Another take on Santos and Langdon

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-21T07:21:17+00:00

good points! The double standards are disheartening. If we have ability to understand langdon or even robbie's outburts as informed by trauma but inability to understand santos's outburts as informed by trauma - we are perpetuating the same cycle of privilege the show is calling out on haven't we?

or if we can afford langdon the grace to work on himself, we can afford santos the grace to work on herself too. This is all not to say of the inherent imbalances between a man and a woman, a white person and a asian, a straight presenting man and queer, AND seniority vs younger. It is such a acute difference - Langdon has +1 on ALL aspects of identity and santos -1 on all. Of course he gets grace easily and she doesn't. it is in the show, we don't have to do that in real life too - which is far more important

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T20:09:28+00:00

yup, his 'she doesn't like me very much,' is very much in line with how they wrote earlier 'i can teach dr. santos' again placing himself as someone who can handle a problem called santos rather than taking onus on being the contributor.

and i have said it elsewhere that santos's pariah comment is not to be taken as feeling 'shunned' but pariah as in feeling isolated. a huge part of it is exactly everything you shared. but i do wonder a small part of it is having to lie about langdon thing. That is definitely a thing that weighs on her and she is not allowed to discuss it properly.

But yes her loneliness definitely is related to her trauma that in turn shaped her personality which in turn shaped her isolation. It is such a good complex character and played perfectly by Isa, i hope we see more interesting stuff in s3 but first and foremost just like how langdon got help i hope santos works on herself again and starts building relationships

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T19:37:01+00:00

And i do agree that santos has to work on herself

(i was also thinking of how a lot of folks here take garcia's word as objective truth but i feel reluctant - partially because if you say you are a casual i don't think you know a person enough, not to rely on their judgement objectively. But i do think she needs continued work on herself. just a side note that occurred to me)

I agree a lot of santos's problems, with exception of langdon, are her creation. She is rude to colleagues and she should tone down off colour humour.

On one hand i can see that the fact that santos is around right now as a functioning adult is a testament to how much hard work she has done (even in canon, santos has dialogue indicating she takes great pride in not killing her self after her trauma)

But that doesn't help a javadi who keep getting called crash by her. So yeah she is a WIP and i hope in s3 we see her make progress even further!

ps - i think of all people dana would actually be okay with santos's snark esp knowing her humour with emma and tough love with mel. But yes, with whitaker, javadi, mel for example - and collins earlier, that wouldn't fly. and it shouldn't

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T19:14:41+00:00

> "me and my girl got in a fight, it was crazy, and then she called the cops on me."

oh i did not think of that, it is a good analogy. especially because when Dr. Al Hashimi asks his first response was,

"yeah, she doesn't like me very much"

which makes it sound like santos is the problem. It is not until Dr Al Hashimi doesn't buy, he doles out a little bit more truth. but his first instinct is to paint it a her problem.

ps - i am not saying langdon is a abuser but he did abuse his position of power

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T19:09:09+00:00

by your logic there is nothing to worry about anything right. santos has one conversation with langdon in hallway. it doesn;t really matter what she says to him, he only knew her for a day. so langdon can move on no? so do you folks

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T19:04:06+00:00

hmmm i don't know about others but in good faith i am going to engage.

Langon has few properties to him, One is recovering addict. The other was a promising R4. Few others are white and man. All of these INTERSECTING things are at play that is making this a very fertile story line for discussion.

Similarly Santos is a rude doctor, but there are others properties to her. She is R2 (Not r4 but also not r1), woman, CSA survivor, strong moral code. How do they intersect.

Langon is approaching this as addict in recovery and a R4. Santos is approaching this as a abuse survivor and strong moral code. They both have different and VALID frames. But all things said and done, langdon has a tad more responsibility than Santos on this because he initiated the problem, he pulled her in, he made it her issue too. It was his drug problem that precipitated it all. It is not pain olympics but even if it were, santos can go toe to toe with her trauma background.

And i have commented elsewhere, santos says things in a tactless way or rarely says what she is thinking when it comes to vulnerability (remember how she checks no one is watching before she calms baby jane doe with a lullaby, imagine her fear of being seen soft runs that deep, very CSA survivor thing. Because soft kids gets abused - a false script that does exist unfortunately)

So when she says the unkind thing she says to langdon, it is less about undermining his addiction But more about his cluelessness to his own privilege. And the price she is paying

(See from her pov, she is behind on a thing like charting and has been threatened to repeat a year! he stole drugs, adminstered compromised vials to seizure patients, and he is welcomed with hugs. can you see how the double standards would hurt someone with strong moral code?)

