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''The Pitt'' is an American
medical Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...
procedural drama A procedural or procedural drama is a cross-genre type of literature, film, or television program which places emphasis on technical detail. A documentary film may also be written in a procedural style to heighten narrative. A popular subgenre is t ...
television series created by
R. Scott Gemmill R. Scott Gemmill is a Canadian-American television writer and producer born in Fort Erie, Ontario Canada. He worked extensively on '' JAG'' and '' ER.'' Since its eighth season, he was the showrunner of '' NCIS: Los Angeles''. Gemmill worked on ...
, and executive produced by John Wells and
Noah Wyle Noah Strausser Speer Wyle (; born June 4, 1971) is an American actor, writer, producer and director. He rose to fame as John Carter in the NBC medical drama '' ER'' (1994–2009), receiving five Emmy Award nominations, three Golden Globe Award ...
. It is Gemmill, Wells and Wyle's second collaboration, having previously worked together on '' ER''. It stars Wyle,
Tracy Ifeachor Tracy Ifeachor (born ) is a British television and theatre actress. She is best known for playing the role of Aya Al-Rashid in The CW vampire series '' The Originals'', and Abigail Naismith in the ''Doctor Who'' Christmas special, " The End of ...
,
Patrick Ball Patrick Ball (born June 26, 1965) is an American statistician known for his quantitative analysis of human rights violations. He has provided statistical analysis for truth commissions, non-governmental organizations, international criminal trib ...
,
Katherine LaNasa Katherine LaNasa (born December 1, 1966) is an American actress. She starred in films ''Jayne Mansfield's Car'', '' The Campaign'', and ''The Frozen Ground''. On television, LaNasa has had a leading roles in the sitcom '' Three Sisters'' (2001� ...
, Supriya Ganesh,
Fiona Dourif Fiona Christianne Dourif (born October 30, 1981) is an American actress and producer. She is best known for her starring role as Nica Pierce in the '' Child's Play'' franchise, including the horror film '' Curse of Chucky'' (2013), its sequel ...
,
Taylor Dearden Taylor Dearden Cranston (born February 12, 1993) is an American actress. She played Ophelia in the MTV show '' Sweet/Vicious''. She also was Chloe Lyman in the second season of Netflix's ''American Vandal'' and Dr. Melissa "Mel" King in Max's ''T ...
, Isa Briones,
Gerran Howell Gerran Howell is a Welsh actor from Barry, Wales. He is best known for playing the titular character in ''Young Dracula'', a CBBC television series that initially aired in 2006, and Dennis Whitaker in the medical drama ''The Pitt'', which premi ...
and
Shabana Azeez Shabana Azeez (born 1996) is an Australian actress. She is best known for her role as medical student Victoria Javadi on the medical drama ''The Pitt''. Before this, she starred in '' Birdeater'', a 2023 Australian psychological thriller, and vo ...
. The series follows emergency department staff as they attempt to overcome the hardships of a single 15-hour work shift at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital all while having to navigate staff shortages, underfunding and insufficient resources. Each episode of the season covers approximately one hour of the work shift. ''The Pitt'' premiered on
Max Max or MAX may refer to: Animals * Max (American dog) (1983–2013), at one time purported to be the world's oldest living dog * Max (British dog), the first pet dog to win the PDSA Order of Merit (animal equivalent of the OBE) * Max (gorilla) ...
on January 9, 2025. The series has received acclaim from critics for its writing, direction and acting performances. The series has also been praised by the medical community for its accuracy, realistic portrayal of healthcare workers and addressing the psychological challenges faced in a post-pandemic world. ''The Pitt'' was renewed for a second season in February 2025, scheduled to premiere in January 2026.


Premise

Attending physician In the United States and Canada, an attending physician (also known as a staff physician or supervising physician) is a physician (usually an M.D., or D.O. in the United States) who has completed residency and practices medicine in a clinic ...
Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch starts a grueling shift at the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital's
emergency room An emergency department (ED), also known as an accident and emergency department (A&E), emergency room (ER), emergency ward (EW) or casualty department, is a medical treatment facility specializing in emergency medicine, the acute care of pat ...
(ER), nicknamed "the Pitt" by its staff, by welcoming four newcomers: Victoria Javadi, a third-year medical student; Dennis Whitaker, a fourth-year medical student; Dr. Trinity Santos, an
intern An internship is a period of work experience offered by an organization for a limited period of time. Once confined to medical graduates, internship is used to practice for a wide range of placements in businesses, non-profit organizations and g ...
; and Dr. Melissa "Mel" King, a second-year
resident Resident may refer to: People and functions * Resident minister, a representative of a government in a foreign country * Resident (medicine), a stage of postgraduate medical training * Resident (pharmacy), a stage of postgraduate pharmaceut ...
. Throughout the next fifteen hours, the students and residents learn more about their professional duties, while trying to deal with the emotional toll of patient care and the hardships of working in an overcrowded and underfunded ER, guided by Robby and the Pitt's other staff members, including
charge nurse Nursing management consists of the performance of the leadership functions of governance and decision-making within organizations employing nurses. It includes processes common to all management like planning, organizing, staffing, directing an ...
Dana Evans, second-year resident Dr. Cassie McKay, third-year resident Dr. Samira Mohan, and senior residents Dr. Heather Collins and Dr. Frank Langdon. Meanwhile, Robby struggles to cope with traumatic memories resurfacing on the fourth anniversary of his mentor's death, which happened in the Pitt during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
.


