart. And so, despite the fact that Robbie has had all of these very emotional conversations with so many different people, what I found most affecting about that one is almost how. How worn down and removed he is in that moment in going in the room and coming out where it's not the. I'm gonna take a second and gear up and put on my empathetic face, and I'm gonna come in, I'm gonna spend time and say the thing. Like, he is. He's kind of in and out of.

[Joanna Robinson]

That room really quickly, and all we hear is them crying. And I would think that, like, I think that's probably the worst version of that conversation that Robbie has given all.

[Rob Mahoney]

Day, maybe in his entire career.

[Joanna Robinson]

Yeah. And he comes out, he's in the quiet stairwell. He looks through the doors and he sees the ER is bustling, and he just can't go in. And that's when he goes up to the roof. That just like that breakdown for him.

[Rob Mahoney]

I mean, it's just been hit after hit for him, I think, throughout. Throughout this entire season. But in this episode, you know, there's the ongoing nervous breakdown that he's already having. There's the frustrations with measle mom that are really picking at him. There's Langdon's whole deal. There's just the worst and most painful version of the conversation he's having with Jake. It's all really getting to him. It's all causing him to come apart. And despite that, I do think he gets to have his moment. And it's to finally give the big speech that he wasn't allowed to give earlier in the season.

[Joanna Robinson]

Right.

[Rob Mahoney]

Like, he does give to give. He does get to give the debrief to the day staff going home. And I found this to be a really magical piece of tv.

[Joanna Robinson]

Joe, tell me. Tell me why you thought it was magical.

[Rob Mahoney]

I think some of it for me is the delay on it and the delayed satisfaction of giving him that emotional moment. I think it's really well written. And maybe this is. Maybe this is me bringing my own trauma to the table. Joe, Maybe this is me bringing my own experience, because trauma.

[Joanna Robinson]

Welcome, Rob.

[Rob Mahoney]

Certainly. So, as Robbie is giving this speech, which part of his speech, we saw our better angels come to the aid of our patients. Each of you rose to the occasion. And I can't tell you how proud I am of all of you. This place will break your heart, but it's also full of miracles. And that is a testament to all of you coming together and doing what we do best. I think it's a good speech. I think it's well delivered. I think we pointed out the Mel element of like, if Mel cries, we cry. I identified a new one for myself, which is if Princess cries, I also start tearing up. Love Princess. If I'm gonna make subsequent demands for season two, I would love a Princess and Perla focused episode of some kind. That would be delightful. But this speech reminded me a lot of another banger from another John Wells produced show, very Jed Bartlett. In 20 hours of America, there's like a big explosion in the West Wing on a college campus and a bunch of people at the school go in as like de facto first responders and Jed Bartlett gives this big like, the streets of heaven are too crowded with angels tonight bit. That's incredible tv. Much more like written speech than this, what Robbie gives, but hit so many of the same notes, which is like we're reminded of the incredible things that we can do despite the fact that we're facing these incredible challenges and traumas and like what we can overcome collectively. It's like, it's hitting the same emotional beat for me, but in a way that is very raw and is very unrehearsed. And Robbie's like breaking down as he's giving it. And I found that combination to be really effective.

[Joanna Robinson]

I find stories about leaders of men, which again, I mean that sort of like in a non gendered term. But like I, I do think of it in a very sort of the positive version of a paternalistic way. And when you look to a Jeb Bartlett or when you look to a Coach Taylor, or when you look to a Dr. Robbie. This is something that Noah Wiley said in Vanny Fair about Robbie. He says he seems smart, he seems capable, he seems fatherly, he seems, seems competent, he seems compassionate. And then you see him fall down.

[Rob Mahoney]

Yeah.

[Joanna Robinson]

This is a look at the toll that it takes on the people who take care of us. Patients are getting sicker, patients are getting angrier, but these doctors are making less money. It doesn't compute. So there's no clean answers here and no implication that tomorrow will necessarily be better than any of these problems are solved?

[Rob Mahoney]

No.

[Joanna Robinson]

So we're not here to solve problem or give pat answers. We're just here to try and forgive ourselves when we fall short and try again. And that's a great message to receive.

[Rob Mahoney]

I think, as we're finding, the forgiving yourself is the hard part. There was something so striking about Robbie running through the exact toll of what the hospital had been through. You know, in terms of, like, these are all the people that were in the red zone. This is how many people went through pink. These are all the people that have stabilized the actual hard. And what we end up with is 112 patients overall. 106 of them survived. And so then when you think about Leah as one of the six people who came into this ER and died, who wasn't doa, but like, actually died on the floor.

[Joanna Robinson]

Yeah.

[Rob Mahoney]

It's not shocking that Robbie's having an overwhelmingly difficult time coming back from that.

[Joanna Robinson]

We also. I mean, we had. Because we had seen the morgue, and there aren't. There are only just a few bodies in the morgue.

[Rob Mahoney]

They did a lot of good, an incredible amount of good.

[Joanna Robinson]

But. Yeah, but to hear the raw data like that as he runs it down. I agree. I thought that was really powerful. Anything else you want to say about the Pit before we end with a tour of summer music festivals?

