Medical dramas are nothing new to me — in fact, they are something of a passion. Over the years I have powered through Scrubs, Grey's Anatomy (at least up to season 17), and my personal favourite, House. But this 2025 medical drama has well and truly rekindled my enthusiasm for the genre.
HBO's The Pitt is set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, centring on the staff of the emergency room at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. The series marks the second collaboration for writer R. Scott Gemmill and executive producers John Wells and Noah Wyle, who previously joined forces on the enormously popular ER (1994-2009).
Set in a post-COVID world, the pandemic has left deep emotional scars on everyone — most notably Dr Michael 'Robby' Robinavitch (Noah Wyle), who begins his shift on the fourth anniversary of his mentor's death from COVID-19. Each episode of The Pitt plays out across a single hour of a shift, with the entire series spanning just one working day. Beyond the mayhem of the emergency room and his overwhelming grief, Dr Robby must also manage five medical interns, doing his utmost to show them the ropes.
This programme is utterly compelling throughout both seasons and is also regarded as one of the most authentic portrayals of emergency room life, according to reviews on IMDB. One viewer commented: '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 stated: '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 described the programme as 'intense and relentless'.
One aspect I particularly appreciate about The Pitt is its authentic feel. I started watching following Grey's Anatomy, where all manner of absurd scenarios unfold daily, but in The Pitt, the genuine drama of emergency medicine is powerful enough on its own. When medics are racing against time to preserve lives, there are precious few dramatic arterial spurts of blood, nobody detonates explosives near a patient and there are no HR-worthy transgressions. Instead, The Pitt tackles a mass shooting, homelessness and enforced deportation by ICE officers — all tragic realities of American life — yet these subjects are handled with sensitivity and respect. Heartbreak never appears exploited and the personal dynamics between the characters are remarkably subtle and expertly crafted.
Boasting a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes, The Pitt genuinely ranks amongst the finest television currently available. The Pitt is now streaming on HBO Max.
