While Robby tries to keep a developing staffing situation under wraps, Collins guides a surrogate through a difficult delivery.
The real-time format of the narrative has been an inventive way to tell stories. Enough of a break arrives in between each episode for the viewer to reset. The characters don't get any time off. They are constantly thrown from one case to the next. The audience is dropped directly into where the previous episode ended as this one begins. Robby is still in the hallway after making Langdon go home. He's raw from the immediate aftermath of discovering pills in his locker. By the time he returns to the staff, rumors are already starting. People know Langdon has left and Robby was furious. They don't know any of the other details. Robby wants to keep things private for now. He asks Dana for an audit of every prescription Langdon has ordered over the last few shifts. That should be enough of an indicator for her to know what happened. However, Robby doesn't explicitly say it. He's unsure of what to do next. He understands his professional responsibilities. When it comes to personally managing this fallout, he's at a loss. He thinks he should flush the drugs. He decides against it. He offers them to Louis as they were intended. That cover doesn't work. Moreover, Langdon repeatedly calls Robby and the Pitt's main line. Robby doesn't want to hear whatever he has to say. Langdon remains persistent. He's still trying to justify his behavior. It doesn't work.
Moreover, Robby is down a senior physician. The shift is almost over. At this point, everyone is trying to keep their heads above water. They can never conquer the system. They have to keep it functional enough to hand it off to the next shift. Then, they can decompress and handle all the grueling emotions they experienced. These health care providers aren't given the luxury of processing what has happened. They have to remain strong for the patients and their loved ones. The staff have been affected by many cases. The pace has been consistent all day. They have never had any meaningful breaks to cope. It's difficult for any of them to apply any lessons learned. They have to keep their heads down and continue the work. Robby is furious with how Mohan treats an addict looking for pain meds. She wants to confirm her suspicions and ease the patient's withdrawal symptoms before offering a plan based on the truth. In reality, the deceit is amplified because of the heightened emotions of this shift. Anyone can be hit with addiction. It doesn't have one standard. The doctors recognize the warning signs. They must listen to what they are seeing and not just what the patient pretends to offer. Robby believes he was making progress with Mohan. She returns to similar patterns. He has no tolerance for it. He expected immediately improvement. That's asking for too much. She understands how to operate in this environment. Plus, he too is blunt while dealing with the patient and his struggle.
Collins also confides in Robby about her miscarriage. He gave her the time and space to come to him with the trauma she endured. It was only a few hours ago. It's still fresh. The loss hasn't fully sunk in yet. She continues to be pulled into cases that directly connect to parenting in some way. She took initiative to make this happen for herself. She went through IVF treatments. She was excited. She was ready. And now, she fears this was the last chance. It's so grueling. She had so many expectations. Robby provides comfort. That too is awkward due to their personal history. She shares that she was pregnant previously but ended it without telling her partner. Robby's expression suggests he could have been the person she feared telling. Enough ambiguity is maintained to allow any outcome to be realistic. It reveals how close their bond remains. They are more than trusted colleagues. Collins knew Robby favored Langdon over her. He has had to treat his two senior residents with these grueling experiences during the final hours of the shift. He believes he can have them go home without causing too much disruption. He knows people will be coming in soon. It's just heartbreaking to see people in pain who deserve so much more. They are empathetic people who save lives. They handle complications as they arise. Yet they receive very little to show for their hard work.
Dana comes to the realization that there is nothing more the hospital can do to ensure the safety of its staff. She was assaulted. She returned to work because she remains committed to the job. She lays out how her entire life has been defined around the hospital. This was where she was born. She began volunteering while in high school. She doesn't want to alarm her husband by coming home early with a black eye. She is only delaying the inevitable. However, she will fulfill her responsibilities. Robby doesn't know how to function without her by her side. That's a selfish impulse especially after she worries she's hit her breaking point. The world has become angry. People are short-tempered. Nothing will change that. Someone else be attacked by a patient. It's unavoidable. It's part of the risks associated with the job. Everyone has to accept that. If not, then they should leave the profession. That's where Dana is right now. When given time to process what happened to her, she doesn't know how much more she is willing to give. It's not enough. It's brutal. Robby appears to be losing his tenuous hold on the stability of this place. The shift change is quickly approaching. He recognizes just how dispiriting all of this has become. It's great to see this world through the eyes of young medical students. The people who have been here awhile understand the realities and don't know how much they can take. That includes Robby too.
The Pitt suddenly being short on staff means Robby has to juggle even more. It's tense as Robby goes back-and-forth between two traumas. The show offers the most graphic depiction of childbirth on television. It highlights the multiple complications that can occur. The baby's shoulder gets stuck. The baby doesn't respond right away. The surrogate suffers from a sudden loss of blood. It's incredibly overwhelming. In the next room over, McKay and Javadi struggle to keep up with the sudden bleeding of a cirrhosis patient waiting on a transplant. Robby has the medical expertise to make a difference in both cases. He struggles being in two places at once. He can't keep track of everything happening. He trusts his fellow physicians. They are more than capable of handling things. He still must sign off on everything. He is responsible for every outcome in the Pitt. He won't be getting a reprieve anytime soon either. Dana receives the alert that there is an active shooter at PittFest. One could assume David turned his threats and cryptic posts into action. Robby was so busy and distracted he couldn't find a moment to speak with Theresa about next steps. She is ready to petition for her son to be placed on a psychiatric hold. David needs help. Hopefully, the team isn't too late. The season suggested this disaster was on the horizon. It highlighted a public location that could be targeted. It added personal stakes by introducing Robby's stepson. The time has arrived for the narrative to deliver. It will only add to the trauma of this day. This is the headspace the staff are in when the news arrives. They must step up and take action. They are still exhausted by everything in their personal and professional lives. They are humans. They are on the frontline of all of these disasters. They witness it and must be ready for whatever complications creep up.
