One ofThe Pitt’s most important characters won’t be returning in season 2, and their absence highlights a harsh reality about HBO Max’s acclaimed medical drama.The Pitthas always been unique. Its real-time format, coupled with the nerve-wrackingemergency room realism ofThe Pittand more, made it a huge hit for HBO Max and helpedThe Pittseason 2get renewed before its first season was over.
The incrediblecast ofThe Pittalso helped the series become a massive hit. From Noah Wyle’s Dr. Robby to up-and-coming actors like Patrick Ball’s Dr. Langdon,The Pittwas filled with engaging characters. One of the show’s best characters, however, isn’t returning for the second season. Her absence will be felt, and it’s already proven a harsh reality aboutThe Pitt.

If Collins Can Be Absent From An Entire Season, There’s No Reason To Expect The Pitt’s Cast To Stay Consistent
Image via Max
Dr. Heather Collins (Tracy Ifeachor) isn’t returning inThe Pittseason 2. The decision was cited as a creative choice, not a personal one, and it seems that Collins just doesn’t fit intoThe Pittseason 2’s story.Collins' absence is a bummer in its own right, but it also highlights something aboutThe Pitt: we shouldn’t expect the show’s cast to stay consistent between seasons.
The Pittseason 2 will feature a time jump and take place over the Fourth of July weekend, several months after the PittFest shooting in season 1. The real-time format of the show also means that each season is only going to follow a single shift on a single day.It would be incredibly unrealistic to expect each season ofThe Pittto use the exact same staff for each shift.

There are so many reasons the doctors and nurses at PTMC would move around between shifts and seasons.Doctors like Collins may simply not be scheduled on the dayThe Pittchooses to depict, people go on vacation, and even medical students move between hospitals rather frequently. Collins is just the first example of howThe Pittis showing the ways a hospital’s staff rotates.
Collins' Story Still Has Loose Ends & Unfulfilled Potential & She Might Return In The Pitt Season 3
Though it is realistic for Collins to not be working inThe Pittseason 2’s shift, it’s still disappointing.Collins' story - like the rest of the characters' - never got resolved inThe Pittseason 1. We never found out what she decided to do about her miscarriage, whether she tried for another baby, or if she and Robby rekindled their romance.
Collins not appearing inThe Pittseason 2 means we’ll have to wait for a real resolution to her story. Other characters might mention her in passing, but she would need to physically be present to get closure on some of her plot threads. Luckily,PTMC’s rotating staff also means Collins could be on shift inThe Pittseason 3, which would be the perfect way to pick her story back up.

Dr. Robby Is Likely The Only Pitt Cast Member Who Can Be Expected For Every Season
Robby Is The Clear Protagonist Of The Pitt, But His Supporting Doctors & Nurses May Not Always Be The Same
There’s likely only one character inThe Pittwho won’t have to deal with PTMC’s rotating schedule: Dr. Robby.Robby is clearly the main character ofThe Pitt, and it’s his relationships and role at the hospital that serves as the show’s connective tissue and emotional heart.The Pittwouldn’t work without Robby, so we’ll probably never see a shift where he’s not working.
The only way Robby may not appear in a season ofThe Pittis if a spinoff show ever materializes, like the rumored one about Shawn Hatosy’s Dr. Abbot. For now, though, the only mystery surroundingThe Pitt’s cast isn’t whether Robby will be there or not, it’s who he’s going to interact with and what relationships of his the show will focus on.