[Rob Mahoney]

One question for you, Joe. Please write in light of our friend Harrison, who is finally allowed to exit.

[Joanna Robinson]

The hospital to watch Planet of the Apes.

[Rob Mahoney]

Is Planet of the Apes a scary movie?

[Joanna Robinson]

It depends which one I think that's true.

[Rob Mahoney]

Well, where would you rank them in terms of scariness?

[Joanna Robinson]

I mean, I would say I'm not like.

[Rob Mahoney]

Not like all the bodies, not all the entries in the saga, because there are many. But in terms of, like, titled Planet.

[Joanna Robinson]

Of the Apes, I would say the most, like. I would say there is some ape on. Ape violence in the most recent, you know, Mo Cap Andy circus era. Yeah, that is. I mean, I might show it to a Harrison, but I might want to be there with him when he wants it. Charlton Heston. Fine. That's fine. You can watch. What about Tim Burton? Fine.

[Rob Mahoney]

Not fine, but watchable for a child.

[Joanna Robinson]

Makeup choices, but, like, fine. Yeah, but I think Mo Cap era, there is some. It depends how sensitive Harrison is, you know, Depends on the kid entirely. I remember we showed my nephew on, like, a sick day that he had, and we were, like, got really excited to show him the Disney animated Robin Hood.

[Rob Mahoney]

Oh, yeah.

[Joanna Robinson]

And, like, two minutes in, he was just like, no. And we were like, what? He was like, that snake is too scary. We're like, sir Hiss. He's like, yeah, too scary. My sister and I were so crushed because we were, like, so excited. Just. No. Just a simple no. And I was like, this is kid. This is Disney's Robin Hood. Come on.

[Rob Mahoney]

These kids today are too soft, Joe. They're not ready for Robin Hood and Little John hopping through the forest like they're. They're not. They're not on it like we were. Okay, but it's. It. Look, it's a banger of a movie.

[Joanna Robinson]

Anything else you want to say? Planet of the Apes or otherwise.

[Rob Mahoney]

One last, final, gnarly watch of the season.

[Joanna Robinson]

Oh, thank you, Rob. Go for it.

[Rob Mahoney]

We get that fork straight up through the nose to the point that it has to be photographed to be believed again.

[Joanna Robinson]

This is like. That was, like, a perfect note of levity, where it's just sort of like Dr. Abbott being like, we got to get Dr. Shen, our utensil expert, and Dr. Ellis being like, I need a photo of this for the medical record. And definitely not my own personal wall of disgusting things that I've seen at work.

[Rob Mahoney]

But look, if you're gonna drown children, then you also have to give us some. I can't believe this shit so much. I need to go grab another doctor. Like, there has to be a little yin and yang.

[Joanna Robinson]

We end with Robbie walking off listening, putting the earbuds in, listening to some music. Baby by Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise is the track that closes out the season. Not one that was on my radar or pitfests, but does seem very like, yeah, I understand why it's a Robbie song.

[Rob Mahoney]

It both sounds, with all due respect, like a Robbie song and also an affordable Max song. You not. We're not really going to spring for, like, the Bob Seeger.

[Joanna Robinson]

Yeah.

[Rob Mahoney]

But in this case, we'll play this.

[Joanna Robinson]

Maybe pit season two. We can. We can throw down some money on the closing track. Okay. If you are listening to this podcast and you're like, hey, this summer, I might want to explore a music festival. Our listeners have you covered. Here are some things when they were like, hey, have you heard of a music festival where multiple artists of different stripes play? Here are some suggestions we got. Okay, I'm gonna start with local to me, Bay Area. Local to you, Bay Area Outside Lands suggested by John. Great. I mean, hardly Strictly Bluegrass in October is a great also Bay Area festival. But, yeah, Outside Lands, of course, is the biggie Bumbershoot in Seattle from Liz, who's a nurse. That. That's, like, art and wine and music in the whole thing. So Bumber Shoot. Minnesota hosted the first yacht club festival, and it was a mix of nostalgia 90s bands to today. Alanis, Soul Asylum, Gwen Stefani, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Joan Jett, the Offspring. Great stuff. Okay, that's in Minnesota. The Yacht Club Festival. Riot Fest in Chicago, Illinois has hosted bands from Gogo Bordello to Night Ish Nails to the Wu Tang Clan to Jerry Lee Lewis, the B52s. So right. Fest Chicago. Firefly Fest in Dover, Delaware. I looked up this festival actually. Pretty sick lineups historically from the Firefly Festival.

[Rob Mahoney]

Do you have a sampling of those?

[Joanna Robinson]

What's been going on 2022 lineup was Billie Eilish, Rage against the Machine, Diplo and Maggie Rogers.

[Rob Mahoney]

Pretty good as far as festivals, right? That's pretty good.

[Joanna Robinson]

It's not bad. DJ Catlett. Okay, music fest in Massachusetts. 300 stages playing black Keys, Darius Rucker, Nelly, and then like a bunch of free stage, like you can go in like for a bunch of free stages and then, you know, you can pay to go see the Black Keys or whatever else you prefer.