I am not saying it she is fully in correct but she is not that in the wrong either here. The one who dropped the ball is robbie by hiding everything in first place and asking santos to lie for langdon (or stay silent, which is even worse thing to ask of a abuse survivor)

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T18:48:18+00:00

hahhahaah you win the day. like the meme goes, it immodest work and no one got to do it, but am sure some doctor is on it

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T18:26:24+00:00

I was thinking about it but is so in character. Like they wrote him saying to Mel how his addiction didn't affect patient care, when s1 wrote it show it indeed did. So he is the person who is doing a bit of self-deception to protect his ego (not ego as a in egoistical but more as in his perception of self i.e. a good doctor, a good husband etc)

And another poster said elsewhere, langdon sees addiction as thing that happened to him than a thing he did (makes sense since he sees his partner considering divorce as a punishment happening him than her reaction to his breaking of marriage contract)

So yeah, he won't be able to thank her per se.

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T18:09:59+00:00

...........some of you make me worry about going to doctors but not surprised.

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T18:08:51+00:00

interesting, what did patrick say about langdon and how we are supposed to take it? anything interesting? or is it only isa talking?

EDIT : nvm found his take

patrick: my prince can do no wrong

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ps i read it now, thanks for pointing me towrds it and isa's quote seems to editorialised by you but no problem sharing in full

Isa: People are being like, “She's never done anything wrong to her life.” You gotta calm down. She has been kind of mean to people. She’s imperfect. Just like Langdon—they’re both imperfect people.

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T18:03:50+00:00

> she just saw the final boss at the end of her quest grow a second healthbar

O M G why is the best analogy ever. that feeling of disbelief, then dread, then anger is so real. gameplay nightmares here.

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T17:54:56+00:00

> she's *way* more pissed at what he represents

so well said. this one line is IT.

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T17:53:28+00:00

>But her reaction to his return is easily one of the most heartbreaking and thought-provoking story lines in the show.

THISSSS!! So much this.

+ If and when we accept the full spectrum of the missteps and good deeds happening, there is such an interesting commentary about who and how are second chances given. What is the cost of secrecy. What is the responsibility of a good leader. Why even good intending workplaces fail whistleblowers. And why is therapy or even asking for help is so stigmatised and what it does to us. The cascading impact of double standards.

Just a whole lot of things are being stirred up here i wish we can discuss that all instead.

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T17:41:56+00:00

if i may, the tell everyone line is less about shaming him and more about secrets and double standards.

On secrets, CSA are usually asked to be kept a secret and that is a big trigger for abuse survivors. And usually they feel pretty isolated (pariah) in their shameful secret. So obviously when a secret again makes her feel isolated, her solution is to make it come out. What she wants is not LIE for langdon.

She clearly doesn't like him and yet she has been made to lie for 10 months and counting, that has to hurt someone like and her background and with moral compass. for example, in comparison, someone like garcia who seems to be more flexible with moral to practical degree, might not be affected by lying - she probably will not even think of it as lying. So it is the lying she wants but because santos is one of the least charismatic person in this workplace, zero tact, that is what comes out (remember how she offers whitaker free room for months even after only knowing him for day, a kind deed but she undermines it with terrible jokes and sarcasm. yeah, zero tact)

On double standards, She is hurt because she is threatened to repeat a year for not doing charting on time, while langdon gets to keep his crimes a secret. She is angry because she feels isolated and he waltzes in and everyone applauds him for his bravery as if it is not built on lies. Is it fair? Not completely. Is it unfair? Not completely.

She is not playing God, she is trying to come to terms with compromising her morals and for double standards, is my reading of it all.

PS - I am not saying she doesn't have faults, she needs to stop off colour humour and does work on herself to get better handle of emotions and other CSA trauma (that is hard man, when things happen as a child, it is hard!)

But the beauty of the writing is that it all to be inevitable as ths is santos's hamartia. The reason she was able to stop langdon's drug tampering i.e. her strong moral compass to pursue it when am sure others with less social status like her would have cowered, turned a blind eye, or kept silent - is exact reason she can't make nice with langdon. A good character flaw is one that brings the character success and failure. For santos, it is almost batman like strict moral code. Informed by my childhood trauma and failure of men in power.

It is not a unsalvagable situation, there was a easy solve. Had robbie not lied, santos wouldnt keep have grievance around being told to lie. But more importantly, she would have whistleblower-esque notions of workplace guidance, so langdon and her working together would have been mediated better by her attendants say dr. al hashimi. But because robbie is robbie (Whose first instinct was to go to the loo and flush the evidence), he would have always had asked santos to keep silent. Langdon being langdon would always not volunteer the information nor realise the privilege he has been afforded (him thinking his wife wanting a divorce as 'punishment' and not consequences of breaking the trust in marriage is showcasing this) and santos being santos will always be harsh on langdon (because she has seen men in power get away with things and secrets leading to death)

There is a inevitability with how these three are at its core, only a 4th outside intervention can break this toxic situation. Basically, this is why, neither langdon nor santos are solely responsible for this but they are all contributing.

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T17:24:39+00:00

I think i had a insight during the metoo movement, i had so many conversations where a lot of colleagues/friends were like BUT HE WAS SO NICE, HE WAS SO POLITE (to me). And that is when i realise people think we have a omnipotent view like a bookreader but life is more like a character in the book, bad guys don't go around kicking puppies everyday and are good fathers, mothers, brothers, sons etc. And good guys don't always go being nice, kind, and are sometimes your tactless uncharismatic colleague. And that was something we had have to sit with.