Cast and characters


Main

*
Noah Wyle Noah Strausser Speer Wyle (; born June 4, 1971) is an American actor, writer, producer and director. He rose to fame as John Carter in the NBC medical drama '' ER'' (1994–2009), receiving five Emmy Award nominations, three Golden Globe Award ...
as Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch, a senior
attending physician In the United States and Canada, an attending physician (also known as a staff physician or supervising physician) is a physician (usually an M.D., or D.O. in the United States) who has completed residency and practices medicine in a clinic ...
who is still reeling from his traumatic experiences during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
*
Tracy Ifeachor Tracy Ifeachor (born ) is a British television and theatre actress. She is best known for playing the role of Aya Al-Rashid in The CW vampire series '' The Originals'', and Abigail Naismith in the ''Doctor Who'' Christmas special, " The End of ...
as Dr. Heather Collins, a senior
resident Resident may refer to: People and functions * Resident minister, a representative of a government in a foreign country * Resident (medicine), a stage of postgraduate medical training * Resident (pharmacy), a stage of postgraduate pharmaceut ...
in the emergency room who clashes with Dr. Robby *
Patrick Ball Patrick Ball (born June 26, 1965) is an American statistician known for his quantitative analysis of human rights violations. He has provided statistical analysis for truth commissions, non-governmental organizations, international criminal trib ...
as Dr. Frank Langdon, a senior resident and Dr. Robby's right hand *
Katherine LaNasa Katherine LaNasa (born December 1, 1966) is an American actress. She starred in films ''Jayne Mansfield's Car'', '' The Campaign'', and ''The Frozen Ground''. On television, LaNasa has had a leading roles in the sitcom '' Three Sisters'' (2001� ...
as Dana Evans, the
charge nurse Nursing management consists of the performance of the leadership functions of governance and decision-making within organizations employing nurses. It includes processes common to all management like planning, organizing, staffing, directing an ...
of the emergency room * Supriya Ganesh as Dr. Samira Mohan, a third-year medical resident *
Fiona Dourif Fiona Christianne Dourif (born October 30, 1981) is an American actress and producer. She is best known for her starring role as Nica Pierce in the '' Child's Play'' franchise, including the horror film '' Curse of Chucky'' (2013), its sequel ...
as Dr. Cassie McKay, a 42-year-old second-year resident raising her young son, Harrison, as a single mother *
Taylor Dearden Taylor Dearden Cranston (born February 12, 1993) is an American actress. She played Ophelia in the MTV show '' Sweet/Vicious''. She also was Chloe Lyman in the second season of Netflix's ''American Vandal'' and Dr. Melissa "Mel" King in Max's ''T ...
as Dr. Melissa "Mel" King, a
neurodivergent The neurodiversity paradigm is a framework for understanding human brain function that considers the diversity within sensory processing, motor abilities, social comfort, cognition Cognition is the "mental action or process of acquiri ...
second-year resident who has experience working with military veterans * Isa Briones as Dr. Trinity Santos, a decisive and promising first-year resident with a cocky personality *
Gerran Howell Gerran Howell is a Welsh actor from Barry, Wales. He is best known for playing the titular character in ''Young Dracula'', a CBBC television series that initially aired in 2006, and Dennis Whitaker in the medical drama ''The Pitt'', which premi ...
as Dennis Whitaker, a fourth-year
medical student A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, professional school, or forms a part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, ...
who lacks confidence *
Shabana Azeez Shabana Azeez (born 1996) is an Australian actress. She is best known for her role as medical student Victoria Javadi on the medical drama ''The Pitt''. Before this, she starred in '' Birdeater'', a 2023 Australian psychological thriller, and vo ...
as Victoria Javadi, a brilliant 20-year-old third-year medical student whose parents both work at the hospital as well-known, respected doctors *
Sepideh Moafi Sepideh Moafi (;) is an Iranian-American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in '' The Deuce'' (2017–2019), '' The L Word: Generation Q'' (2019–2023), and '' Black Bird'' (2022). Early life Moafi was born in a refugee camp ...
(season 2)


Recurring

*
Shawn Hatosy Shawn Wayne Hatosy (born December 29, 1975) is an American film and television actor and director. He is best known for his roles in the films ''In & Out (film), In & Out'' (1997), ''The Faculty'' (1998), ''Outside Providence (film), Outside Pro ...
as Dr. Jack Abbot, a doctor and "old rival" to Robby * Amielynn Abellera as Perlah, a nurse working in the ER *
Jalen Thomas Brooks Jalen Thomas Brooks (born October 11, 2001) is an American actor. He is known for his recurring roles in the short lived ABC legal drama, ''Rebel'' and The CW's ''Walker'', a reboot of the iconic 1990s action series, ''Walker, Texas Ranger''. He ...
as Mateo Diaz, a nurse working in the ER * Brandon Mendez Homer as Donnie, a nurse working in the ER * Kristin Villanueva as Princess, a nurse working in the ER *
Joanna Going Joanna Catherine Going (born July 22, 1963) is an American actress known for the television series '' Kingdom'', '' House of Cards'', '' Mad Men'' and the movie '' Wyatt Earp''. Early life Going's father was of Irish descent, and her mother o ...
as Theresa Saunders, a middle-aged woman concerned about her son's behavior * Deepti Gupta as Dr. Eileen Shamsi, a senior attending and Victoria's mother *
Michael Hyatt Charlene "Michael" Hyatt (born February 17, 1970) is a British-born American actress. Before her work in film and television, she performed on stages throughout the United States, particularly in ''Ragtime'' on Broadway. She played Brianna Bar ...
as Gloria Underwood, the chief medical officer * Jackson Kelly as David Saunders, Theresa's troubled teenaged son * Krystel V. McNeil as Kiara Alfaro, the department social worker * Alexandra Metz as Dr. Yolanda Garcia, a resident surgeon * Drew Powell as Doug Driscoll, a patient who has been in the ER waiting room for hours * Arun Storrs as Minu, a Nepali woman who was pushed onto the subway train tracks * Brandon Keener as John Bradley, the father of a braindead teenager *
Ashley Romans Ashley Romans (born December 28, 1992) is an American actress, known for playing Agent 355 in ''Y: The Last Man'', Hermione Granger in ''Hermione Granger and the Quarter Life Crisis'', and Tabitha Hutter on ''NOS4A2''. Early life Romans was ...
as Joyce St. Claire, a woman with sickle cell disease *
Samantha Sloyan Samantha Sloyan (born January 4, 1979) is an American actress. Sloyan is best known for her multiple collaborations with filmmaker Mike Flanagan in ''Hush'', ''The Haunting of Hill House'', ''Midnight Mass'', ''The Midnight Club'', and ''The Fall ...
as Lily Bradley, the mother of a braindead teenager * Mika Abdalla as Jenna, a college student who overdosed *
Abby Ryder Fortson Abby Ryder Fortson (born March 14, 2008) is an American actress. She played Ella Novak in '' Transparent'', Harper Weil in ''The Whispers'', Sophie Pierson in '' Togetherness'', Cassie Lang in ''Ant-Man'' (2015) and ''Ant-Man and the Wasp ...
as Kristi Wheeler, a pregnant teenager with an appointment for a medical abortion *
Marguerite Moreau Marguerite Moreau (born April 25, 1977) is an American actress. She is known for her role as Jesse Reeves in the fantasy horror film ''Queen of the Damned'', Katie in the comedy ''Wet Hot American Summer'', and her role as Connie in '' The Might ...
as Lynette Wheeler, Kristi's aunt *
Tracy Vilar Tracy Vilar is an American actress. She is sometimes credited as Tracy Villars. Career She is best known for her roles as Ro-Ro on the CBS sitcom '' Partners'', Sophia Ortiz on The WB The WB Television Network (shortened to The WB, styl ...
as Lupe Perez, the hospital's ward clerk * Shu Lan Tuan as Ginger Kitajima, an elderly woman who fell *
Courtney Grosbeck Courtney Grosbeck (born 9 July 2000) is an American actress and model best known for playing the role of Coco Spectra in the soap ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' and Rachel Sachs in the series '' Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector''. Ca ...
as Piper Fisher, a patient with a controlling boss whom McKay suspects is a victim of
sex trafficking Sex trafficking is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Perpetrators of the crime are called sex traffickers or pimps—people who manipulate victims to engage in various forms of commercial sex with paying customers. Se ...
* Shani Atias as Laura Fisher, Piper's boss * Robert Heaps as Chad Ashcroft, McKay's ex and Harrison's father * Ayesha Harris as Dr. Parker Ellis, a night shift senior resident *
Ken Kirby Ken Kirby is a Canadian actor and screenwriter. He has played the recurring characters Ben on Freeform's '' Good Trouble'', Evan Tate in The CW series ''Dynasty'', and Lenjamin McButtons in the LGBTQ web series '' The Gay and Wondrous Life o ...
as Dr. John Shen, the night shift senior attending * Tedra Millan as Dr. Emery Walsh, a night shift surgeon * Charles Baker as Troy (season 2) * Irene Choi as Joy (season 2) * Laëtitia Hollard as Emma (season 2) * Lucas Iverson as James (season 2)


