Created by R. Scott Gemmill, The Pitt is a Max original and the latest medical drama to enter the fray. However, unlike Grey’s Anatomy, Doctor Odyssey, or Chicago Med, this series aims to tell a more realistic version of life as a medical professional, particularly in an emergency room at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital. In fact, the series presents a gritty and realistic representation of medical personnel on the frontlines, which often makes the audience forget they’re watching a drama series and not a documentary. That being said, the show certainly isn’t made for those with a weak stomach.
Rife with a slew of various patients with an array of medical issues, viewers never know when they’re going to see a simple flesh wound or something much more serious, just like an actual ER. Already hailed by critics and viewers alike, The Pitt has garnered a ton of praise from real life doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals who claim the show is the most realistic one they’ve ever seen. Having premiered at the beginning of January 2025, the series is slated to run through April 2025 and has yet to be renewed for a second season.

The Pitt

Release Date

January 9, 2025

Network

Max

Showrunner

R. Scott Gemmill

Directors

Amanda Marsalis

Writers

Joe Sachs, Cynthia Adarkwa

Cast

Noah Wyle

Dr. Michael ‘Robby’ Robinavitch

Tracy Ifeachor

Uncredited

Taylor Dearden

Dr. Langdon

How Many Episodes Are There in ‘The Pitt’ Season 1?

What sets The Pitt apart from other medical dramas is the manner in which it unfolds. Season 1 spans 15 episodes with each one covering a single hour of a 15-hour shift at the hospital. While there are a few flashbacks that Dr. Robby experiences as he processes his Covid-19-related PTSD, the entire season develops over the course of one ER shift.
Each episode of The Pitt drops on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on MAX.

Episode

Title

Premiere Date

1

“7:00 A.M.”

January 9, 2025

2

“8:00 A.M.”

January 9, 2025

3

“9:00 A.M.”

January 16, 2025

4

“10:00 A.M.”

January 23, 2025

5

“11:00 A.M.”

January 30, 2025

6

“12:00 P.M.”

February 6, 2025

7

“1:00 P.M.”

February 13, 2025

8

“2:00 P.M.”

February 20, 2025

9

“3:00 P.M.”

February 27, 2025

10

“4:00 P.M.”

March 6, 2025

11

“5:00 P.M.”

March 13, 2025

12

“6:00 P.M.”

March 20, 2025

13

“7:00 P.M.”

March 27, 2025

14

“8:00 P.M.”

April 3, 2025

15

“9:00 P.M.”

April 10, 2025

What Is ‘The Pitt’ About?

Max

The Pitt follows the trials and tribulations of one ER team during a 15-hour shift. Colloquially known as the pitt, the fast-paced organized chaos of the overcrowded ER isn’t a place for the faint of heart. Overwrought with patients, a lack of beds, and hospital politics, the employees of Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital hit the ground running as soon as the series begins. At the helm of the pitt is Dr. Michael Rabinavitch (Noah Wyle), simply known as Dr. Robby, the show’s senior attending. Alongside him are Dr. Heather Collins (Tracy Ifeachor) and Dr. Frank Langdon (Patrick Ball), two senior residents, Dr. Samira Mohan (Supriya Ganesh), a third-year medical resident, and Dr. Cassie McKay (Fiona Dourif), a 42-year-old second year resident.
What makes this particular shift different from the others is that it marks the first day that two interns and two medical students will be shadowing Dr. Robby and his colleagues. Wide-eyed and eager to do a good job, nothing could have prepared them for the reality of working in the ER. Dr. Mel King (Taylor Dearden) is a socially awkward second-year resident with a bit more experience working under stressful conditions given her work with military veterans, and Trinity Santos (Isa Briones) is brash and overconfident in her abilities. However, Dennis Whitaker (Gerran Howell) and Victoria Javadi (Shabana Azeez) have something to prove, as they each do their best to show they deserve to be there.

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Just as the interns and med students are thrust into their day rather abruptly, so too is the audience. The series doesn’t waste dialogue explaining every situation and character to the viewers. Rather, the conversations feel natural and resemble the reality of how an ER would actually develop, which makes The Pitt a unique and intriguing viewing experience. Instead of pandering to the audience, the show gives them a glimpse of what one ER shift looks like at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital.
Why Is ‘The Pitt’ Stirring Up Controversy?

Given the series stars Noah Wyle, who also serves as an executive producer, The Pitt and its setting undoubtedly resembles one of the most popular series from the 90s, ER, which was created by Michael Crichton. As such, those similarities have garnered controversy and legal drama. In fact, Michael Crichton’s estate have sued HBO and Max claiming the new medical drama is an unauthorized reboot of ER.

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However, a countersuit claims the shows are quite different. Sure, their settings are the same, but that doesn’t mean The Pitt is a rip-off of ER. Regardless of how the series resolves its legal drama, The Pitt is a gritty, realistic depiction of medical professionals that shouldn’t be overlooked. The Pitt is currently streaming on Max, and new episodes of the series premiere every Thursday on HBO and Max.