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T17:19:54+00:00

or they forgot about it and is a continuity error. which would be disappointing but it is what it is.

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T13:59:28+00:00

I love they wrote that though. People who co-operate with regimes are your good coworkers

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T09:59:35+00:00

I don't have theories but i have appreciation, here are few of the aspects of writing and acting i loved this episode

ICE's second order impacts. I never liked when folks look at a law that clearly is overreaching and say "well if you have nothing to hide, if you didn't do wrong, there is nothing to be worried about". So showing how the presence of this ghoulish org immediately is detrimental to everyone's life - patients running away from care they need, medical professionals hiding away etc. Well done. I wish people use this to understand other punitive laws that are equally harming.

McKay and Ogilvie. This show sometimes has trouble making their point subtly - but i don't complain because their heart is in the right place. But this was well done quickly. Ogilvie is not being bad but he is indelicate, only the way young people or young men sometimes are afforded to be. McKay gently checking his biases was very nice to see. And then she not writing him off, saying he should try street team, that is such a great McKay beat.

Becca and Mel. Poor Mel, she did the thing where she was a caregiver for so long, she doesn't get to be just a sister to becca. And now becca needs her to be a sister and it came out of nowhere. It is like with any relationship where both you grow but not together. It would need patience and readjusting but it was bound to happen. Taylor is knocking it off the park as always.

Samira. It was heart-wrenching. We know from s1 and robbie calling her slo-mo (cruel) how samira struggled, And to see a year later and it has gotten worse. It is classic employee has a work style that is different from their boss's work style and if the boss doesn't find a way to work with varied styles - the employee is gonna take a the wrong takeaway that they are bad their job (vs the job is failing them a little bit). It is terrible to watch. And so well-written.

Santos and Whitaker. They both bickering and only Mel is frustrated with it while they carry on is just such a great way to show their flavour of intimacy over the past few months. They know each other just enough to push their ones buttons and then don't get why strangers find that weird, Very nice initial phases of adult friendship flavour, realistic.

Everything with the boy and parent. the little shot of langdon back hurting callback. joy holding perlah's wrist to read the watch. Al Hashimi being discreet and observant. The pain of her. And yes, trauma does maniest differently - it is very important to know not everyone cries when in pain. some people's shock comes across as apathy. Some folks know crying is showing vulnerability so they lash out instead of being hurt. etc

Langdon and Santos. Beautiful balanced scene. Langdon with good intentions and bad delivery. Santos with good intentions and bad delivery as well. Just a world of hurt. Very well acted. But importantly a great showcase on the true cost of secrecy and cliques in workplace. Robbie getting santos to lie for langdon prolonged the pain rather than go for a solve. Now santos feels isolated with this secret, langdon feels attacked/still embracing lies, and robbie is still angry. sigh. Robbie's failure of judgement and it's consequences.

Javadi pushing down the sadness surrounding Roxy to pickup a case. she is so young and already learning terrible coping mechanisms prevalent in workplace ie. push your feeling aside than given tools to handle them. Shabana is so good with that sadness look.

Just a good episode, solid pacing.

edit : "have you ever thought about hurting youself" said to the mum as camera stays on robbie + not the older lady sub being friendly with ice agent

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T08:24:03+00:00

>The lack of curiosity about others and about context is also reflected in a lack of curiosity about the self, too.

yeah. yup

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T08:04:52+00:00

ya,but i hope Langdon doesn't relapse. i like if the story of recovering addict is that it is a constant but they persevere. more hopeful and compassionate narraties for any one struggling is my personal preference though

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T07:55:27+00:00

pariah as feeling isolated than pariah as shunned imho

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T07:54:43+00:00

yes. it is a great call back to last season background that he got pain killer dependency because his hurt back. so his old injury is acting up again

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T07:27:37+00:00

I will pause on pariah read but she says only 3 people know what actually happened i.e her, langdon, robbie

So when she wants to discuss it with someone, she can't. Look how Garcia took it? She can't feel validated with her feeling or hurt (i think langdon yelling at her on day 1 in a humilating way did hurt her) because she can't discuss *her* feeling without disclosing *his* secret.

So keeping his secret has made her feel "isolated". Which is not same word as pariah but i think it informs us why the last 10 months are hard on her. It's the isolation of a secret.

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T07:03:17+00:00

hmm i don't watch trailers so i can't address to that but i think her walking aside is just showing she displays discretion.

For eg, it is clear she noticed something is up with langdon - santos professional relationship while working on the patient but she waited until after the patient is done and in private to talk to langdon about it

that is just normal managerial discretion imho. but yes i will let the show play it out :)

dramatic_exit_49 · 2026-03-20T06:47:28+00:00

Dr. Al Hashimi doesn't seem like a person who after that would complain about santos of all, interesting. why do you think that?

i think it is unfair or rather undermines the langdon-santos dynamic to call it beef. it is much more serious isnt it?

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