Guest

*
Brad Dourif Bradford Claude Dourif (; born March 18, 1950) is an American actor. He is known for voicing Chucky in the ''Child's Play'' franchise (1988–present), portraying Gríma Wormtongue in ''The Lord of the Rings'' film series, and his Academy A ...
as Neil McKay, Cassie's father


Episodes


Production


Development

From the 1990s, actor
Noah Wyle Noah Strausser Speer Wyle (; born June 4, 1971) is an American actor, writer, producer and director. He rose to fame as John Carter in the NBC medical drama '' ER'' (1994–2009), receiving five Emmy Award nominations, three Golden Globe Award ...
and television producers
R. Scott Gemmill R. Scott Gemmill is a Canadian-American television writer and producer born in Fort Erie, Ontario Canada. He worked extensively on '' JAG'' and '' ER.'' Since its eighth season, he was the showrunner of '' NCIS: Los Angeles''. Gemmill worked on ...
and John Wells worked together on the set of the
medical drama A medical drama is a Television film, television movie or film in which events center upon a hospital, clinic, doctor's office, a paramedic, or any other medical topic or environment. Most recent medical drama (film and television), dramatic progra ...
television series '' ER'', which aired from 1994 to 2009. ''ER'' became successful throughout its run, influencing subsequent medical drama series. After its end, Gemmill and Wyle purposefully pursued projects unrelated to the genre, with Gemmill saying he thought he "would never do a medical show again, because we had done it so well". In 2020, Wyle began receiving an influx of direct messages on
Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
and
fan mail Fan mail is mail sent to a public figure, especially a celebrity, by their admirers or "fan (person), fans". In return for a fan's support and admiration, public figures may send an autographed poster, photo, reply letter, or note thanking the ...
from
first responders A first responder is a person with specialized training who is among the first to arrive and provide assistance or incident resolution at the scene of an emergency. First responders typically include law enforcement officers (commonly known as ...
working in the healthcare system, thanking him for inspiring them to pursue
emergency medicine Emergency medicine is the medical specialty concerned with the care of illnesses or injuries requiring immediate medical attention. Emergency physicians (or "ER doctors") specialize in providing care for unscheduled and undifferentiated pa ...
, with his role as Dr. John Carter in ''ER'', and talking about their struggles during the ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. Wyle shared many of the messages with Wells, with whom he thought he could make a television series dealing with the contemporary challenges faced by healthcare workers and the spread of health misinformation. Meanwhile, Gemmill began thinking about possibilities to innovate the genre of the medical drama after having a conversation with a fellow television writer. Gemmill, Wells, and Wyle kept in contact with each other and with other ''ER'' collaborators, such as television writer and ER doctor
Joe Sachs Joe Mister Sachs is an American television writer and producer. He has worked extensively on '' ER'' in both capacities. Career Sachs first became involved with ''ER'' as a technical advisor midway through the first season. He had a guest starr ...
, who shared his experiences in the healthcare system. Over the next few years, Gemmill, Wells, and Wyle began sharing their ideas and developing an ''ER'' spin-off focused on Carter, also recruiting Sachs and other ''ER'' collaborators such as Mel Herbert. However,
Warner Bros. Television Warner Bros. Television Studios, operating under the name Warner Bros. Television (abbreviated as WBTV; formerly known as Warner Bros. Television Division), is an American television production and distribution studio and the flagship studio o ...
could not come to an agreement with the
estate Estate or The Estate may refer to: Law * Estate (law), a term in common law for a person's property, entitlements and obligations * Estates of the realm, a broad social category in the histories of certain countries. ** The Estates, representativ ...
of ''ER'' creator
Michael Crichton John Michael Crichton (; October 23, 1942 – November 4, 2008) was an American author, screenwriter and filmmaker. His books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, and over a dozen have been adapted into films. His literary works heavil ...
, overseen by his widow, Sherri Alexander Crichton, leading to the project being abandoned. Nevertheless,
Max Max or MAX may refer to: Animals * Max (American dog) (1983–2013), at one time purported to be the world's oldest living dog * Max (British dog), the first pet dog to win the PDSA Order of Merit (animal equivalent of the OBE) * Max (gorilla) ...
, a streaming service affiliated with
Warner Bros. Discovery Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational mass media and Outline of entertainment, entertainment Conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It was formed from WarnerMedi ...
, expressed their interest in making a medical drama series starring Wyle with the team. At the time, Max CEO Casey Bloys was searching for a network-style
procedural drama A procedural or procedural drama is a cross-genre type of literature, film, or television program which places emphasis on technical detail. A documentary film may also be written in a procedural style to heighten narrative. A popular subgenre is t ...
that could keep audiences engaged for several weeks. Additionally, he sought to expand the service's library with original releases and define the characteristics of a " Max Original", as opposed to the HBO series that Max also offers. The team began developing ''The Pitt'' after the end of the Writers Guild of America's strike in the fall of 2023. After switching to Max, Gemmill initially thought of adopting the narrative device of real time, following a twelve-hour shift at the hospital, due to the time constraints of direct-to-stream series, which are usually afforded a maximum of twelve episodes. Instead, Bloys suggested doing fifteen episodes, wanting to reduce the wait time in between seasons and avoid it feeling "like an extension of a streaming show". In March 2024, Max gave the production a fifteen-episode straight-to-series order for ''The Pitt'', overseen by
John Wells Productions John Marcum Wells (born May 28, 1956) is an American producer, writer, and director. He is best known for his role as showrunner and executive producer of the television series '' ER'', ''Third Watch'', ''The West Wing'', '' Southland'', '' Shame ...
in association with Warner Bros. Television. Each episode had a reported budget of over million dollars. Bloys explained that the lower per-episode budget made it possible to order more episodes than is typical for streaming services. Gemmill, Wells, and Wyle are the
executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the production of media. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights or royalties). In film ...
s along with Simran Baidwan, Michael Hissrich, and Erin Jontow. Credited as ''The Pitt'' creator, Gemmill wrote the pilot episode and serves as the series'
showrunner A showrunner is the top-level executive producer of a television series. The position outranks other creative and management personnel, including episode directors, in contrast to feature films, in which the director has creative control over th ...
. In February 2025, Max ordered a second season of ''The Pitt''. Scheduled for release in January 2026, the season will chronicle a shift in the ER on
Independence Day An independence day is an annual event memorialization, commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or Sovereign state, statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or after the end of a milit ...
—Langdon's first day at work after going to an inpatient rehabilitation facility. Wyle explained their choice, saying: "The biggest driver of he Season 2 time jump isLangdon ... Nine, basically 10 months later, gives a lot of room for us to have developed a few stories in the interim and catch up with everyone. And with it being Langdon's first day back, we get to catch up as he catches up with all those people."