[Rob Mahoney]

I just want to say not to, not to, not for undue slander on this podcast. No, Nelly doesn't have it anymore.

[Joanna Robinson]

Okay. But here's my question.

[Rob Mahoney]

I regret to tell everyone who's interested in seeing Nelly he's not showing up for you in the way that you.

[Joanna Robinson]

Think he will when we're naming festivals. Yeah, I will just point out that this music fest is spelled with a K. Music Fest with a K. I still think we could have gone back to the drawing board on that one and done a few more passes. Corny says she's equating Pitfest to Boston, calling Forecastle in Louisville and Shaky Knees in Atlanta. These are multiple day festivals where attendees are mostly local. Shaky Knees in Atlanta is a great name for Shaky Knees Fest. Last but not least, by far the most popular, by far the most popular Summer fest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Have you heard of Summerfest? Do you have any thoughts or feelings on Summerfest? Rob Mahoney.

[Rob Mahoney]

I do, because we got many emails about it, which I'm gonna say is a very Milwaukee thing to do, to be like, let me tell you about our local music festival.

[Joanna Robinson]

Okay. Free ad for Summer Fest. Headlining acts include Cake, Offset, the Fray, Megan the Stallion, Young the Giant, and Riley Green. Honestly, these all sound like a blast. I hope you guys all enjoy your festivals this spring and summer into fall again. If you're in the San Francisco Bay area.

[Rob Mahoney]

Yes.

[Joanna Robinson]

Anything else you want?

[Rob Mahoney]

Yeah, I still think Pit Fest too. There's just a real missed opportunity to do the Double Meaning of Pittsburgh and the Pit like it should Be a metal festival.

[Joanna Robinson]

Oh, the mosh pit fest.

[Rob Mahoney]

Absolutely not. You don't need. It's just the pit. Joe, come on. You don't. You don't need to mosh it.

[Joanna Robinson]

Cool. Thanks for calling me out.

[Rob Mahoney]

Just. I'm just saying they call it the Pit.

[Joanna Robinson]

One of our listeners who is a yinzer did point out that they don't call Pittsburgh the Pit. They really only call the university that. Okay, so whatever pitfest was, it was probably in close proximity to the university, which is where the hospital would be anyway. The hospital, the university. You know, they don't, they don't call the whole. They wouldn't call something else Pitfest. So yes, if that helps nail down the proximity. Last one. At least we're not going to read this email. I just want to shout out Eric, who sent us the longest email possible about this and just triangulated the when, the where, the why, the how, who would be playing Coachella so that this would not be competing with Coachella and like all. And the budget that they would have and stuff like that. It was just like a. A piece of art from Eric. So thank you so much for that email.

[Rob Mahoney]

Not even a tour manager's mind, but one who is seeing the whole board of all the tour managers minds. It was truly an impressive piece of work.

[Joanna Robinson]

It was art. It was art. Okay, The Pit. We did it.

[Rob Mahoney]

That's it. Season one. Anyway, again, like we're gonna be back here sooner than later. Joe.

[Joanna Robinson]

That's it for the Pit again.

[Rob Mahoney]

Oh, one last note about season two that I read, you know, from R. Scott Jamil, who's the showrunner of the Pit, mentioned in an interview with Parade that there will probably be a slight time jump into season two. We're not coming back tomorrow. The day after the mass casualty event. He ballparked it at like two, three months. So just enough time for a certain 30 day rehab program perhaps and then some. You know, just enough time for people to kind of clean the deck, scrub the bathroom. We're kind of back to normal in the er.

[Joanna Robinson]

Oh, for Santos and Whitaker to have figured out who does and does not do the dishes. One last thing. I'm. If you go back and watch this season, there were hints all season that Whitaker was living in the hospital. Like it's just. It was. The track was laid. But I want to. And I want to say I was re watching one of an episode just like two episodes ago. I think it was 13 where he was like, you know, there are a bunch of empty rooms.

[Rob Mahoney]

The fourth floor is completely empty.

[Joanna Robinson]

Before we go, I would be remiss to not say on the Grey's Anatomy beat, shout out Dr. Cali Torres, the original doctor who lived in the hospital. Of course, that felt like a Gray's reference to me. And I don't know if any doctors lived in the hospital in er. I don't remember it if they did. But this is not an ER sequel, as you and I and Michael Kramer. It's definitely not.

[Rob Mahoney]

But also, what if they went up to the fifth floor and Alan Aldo's just been sleeping up there for weeks? I wouldn't hate it.

[Joanna Robinson]

I. I wouldn't at all. I would love to see it. All right, so we're back for season two of the Pit, where Bryan Cranston will show up as Dr. Mel King's dad. We can only hope. And thank you to Donnie Beecham, to John Richter, and to Justin Sales for his work on this feed. We will. Rob and I will still be here covering absolutely all the shows, so stay tuned to the prestige fees and we'll see you soon. Bye. Sa.