HBO Summary:
The daily lives of healthcare professionals in a Pittsburgh hospital as they juggle personal crises, workplace politics, and the emotional toll of treating critically ill patients, revealing the resilience required in their noble calling.
FYA Summary:
You may be thinking, god, another medical drama? That’s so similar to the 15-season powerhouse E.R. Michael Crichton’s estate sued for copyright infringement? And to that I say, HELL YES. Actually, when I first heard about it as episode one was rolling out, I rolled my eyes a little. I tuned in with trepidation, because as much as I liked Grey’s and House and E.R., the genre can get tired.
But this show has multiple things going for it: Noah Wyle, who has aged fantastically and manages to ooze warmth and sincerity as a doctor for 20+ years in a way almost no one else can; an episodic formula a la 24 where each episode takes place over one hour of a fifteen-hour shift; a diverse and charming cast that treats its characters with care; and, a kind of mix between pragmatism and hopefulness and realism that we haven’t seen from a show in quite a while.
Familiar Faces:
L-R: Isa Briones, Taylor Dearden, Gerran Howell, and Katherine LaNasa
L-R: Ned Brower, Patrick Ball, Noah Wyle, Tracy Ifeachor
It’s impossible to get an image or even two of the entire principal cast, which probably hovers close to 20 people, so I just won’t. Go check out IMDB if you want to see who is who! Suffice it to say, everyone is excellent in their roles, and, aside from Noah Wyle and a handful of the guest stars, most of the medical staff and background players are complete unknowns to me, and I LOVE IT. (That is also not to say some of them don’t have some notoriety already, like Isa Briones who has been on Broadway in Hadestown, but they are not in my orbit.) Thank you, showrunners, for taking a chance on talented but lesser-known actors and giving them the chance to earn some time in the spotlight. I am getting so tired of seeing the same actors in everything (sorry, Glen Powell and even Ryan Gosling, but GTFO of here).
Fun fact about Ned Brower who plays Nurse Jesse (pictured above), he used to be in the indie band, Rooney (a college favorite of mine), and he had tried modeling and acting for a while before quitting to become an EMT and then an actual nurse, then came back to acting for this show. What a life!
I’d be here all day if I talked about all the characters, because they each have something unique and standout to them, so if you want to highlight someone specific with me, shout ‘em out in the comments!
Couch-Sharing Capability: Paging The Household
This is an excellent show to watch with others because you’ll have so much to discuss, like do you think that procedure is disgusting or SUPER disgusting? How many times will Whitaker change his scrubs this episode? Can Santos GET anymore annoying? When can we have more of the badasses from the Night Shift? Were you also slapped in the eyeballs by that surprise peen?!
Recommended Level of Inebriation: Low…Or High
I mean, if drinking makes you morose then you probably don’t need anything else but the show to make you sad; I was ugly crying when those adult siblings said goodbye to their dying father. But maybe if the show makes you TOO sad, and you need to drink enough to forget, then…you do you, boo.
Use of Your Streaming Subscription: Required Viewing
I mean, by this point I am probably the last person on the internet to tell you to watch this show, but if you ever had any interest in medical dramas, GO WATCH IT. This harkens back to a time when it really was Must See TV on primetime, but with the added benefit of being on a prestige platform to add to the realism.
The cases are timely, the characters are interesting and well-developed, and that multi-episode run of the aftermath of the shooting are some of the most gut-wrenching moments, and yet necessary when gun violence is such an epidemic in this country.
Not only do I enjoy what’s happening on the screen, behind the scenes sounds pretty damn interesting too. There are real doctors and nurses on set to literally direct the technical procedure moments and they are often in the background shots as well. The show kept its smaller-bit extras and guest stars around for almost the entire season (thus giving them extra pay) to stay in the backgrounds for continuity and realism. They heard the real-life feedback from health practitioners and said they will add in Respiratory Therapists to next season because it was unrealistic for them not to be in the ER. Noah Wyle also said the idea to go back to a medical show came to him because of the horrors we saw our healthcare workers go through during the pandemic, and as the son of two people in the healthcare system, he wanted to highlight the incredibly difficult times people in that field are still going through.
The Pitt is renewed for Season 2 and, shockingly, it will be coming back in January 2026, LESS than a year after the finale aired. What year is it!?
You already know that you influenced me to watch this when you dibs it 😂 I’m glad I pushed through my squeamishness of realistic gore, because I did end up liking it! Also glad that there will be a new season in an extremely timely manner!
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
We randomly ran into Noah Wyle when we were honeymooning in Mexico. I’m not saying Sandy would have traded me, but I’m not NOT saying that.
LOL. That’s so neat!