Filming

To design ''The Pitt''
set Set, The Set, SET or SETS may refer to: Science, technology, and mathematics Mathematics *Set (mathematics), a collection of elements *Category of sets, the category whose objects and morphisms are sets and total functions, respectively Electro ...
s, Wells approached
production designer In film and television, a production designer is the individual responsible for the overall aesthetic of the story. The production design gives the viewers a sense of the time period, the plot location, and character actions and feelings. Work ...
Nina Ruscio, with whom he had previously worked on '' Shameless'' (2011–2021) and '' Animal Kingdom'' (2016–2022). Ruscio had already committed to other productions, but agreed to Wells' request to provide an initial blueprint of ''The Pitt'' main set, the ER; the writers used it to track the development of the characters' storylines across space hour by hour, before even beginning to work on the script. Ultimately, Ruscio managed to join the production and met with Gemmill, Hissrich, Wells, and Wyle to discuss the details. The team informed her of their plan to shoot in continuity with
handheld camera Hand-held camera or hand-held shooting is a filmmaking and video production technique in which a camera is held in the camera operator's hands as opposed to being mounted on a tripod or other base. Hand-held cameras are used because they are conve ...
s, therefore requiring a set with capacity for freedom of movement. They decided to set the ER on the
East Coast of the United States The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, the Atlantic Coast, and the Atlantic Seaboard, is the region encompassing the coast, coastline where the Eastern United States meets the Atlantic Ocean; it has always pla ...
around 2010—the year of the latest remodel of the fictional hospital. Ruscio planned to create a transparent space with full visibility from all angles to allow for filming of simultaneous foreground and background action. She researched hospital designs with the help of Sachs and visited several ERs to create a functional set without the guidance of a script—a first for Ruscio and an uncommon approach in the television industry. She found particularly inspiring the designs of the firm Huddy Healthcare Solutions. A team of about 125 people built the 25-bed ER, occupying over , on a
sound stage A sound stage (also written soundstage) is a large, soundproof structure, building or room with large doors and high ceilings, used for the production of theatrical film-making and television productions, usually located on a secured movie or te ...
owned by Warner Bros. in
Burbank, California Burbank is a city in the southeastern end of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located northwest of downtown Los Angeles, Burbank had a Census-estimated population of 102,755 as of 2023. The city was ...
, in ten weeks. The waiting room and the
trauma center A trauma center, or trauma centre, is a hospital equipped and staffed to provide care for patients suffering from major traumatic injuries such as falls, motor vehicle collisions, or gunshot wounds. The term "trauma center" may be used incorr ...
were built on another sound stage next to the ER. The overall set cost over $4 million. Ruscio focused on five main aspects of the set: the palette, the floor, the lighting, the ceiling, and the layout. For the color palette and the lighting, she worked with ''The Pitt''
cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the recording of a film, television production, music video or other live-action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera ...
Johanna Coelho. Ruscio said she selected a realistic, blanched palette to convey the sterile feeling of entering an ER. Ruscio and Coelho then did a camera test to select the final fifty shades of white that worked best with the widest range of skin tones and with the
LED A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light (corresp ...
light system that would be used. Moreover, Ruscio incorporated other
tone Tone may refer to: Visual arts and color-related * Tone (color theory), a mix of tint and shade, in painting and color theory * Tone (color), the lightness or brightness (as well as darkness) of a color * Toning (coin), color change in coins * ...
s: cream, gray, and blue for the floors; wood for the walls; and occasionally gray, yellow, and black, which are Pittsburgh's colors. For the light system, Ruscio and Coelho created custom, adjustable bi-color LED strips that made up an integrated ceiling rig of 300 lighting cues along with warmer overhead practical lights that provide contrast. The combined use of the top lighting, the white palette of the setting, and the darker palette of the wardrobe served to make the actors stand out and highlight both foreground and background action. Lyn Paolo served as costume designer. For the layout, Ruscio collaborated with
art director Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supe ...
Josh Lusby,
set designer Scenic design, also known as stage design or set design, is the creation of scenery for theatrical productions including plays and musicals. The term can also be applied to film and television productions, where it may be referred to as prod ...
Dean Wolcott,
set decorator The set decorator is the head of the set decoration department in the film and television industry, responsible for selecting, designing, fabricating, and sourcing the " set dressing" elements of each set in a Feature Film, Television, or New Med ...
Matt Callahan, and
prop master The property master, often called the prop(s) master, is an artistic and organizational employee in a film, television or theatrical production who is responsible for purchasing, acquiring, manufacturing, properly placing, and/or overseeing any pro ...
Rick Ladomade. She envisioned what she defines a "cup and curve" layout of the set, with curvilinear floors and ceilings that guide the eye of the viewer and allow freedom of movement while filming. Ruscio designed each set element with Lusby and Wolcott, paying attention to the
ergonomics Ergonomics, also known as human factors or human factors engineering (HFE), is the application of Psychology, psychological and Physiology, physiological principles to the engineering and design of products, processes, and systems. Primary goa ...
of an ER. Ruscio incorporated in the set architectural references to Pittsburgh, in particular to
Allegheny General Hospital Allegheny General Hospital is a large urban hospital located at 320 East North Avenue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is part of the larger Allegheny Health Network. History Allegheny General Hospital, also known locally by the acronym "AGH", i ...
, which was selected as the exterior of the fictional hospital. She used marble columns to figuratively convey how the Pitt—seen as the hospital's "basement"—both supports the structure and bears its burdens. Callahan and Ladomade reached out to medical equipment manufacturers to furnish the facility, striving to replicate the precise layout of a real medical facility. The team personally designed and built the nurses' station. To portray accurately the medical procedures, ''The Pitt'' uses almost exclusively
practical effects In filmmaking a practical effect is a special effect produced physically, without computer-generated imagery or other post-production techniques. In some contexts, "special effect" is used as a synonym of "practical effect", in contrast to "vi ...
with few modifications in post-production. The team collaborated with special effects company Autonomous FX to create several of the
prosthetics In medicine, a prosthesis (: prostheses; from ), or a prosthetic implant, is an artificial device that replaces a missing body part, which may be lost through physical trauma, disease, or a condition present at birth (congenital disorder). Prosthe ...
featured in the series. Filming for the second season began in Los Angeles on June 16, 2025.


