Sterile lighting, an overcrowded waiting room, and bustling doctors and nurses transported me into the heart of Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center’s Emergency Room (ER) every Thursday night at 8 p.m. I sat cozied up in my fluffy blanket, eyes glued to the screen as doctors and nurses whirred past me, taking me into a completely unique perspective of a medical TV show. My heart rate spiked as I watch patients arriving on the brink of death, closely followed by my heart rate settling as a result of watching beautiful patient interactions. These experiences have made tuning into The Pitt.
Created by R. Scott Gemmill, the show dives into the difficult lives of healthcare workers, covering a variety of topics including workplace politics, the emotional toll of patient treatment, and overcoming the intricacies of their work lives with shocking resilience. The show’s 15-episode first season that aired from Jan. to April 2025 followed the ER staff in episodes depicting one hour of a work shift. The second season began airing Jan. 8 and aired its final episode on April 16.
Season 1 introduced viewers to the main character, Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinovitch (Noah Wyle), as he struggles with grief and burnout inside “the pitt”, the nickname of the ER due to its fast-paced nature and location. On top of his personal issues, Robby juggled a fresh batch of interns and medical students and trouble amongst his senior residents, specifically Dr. Frank Langdon (Patrick Ball). Every episode left me excited, making it impossible for me to turn the show off, leaving me waiting for a highly-anticipated Season 2.
Kicking off Season 2, we were introduced to a whole new set of characters, including the new attending, Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi (Sepideh Moafi). As Robby preps for his sabbatical, Al-Hashimi begins reshaping the department, leading to a clash of opinions with Robby. This power struggle creates a domino effect of tension that has been nothing but stressful in the very best way to watch.
The Pitt presents a variety of harsh topics, notably emotional trauma. Robby’s mental health journey is nowhere near smooth and increasingly evident in each episode as he lashes out at co-workers in an uncharacteristic lack of empathy. As I watch Robby butt heads with Al-Hashimi or charge nurse Dana Evans (Katherine LaNasa), now a common occurrence, my temper runs hot at the tension Robby fuels. Although these arguments have only added to my enjoyment of the show, they also depict real examples of the consequences of mental health problems. While I could empathize with Robby in Season 1, watching him continue to rip apart Dr. Samira Mohan (Supriya Ganesh) in Season 2 has been painful. When Robby broke down in Season 1, I wanted to comfort him, but as his temper gets out of control this season, I cannot wait until his sabbatical comes.
Each episode of The Pitt never fails to invoke a spectrum of emotions inside me, whether it be heated anger, tearful sadness, or just pure excitement for what is going to happen next. The excellent writing, character development, and uniqueness of The Pitt hooked me from the second I clicked play, becoming part of my weekly routine, and definitely my favorite show I have ever seen.
