Everyone hates The Pitt‘s Dr. Santos for outing Dr. Langdon after learning how he was secretly self-medicating, but she was absolutely in the right. The Pitt‘s characters all bring something new to the table, offering a plethora of unique viewpoints that sometimes clash with others. This is especially the case for residents and interns, whose typically fresh perspectives on the medical field don’t always mean they see eye-to-eye with senior attendings. Such is the case with Santos and Langdon, who are constantly at each other’s throats throughout the series.
Santos and Langdon’s conflict is reflective of The Pitt‘s medical realism, as the pair are constantly arguing over what to do with patients. Langdon is shown to be collected yet commanding, insistent that interns like her follow his guidance to ensure patient safety and that proper protocols are followed. However, Santos doesn’t always do that, leading her to treat patients in ways that her superior doesn’t always agree with. This conflict is further exacerbated by her mood around other doctors, and how she treats other characters in The Pitt.
Dr. Trinity Santos’s Abrasive Personality In The Pitt Is Off-Putting
It Doesn’t Seem Like She’s There To Make Any Friends
Santos is cocky and abrasive right from the start of the show, often belittling her peers like Victoria and Dr. Whittaker. She gives the latter the mocking nickname “Huckleberry” for having grown up on a farm, and sees him as a competitor while treating patients. However, she’s the only one of the younger doctors to feel that way, often having a smug attitude around them like she knows better all the time. Langdon is quick to pick up on this, clashing with her over a number of important medical decisions in the process.
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More about Santos is revealed as the show goes on, however, such as her passion for justice even if it doesn’t always follow procedure. This was first seen in The Pitt episode 7, when she confronted an incapacitated patient who was allegedly abusing his daughter. Despite her competitive nature and overly-confident attitude, the episode showcased a more sympathetic side to her, even if her handling of the situation went against protocol. However, that sense of needing to right wrongs is also what caused her to out Langdon to Robby.
Audiences Hate Dr. Santos Mostly For Outing Dr. Langdon In The Pitt
She Told Robby He Was Abusing Medication Behind His Back
During the first two thirds of The Pitt season 1, Santos began to notice discrepancies in pain medication being given to patients and getting disposed of. In particular, she noticed these occurring around Langdon. This caused her to confide in Robby about her beliefs, pushing Langdon’s dark story forward as he’s discovered to have been abusing pain meds. While he says he’s self-medicating to treat withdrawal symptoms from hurting his back, Robby forces him into a five-year treatment program so he can keep his career.
Her decision to report him can be construed as her final, successful slight against him, laying the groundwork for deeper conflict between them when The Pitt season 2 comes out.
The moment is one that makes it easy to dislike Santos, especially because her actions nearly cost the senior attending his position at the hospital. She’s made easier to hate because her clashes with Langdon have involved him following the rules, while she takes careless risks that could put patients in danger. Her decision to report him can be construed as her final, successful slight against him, laying the groundwork for deeper conflict between them when The Pitt season 2 comes out.
Santos Has A Lot To Learn, But She Made The Right Call Regarding Langdon
Langdon’s Abuse Of Pain Meds Could Have Put Patients In Danger
Despite how unlikeable she is, though, Santos made the right call reporting Langdon to Robby. Had she said nothing and allowed him to continue medicating himself, he could have put patients’ lives in danger by being under the influence on the job. It was also implied he was stealing meds that should have been going to patients, something that could have further put their lives at risk. Even though he made a mistake he clearly won’t make again, Santos did the right thing for the good of the hospital.
It’s understandable why Santos gets so much hate, but her reporting Langdon tapped into the sense of justice she displayed in previous episodes. She might still be The Pitt‘s least adored character, but she made the right call in outing the senior attending. How it impacts her relationship with him and others at the hospital going forward remains unclear. But, given her willingness to do whatever it takes to be the best at her craft, Langdon is unlikely to be the only person she gets into conflict with in the episodes ahead.
All episodes of The Pitt season 1 are streaming on Max.
8/10
- Release Date
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January 9, 2025
- Network
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Max
- Showrunner
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R. Scott Gemmill
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Noah Wyle
Dr. Michael ‘Robby’ Robinavitch
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Tracy Ifeachor
Uncredited