Writing

Baidwan, Gemmill, Sachs, and Wyle constituted a
writers' room A writers' room is a space where writers, usually of a television series, gather to write and refine scripts. It is a common method of writing television series in the US, but is much less widespread in countries like the UK. Composition The ...
by December 2023, along with Cynthia Adarkwa, Valerie Chu, and Elyssa Gershman. The team collaborated extensively on developing narratively and spatially the continuous structure of ''The Pitt'', by
storyboard A storyboard is a graphic organizer that consists of simple illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence. The storyboarding proce ...
ing and tracking each patient's journey along with the background action happening in the ER. Sachs described the process of writing an episode: each writer would prepare an outline for specific episodes usually consisting of a maximum of two lines for each scene; review them with the staff; consult with medical experts for information on technical dialogue; write a first draft; review the draft with the team after two weeks; and keep rewriting drafts until it could go to production. Sachs and Gemmill stated that the writers started by defining the main characters' arcs and later established which medical case best fit their journey and illustrated their qualities in a brief period of time. By using real-time narration, Gemmill sought to highlight the importance of time, which he believed set emergency medicine apart from other medical specialties. Sachs said that the writers used the narrative device to build suspense by extending some patients' storylines across multiple episodes while suddenly ending others. After writing the episodes, the staff consulted with Wells on both writing and production. The team reunited in the writers' room in March 2025 for the second season; Herbert joined the writing staff for the first time. Wyle will write four episodes in the second season, having written two for the first. He will additionally direct an episode.


Casting

Wyle took active part in the casting process along with casting director Cathy Sandrich Gelfond, aiming to recreate with the new ensemble the camaraderie that he had shared with the ''ER'' cast. He wrote a
mission statement A mission statement is a short statement of why an organization exists, what its overall goal is, the goal of its operations: what kind of product or service it provides, its primary customers or market, and its geographical region of operation ...
for prospective actors, which declared: "This is a very specific type of show. It's intense. It's fast-paced. It's like theater. We are a group of players. If you can be a team player who is ready to lock in with a family, then this is the place for you." Additionally, Wyle emphasized the physicality of the roles and the preference for actors with experience working in theater and handling props. Due to the continuous structure of the series, the
casting call In the performing arts industry such as theatre, film, or television, casting, or a casting call, is a pre-production process for selecting a certain type of actor, dancer, singer, or extra to land the role of a character in a script, screenpla ...
for
extra Extra, Xtra, or The Extra may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film * The Extra (1962 film), ''The Extra'' (1962 film), a Mexican film * The Extra (2005 film), ''The Extra'' (2005 film), an Australian film Literature * Extra (newspaper), ...
s asked for actors with open availability for seven months, instead of the few days usually requested in other television productions. For the series regulars, ''The Pitt'' advertised in the casting call a two-tier fixed salary system, with per-episode fees of $50,000 and $35,000 depending on the role. In July 2024,
Tracy Ifeachor Tracy Ifeachor (born ) is a British television and theatre actress. She is best known for playing the role of Aya Al-Rashid in The CW vampire series '' The Originals'', and Abigail Naismith in the ''Doctor Who'' Christmas special, " The End of ...
,
Patrick Ball Patrick Ball (born June 26, 1965) is an American statistician known for his quantitative analysis of human rights violations. He has provided statistical analysis for truth commissions, non-governmental organizations, international criminal trib ...
, Supriya Ganesh,
Fiona Dourif Fiona Christianne Dourif (born October 30, 1981) is an American actress and producer. She is best known for her starring role as Nica Pierce in the '' Child's Play'' franchise, including the horror film '' Curse of Chucky'' (2013), its sequel ...
,
Taylor Dearden Taylor Dearden Cranston (born February 12, 1993) is an American actress. She played Ophelia in the MTV show '' Sweet/Vicious''. She also was Chloe Lyman in the second season of Netflix's ''American Vandal'' and Dr. Melissa "Mel" King in Max's ''T ...
, Isa Briones,
Gerran Howell Gerran Howell is a Welsh actor from Barry, Wales. He is best known for playing the titular character in ''Young Dracula'', a CBBC television series that initially aired in 2006, and Dennis Whitaker in the medical drama ''The Pitt'', which premi ...
,
Shabana Azeez Shabana Azeez (born 1996) is an Australian actress. She is best known for her role as medical student Victoria Javadi on the medical drama ''The Pitt''. Before this, she starred in '' Birdeater'', a 2023 Australian psychological thriller, and vo ...
, and
Katherine LaNasa Katherine LaNasa (born December 1, 1966) is an American actress. She starred in films ''Jayne Mansfield's Car'', '' The Campaign'', and ''The Frozen Ground''. On television, LaNasa has had a leading roles in the sitcom '' Three Sisters'' (2001� ...
were announced to have joined the cast as series regulars. In August 2024,
Shawn Hatosy Shawn Wayne Hatosy (born December 29, 1975) is an American film and television actor and director. He is best known for his roles in the films ''In & Out (film), In & Out'' (1997), ''The Faculty'' (1998), ''Outside Providence (film), Outside Pro ...
,
Michael Hyatt Charlene "Michael" Hyatt (born February 17, 1970) is a British-born American actress. Before her work in film and television, she performed on stages throughout the United States, particularly in ''Ragtime'' on Broadway. She played Brianna Bar ...
,
Jalen Thomas Brooks Jalen Thomas Brooks (born October 11, 2001) is an American actor. He is known for his recurring roles in the short lived ABC legal drama, ''Rebel'' and The CW's ''Walker'', a reboot of the iconic 1990s action series, ''Walker, Texas Ranger''. He ...
, Brandon Mendez Homer, Kristin Villanueva, Amielynn Abellera, Alexandra Metz, Krystel V. McNeil, and Deepti Gupta were announced to have been cast in recurring roles. Before the start of production, the cast spent two weeks with three ER doctors learning various medical techniques, such as
suturing A surgical suture, also known as a stitch or stitches, is a medical device used to hold Tissue (biology), body tissues together and approximate wound edges after an injury or surgery. Application generally involves using a Sewing needle, needle w ...
,
intubation Intubation (sometimes entubation) is a medical procedure involving the insertion of a tube into the body. Most commonly, intubation refers to tracheal intubation, a procedure during which an endotracheal tube is inserted into the trachea to supp ...
,
medical ultrasonography Medical ultrasound includes Medical diagnosis, diagnostic techniques (mainly medical imaging, imaging) using ultrasound, as well as therapeutic ultrasound, therapeutic applications of ultrasound. In diagnosis, it is used to create an image of ...
, and
CPR Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency procedure used during cardiac or respiratory arrest that involves chest compressions, often combined with artificial ventilation, to preserve brain function and maintain circulation until sp ...
; extras also received medical training. In May 2025, the casting process for the second season began. The boot camp for the second season began on June1, 2025. In June 2025, Charles Baker, Irene Choi, Laëtitia Hollard, and Lucas Iverson were cast in recurring capacities while
Sepideh Moafi Sepideh Moafi (;) is an Iranian-American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in '' The Deuce'' (2017–2019), '' The L Word: Generation Q'' (2019–2023), and '' Black Bird'' (2022). Early life Moafi was born in a refugee camp ...
was cast as a new series regular for the second season.


