I'm not going to say it would be impossible for the show to do anything wrong because it's dumb to pedestal a TV show, but I honestly think that because The Pitt tries to do things in a more realism based fashion with characters that behave more realistically, if something makes you innately uncomfortable about behavior, that's probably the point.
I think a lot of fans, especially younger ones seem to be used to TV shows where characters are either obviously good or obviously bad and scenarios actually outright tell you how you're supposed to feel about them (which to me is a disturbing trend, but actually not the point right now) and that isn't really done on The Pitt so you kind of have to think for yourself about how things make you feel and what that means.
The thing that makes me really emotional about joel miller is that he thinks he's defined by his grief. He thinks his defining feature is what he's missing and what he uses to fill that gap (which is anger). But in reality he is defined by his love.
He thinks that losing Sarah is *the* defining moment of his life, and in some ways it definitely is, but he reduces himself to his grief. He doesn't really like to think about the kinder parts of himself, because he thinks he lost all that with Sarah. The only parts of himself that he recognizes and understands is the anger and the grief. It becomes his shield.
That is, until Ellie. She weasels her way past those walls and helps him redefine himself not by what he's lost, but by what he has. She reminds him that he's more than anger and grief, that he is love too. And as both ellie and joel himself learn too see that, so does the audience. We, alongside joel, redefine his character. His outstanding trait shifts throughout the narrative.
Joel miller has always been a character built on the love he holds for other people, even if he cant see that sometimes. Ellie taught him to see that again, and taught US to see that again. We know his true character from the beginning because we see him with sarah, but we lose sight of it just the way he does.
Anyways this whole long post is just to say that joel chose to define himself by a part of him(his grief) he hated because that felt safer than the love that got him there in the first place. He rediscovers and redefines himself because ellie pulls that love to the forefront of his mind. All this to say joel is a character built on love who spends so long not believing in it and not believing he even has the capacity for it anymore, when we very clearly see that he not only has the capacity but actively has so much to give. All because of ellie. He finds himself again because of her. Yeah im fine why do you ask.
finally actually watching animal kingdom and GOD pope really is an under stimulated working dog????? he’s trashing the furniture he’s in everybody’s space they’re hiding his meds in food he’s BEGGING for a job for something to do to be thrown a bone(joke intended)(his words too) he knows to be gentle with small ones instinctively but he plays increasingly rougher with the older and bigger boys baz gives him a bloody nose he doesn’t give a shit he’s got the Task of Play and he’s playing so good right now look at him go he wants attention attention attention sneaking into houses wandering around the city looking for someone to tell him what to do mommy won’t play with him like she used to like he’s used to the new pup isn’t broken in yet his brothers aren’t letting him in hell yeah he’s gonna start misbehaving he’s been pacing in a cell for 3 years and now he’s fishing a shark to feed craig’s dogs what the fuck he needs to MOVE to PLAY to WORK and now they all have to lie low and wait which means he’s still fighting to stay sane without a fucking objective i love him so much he wants to bond with j so bad i can see it god bless you shawn and your micro expressions he wants to make a good impression but he doesn’t know how but also he doesn’t like j he’s new and strange but he’s just a kid and he’s julia’s kid and pope wants a kid so so bad and he wants julia so so bad but he can’t have either but he could have j but he doesn’t know how to not scare him
anyway i’ve only seen 3 episodes and im only watching for pope but my GOD my BABYYYYY
One thing I dig about Robby is that he's wildly kind and empathetic... and also an entire fucking dick. Queen Bitch of the Cunt Parade over there. Thinks he's got all the answers, hates to have his authority questioned (especially by women!), and snarking back is his first instinct. Fandom has a tendency to sand off his edges because of his big heart, but nah dudes, this man will cut you.
And I fuckin' LOVE it.
I absolutely fucking love how well they're handling Robby's character. he's not overtly sad/slow anything like that— in fact, he seems almost cheerful. laughing and grinning, much lighter this episode than the season one pilot. why? because he already has plans. because he knows after this shift, it's over. it's the fucking warnings for suicide. if a depressed person suddenly seems "happier"... you check in on them.
it's reminiscent of s1, his interaction with Dana— "the hairier it gets, the funnier you get, and you are on fire today." he's not going to be obvious about it. the only reason he's a bit more settled is because there's 'an end in sight' of sorts. Robby please get help
