‘The Pitt’ Season 2 Just Delivered an Unexpected Gut Punch — and It’s Quietly Perfect

1 week ago 15

Published Jan 23, 2026, 8:07 PM EST

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Carolyn Jenkins is a voracious consumer of film and television. She graduated from Long Island University with an MFA in Screenwriting and Producing where she learned the art of character, plot, and structure. The best teacher is absorbing media and she spends her time reading about different worlds from teen angst to the universe of Stephen King.

Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for The Pitt, Season 2, Episode 3The Pitt has a way of weaving heart-wrenching and empathetic stories, which is perhaps why the medical drama has been such a hit on HBO. This week, the series made another statement in Season 2, Episode 3, “9:00 A.M.” While Santos (Isa Briones) experiences the ramifications of her bias when it came to a sick girl, Dr. Robby (Noah Wyle) has a grounding experience with a Jewish patient, Yana (Irina Dubova). The season takes place on the 4th of July, and while some firecrackers went off, the woman accidentally burned herself as a result of her PTSD. Yana was still suffering from the trauma related to the mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue. The tragedy occurred eight years previously, and Wyle stated in a recent interview that he wanted to ensure that this period of history was acknowledged.

Yana first chides Robby for his decision to take a sabbatical to take a cross-country motorcycle trip. The Pitt has been particularly unsubtle about the dangers of Robby’s decision, specifically in this episode, when a patient is DOA because of a motorcycle accident. Yana notes to the nurse, Perlah (Amielynn Abellera), that Robby is more or less having a midlife crisis. The moment turns somber when the patient asks if Perlah is Muslim. This development causes the episode to become even more emotional as the two share a moment.

‘The Pitt’ Honored the Jewish and Muslim Community Coming Together

While in the room with Perlah, Yana thanks the nurse not in her professional capacity, but as a Muslim. She acknowledges that the Muslim community gathered to raise money for the funerals of the victims of the Tree of Life event. Wyle, who also wrote the episode, explained that he was particularly moved by this event.

“That being such a significant event in the city of Pittsburgh, it seemed like a wonderful opportunity. When I started researching it, the aspects of it that moved me the most were the community outcry afterward from the Muslim community and the solidarity with the Jewish community of Pittsburgh, working together to grieve and mourn the loss. It was the most underreported aspect of the story, and perhaps the most hopeful moving forward.”

This was the conceit of the latest episode, which focuses on how people should help one another. Wyle's perspective allows optimism to shine through, especially in light of his character's cynicism that carries over from the previous season. Last season, Robby was seen struggling with his faith during the mass casualty event that affected PittFest. The doctor wasn't sure if he believed in a higher power, but his moment with Yana showed that maybe he could come back from his own PTSD and come to terms with his Jewish faith. Robby’s moment with the patient was significant to the character and necessary when it came to Pittsburgh’s history.

With the production and writing actively acknowledging that the camaraderie between the Jewish and Muslim communities was not the focus during the news cycle, it was an important story to tell. The episode doesn't focus on the drowning in grief, which can at times feel overwhelming, especially when these events happen so frequently. Instead, focusing on the support that the Muslim community gave the Jewish one allows the viewer to have something positive to see. Despite the horrible tragedy that occurred, there are still good people in the world who want to help each other. The Pitt has always been a series about support and empathy, and adding this storyline to a Pittsburgh-centered show was a no-brainer. It was a moving anecdote that fell in line with the hope and catharsis that The Pitt gives to its audience.

The Pitt airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. EST on HBO.