15 hours over 15 episodes. Each season of The Pitt covers a 15 hour shift at the emergency department of Pittsburgh Trauma Medical, a fictional hospital created for the show. The show has taken the world by storm since the first episode released last January. In only a year, it’s been nominated for 13 Emmy Awards and has won 5, including Outstanding Drama Series. The cast have also had major career boosts because of the show’s success and acclaim. Two cast members, Isa Briones and Patrick Ball, are currently on Broadway. Lead actors Noah Wyle, Shawn Hatosy, and Katherine Lanasa have also had major career resurgences since the release of the first season. But why does The Pitt have such a major impact?
Season 1 of The Pitt follows Dr. Michael Robinavitch, known as Dr. Robby, an attending doctor at the hospital who’s working a shift in the emergency department on the anniversary of his mentor’s death. Millions of people lost loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic, and those painful losses were especially difficult for healthcare workers, who had to witness these deaths firsthand—all while losing people close to them. His mentor’s death has defined Dr. Robby’s life even though the pandemic he died in was years in the past. The season also focuses on Dr. Heather Collins, Nurse Dana Evans, and Dr. Frank Langdon. Starting off with Dr. Collins, who experiences a miscarriage during the shift which brings up painful feelings from a past pregnancy. Later on in the shift, Nurse Dana has a violent encounter with a patient who was unsatisfied with his treatment. Her storyline brings light to the serious issue of violence against nurses in hospitals and this continues to be represented in the next season. Dr. Langdon has an especially complex storyline that revolves around his addiction and the lengths it leads him to take; the situation only intensifies when medical student Trinity Santos catches onto Dr. Langdon’s addiction and the fact that he’s been stealing from the hospital to fuel it. By the end of the season, Dr. Collins, Nurse Dana, and Dr. Langdon have all left due to their personal issues, while Dr. Robby stays even though his trauma has been consuming him from the inside out.
Season 2 follows the staff at the emergency department on the Fourth of July. It’s Dr. Langdon’s difficult first day back after months of treatment for his addiction and Dr. Robby’s last day before his sabbatical. Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi has been hired to fill in as the attending doctor for Dr. Robby while he’s on sabbatical and has decided to start a day early to understand how the emergency department works. Dr. Al-Hashimi and Dr. Robby’s methods and approaches to their jobs instantly conflict with each other, this conflict is only worsened by Dr. Robby’s declining mental health and Dr. Al-Hashimi’s mystery illness. We also follow Dr. Samira Mohan on her journey to find her speciality while dealing with personal and work issues throughout the day. As well as Dr. Melissa King, who has to deal with a legal deposition because of a patient she treated last season while her sister is admitted to the hospital for stomach issues that are later revealed to be caused by a UTI. The show also introduces a new nurse named Emma Nolan who experiences violence at the hands of a patient just like Nurse Dana did in the previous season. Not only do we get Nurse Emma’s perspective on the event, but we see the way Nurse Dana is still holding onto the trauma from her attack, she’s constantly on alert for another threat and reacts intensely to any possible danger to her or her nurses.
The season 2 finale takes a meaningful look at the mental health of the staff in The Pitt. All the ways their daily experiences have changed them are on full display and it seems hopeless for them. Most characters feel like they only have two options: leave or burn out. But Dr. Jack Abbot sees it differently. He gives a hopeful speech to Dr. Robby about the difficulties of life and the importance of remembering the good that exists on the other side of it. Even though life can destroy you, there are so many things to look forward to, and you shouldn’t give up before you experience them. This speech leads to an emotional scene where Dr. Robby talks to Baby Jane Doe, a newborn who was abandoned at the hospital in the beginning of the season. We learn more about Dr. Robby’s past and get to see some of the hope he’s lost return as he reassures both the baby and himself that they still have so much to live for.
The other doctors and nurses gather on the roof to watch the Fourth of July fireworks together, finding joy after a hard shift. At the very end of the finale, we watch Dr. King and Dr. Santos sing their hearts out to “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette at a bar. It’s a moment of catharsis and levity at the end of a heavy season for both the characters and the audience.
Even though the doctors, nurses, and med students are the central characters in The Pitt, the patients they treat are just as important. The show portrays real-life issues like abortion, healthcare costs, sexual assault, racism, addiction, and the treatment of immigrants in the U.S. through different cases. In season 2, a woman is brought in for an injury that was likely caused by the ICE agents who arrested her, and a nurse who tries to stand up for the woman’s rights is detained by the agents for it. This reflects the awful arrests of immigrants and U.S. citizens who are just trying to do what’s right or exercise their legal right to protest which is currently happening in their country.
The story of Louie Cloverfield, a frequent patient at the emergency department, is also shown over both seasons. Louie is an alcoholic who connects with the staff on a deep level, especially with Dr. Langdon. Louie’s death in season 2 is one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the show: His backstory of losing his wife and baby, which led to his addiction, just adds to the devastation because of the pure kindness and joy the audience always sees from him.
The Pitt is not just one of the most accurate depictions of what it’s like to be a healthcare worker, but what it’s like to be human as well. Imperfections and struggles are mixed with empathy and connection. The show has built a devoted fanbase and garnered critical acclaim because of how it reflects our reality and connects with the people watching on a deeper level. Incredible performances, writing, and directing make the show engaging and emotional, separating The Pitt from medical shows that are more focused on drama and shocking injuries. The Pitt shows the darkness and pain in the world, but always reminds viewers that there is light, hope, and happiness beyond all of it.
