The Return of Dr. Jack Abbott in Season 2 of “The Pit”

The second season of the pit, which premiered in January, has brought back various familiar faces, including Dr. Robbie and Dr. Langdon, along with Nurse Dana and many others from the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center’s emergency department. This raises the question: are there any standout characters from Season 1 who haven’t shown up yet? What about Sean Hatosy’s Dr. Jack Abbott?

Hatosy, who won an Emmy for his portrayal of a military veteran managing PTMC at night, made a brief appearance in the first episode. His character gained significant popularity during the series’ final moments while assisting during a mass casualty incident, something he learned about through his police scanner.

As we approach the latter half of Season 2, Abbott has yet to make an appearance. In a conversation with Sean Hatosy, who was teamed with Sepideh Moafi (who plays Dr. Al Hashimi) during a Season 2 promotional event, we pointed out that Abbott was still missing after six episodes. When we joked about whether he was actually part of the new season, Hatosy replied, “I think so.”

He then hinted at what might bring Abbott back into the mix in Season 2, stating, “Abbott comes in. [In Episode 7], he’s working as a SWAT officer that day. Typically, they bring in a doctor in case something goes wrong, and Abbott is a great fit for that since he often does this on his days off.” This connection to the police scanner makes sense, he added.

According to HBO Max, a sneak peek for Episode 7 reveals Abbott returning alongside one of his SWAT colleagues to the ED. Hatosy explained, “That’s why he’s appearing in Season 2; he wasn’t on duty but came in to manage a situation. Dr. Al Hashimi’s immediate response was, ‘Who is this person, and why are they dressed like that?’”

Moafi chimed in, humorously questioning, “SWAT? Really?”

Interestingly, Sean Hatosy, like his character, has a side role—he also directs several episodes, including Season 2, Episode 9. He acknowledged that being a cast member actually made it easier for him to prepare as a director. “It’s fascinating because the set comprises 95% of the action. Being constantly present helped me to familiarize myself with the layout and design of PTMC,” he noted.

He added, “As an actor, when I’m preparing for one episode, I can’t help but think about how that scene will fit into the overall narrative. It’s a challenge to separate those two roles sometimes.” However, he found the experience of directing among talented actors and writers rewarding and hopes to pursue more directing opportunities in the future.

Catch the pit Season 2 Episode 7 tonight at 9 PM ET on HBO Max.