top of page
Search

THE PITT (2025) Series: WHAT “ER” COULD HAVE BEEN IF THE LEGEND WENT BACK TO ITS ROOTS

Writer's picture: Dan BrooksDan Brooks

The daily lives of healthcare professionals in a Pittsburgh hospital as they juggle personal crises, workplace politics, and the emotional toll of treating critically ill patients, revealing the resilience required in their noble calling.




You know, sometimes when I'm driving through the Rust Belt, I ask myself, “Could Pittsburgh possibly get any more gritty?” Right then, some Hollywood exec decides to set up camp in Tinseltown to shoot a story about a Pittsburgh hospital, and—boom—along comes The Pitt. And ironically, not a single steel beam was harmed in the making of this show (most of the filming took place in Los Angeles, folks). But hey, that’s the magic of television: illusions on illusions. They trick us into thinking anything’s possible, like doctors who do everything from open-heart surgery to searching for a patient’s lost slippers in the supply closet. But I digress. Let’s talk about The Pitt—a spiritual sequel to ER if you will, or in my mind, what ER would’ve remained if it hadn’t gone full daytime soap.


Setting the Scene

Remember that classic sequence in ER—the one that ended up with Dr. Carter diving into more personal tragedies than an entire Shakespeare anthology? You half expected that poor guy to see Macbeth’s ghost in the locker room. Well, apparently, Noah Wyle had a vision to resurrect Dr. Carter in a new show. Only problem? He and John Wells forgot to bribe Michael Crichton's estate with enough stethoscopes. So they pivoted—did the old “change-a-roo.” Now we have a hospital series set in Pittsburgh, except they filmed it in Los Angeles. It’s a bit like eating vegan cheesesteak— you’re not quite sure it’s authentic, but you’re willing to go along for the ride, hoping you at least get some sizzling drama to fill the sandwich of your entertainment needs.


In walks Noah Wyle—the man, the myth, the doc who carried ER like Atlas carried the world on his shoulders. He’s now carrying The Pitt like it’s a delicate tray of hospital Jell-O. And by “carrying,” I mean if you took him out, this show might just roll into a standard-fare TV drama about angels in white coats who spit out medical jargon. Don’t get me wrong—there are other talented folks in the cast (I see you, Tracy Ifeachor and Patrick Ball), but Wyle’s the stethoscope that keeps the heartbeat pumping so far. Let’s hope those diamonds in the rough get polished fast, because this is a cast that, with the right script, might sparkle like the Allegheny at sunrise. Otherwise, we might be left with yet another quick fix medical drama that’s more forgettable than that weekly check-up.


Why The Pitt Works (So Far)

You know the first five seasons of ER, back in the day when they’d show raw, real trauma and the overhead speaker never seemed to shut up about GSWs, incoming traumas, or Dr. Greene’s personal meltdown? That era of medical drama actually made you squirm in your seat. The Pitt does its best to replicate that tension. There’s a grit here that says, “Hey, we’re not just a bunch of model-perfect doctors sipping lattes between surgeries. We’re dealing with the underbelly of real hospital life.” I’m talking about legitimate medical cases, blood spurts, the beep of machinery that sets your nerves on edge, and that feeling that at any second, something can and will go horribly wrong.


While ER eventually paraded around with plot lines that might have fit better on Days of Our Lives, The Pitt sets up shop with the promise of, “We’re going to show you the real stuff—the heartbreak, the panic, the drama that you can practically smell.” It’s like they combined the old ER tenacity with a dash of House cynicism (minus the cane-wielding hero), and threw in some of that docudrama camera style, where the lens shakes so much you’re certain the cameraman just got off a roller coaster.


And that’s the rub—there’s an authentic vibe, a kind of handheld urgency. I appreciate it to a point. I love me some adrenaline in my TV shows. The tension keeps me from burying myself in a phone game of Candy Crush while the plot unfolds. Here’s a show that demands your attention. It’s telling you: “Blood, scrubs, heartbreak. Keep your eyes on the prize.” And for the most part, it succeeds.


Where’s the Nurses?

But for a show about an emergency department, you ever notice how in real life, nurses are basically the unsung heroes who hold the entire operation together? I come from a family of nurses. True story: I can’t go to a family gathering without hearing about the nurse who had to MacGyver a cure for a patient whose IV stand decided to spontaneously implode, while the doctor was busy signing forms in the corner. The Pitt would have you believe that doctors do most everything—hanging IV bags, checking vital signs, even mopping up the floor if a patient yaks all over the hallway. Realistically, that’s like telling me Tom Brady personally sets up the Gatorade cups on the sideline. Sorry, doc, that’s not your gig.


Yes, doctors are important. But nurses? They are the blood pumping through the hospital’s veins. I watch The Pitt and I'm like, “Where’s the nurse who would be screaming at Dr. Overworked to get out of the way while they secure an airway?” Or the nurse who’s telling the med student that “No, honey, you can’t just jab a vein with a 16-gauge needle. Let me show you how a pro does it.” The show’s got great drama, but it needs a few more nurse characters stepping up to the plate—or in this case, stepping into the oncoming chaos of a level one trauma.


