The Pitt

Having been a huge ER fan during its original run, I was in no particular hurry to jump into THE PITT.The Max medical drama was created by R. Scott Gemmill and executive produced by John Wells and Noah Wylie, all of whom were creative forces behind ER. The original concept was a sequel to the legendary medical drama and when that fell through (there is currently a court case pending with the estate of Michael Crichton due to his lack of recognition for story credit) the trio went in a completely different direction. Rather than presenting the typical medical drama, the first season of THE PITT focused on one 15-hour shift at an emergency room in Pittsburgh.

Despite this novel concept, with Wylie’s involvement as producer and star, I still had the nagging belief that the series was going to be a retread of a series that I had already seen. If you are in the same boat as I was in this regard, I’m here to emphatically dispel you of that belief. THE PITT show is one of the most original and thrilling medical dramas that has ever gone to air.

Wylie plays Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch, a senior attending physician at the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital. He is an excellent doctor who cares for his patients and co-workers alike but is also dealing with the devastating effects of PTSD. During the COVID pandemic, he lost his mentor Dr. Adamson, and this is the fourth anniversary of his death. To make matters a little more difficult, he has a number of new students and interns, and a new doctor, Mel King (Taylor Dearden) all of whom will demand his attention.

Though we don’t have the ticking clock we saw throughout the duration of 24, each episode of THE PITT takes place within the course of an hour. During this time, there is hardly a moment in which something dramatic or intense isn’t happening. And, given the fact that the show is airing on Max, the typical constraints of network television are completely absent. As a result, viewers are presented with graphic depictions of trauma (a leg injury in episode one really sets the tone of what is to follow) which, paired with a cast of relatively unknown performers (with the exception of Wiley) instantly establishes a sense of realism that is often lacking in traditional medical dramas.

As each episode progresses, we see interpersonal relationships build and crumble, which is what made shows like ER and GREYS ANATOMY thrive. Because THE PITT is set entirely over the course of one shift, however, these interactions are limited to the confines of the emergency room and as chaos unfolds around them. We get character building and storylines built in snippets, set amidst tragedies and triumphs. This is due to the incredible performances by every single member of the cast. I would be absolutely shocked if Noah Wylie is not nominated for an Emmy for his masterful turn as Dr. Robby, but arguments could be made that Tracy Ifeachor, Katherine LaNasa, Supriya Ganesh, Fiona Dourif, Isa Briones, Gerran Howell, Shabana Azeez, and Dearden all deserve the same level of accolades and praise.

The unique character development is not limited to the hospital staff, either. THE PITT does a phenomenal job in making you care for the patients and their families as they roll through the department. Some you’ll love, some you’ll hate, and some you’ll find yourself thinking about long after they have moved on. This further enhances the authenticity of the series, as the real-life heroes working in emergency rooms around the world find themselves immersed in the lives of their patients, only to have the next one rolling in within a matter of seconds.

THE PITT- A

Now streaming on Max

Brian Miller