Fans Applaud ’The Pitt’ For Displaying ‘Positive Masculinity’

This week, fans of the medical TV show The Pitt got to see how a dramatic season came to an end. In Episode 15, the doctors and nurses working in the trauma wing of Pittsburgh’s Medical Center finally saw their chaotic shift come to an end, and it wasn’t without its emotional toll.

After finishing the finale, many fans pointed out how the end of the season brought up some important discussions about mental health and vulnerability. In particular, they noted, Episode 15 touched on what they’re referring to as themes of “positive masculinity.”

Noah Wyle as Dr. Robby from The Pitt — John Johnson/Max via Warner Bros. Discovery

Dr. Robby Has A Major Turning Point

Throughout the season, we’ve been following lead character Dr. Robby (Noah Wyle) as he struggles not just to make it through his shift, but also to deal with the PTSD he has from his work in the field. We learn pretty early on that the day we’re watching is the anniversary of Dr. Robby losing his mentor in a traumatic way during COVID, and that it’s his first time since then that he hasn’t taken the day off.

This means that Dr. Robby’s emotional and mental state is a ticking time bomb throughout the season. While some of his coworkers pick up on his tenseness and ask how he’s doing, he always brushes them off, claiming that there’s nothing wrong. This comes to a head when the staff has to manage the casualties after a mass shooting occurs, and Dr. Robby is unable to save the life of Leah, his stepson Jake’s girlfriend. As Dr. Robby’s trauma and grief get the best of him, we wonder what’s going to happen to him as we move into Season 2.

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At the very end of the episode, Dr. Robby has a key conversation with his night shift counterpart, Dr. Abbot. It’s Dr. Abbot who brings up the topic of mental health, explaining how useful his therapist has been for him and subtly suggesting it might do Dr. Robby good as well. In a Reddit thread discussing the finale, fans applauded the scene for its themes, noting how important seeing this kind of conversation between men was:

This is some positive f****** masculinity tonight.

It seems that fans were the most moved not by the male characters’ displays of machismo or aggression, but rather earnest moments of vulnerability and looking out for one another. We see more vulnerable admissions in the form of Dr. Langdon (who was previously caught stealing pills from the hospital) pleading with Dr. Robby not to report him and risk his entire career. His desperation is palpable, and even though he could be seen as the villain in the show, many fans pointed out that the emotional scene actually made them have empathy for the despicable man.

The cast of The Pitt, Noah Wyle, Taylor Dearden, and Patrick Ball — Max/Warrick Page via Warner Bros. Discovery

We Get A Reveal About Dr. Abbot’s Backstory

Though Dr. Abbot only appears in a handful of Season 1 episodes, he’s an instrumental part of encouraging key emotional conversations throughout the season. Given his importance in the Season 1 finale, many fans are speculating that we’ll see much more of him in Season 2, which will take place after a time jump of several months.

Indeed, it seems like we’re being given more hints about Dr. Abbot’s backstory that may come into play in future episodes. For one thing, in his conversation with Dr. Robby, Dr. Abbot alludes to his time working in “combat support hospitals,” letting us know that he’s a veteran. For even further evidence, we also get an even bigger reveal in one of the very last scenes: as he sits on a park bench with some of the other doctors, he rolls up his pant leg to show that he has a prosthetic leg, and chances are he may have lost it while serving abroad during a time of war.

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In the aforementioned Reddit thread discussing the finale, fans commented on how much they enjoyed Dr. Abbot’s presence among the group:

Abbot absolutely crushed it these last few episodes, and I hope he’s a big part of next season.

“I just know for a fact that Dr Abbot was an absolute maniac out in the field saving lives,” added another.

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It seems like Season 2 of the show is setting up some major growth for several of its male characters. Dr. Robby gives Dr. Langdon an ultimatum that we’ll have to wait and see if he takes: if he wants to keep his job, he has to attend rehab, follow the program, and prove he can stay sober. Dr. Robby himself also seems like he’s having a come to Jesus moment with his own mental health, perhaps finally coming around to the idea that he needs to speak with a professional about his mental state.

Another more minor character who may also have an effect on Dr. Robby is his stepson, Jake. While Jake is in shock after the mass shooting, he lashes out, blaming Dr. Robby for not saving his girlfriend’s life, and we see this taking a toll on him. “I know Jake is traumatized, but good lord, give your step zaddy a break and some grace,” a fan teased.