If you had told me a year ago that I would be scheduling my Thursdays around watching a new episode of a medical drama, I would’ve laughed in your face. I’ve never watched an episode of Grey’s Anatomy, gave up on Scrubs after one episode, and frequently had to leave the room in my middle school biology class when it came time to participate in dissections.

But after The Pitt consistently beat Severance, one of my favorite shows currently on TV, for a bunch of Emmys, I had to see what all of the hype was about. Coincidentally, I happened to fall sick a few weeks later and pulled up The Pitt so I could watch people have the worst day of their lives and stop throwing myself such a pity party about my cold. I ended up bingeing the entire fifteen-episode first season in a matter of days, and anxiously awaited the premiere of season two.

Each season takes place during one shift in a Pittsburgh E.R., with each episode being about one hour of their shift — meaning that the audience is witnessing the hospital’s descent into chaos in what seems like real time. This aspect of the show makes it feel like you, as the viewer, are one of the doctors juggling the hurdles that are thrown at them every five seconds.

Although the critically acclaimed medical accuracy is a big draw, the real heart of the show is the complex characters. The main character and chief attending, or head, of the E.R., Dr. Michael (Robby) Robinavitch, played by ER alum Noah Wyle, consistently struggles to find the balance between the high-stress situations of the E.R. and his failing personal life.

The premise of season two revolves around Dr. Robby’s last day in the E.R. before he goes on a three month long sabbatical. However, as the season progresses, it becomes obvious that Robby is too emotionally reliant on the hospital, and that if he leaves he very well may not return. Robby has lost himself in his work, and no longer knows who he is as Michael Robinavitch and not Dr. Robby. Robby takes out his frustrations on the other doctors in the E.R., oftentimes accusing them of bringing their personal issues into work, despite him doing the exact same thing. 

Despite tense relationships between the characters, the real villain of the show is the broken nation in which it takes place. Season one tackled the ever present issue of America’s gun violence epidemic, while season two focused on the inequalities within the healthcare system itself. These issues place even more stress on the doctors, who now not only have to deal with saving people’s lives, but also trying to deal with interfering social and political issues, such as failing Medicaid and ICE agents intruding on the hospital. This provides more of a personal connection to the audience, who feel the stress of these doctors and patients because they are dealing with issues that so many people are struggling with currently.

The ever present theme of the show is the dangers of burnout and mental health issues when working in a high-stress environment like the E.R., represented by characters such as Dr. Frank Langdon and Dr. Trinity Santos struggling with addiction, and characters such as Dr. Robby and Dr. Jack Abbot who have suicidal ideations.

Each episode, you feel the tension building as the characters’ patience grows thin and the interpersonal relationships begin fraying. This is masterly displayed through each character’s appearance throughout the season, with each character looking messier and less put-together each episode. One example of this is Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi, the doctor who is subbing in for Dr. Robby while he is on his sabbatical and comes along to shadow him on his last day. Initially appearing very put together with a full face of makeup and tidy hair, the last episode features her bare-faced with her hair down and wild. 

No matter how much I talk about loving this show, it is undeniable that there are some flaws. One of the most prevalent is the favoritism that Robby displays for the male doctors, and the pattern of him criticizing the female characters much more. Of course, having characters with flaws such as subconscious misogyny is not a bad thing—it only becomes an issue when the show does not properly address it. 

After multiple outbursts at female employees throughout the shift, I was anticipating a more candid addressment of his misogyny towards the end of the season. However, with time that could’ve been used to address these issues, or other character’s storylines, we instead got five minutes of Robby crying and wallowing in self pity multiple episodes in a row.   

The season ultimately ended on an uncertain note, leaving more questions created than answered. After discovering that the Dr. Al-Hashimi has an illness that has the potential to greatly disrupt her work during surgery, it is unclear whether or not Robby will actually depart for his sabbatical. It is also unknown what the fate of Dr. Samira Mohan is, a fan-favorite character who was mysteriously dropped from the show after this season, leaving her arc unfinished. 

The Pitt has been renewed for a third season, and is likely to release at the beginning of 2027. For the next season I hope to see more of the night shift, and I think it would be really interesting if it took place on Halloween.