Do not clock into your ER shift if you have not watched “2:00 P.M.,” the most recent episode of “The Pitt.” Spoilers forward!
A relentless on “The Pitt,” the HBO Max medical drama from showrunner R. Scott Gemmill, director and government producer John Wells, and its star Noah Wyle, is that none of the characters are having a superb day. Set in a busy Pittsburgh emergency room and structured so that every episode takes place in a real-time “hour,” the sequence encompasses a actually excellent ensemble forged (led by Wyle as Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch) — and that includes Taylor Dearden’s Dr. Mel King. Once more, no one on “The Pitt” has a “good” day, however Mel is having an exceptionally unhealthy one.
A giant a part of Mel’s no-good, very unhealthy day is her upcoming deposition in a medical malpractice case … and within the season’s eighth episode, we lastly be taught what the case considerations. Each Mel and her fellow resident, Dr. Parker Ellis (Ayesha Harris), are named within the lawsuit, and earlier than her personal deposition, Mel runs into Parker. They’re not likely supposed to debate the case in any conventional sense, so Parker delivers a “monologue,” as she phrases it. She then tells Mel:
“The malpractice case is frivolous. The mom of the measles child claims we triggered mental decline by performing a spinal faucet. However the faucet was good with no problems. Her son offered with altered psychological standing because of low oxygen from measles pneumonia. Any change in mind was because of hypoxic mind damage. It had nothing to do together with your spinal faucet. Finish of monologue.”
Followers of “The Pitt” now know precisely why Mel is being deposed — it is associated to a pediatric measles case that made waves on the present again on the finish of season 1.
Let’s circle again to Dr. Mel King’s measles case in season 1 of The Pitt
Within the award-winning first season of “The Pitt,” the medical doctors are stymied and understandably fairly annoyed once they’re tasked with caring for a younger boy affected by measles-related pneumonia and different problems … solely to be taught he is unvaccinated as a result of his mother and father do not consider within the confirmed efficacy of the vaccine. I do wish to observe {that a} February 2026 article in The Atlantic famous that physicians are seeing way more deaths from measles, notably amongst youngsters, as america authorities steadily rolls again vaccine mandates and necessities for the youthful set. Why even carry this up? Effectively, “The Pitt” places a focus on current American events through the patients it portrays.
Not solely is the younger affected person affected by measles that might show to be lethal or trigger lifelong psychological and bodily issues, however his mother and father are additionally unwilling to let Dr. Robby and Dr. Mel King carry out a spinal faucet that might assist him. (The medical doctors suspect that the boy has developed acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, which principally implies that the mind and spinal twine are each swelling to the purpose the place it endangers a affected person’s life.) The daddy of the household finally agrees to permit a spinal faucet, overruling the boy’s mother, who’s enraged when she learns concerning the process. Nonetheless, as Dr. Parker Ellis advised Mel, the spinal faucet was “good” and did not make the boy’s situation worse; had he been vaccinated in opposition to measles, none of this may have even occurred.
We do not know what is going on to occur with Mel’s deposition but or if we’ll even see it on display screen, however these are the info of the case. In any other case, is Mel having a half-decent day? No!
Dr. Mel King is having a tough day throughout season 2 of The Pitt
Identical to just about all of her colleagues, Dr. Mel King is having a reasonably cruddy day on season 2 of “The Pitt,” which takes place on the quintessential American vacation of July 4. Past her deposition — which proves extremely nerve-racking for her — Mel additionally will get attacked by a affected person she thinks is flirting together with her in the course of the season’s second episode, “8:00 A.M.” Because it seems, the man is a suspect in a neighborhood theft, and whereas they’re chatting concerning the Renaissance Faire, of all issues, he flees, knocking Mel to the bottom and doubtlessly injuring her head. (In a candy scene, Mel’s mentor-of-sorts, Dr. Frank Langdon, performed by Patrick Ball, takes time to deal with her and ensure she’s okay, and even shuts off the lights over her ER mattress so that she’s not overstimulated as a neurodivergent patient.)
Mel does have an important save alongside Dr. Trinity Santos (Isa Briones), once they appropriately diagnose a younger girl with bulimia after noticing tell-tale indicators on her enamel … however the deposition fairly actually looms massive over her complete day within the titular pit (she brings it up in nearly each scene, level in truth). At the same time as she treats an inmate who was injured in jail — a troublesome feat contemplating that guards are surrounding the person and demand that he stay handcuffed — Mel frets concerning the deposition, which is comprehensible!
In any case, we’ll be taught concerning the aftermath of her authorized points as “The Pitt” season 2 continues; it airs new episodes each Thursday at 9 P.M. EST.