Sound design and music

Before writing the script, Gemmill, Wells, and Wyle decided to use almost no soundtrack music in ''The Pitt'' to complement its documentary style. Instead, Gemmill, Sachs, and Wells focused on creating a faithful
sound design Sound design is the art and practice of creating auditory elements of media. It involves specifying, acquiring and creating audio using production techniques and equipment or software. It is employed in a variety of disciplines including filmmaking ...
that could directly convey the emotional cues usually imbued in the music and set the pace of the scenes. It involved recording and layering the main dialogue, background conversations, and machinery sounds. The team used the sound of medical procedures and the dialogue itself to dictate the rhythm, relying on the varying intensity of the actors' delivery of medical jargon to relay emotional cues. For the background, Sachs recorded the discussions of real-life ER nurses and gave them to extras to register. Nevertheless, ''The Pitt'' employed some musical motifs and
drone Drone or The Drones may refer to: Science and technology Vehicle * Drone, a type of uncrewed vehicle, a class of robot ** Unmanned aerial vehicle or aerial drone *** Unmanned combat aerial vehicle ** Unmanned ground vehicle or ground drone ** Unma ...
s composed by Gavin Brivik intended to blur the line between
diegetic Diegesis (; , ) is a style of fiction storytelling in which a participating narrator offers an on-site, often interior, view of the scene to the reader, viewer, or listener by subjectively describing the actions and, in some cases, thoughts, o ...
and non-diegetic music. The team asked Brivik to create an imperceptible score to occasionally increase the tension throughout the series. Additionally, they meant to capture the sensation of Robby's
tinnitus Tinnitus is a condition when a person hears a ringing sound or a different variety of sound when no corresponding external sound is present and other people cannot hear it. Nearly everyone experiences faint "normal tinnitus" in a completely ...
at times. Instead of using an
opening theme A title screen (also called an opening screen or intro) is the method by which films or television programmes present their title and key production and cast members, utilizing conceptual visuals and sound (often an opening theme song with visuals ...
, each episode of ''The Pitt'' starts with a simple
title card In films and videos, an intertitle, also known as a title card, is a piece of filmed, printed text edited into the midst of (hence, ''inter-'') the photographed action at various points. Intertitles used to convey character dialogue are referred ...
stating what hour of the shift it covers. The series has an instrumental closing song, "Fail Forward", written by Brivik and singer-songwriter Taji with the aim of expressing Robby's feelings and giving the viewers a moment to reflect on the episode. The vocal version of "Fail Forward" played in the thirteenth episode. Three other songs were featured in the first season: "Baby" by
Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise (RBBS) was an American band from Detroit, Michigan. The group was a collaboration between Robert Bradley and three other rock musicians. History The band was formed in 1994 when former members of the band Sec ...
, " Funky Music Sho' 'Nuff Turns Me On" by
Edwin Starr Charles Edwin Hatcher (January 21, 1942 – April 2, 2003), known by his stage name Edwin Starr, was an American singer and songwriter. He is best remembered for his Norman Whitfield-produced Motown singles of the 1970s, most notably the num ...
, and "
Savage Savage may refer to: * Savage (pejorative term), a derogatory term to describe a member of a people the speaker regards as primitive and uncivilized Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Bill Savage, in the 2000 AD ''Invasion!'' ...
" by
Megan Thee Stallion Megan Jovon Ruth Pete (born February 15, 1995), known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion, is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Megan initially gained recognition when videos of her freestyling began to circulate widely on social me ...
.


