A belated catch-up on MAX’s “The Pitt” that took viewers by surprise and storm this late winter and spring.
Take a moment, if possible, to imagine the worst scenario that could potentially unfold within the confines of any hospital’s emergency medicine wing. Think of how the professionals on staff would respond at the moment. Realize, perhaps most critically, that once everything’s been (hopefully) handled well, these tireless souls take a beat, move on to the next, and do it again, countless times over. Once this shift of stress comes to a close, each retreats to the comforts of everyday life, before returning the next day and doing it again.
Over three decades have passed since “ER” kicked off its impressive fifteen-year run, setting the benchmark for many of its contemporaries as it mixed the high-stakes tension of day-to-day operations within Chicago’s Cook County General Hospital emergency room alongside interpersonal relations and drama outside the office. While hardly groundbreaking, the structure worked, with each setting complementing the other; any and all ER scenes were allowed to ooze anxiety, while time outside the office received its own moments in the spotlight.
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A follow-up of sorts had been in the works for years, one spearheaded by the team of “ER” producer and writer R. Scott Gemmill alongside executive producer John Wells, with Noah Wyle, having memorably held the role of Dr. Carter, on board as another EP and potential star. Though the estate of “ER” creator Michael Crichton never could quite agree on the direction of said project, the trio would eventually take their idea elsewhere, far from the Windy City to an entirely new metropolis: the hill-drenched landscape of Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, despite the location shift, a wholly new cast of characters, and a slightly different twist on the concept of “Show Set Inside An Emergency Room,” the Crichton estate continued to take issue with the show, now called “The Pitt” and with Wyle indeed part of the cast; such an issue would make its way to teams of attorneys, with a lawsuit now in progress on the grounds of plagiarism.
It should be noted that all of this can’t be labeled as anything less than an unquestionable disappointment. “The Pitt” stands out entirely independently, separate from its pseudo-ancestor in “ER” and as a bonafide triumph in storytelling, chemistry and television.
Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital is where we find ourselves placed within the action, immediately taking strides to set itself apart from “ER” when the first episode reveals its title. This, and all subsequent dives into this fifteen-episode season, represent one hour of a fifteen-hour emergency room shift, taking a page from another cultural landmark in “24” and, in doing so, leaving little time for a peek or two outside the hospital and centering the focus almost solely on those in need of urgent care. Sure, characters might mention families and personal interests, and maybe someone’s child will visit the mom’s workplace at some point. This is about where this ends, but if you think the resulting show will wind up a one-sided affair, think again. For a show that never leaves the hospital, there’s more going on than just medicine.
Dr. Robby Robinavitch (Wyle), attending physician, has just arrived at the start of his shift; it’s 7:00 am, and as he removes his earbuds and enters his trusty ER, we’re soon to meet the colleagues ready to share in any manner of horrific tragedy and turn it around as best they can. At the helm would be Dr. Cassie McKay (Fiona Dourif), resident and full of as much quick-witted sarcasm as curiosity from those around her regarding the circumstances that led to the ankle monitor she’s hardly shy about showing off. There’s Dr. Melissa “Mel” King (Taylor Dearden), who is all business but never busy enough to check in via phone on her autistic sister, especially as the day’s events might cause their planned evening together to find itself delayed. Dr. Frank Langdon (Patrick Ball) couldn’t be more of a sidekick to Robbie, though his tendency to clash with intern Dr. Trinity Santos (Isa Briones) may come to a head soon enough.
