The medical drama The Pitt is back for another intense shift, and the emergency room is more crowded than ever. The show’s second season arrives on January 8, 2026, with a story set during a chaotic Fourth of July weekend. While most of the beloved doctors and nurses from the first season are returning, they will be joined by a large group of new staff members and patients, including one major new attending physician stepping in.
The Core Doctors and Nurses Who Are Coming Back
The heart of the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center remains its core team of healthcare workers, and nearly all are returning for the new 15-hour shift. The story picks up 10 months after the events of the first season.
Leading the team again is Noah Wyle as the senior attending physician, Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch. After the traumatic events of the last shift, which included a mass casualty event, Robby is planning a three-month sabbatical. He intends to take a motorcycle trip to recover from the emotional toll of the job.
A key return is Patrick Ball as Dr. Frank Langdon. The senior resident was sent away by Robby at the end of last season to complete a mandatory treatment program. The new season begins on his first day back at work, which creates immediate tension as his return overlaps with Robby’s planned departure.
The rest of the medical residents are also advancing in their careers and returning for the new shift:
- Supriya Ganesh as third-year resident Dr. Samira Mohan.
- Fiona Dourif as second-year resident and single mother Dr. Cassie McKay.
- Taylor Dearden as the neurodivergent second-year resident Dr. Melissa “Mel” King.
- Isa Briones as the ambitious intern Dr. Trinity Santos.
- Gerran Howell as Dennis Whitaker, who has moved from being a fourth-year medical student to a paid intern.
- Shabana Azeez as the brilliant medical student Victoria Javadi.
In charge of the nursing staff is Katherine LaNasa, reprising her Emmy-winning role as charge nurse Dana Evans. After considering retirement in Season 1, she has decided to stay. Other returning staff includes night shift attending physician Dr. Jack Abbott, played by Shawn Hatosy, and the fan-favorite Dr. John Shen (“Iced Coffee Guy”), played by Ken Kirby.
One Major Character Who Is Not Returning
There is one significant absence from the new season. Tracy Ifeachor will not return as senior resident Dr. Heather Collins. Her character had a powerful storyline in the first season involving a pregnancy and miscarriage. Show producers have noted that the nature of a teaching hospital means residents eventually “roll off” as they progress in their careers, which explains her departure.
Meet the New Doctor in Charge: Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi
The biggest new addition to the main cast is Sepideh Moafi, who joins as a series regular. She will play Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi, a new attending physician who is stepping in to run the emergency department while Robby is on his sabbatical.
Dr. Al-Hashimi is not a complete stranger to the team. She previously worked with both Dr. Mel King and Dr. Samira Mohan at a veteran’s hospital. Actor Sepideh Moafi is known for her roles in series like The L Word: Generation Q and the limited series Black Bird.
Showrunner R. Scott Gemmill has revealed that the biggest driver of the Season 2 time jump is Langdon’s return, setting the stage for new dynamics with the incoming leadership.
New Nurses, Residents, and Hospital Staff Joining the Shift
Beyond the new attending, several other actors are joining the cast in recurring roles as new hospital employees.
Meta Golding (Criminal Minds, Ransom Canyon) will play Noelle Hastings, a new nurse. Luke Tennie, from Shrinking and Abbott Elementary, takes on the role of Dr. Crus Henderson, a fourth-year resident who works the night shift. Christopher Thornton (Magnum P.I., The Lincoln Lawyer) will appear as Dr. Caleb Jefferson, the psychiatric attending physician on duty.
Additional new staff includes:
- Irene Choi as Joy, a third-year medical student.
- Lucas Iverson as James, a fourth-year medical student.
- Laëtitia Hollard as Emma, a recent nursing school graduate.
- Rusty Schwimmer as Monica Peters, a hospital clerk.
A new authoritative figure will also appear: Victor Rivas Rivers (Better Call Saul, Modern Family) will guest star as Trent Norris, the CEO of the Pittsburgh Trauma Center.
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The Patients and Guests Filling the ER This Season
As with the first season, the drama unfolds not just among the staff but through the patients who come through the doors. The Fourth of July weekend setting promises a flood of fireworks injuries and other holiday-related emergencies. A large group of actors has been cast in these patient and guest roles.
Some of the notable patient roles include:
- Zack Morris (EastEnders, Goosebumps) as Jackson Davis, a patient suffering from uncontrollable outbursts.
- Brittany Allen and Taylor Handley as a married couple, Roxie and Paul Hamler, who are patients in the ER.
- Travis Van Winkle (You, FUBAR) as Curtis Larson, an aggressive ER patient.
- Charles Baker (Skinny Pete from Breaking Bad) as Troy, an unhoused patient.
- Lawrence Robinson as Brian Hancock, a charming patient with a soccer injury.
- Jayne Taini as Evelyn Bostick, an emergency department patient with Alzheimer’s.
- Annabelle Toomey as Kylie Conners, another ED patient.
Other guests include Bonita Friedericy as Cora Wilkins, a woman visiting a patient, and Jeff Kober as Duke, a motorcycle engineer and friend of one of the doctors. In a special bit of casting, Brad Dourif will play Neil McKay, the father of Dr. Cassie McKay. In real life, Brad Dourif is the father of actor Fiona Dourif.
When and Where to Watch the New Season
The Pitt Season 2 will premiere on HBO Max on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at 9:00 PM ET. The season will consist of 15 episodes, with each episode representing one real-time hour of the holiday weekend shift. New episodes will be released weekly on Thursdays, with the season finale scheduled for April 16, 2026.
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