The Pitt Season 1 On TNT: Essential Reading For Episodes 7-9

As "The Pitt" makes its basic-cable debut on TNT — rolling out three uncut episodes every Monday in December — TVLine is looking back at the Emmy-winning medical drama's first season and resurfacing key coverage ahead of Season 2's Jan. 8 premiere on HBO Max. To protect first-time viewers, please keep comments limited to Episodes 7-9. (Click here for coverage of Episodes 1-3 or Episodes 4-6.)

Episode 7 delivers a crucial reveal about Dr. Trinity Santos, retroactively reframing much of her behavior since she first arrived at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. After discovering that the wife of her patient has been secretly drugging her husband to prevent him from sexually abusing their teenage daughter, Santos confronts the man — and, in doing so, reveals that she herself is a survivor of sexual abuse. Just like that, all of Santos' choices since she first scrubbed in at 7 a.m. — challenging male authority figures, presenting herself to her peers as though she's made of tougher stuff than anyone else — start to make sense.

As Isa Briones explained to TVLine at the time, Santos was designed to be polarizing — and that emotional payoff was always part of the long game. "It's fun to take a break from trying to be likable," the actress said. "When I see people have strong reactions, and some people are like, 'I hate you,' I'm like, 'Great. I did what I was supposed to do. I made you feel something.'"

Read the full TVLine interview for Briones' complete breakdown of Episode 7.

Episode 9 delivers one of the medical drama's most harrowing turns yet when charge nurse Dana Evans (Katherine LaNasa) is assaulted by Doug Driscoll (Drew Powell), an increasingly irate patient who lashes out after hours of waiting in chairs. The attack — which takes place in the ambulance bay at the end of another grueling hour — marks a definitive breaking point for Dana and forces her to confront the personal cost of a job that has long defined her sense of self.

As Noah Wyle, who wrote the episode, told TVLine at the time, the assault was designed to reflect the very real rise in violence against health care workers. Dana, he explained, is "a perfect choice" for such a story because "she gives her life to the work, and she's an innocent victim." The storyline underscores both the strain these workers endure and the erosion of basic decorum.

For LaNasa, the moment creates a clear before-and-after line for her character. "There's a Dana before she gets hit, and there's a Dana after she gets hit," she said, adding that the experience leaves Dana shaken in ways she can't immediately rationalize or forgive. In the episodes that follow, viewers will see Dana wrestle with fear, anger and whether she can continue returning to a place where she no longer feels safe.

For those rewatching "The Pitt" ahead of Season 2, you'll find all of our one-on-ones with Wyle in the video embedded at the top of this post. The spoiler-filled Q&A explores the show's origins, Wyle's personal connection to the song that opens Episode 1 (and its possible tie to "ER"), and several key developments from the back half of the series' freshman run.

If you're watching on TNT for the very first time, feel free to press play on the video directly above — this particular excerpt, specific to Episode 9, won't spoil anything beyond this week's marathon. Then, once you've made it through Episodes 7-9, head to the comments and let us know how you're enjoying the show.