I am no stranger to medical dramas — in fact, I’m utterly devoted to them. Over the years I’ve breezed through Scrubs, Grey’s Anatomy (at least up until season 17), and my personal favourite — House. But this 2025 medical drama has reignited my passion for the genre. HBO’s The Pitt is set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, following the staff working in the emergency department at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. The Pitt is the second project for writer R. Scott Gemmill, and executive producers
John Wells and Noah Wyle, who all previously collaborated on the hugely popular ER (1994-2009). It’s set in a post-COVID world, where the pandemic has left its emotional scars on everybody — but particularly on Dr Michael ‘Robby’ Robinavitch (Noah Wyle), who begins his shift on the fourth anniversary of his mentor’s death from COVID-19 . Every episode of The Pitt unfolds over the course of an hour on shift, with the entire series spanning a single working day. Alongside the mayhem of working in
the emergency department and carrying the weight of grief, Dr Robby must also manage five medical interns and do his best to show them the ropes. The show is utterly compelling across both series, and is considered one of the most authentic portrayals of how emergency departments function, according to reviews on IMDB. One person wrote: “ER healthcare worker here and I can honestly say I have never seen another show with more realism about what life in the ER is really like. This show
captures it all. Bravo to the writers, directors and the actors. Well done!”. Another wrote: “I work in healthcare and this show is an accurate depiction of what takes place in a very busy urban Emergency Department. The scenes of intubation, codes, and family grief are real and something that happens on a daily basis if not hourly.” Another called the show “intense and relentless”. One of the aspects I appreciate most about The Pitt is just how authentic it feels. I started watching after
Grey’s Anatomy, where all manner of absurd scenarios unfold daily, but in The Pitt the genuine drama of emergency medicine stands on its own merit. When doctors are racing against time to save lives, there are very few theatrical arterial spurts of blood, nobody detonates explosives near a patient and there are no HR-worthy blunders. Instead, The Pitt tackles subjects such as mass shootings, homelessness and enforced deportation by ICE agents — all unfortunate realities of American life — yet these matters are handled with
sensitivity and respect. Grief never feels manipulated and the personal dynamics between the characters are remarkably subtle and expertly crafted. With a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, The Pitt genuinely ranks among the finest television available. The Pitt is now streaming on HBO Max.
The Pitt, HBO, HBO Max, medical drama, emergency department, Noah Wyle, R. Scott Gemmill, John Wells, ER, Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center, COVID-19, Robby Robinavitch
Sounds like ER but sadder? I’m gonna watch it.
Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center?? so basically Scrubs again lol. Post-COVID grief is gonna hit though, I guess.
Wait Noah Wyle is in it?? I thought he was done with acting or whatever. Also HBO Max better not make it too political, like they’ll be blaming people for the pandemic in every episode.
I read “one working day” and was like ok so it’s gonna be nonstop action, but then it’s grief-laced and about interns… seems like they’re trying to fit everything. Still, “most authentic portrayals” on IMDb is always kinda suspicious to me because half the time reviews are from coworkers that don’t even know what they’re talking about. Intubation/codes plus family grief… yeah, I can’t handle that, I’ll probably cry and then watch anyway.