But wait, there’s more! We can’t overlook the med students, which seemingly takes a page from HBO’s “Industry” where ambitious and ruthless junior traders are all jockeying for attention, squabbling, and trying to take each other out in order to be seen as no. 1 in the eyes of the powers that be. The med students are all a very colorful, well-drawn bunch, specifically Whitaker (Gerran Howell), overflowing with awkward energy as this farm life transplant adapts to big city medicine. At the same time, Victoria Javadi (Shabana Azeez) could be seen as a Doogie Howser-esque prodigy (something which is indeed pointed out) even as she’s quick to pass out during one of her first procedures of the day as her uber-surgeon mother, Dr. Eileen Shamsi (Deepti Gupta) works upstairs and isn’t shy about venturing down to the ER to see exactly how her offspring might be holding up. Dr. Heather Collins (Tracy Ifeachor), meanwhile, has an entire shift to worry about the pregnancy she’s kept secret, especially as complications begin to materialize, just as longtime nurse Dana Evans (Katherine LaNasa), showing all the signs of burnout, continues to maintain all the charm of someone who cares deeply even as she’s increasingly feeling a pull away from her job. We’re also treated to Shawn Hatosy as Dr. Abbot, Robby’s counterpart with a military background and straightforward approach to his job; simply seeing Hatosy these days feels like a victory in and of itself.
It’s this cast, these characters who, while Wyle might project the feel of the de facto series lead, all possess a balance that gives every person time at center stage, with the restricted setting working in favor of this despite never allowing the camera to leave the confines of The Pitt to peek into their homes and personal lives. Backstory comes in conversation, mainly because it has to, but it still leaves plotlines baggy enough as the show allows for speculation and questions yet to be answered in seasons to come. Javadi’s relationship with her mother? King’s with her sister? McKay’s with her ex, who even turns up in the ER at one point with their son at his side? Robby commands attention, even as he seems more than willing to step aside and let those around him propel the story forward, such as when Jake (Taj Speights) shows up for a visit; the son of an ex-girlfriend, Robby has remained a friend of Jake’s, something which sadly tees up one of the season’s most heartbreaking moments. It’s also undeniably refreshing to see a show factor COVID-19 into the narrative; flashbacks to Robby witnessing firsthand the horrors on the frontline as his emergency room five years prior became a high-stakes, shaky-cam, sterile battleground are shown minimally, thereby amplifying their terrifying impact.
As Robby clashes repeatedly with Chief Medical Offer Gloria Underwood (Michael Hyatt) over staff shortages and funding, we’re treated to the onslaught of patients fueling every episode; it’s here that the “ER” comparison threatens to overwhelm, yet somehow remain simultaneously at bay, feeling fresh every time Dr. King or McKay stroll up to a bed to see what the problem might be. Whether it’s the skincare influencer who’s products she’s attempting to promote might be the cause of her dermatological issues, the litany of problems a girl brought in by her controlling boss may need to be remedied away from the latter’s watchful eye, the familial drama stemming from a teen pregnancy, the overly-frustrated man in the waiting room, ready to physically unload on the first staff member he sees…sure, levity comes from the likes of Myrna (Jeanette O’Connor), seemingly existing in an endless altered state of consciousness, but such moments couldn’t be more short-lived as two separate incidents of children discovered as brain dead resulting from an accidental drug overdose and an accidental drowning, respectively, turn the dial instantly towards devastating every time the doctor of the moment walks in to see how they’re doing. As with any ER, their best efforts might not be enough.
It all culminates towards the end of the season, when a mass shooting at a local music festival, PittFest, results in an all-hands-on-deck situation and the pinball nature of trying to take care of everyone the parade of ambulances brings to The Pitt; it’s hard to imagine future seasons conjuring up a scenario able to exceed the emotions on displays throughout. Every episode is worthy of lengthy, passionate discussion. Every episode is just as stellar as the one before. Santos’ shtick might indeed trend toward mildly annoying, something that sets up a ferocious dynamic with Langdon, as does McKay’s from time to time. Still, these storytelling trips hardly seem necessary to downgrade this show meaningfully.
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True, “The Pitt” can’t help but borrow from the precedent set by “ER,” whether it realizes it or not. Still, plenty exists throughout fifteen episodes to both establish itself and successfully set up Season Two and beyond. It isn’t easy to imagine the wait to see how another day will unfold, and due to the show’s structure, when the bigger picture might one day emerge. “ER” waited until the final shot of its series finale to treat audiences to that iconic view of Cook County at long last in full, even as such a show used such a place as a jumping-off point for the many characters we’d meet over a decade-and-a-half. What’s seen in season one of “The Pitt” sets a similar tone. It’s something Dr. Carter also used to say. [A+]