Editing

Mark Strand, Joey Reinisch, Lauren Pendergrass, and Annie Eifrig served as
editor Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, organization, a ...
s on ''The Pitt''. Strand and Eifrig had already worked with Wells on ''Animal Kingdom'' and ''
Maid A maid, housemaid, or maidservant is a female domestic worker. In the Victorian era, domestic service was the second-largest category of employment in England and Wales, after agricultural work. In developed Western nations, full-time maids a ...
'' (2021), respectively. Reinisch and Pendergrass were recommended by members of the production team and interviewed for the job; Reinisch had already worked on projects developed by John Wells Productions. The production team wanted to distinguish ''The Pitt'' from other medical dramas. In particular, Strand said that Wyle referenced the 2023 film ''
The Zone of Interest Zone of Interest or The Zone of Interest can refer to: * Zone of Interest (Auschwitz), an area surrounding Auschwitz concentration camp * ''The Zone of Interest'' (novel), a 2014 novel by Martin Amis, named after the above * ''The Zone of Intere ...
'' by
Jonathan Glazer Jonathan Glazer (born 26 March 1965) is an English filmmaker. He began his career in theatre before transitioning into film, directing the features '' Sexy Beast'' (2000), ''Birth'' (2004), '' Under the Skin'' (2013), and '' The Zone of Inter ...
and its continuous motion through space and time. Reinisch stated that he avoided watching medical dramas through the process to not be influenced. Having joined the production later on, Pendergrass and Eifrig said that they followed the editing style established by Strand with the pilot episode, which was "aggressively off-camera". Strand wanted to highlight the emotional reactions of the characters rather than the medical jargon and procedures, describing the style as "medical off-camera, drama or emotion on-camera". The script allowed the editors to introduce characters progressively, first focusing on Robby and few others and then broadening to the full cast. The editing team had some concerns at first. Pendergrass worried about mismatching scenes due to the large scope of the set and the amount of background action, but shooting in continuity minimized the issue. Reinisch remarked that the synchronized play-like background action allowed them to focus on the story, instead of having to resolve continuity issues. Strand and Pendergrass added that they did not order the sequences in exact chronological order, having some scenes that were happening simultaneously arranged differently. Strand worried that the real-time format would not allow them to build tension by frequently
jump cut A jump cut is a cut (transition), cut in film editing that breaks a single continuous sequential shot of a subject into two parts, with a piece of footage removed to create the effect of jumping forward in time. Camera positioning on the subjec ...
ting through different scenes, but found that the script managed to maintain it while moving characters through space. Regarding the style, the production team invited the editors to use documentary-like "dirty cuts" to convey a sense of realism. Reinisch said he used "messy" frames to change the pace, facilitated by not having to match a score to the scenes. For the action scenes, Strand and the team worked on balancing choreography, camerawork, and actor- blocking to best communicate the sense of continuous motion. Pendergrass and Reinisch found that the camerawork allowed the viewer to become familiar with the characters within the action scenes themselves by focusing on their expressions and reactions, making for an "economic storytelling". For the emotional scenes, Strand noted that they did not have to exceedingly slow down the pace to convey the pathos, due to the fast pace of action scenes providing contrast. Eifrig said that Wells directed them to cut down on emotional scenes to avoid exhausting the audience with excessive sentimentality. Sachs reviewed the sequences for medical accuracy and monitored background action. For the pilot episode, Strand also consulted with Tim Van Pelt and Ambar Martinez, real-life nurses that appeared in the series.


Release

Bloys wanted to promote ''The Pitt'' by applying a network-style marketing strategy. He chose to use the model of appointment television, having the episodes be released each week on the same day at the same hour during
prime time Prime time, or peak time, is the block of broadcast programming taking place during the middle of the evening for television shows. It is mostly targeted towards adults (and sometimes families). It is used by the major television networks to ...
instead of launching them in the middle of the night—a standard practice for streaming services. The first two episodes of ''The Pitt'' premiered on Max at 9 p.m. on January 9, 2025, followed by a weekly release of the remaining thirteen episodes until April 10, 2025. Each episode runs for 41 to 61 minutes. The first episode of the series was screened for healthcare and
emergency medical services Emergency medical services (EMS), also known as ambulance services, pre-hospital care or paramedic services, are emergency services that provide urgent pre-hospital treatment and stabilisation for serious illness and injuries and transport to d ...
(EMS) providers at Allegheny General Hospital on January 10, 2025, followed by a discussion via video conference with Hissrich and Wyle. Max reported that ''The Pitt'' premiere became one of the five most-watched Max series debuts. Bloys said the series will possibly be broadcast on cable network
TNT Troponin T (shortened TnT or TropT) is a part of the troponin complex, which are proteins integral to the contraction of skeletal and heart muscles. They are expressed in skeletal and cardiac myocytes. Troponin T binds to tropomyosin and helps ...
, owned by Warner Bros., ahead of the release of the second season. It is scheduled to be broadcast on TNT in the fall of 2025.


Reception


Critical response

The review aggregator website
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
reported a 95% approval rating with an average rating of 8.45/10, based on 75 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Setting the trials and tribulations of hospital life on a timer, ''The Pitt'' combines multiple tried-and-true formulas to create a bracingly fresh medical drama."
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 76 out of 100 based on 26 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. Phillip Maciak of ''
The New Republic ''The New Republic'' (often abbreviated as ''TNR'') is an American magazine focused on domestic politics, news, culture, and the arts from a left-wing perspective. It publishes ten print magazines a year and a daily online platform. ''The New Y ...
'' praised the contrasting pacing of the show's plotlines. Reviewing the series for ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'', Nina Metz gave a rating of 3.5/4 and wrote, "From a viewer's perspective, if you've seen one hospital drama, you've seen them all. What distinguishes one show from another is whether the writing and casting is any good. And ''The Pitt'' lands enough on both fronts to make it essential viewing."
Linda Holmes Linda Holmes (born March 16, 1959) is a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 42nd District since January 2007. The 42nd district includes all or parts of Aurora, Boulder Hill, Montgomery, Naperville, North Aurora and ...
of
NPR National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...
described it as "a very sharp season of television with outstanding performances across the board." Brian Farvour of ''The Playlist'' gave the series an A+ and said, "''The Pitt'' stands out entirely independently, separate from its pseudo-ancestor in "ER" and as a bonafide triumph in storytelling, chemistry and television. David Sims of ''
The Atlantic ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher based in Washington, D.C. It features articles on politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 185 ...
'' commented, "It's already without question the finest example of the genre in more than a generation."