Cameras on Shaky Ground

If you love the docudrama style, you’ll be about as happy as a camera operator hopped up on three espressos. Personally, I get the narrative style. The unsteady camera mirrors the uncertainty of emergency medicine. But after fifteen minutes, I’m checking my living room for hidden tectonic plates. “Is that an earthquake? Or is someone applying a shaky cam filter?”


It’s not like we can’t handle a good handheld shot. I’m all for realism, especially in these urgent medical crises. But eventually the novelty wears off, and you think, “Alright, Steven Soderbergh, let’s keep the ground stable, please.” The actors are good enough to convey the tension without giving me motion sickness. Let them do their job. It’s the same reasoning behind not over-seasoning a steak—sometimes less is more.


Characters in Their Infancy

Another reason to hold tight: these characters are basically newborns in the big ol’ crib of primetime. Right now, they’re still sorting out personalities, backgrounds, and what kind of coffee order defines them as unique individuals. We see glimpses: Noah Wyle as the jaded but kindhearted doc (surprise, surprise—some things never change). Tracy Ifeachor portrays a surgeon who exudes that stoic determination, and Patrick Ball is the new resident who’s so wide-eyed you’d think he just stepped into Oz for the first time.


I’m not here to slam them for not being fully formed in episode one. This is how television works— pilot episodes and early arcs are basically lumps of clay, just waiting for the sculptor’s deft hand. The question: will the writers be Michelangelos, shaping these lumps into a masterpiece? Or will they end up with something that belongs in a yard sale next to those old porcelain clowns nobody wants? Only time will tell, folks.


But if they don’t hurry up and give us a real reason to fall in love, or at least in mild intrigue, with these doctors and nurses (if they add nurses, that is), we might all change the channel faster than you can say “stat.” Because grit and adrenaline are a nice garnish, but you gotta have substance under the hustle.


A Whiff of Nostalgia

Let’s talk for a minute about the ghost of Dr. John Carter that hovers over this show like Marley in A Christmas Carol. The Pitt was almost an actual ER revival. I can practically hear the old theme music, the frantic pace, the overhead P.A. system, the wail of ambulances. If you squint, you can imagine The Pitt is just ER in Pittsburgh, with a cameo or two from old cast members (Noah Wyle, obviously, and Shawn Hatosy who once guested as a guy with multiple personalities). So if you’re an ER fan, you’ll catch whiffs of that old magic. The set design, the tension, the battered staff lounge—it all reminds you of that 90s glory.


But as with any spiritual sequel, you have to gauge it on its own merits. Sure, the idea was to pick up where ER left off, but a decade or so has passed. New tech, new diseases, new crises. The Pitt is forging its own path. The question is: will it keep forging, or will it devolve into a knock-off, a mere clone that tries too hard to recapture the Carter glory? Let’s hope for the forging. My heart can’t handle another disappointment.

Pittsburgh or Bust


The funniest part of The Pitt is that, while it’s set in Pittsburgh, it was basically shot in L.A. on sound stages. Now, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Seinfeld was set in New York City, but shot in Los Angeles. Friends? Same story. It’s part of the TV business. But ironically, The Pitt tries to incorporate a “Pittsburgh feel” that looks suspiciously like downtown Glendale if you tilt your head just so. But hey, they did apparently shoot a few days in Pittsburgh last September, so at least they gave the city a cameo. I guess that’s better than the dreaded “fake establishing shot” of the skyline.


I’m not a cynic about the production value—if anything, it shows how well the set designers can transform a corner of Los Angeles into a small chunk of the Steel City. The real challenge is making it authentic enough that I can taste the Iron City Beer in the cafeteria. Maybe if they keep filming a few exteriors in Pittsburgh, we’ll get some legitimate references. Next time, let’s see an actual shot of the Duquesne Incline with a doc on a coffee break, or maybe the giant neon Heinz Ketchup sign cameo. A man can dream.


The Cast: Old Favorites, New Surprises

Noah Wyle: The centerpiece, the gold standard, the stethoscope that doctors all envy. He’s bringing that classic “I’ve been in this chaos before” vibe. You can almost see the subtle nods to Dr. Carter, though it’s obviously a new character. Wyle’s still got the comedic timing and dramatic chops. It’s like he’s telling the newbies, “Don’t worry, I’ve done 14 seasons of this. Follow my lead, kids.”


Tracy Ifeachor: She’s playing the strong-willed, no-nonsense surgeon who’s not afraid to speak her mind. So far, she’s like the second engine on the plane, revving up and ready to take the co-pilot’s seat to Wyle. She exudes confidence, but I’m waiting for that moment they crack her shell and reveal the human behind the mask. Because if you’re just tough 24/7, you become more cardboard than character. Still, I sense potential simmering under the surface.


Patrick Ball: The new kid on the block. I like that they throw us these fresh faces because, as audience members, we love seeing a wide-eyed newbie discovering the thrill—and horror—of an urban ER. If the writers are smart, they’ll let us see the hospital through his eyes, capturing that sense of “My God, what have I gotten myself into?” So far, I see a flicker of vulnerability, a dash of comedic timing, and enough self-awareness to realize he’s not quite the next Doogie Howser.


