The Truth About Dr. Langdon on 'The Pitt' Might Be More Complicated

I have been rewatching The Pitt from the beginning this past week because I got my family into it — and I think it’s the best show on television right now — and it’s interesting to note how many storylines have been seeded from the very beginning. (Spoilers)

Obviously, there’s the Pittfest concert, mentioned a few times early on. And obviously, there’s David — the potential mass shooter at Pittfest — and I’m convinced that if he is the shooter, then the girlfriend of Dr. Robby’s sort-of stepson, Jake, is on David’s list. That kind of personal loss could push an already frayed Dr. Robby into a full-blown meltdown, especially given how slow he’s been to act on the warning signs around David.

Then there’s Dr. Santos’ arc: her arrogance, her downfall, and what appears to be her redemption. The stolen meds storyline also stretches back further than it initially seemed — we now know Dr. Langdon was the one pilfering them. After Dr. Robby confronted him and found a missing patient’s Librium in his locker, Langdon was kicked out of the hospital. But two episodes later, he returned, uninvited, to help with the Pittfest mass shooting casualties.

It would seem like a waste to boot Patrick Ball — who is so good here as Dr. Langdon — from the series after just one season, but stealing meds from patients is, of course, grounds for termination.

However, what I haven’t necessarily seen seeded from the beginning is Dr. Langdon’s own abuse of benzos. He confesses to taking the pills and says he used them to wean himself off muscle relaxers and painkillers prescribed for back pain. But he also insists, “It’s not like you think. I’m not high. I’m not high… could a drug addict do what I do?”

That’s what’s really missing from the early episodes: signs of active benzo use, particularly Librium. Based on what I’ve read, Librium would slow him down, dull his instincts, and make him feel relaxed — sure — but also more detached. And there’s no strong evidence of that. Mel says early on that he seemed “sweaty,” and there’s a moment where he explodes on Dr. Santos, but both of those are more indicative of withdrawal than active use. Langdon is so sharp with patients, so quick-witted with Dr. Garcia, and such a generous mentor to Dr. Mel King that I kind of want to believe him when he says, “I’m not high.”

Here’s an outside possibility — albeit a remote one: maybe he stole the meds for someone else. He’s mentioned his wife a few times, especially how stressed she’s been since they got a new puppy. Maybe she needed the benzos. Maybe. But if that’s the case, The Pitt hasn’t planted that idea clearly enough for it to land.

Still, even if we accept that he did steal the meds and that he is using, the question becomes: in what world can he be redeemed, given such a clear ethical violation? There are a couple of possibilities. The most obvious: he continues to prove his worth amid the chaos of the mass shooting. When Dr. Robby inevitably falls apart — between the anniversary of his mentor’s death and the real possibility that Jake or Jake’s girlfriend is among the victims — maybe Langdon steps up and holds it all together. Maybe that’s enough for Robby to overlook his past mistakes.

The other possibility takes it in a darker direction: regardless of whether Langdon steps up, Dr. Robby lets him keep treating patients in an emergency situation knowing he had stolen meds and might be high while working. That creates a real dilemma for Robby, because turning Langdon in now implicates himself, too. Maybe, in the heat of the moment, letting Langdon stay made sense. But a medical board probably wouldn’t see it that way. If Langdon does a full heel turn, maybe that gives him leverage to keep his job. Then again, Dr. Santos knowing the truth complicates things.

Honestly, I don’t know. It all feels too cut-and-dry for there not to be another twist coming — one that lets Langdon stick around. He’s too valuable to the hospital — and Patrick Ball too valuable to the cast — to send him packing after just one season, even if that’s the most realistic (and bittersweet) outcome.