Yes, I’ll be writing about every scene where a doctor from The Pitt acknowledges Mel’s sensitivity and voices why it’s important. The series shines for a myriad of reasons, and while Noah Wyle is indeed the face most people will recognize, the show wouldn’t be the treasure it is without Taylor Dearden’s embodiment of Mel King. And in The Pitt Season 1, Episode 9, “3:00 P.M.,” Dr. Langdon not only recognizes her sensitivity, but he voices how people need people like her, allowing their soft moment in the lounge to become one of the season’s most striking beats of solace.
The mentor/mentee dynamic we get between Mel and Langdon is easily one that’s carefully carved out to expand and grow. There’s an honest friendship developing right from the beginning, even while neither of them notices it’s happening because they’re almost exactly what the other person needs in this line of work. Langdon needs someone whose gentleness can steady him, and Mel needs someone whose golden retriever energy can help her feel seen. She’s even-tempered and soft when we first get to know her, but neither of those qualities makes Dr. King any less capable of being in this ER. She belongs here, and Langdon sees that from the start.
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Therefore, after the emergencies of the day slowly turn to chaos, and after we’ve gotten brief beats between the two of them on the job, their scene in the break room not only feels rewarding but is also unquestionably earned. (Which is a strange thing to say when it’s only been nine hours, but that detail is a large part of the show’s strength.)
Written by Noah Wyle and directed by Quyen Tran, Mel and Langdon’s scene in the lounge is what cements that here, in this ER, they’re going to become each other’s person. She’s eager to learn from someone who’s good at their job, and he’s more than willing to be the kind of teacher she needs, but more importantly, they’re effortlessly meeting each other exactly where they are. “Put me in, coach,” are words Mel King never has to say. Langdon gets it. He knows exactly what cases are right for her and the level of greatness she’s capable of.
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In addition, Langdon’s means of checking in on her throughout the show aren’t for nothing. He genuinely means it every time he asks her if she’s okay, and we see that clearly reflected through Patrick Ball’s performance in each scene. But in The Pitt Season 1, Episode 9, “3:00 P.M.,” the intention is even more heartfelt because he understands more of her character now. He can sense when she needs a break (yet, interestingly, it’s not something he can spot in himself).
For this reason, the scene of the two of them on the floor marks such a tender turning point in their friendship that it gets more and more wholesome every time you watch it. There’s something so lighthearted and natural about the way Mel tries to mimic Langdon touching the ceiling in Season 1, Episode 3, “9:00 A.M,” and even though he doesn’t see that particular move, his decision to emulate the same position she’s sitting in reflects that same beat of genuine sincerity that makes their dynamic so riveting. They aren’t equals in rank, but they’re undoubtedly equals in the unwavering respect they have for one another, making these few hours during the show feel that much more profound.
The blocking of the scene and how the final shot centers Mel and Langdon at the end of the lounge make for the type of image that’s indisputably meant to showcase two people who have each other’s backs. (Fun fact: I saw a gif of this moment out of context, and it’s what made me want to start watching the show.) The softness is unmistakable in their body language, and it’s so seamless to tell that it’s a moment that’s meant to deliver some semblance of hope—something comforting, maybe even a little healing in a show that’s supposed to be tough to watch at times. You can tell that in those few minutes where they sit together, both characters get a real chance to catch their breaths during a day that’s taken a turn for the worst.
Then, when we actually factor in what Langdon says, everything about the scene becomes that much more pure. Again, Ball’s delivery here is what stands out because every word out of his mouth about Mel’s sensitivity is expressed with utmost sincerity. The emphasis on how they need sensitive people badly is so reflective of how his time here has been before Mel. Yes, other doctors are tremendously compassionate, and he knows this, but Mel’s unique approach to caretaking is what Langdon recognizes as the missing puzzle piece in this specific hospital. Further, it’s not only the fact that she’s sensitive, but it’s how honest she is about everything. She says what’s on her mind, smiling through it, and the light that she still holds onto is the specific light Langdon desperately needs to combat the pain he’s evidently battling on his own. At this moment, we don’t yet know about his addiction, but what we can undoubtedly see is a man who’s in dire need of hope—a bit of sunlight. And that’s Mel King from the moment she sets foot into this hospital.
Though it’s for a brief instant, it’s easier for Langdon to be vulnerable with Mel than it is for him to come clean to Robby. It’s easier to give himself a moment where he sincerely compliments someone else’s strength to forget the fact that he’s also in need of someone’s guidance.
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Interestingly, the first words viewers hear him say in the series are “Good morning, sunshine,” to Dr. Collins, making it easy for us to see at that moment how he’s comfortable enough around people to consistently make carefree remarks, but vulnerability is what’s challenging. It’s easy, even, to raise his voice at someone when he feels threatened, but slowing down and giving himself a moment of solace is a whole other demon. Yet, in this scene, no part of sitting beside Mel and acknowledging her strengths is hard for him. In fact, it’s the easiest thing he’s done all day, and it’s again so important for Mel to hear this because it means something coming from the person she sees as her mentor. It means something that he isn’t asking her to change, but instead, he’s fully welcoming it. (And that’s why it hurts so much when she thinks he’s gone. Why it’ll sting when she learns the truth.)
The Pitt Season 1 is now streaming on Max.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Max