Medical community response

''The Pitt'' has received praise from the medical community for its accurate and comprehensive depiction of the challenges faced by workers in the American healthcare system. Several healthcare professionals found certain scenes triggering and difficult to watch for their realistic approach. In particular, they referenced the flashbacks to the pandemic and a scene where the cries of a grieving mother are heard throughout the ER. Some members of EMS said the series led them to confront the emotional weight of their profession. Other professionals have enjoyed watching ''The Pitt'' with their families to show them their daily routines, since physicians are not allowed to have family members visit them at work due to
HIPAA The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA or the Kennedy– Kassebaum Act) is a United States Act of Congress enacted by the 104th United States Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton on August 21, ...
and
patient confidentiality A patient is any recipient of health care services that are performed by healthcare professionals. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician, nurse, optometrist, dentist, veterinarian, or other health c ...
rules. Dr. Nicholas Cozzi, director of EMS at
Rush University Medical Center Rush University Medical Center (Rush) is an academic medical center in the Illinois Medical District neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It is the hospital for the Rush University System for Health, which includes Rush Oak Park Hospital and Rus ...
, felt moved by its sympathetic portrayal of doctors trying to work in "a system that is unwell itself—stretched thin, underfunded, and unable to keep pace". Healthcare workers in Canada have also found ''The Pitt'' accurate and relatable despite systemic differences. Several physicians have described the technical scenes as mostly realistic, but they focused on how ''The Pitt'' manages to capture the frenetic atmosphere of hospitals and touch on issues such as nursing shortages, insufficient resources, violence against healthcare professionals, health misinformation, and their consequent psychological impact on workers. Amanda Choflet, dean of Northeastern University School of Nursing, appreciated the series' inclusion of themes related to mental health and substance abuse issues in healthcare providers. Dr. Lukas Ramcharran, an attending physician and
assistant professor Assistant professor is an academic rank just below the rank of an associate professor used in universities or colleges, mainly in the United States, Canada, Japan, and South Korea. Overview This position is generally taken after earning a doct ...
in the department of emergency medicine at
Johns Hopkins Hospital Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH) is the teaching hospital and biomedical research facility of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1889, Johns Hopkins Hospital and its school of medicine are considered to be the foundin ...
, said that the character of Robby represented correctly the life of an attending physician at a teaching hospital, balancing the education of residents with the practice of medicine. Angela Hosking, dean of Northeastern University's Charlotte campus, appreciated the series' portrayal of the ER nurses' level of expertise and alertness, criticizing other medical series' tendency to show nurses as "glorified assistants". Dr. Lois K. Lee, an
associate professor Associate professor is an academic title with two principal meanings: in the North American system and that of the ''Commonwealth system''. In the ''North American system'', used in the United States and many other countries, it is a position ...
of pediatrics in the department of emergency medicine at
Boston Children's Hospital Boston Children's Hospital (formerly known as Children's Hospital Boston until 2013) is the main pediatric training and research hospital of Harvard Medical School, Harvard University. It is a nationally ranked, freestanding acute care children ...
, described as fairly accurate the implementation of MCI protocols, having herself experienced them during the bombing at the Boston Marathon in 2013. Ramcharran and Lee appreciated the use of real-time narration, saying that the format allowed the writers to explore a wide range of human emotions and experiences while keeping the focus on the events inside of the ER. Nevertheless, healthcare workers have criticized aspects of ''The Pitt'': the improbable high amount of complex trauma cases presented in a single shift; the incorrect depiction of CPR, which would look "much more violent" in real life; and the unrealistically rapid resolution of intricate cases. Sachs has stated that CPR could not be always done correctly in the series because it can't be performed on an actor. Some physicians noted that they spend a lot more time filling medical records in real life. Ramcharran found the portrayal of hospital administrators inaccurate, saying: "The idea of an administrator coming down in the actual shift and engaging with you in real time.. that's not realistic. You can imagine how that would be an incredible disruption to patient care." He thought that tension over systemic issues such as patient satisfaction and hospital incentives would not result in interpersonal conflict, but he understood "why they do that for the show". A scene in the 11th episode depicting childbirth with
shoulder dystocia Shoulder dystocia occurs after vaginal delivery of the head, when the baby's anterior shoulder is obstructed by the mother's pubic bone. It is typically diagnosed when the baby's shoulders fail to deliver despite gentle downward traction on the b ...
and
postpartum hemorrhage Postpartum bleeding or postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is often defined as the loss of more than 500 ml or 1,000 ml of blood following childbirth. Some have added the requirement that there also be signs or symptoms of low blood volume fo ...
complications was criticized as unrealistic by
OB/GYN Obstetrics and gynaecology (also spelled as obstetrics and gynecology; abbreviated as Obst and Gynae, O&G, OB-GYN and OB/GYN) is the medical specialty that encompasses the two subspecialties of obstetrics (covering pregnancy, childbirth, and t ...
physicians.


Awards and nominations


Lawsuit

In August 2024, the estate of Crichton, led by his widow, sued Warner Bros. Television, Gemmill, Wells, and Wyle over
breach of contract Breach of contract is a legal cause of action and a type of civil wrong, in which a binding agreement or bargained-for exchange is not honored by one or more of the parties to the contract by non-performance or interference with the other part ...
, breach of implied covenant of
good faith In human interactions, good faith () is a sincere intention to be fair, open, and honest, regardless of the outcome of the interaction. Some Latin phrases have lost their literal meaning over centuries, but that is not the case with , which i ...
and
fair dealing Fair dealing is a limitation and exception to the exclusive rights granted by copyright law to the author of a creative work. Fair dealing is found in many of the common law jurisdictions of the Commonwealth of Nations. Fair dealing is an e ...
, and intentional interference with contractual relations, claiming that ''The Pitt'' was a reworking of a planned ''ER''
reboot In computing, rebooting is the process by which a running computer system is restarted, either intentionally or unintentionally. Reboots can be either a cold reboot (alternatively known as a hard reboot) in which the power to the system is physi ...
that the estate had not approved. Additionally, Crichton's widow alleged that Warner Bros. Television had already tried to eliminate Crichton's name from their projects by refusing to credit him as creator on the television series ''
Westworld ''Westworld'' is an American science fiction dystopia media franchise that began with the Westworld (film), 1973 film ''Westworld'', written and directed by Michael Crichton. The film depicts a technologically advanced Wild West, Wild-West-th ...
'' (2016–2022). In November 2024, Warner Bros. Television's lawyers filed for a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, claiming that ''The Pitt'' is "a completely different show". In April 2025, Wyle stated that they "pivoted as far in the opposite direction as we could in order to tell the story we wanted to tell — and not for litigious reasons, but because we didn't want to retread our own creative work", after knowing that they could not produce a reboot.


Notes


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pitt (TV series), The 2020s American medical drama television series 2025 American television series debuts American English-language television shows Max (streaming service) original programming Television series about grief Television series by Warner Bros. Television Studios Television series set in hospitals Television shows about death Television shows about human pregnancy Television shows filmed in Los Angeles Television shows filmed in Pittsburgh Television shows involved in plagiarism controversies Television shows set in Pittsburgh