The Pitt appeared to have an editing — and continuity — mistake in a scene involving Patrick Ball’s fan favorite character, Dr. Frank Langdon.
During the season 2 premiere, which aired on Thursday, January 8, Langdon returned to the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center 10 months after his last shift ended with him getting dismissed and seeking help for his substance abuse issues.
Langdon’s first day back was met with mixed reactions from his coworkers, but all viewers could talk about was his wedding ring. In the first look at his hand — when he was trying to open his locker — Langdon wasn’t wearing anything. By the time he had officially returned to start his shift, a wedding band appeared on his left hand.
“Deciphering why langdon shows up without his ring when he arrives to change for his shift and then later appears wearing a ring,” a social media user wrote via X.
Another fan was confused whether it was intentional, adding, “What EYE don’t understand is he was wearing in his street clothes with the ring ON but then had it OFF at the lockers and OFF with dana but then had it on again when he was getting his mel hug so ? is it continuity error or WHAT?”
Not everyone saw it as an editing error. For others, Langdon’s wedding ring would be brought up later in the season.
“Him coming from home without his ring but putting it on for his shift. Oh he’s sooo separated but not ready to talk about it people!!!!” read an X theory, while someone else suggested, “He put it on after the scene with dana after he ties up his scrubs… he’s wearing the ring for appearances… WALK WITH ME!”
Ball, 35, previously weighed in on the state of his character’s marriage, telling Us Weekly in September 2025, “Everything’s really great and I’m really happy.” The actor went on to play coy about the overwhelming support for Langdon to find love — with coworker Dr. Melissa “Mel” King (Taylor Dearden).
“I have no idea what you all are on about,” he joked. “I have no idea. That is my sister.”
Ball also broke down what fans can expect from Langdon’s first day back in the ER.
“Mel came in on her first day, and I immediately saw her as someone who had a lot to offer and a lot of talent and had the right stuff,” he noted about the season 1 parallel. “[She] might have needed a little bit of encouragement to step into her power.”
Langdon and Mel will now see a shift in the workplace.
“I think the tables have turned a little bit,” Ball teased. “Coming out of rehab and doing some soul-searching, I might need a little encouragement.”
New episodes of The Pitt premiere on HBO Max every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.