Grit Without the Soap Opera

To me, the biggest perk is that The Pitt so far is focusing on the medical drama over the personal drama. Yes, personal crises slip in; yes, there’s some tension among staff. But the main highlight is the daily grind of saving lives, losing patients, and dealing with the emotional toll that grinds these professionals down like coffee beans in an artisanal shop. That’s the key. Early ER had that. Then, somewhere around season 57 (yes, I’m exaggerating, but not by much), the show started focusing on who was hooking up with whom, who was cheating, who was dying, who was resurrecting like a Phoenix.


With The Pitt, I’m hoping they don’t water down the tension with “Who’s sleeping with the head of neurosurgery in the supply closet?” or “Which two residents are sneaking glances in the suture room?” Don’t get me wrong, I like a little romance. But let’s keep the main course the trauma, the heartbreak, the tension that keeps your heart pounding faster than a defibrillator. That’s the soul of a real medical drama.

Personal Crises Are Fine—Just Don’t Overdo It


I get it, doctors are humans. They have personal issues. Maybe one has a gambling problem, another is behind on child support, and a third is dealing with existential dread because Netflix canceled their favorite show. Fine. Let’s just keep it in moderation. The reason the early episodes of ER (and hopefully The Pitt) shine is because the personal stories often enhanced the professional struggles. They gave color to the characters, not overshadowed the entire plot. So let’s keep that momentum.


If The Pitt can maintain that line—show us how these docs are juggling their home life and their insane hospital duties without diving headfirst into “Grey’s Anatomy 2.0: The Pittsburgh Edition”—then we’ve got ourselves a winner. Because let’s face it: we want the raw, gritty, sweaty intensity of an ER shift, not a mid-afternoon soap with scalpels.


The Importance of Good Writing

You can have the best cast in the world, but if the script is 90% clichés, you might as well be filming a junior-high production of General Hospital. So far, the writing is... decent. There’s promise. The real question is whether they’ll deliver compelling arcs, or if they’ll rely on “patient-of-the-week” formulas. The best medical dramas combine both: dynamic ongoing arcs with fresh medical mysteries. If The Pitt can find that sweet spot, we could be in for a ride that revives that 90s golden era feeling we miss so dearly.


Here’s hoping the showrunner, the writing team, and the cast keep it fresh. Because if I see another storyline about a supervirus that conveniently threatens a major character’s spouse, only to be resolved in two episodes, I may start prescribing my own brand of sedation.


Will This Show Survive?

The big question for me is, “Will The Pitt find enough loyal fans to survive beyond a single season?” Medical dramas are a dime a dozen. If you flip through the channels on a random Tuesday night, you can usually find one about some genius doctor diagnosing bizarre diseases or another about a group of ridiculously attractive med students stuck in a love pentagon.


But The Pitt has a golden ticket: Noah Wyle. That name alone will draw ER loyalists like moths to a flame. Add in some genuinely gripping medical sequences, and you might keep an audience that’s hungry for that old adrenaline. The question is whether they can keep the momentum. I want to see deeper character developments. I want that big storyline that arcs over multiple episodes. I want less shaky cam and more stable, intense close-ups of Wyle doing what he does best—acting circles around an ensemble.


Tracy Ifeachor? She can be the next big thing if they give her a meaty storyline. Patrick Ball? Let’s see him evolve from “Oh dear, I’m in an ER, help!” to “I am a formidable doc who’s grown from tragedy and triumph.” Throw in some real nurse storylines— trust me, the drama is there waiting to be tapped. If they do it right, we’ll have a show that might just stand a fighting chance.


Summing It All Up

At the end of the day, The Pitt is a show with massive potential. It’s giving us that raw, back-to-basics medical drama that we haven’t seen since ER was in its prime. The shaky cam can be toned down, the writing can tighten up, and the nurse representation can be drastically improved. But the foundation is solid. It’s gritty, it’s attention-grabbing, and it’s got enough heart to suggest the possibility of real longevity—provided the network doesn’t yank it off the air if the ratings slip for two consecutive episodes.


If you’re a fan of blood-soaked scrubs, life-or-death decisions, and the occasional comedic quip from the staff lounge, then jump into The Pitt. But if you’re hoping for a romance-laden, melodramatic tear-jerker, you might have to look elsewhere—or wait for season six, when they might decide to shoehorn a love triangle or two. (Please, dear writers, resist that urge. We don’t need another Mark Greene-Elizabeth Corday fiasco. Let’s keep it real.)


I’m going to keep watching to see how these characters develop. Noah Wyle has me hooked with that lived-in presence of his. This is the ER revival we never got, so let’s see if it can stay the course and avoid becoming another forgettable hospital drama.


Final Verdict

I’m giving The Pitt a solid 8.0/10. The show has grit, a stellar lead, and strong potential, but it needs to steady that camera, show more nurses, and fully develop the rest of its cast before it ascends to the top of the medical drama pantheon.


5 views0 comments

Comments


Subscribe Form

Thanks for submitting!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

©2020 by What should we watch?. Proudly created with Wix.com

bottom of page