The Emmy Awards may not be until September, but the buzz surrounding the acting categories has already begun. With shows like Severance, Yellowjackets, Shrinking, Hacks, Abbott Elementary, and more, this Emmys cycle has been a competitive one. But despite the online discourse of which show will go home with the coveted awards for “Outstanding Comedy Series” and “Outstanding Drama Series,” there is one outlier among this year’s stacked lineup of prospective nominees.
The Pitt concluded its first season on April 10, 2025, on Max. In 15 episodes, Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinovitch, played by Noah Wyle, leads his team of emergency medicine healthcare professionals through what can only be described as a shift from hell. The show is full of a million moving parts. From med students’ first days, to an already full (and rowdy) waiting room at 7 a.m., The Pitt is pure chaos. Thankfully, it’s not Wyle’s first time in a hospital. After 15 seasons of ER, Wyle’s return to the medical drama world is nothing short of exemplary. Warner Bros. Discovery stated that the first 14 episodes averaged 10 million views per episode. The series was already in production for its second season before the final episode even aired, something shows aren’t often seen doing due to a lack of viewership. So, what makes The Pitt different? While there’s so much credit to be given to the creative minds behind The Pitt, the strongest elements that make the show work can be broken down into three categories.
Format
Every episode takes place in real time, allowing the audience to feel the stress of a real emergency room, especially when real doctors describe the show as, “…the first time that I’ve watched doctors on television that I felt like I could see myself in them.” The show’s structure, while not new, is definitely its most unique quality. With all of the show’s pandemonium, it can be easy to forget that everything in The Pitt takes place in one day, with many of the characters meeting for the first time that morning. It also gives huge props to the costuming and makeup teams behind the scenes, who maintained continuity for the characters’ wardrobes.
Ensemble
The power of an ensemble can make or break a show. Thankfully, when it comes to The Pitt, the caliber of the ensemble is strong. From senior residents like Dr. Frank Langdon and Dr. Heather Collins, to med students Whittaker, Santos, and Javadi’s first shift, and everyone in between, this ensemble’s ability to connect with each other in a fast-paced environment and function as a unit is captivating. Even as stand-alone characters do the “pit crew” soar, like residents Dr. Samira Mohan and Dr. Melissa “Mel” King, who have easily become fan favorites. The interpersonal relationships the staff is able to build, whether it’s a fond moment in the break room, or yelling at each other over a patient’s treatment plan, is a testament to their writers’ character development and portrayal abilities.
Special Effects and Gore
The Pitt had real doctors on set to consult with about the scenes’ accuracies, including the special effects it takes to depict emergency room situations. The series does not hold back in what it shows on-screen. Everything from broken limbs, to burns, to childbirth, leaves the audience wincing due to how well the special effects have been executed. In order to illustrate procedures that were performed by the actors precisely, many were trained to suture, intubate, perform CPR, and more on dummies before filming commenced. 20,000 gloves and 25 gallons of fake blood later, The Pitt is most definitely a front-runner for the “Outstanding Special Visual Effects In A Season Or Movie” Emmy Award.
All of these elements, paired with its relevance to current events, are what makes The Pitt work as well as it does. With Season 2 expected to be released next January, The Pitt is a breath of fresh air in a cycle of waiting years between seasons for new TV. Until then, fans will anxiously await the fate of the “pit crew” and their fearless leader, Dr. Robby, as they take on a 4th of July weekend 10 months after the events of Season 1.