Langdon's Return on 'The Pitt' Is Already Teasing a Major Season 2 Confrontation

Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for The Pitt Season 2 premiere.

Before it first aired, The Pitt understandably earned a lot of comparisons to ER, given that both shows are medical dramas starring Noah Wyle; however, the HBO Max series is vastly different from the classic NBC show. ER had the ability to leave the hospital behind at times in favor of interpersonal drama, but because The Pitt takes place in real time, the emergency room is the immediate focus. There's not enough time to slow down by any great measure before characters are pulled away for another patient.

One of the few exceptions to this is the dynamic between Dr. Frank Langdon (Patrick Ball) and Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch (Wyle), a relationship so contentious that Langdon's job nearly comes to an end in the first season. When The Pitt returns, however, Langdon is back in the ER, and Robby isn't happy about it — except this time, their roles are reversed, and the show's confident and capable lead character might be the one in the wrong.

What Happened to Langdon in 'The Pitt' Season 1?

One of the reasons why The Pitt is so popular — and won several Emmys in its first season — is because of its realistic approach to both its premise and characters. Wyle's Dr. Robby is our way into the show as a senior attending doing his best, yet he has his own weaknesses that are slowly revealed throughout Season 1's shift, which culminates in a mental breakdown on the anniversary of his mentor's death. Contrasted against Dr. Robby in Season 1 is his right-hand man and senior resident, Dr. Langdon; he's young, good-looking, and confident without being arrogant. He's also a great doctor who cares, but he occasionally rubs people the wrong way, especially new intern Dr. Trinity Santos (Isa Briones). Their resulting clash puts Santos on her guard, and when she notices that some medicine has been tampered with or gone missing, she informs Robby of her suspicions, naming Langdon as the person she thinks is responsible.

What follows is what makes Dr. Robby such a compelling character. He genuinely weighs Santos's accusation, and when he discovers that she's right, he never flinches or even considers covering it up, immediately confronting Langdon and kicking him out of the ER. Langdon returns to lend a hand during the season's mass casualty event, and with the hospital overrun, Robby lets it go in the moment, but he doesn't forget. As soon as the situation is under control, Robby confronts Langdon, who begs to keep his job. There's a glimmer of hope when Robby brings up the possibility of rehab, but he's ultimately disappointed in the doctor he considered both a mentee and a friend, and it's clear things will never be the same between them again.

Langdon Returns to 'The Pitt' As a Changed Man in Season 2

That could've been the end of Dr. Frank Langdon on The Pitt, but the series makes the smarter choice by keeping him around. What Langdon did was wrong and inexcusable, but it doesn't mean that he isn't a good doctor, and he ultimately takes time off in the break between seasons to focus on getting better. When The Pitt Season 2 returns, Langdon is finally returning to the ER after his mandatory hiatus. Instead of cool and confident, he's a nervous wreck, apprehensive about walking into the place he's been away from for months, and uncertain about how Dr. Robby, the person he respects the most, will treat him. Many are happy to see Langdon, especially Mel (Taylor Dearden), who has to restrain her excitement. Santos gives him the side-eye and steers clear of him, which is understandable and expected.

As for Robby, once he spots Langdon in the ER, he immediately heads in the other direction. Instead of sulking, Langdon pursues his boss, desperately wanting to talk. Robby has no time and energy for that now, simply telling the returning doctor that he'll be working in triage and leaving it at that. Langdon starts to complain, wondering aloud if he's being punished, before letting it go. Later, in another sign of growth, he goes to one of the ER's regular patients, Louie Cloverfield (Ernest Harden Jr.), to apologize for stealing his medicine. After failing not only as a person but as a doctor, Langdon clearly wants to do better, but his efforts at seeking forgiveness only emphasize that Robby is in the wrong.

Langdon and Robby Are Due for a Major Conversation in 'The Pitt' Season 2

The fact that Robby isn't portrayed as a perfect person who always rises to meet the challenge and never falters is an indication of The Pitt's excellent writing. He's still the same person now, a man badly in need of his planned sabbatical, and he's one very long shift from getting there. The last thing he wants to do is face someone who has let him down when he's 15 hours from putting it out of his mind for another three months. On top of that, he has more pressing issues to deal with after meeting his replacement, Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi (Sepideh Moafi), the new attending who not only has her own way of doing things but also doesn't have to defer to him.

It makes sense why Robby rejects Langdon, given his own hurt and disappointment, but it doesn't make it right. These two still need to resolve their issues, so with Robby shutting down Langdon's attempts to talk about what happened, it will only increase the tension, which could lead to a major confrontation between them in The Pitt Season 2. Langdon is desperate to be heard and forgiven by the person he respects more than any other, and Robby already has a lot on his plate; the longer things remain unspoken between them, the more explosive the situation could become.