I initially encountered The Pitt during a group call with friends who were watching the first season. Clicking on it without much thought, I saw a gruesome sight of someone’s shredded, or, as described on the show, “de-gloved foot.” In horror, I switched it off and asked what they were watching.
“The Pitt,” a friend replied. “New medical show. It’s supposed to be SUPER accurate.”
I nodded and wrote it off as just another medical drama, a drop in the ocean of many trying to set themselves apart from each other with gimmicks that could last only for so long. Plus, given the state of streaming shows, how could they afford to be accurate without droning on and on?
Who knew that the show’s level of accuracy went beyond gimmick, into actually what made it one of the best and most grounded shows I’ve seen? The show did the impossible: It made me like a medical drama.
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The Pitt, the Emmy award-winning show, focuses on a single day shift set in an emergency trauma center. The show is structured as an hour in that 15-hour shift, with episodes titled simply 7 am, 8 am, etc.
You follow a number of The Pitt’s team of doctors trying to deal with the overwhelming number of challenges faced by a healthcare worker post-COVID. It’s an amazing show which, according to lead star Noah Wyle (of ER fame), was a love letter to the medical profession.
I felt immersed in the narrative. The humanity of the show pulls you in all directions, and really reaches the hearts of viewers. You feel the anger and frustration of medical teams who want to help, but are barred from doing so because of the predatory side of the medical industry. You also feel their devastation after losing a patient, as well as their joy after saving one.
You see the reality of it all. It’s supposed to feel overwhelming because that’s how medical professionals feel when they’re in the Emergency Room (of course, with some creative liberties). You are meant to have little time to grieve or process anything as the viewer. Amid the chaos, you’re compelled to continue watching, and, like me, you will probably end up re-watching it just to catch the many details you missed during your first watch.
I always knew that the medical profession was difficult, but given the show’s dedication to accuracy, I had to wonder how ER doctors are able to function in extremely stressful situations while having little to no room for error. Even the tiniest change in dosage could prove fatal. You remember that they aren’t miracle workers, but are mere humans with extensive knowledge of the human body. Even then, they can do only so much for a failing body.
It isn’t just the situations the doctors find themselves in that keep you watching. You also learn to care for the doctors who make up the main and supporting casts—from Noah Wyle’s Dr. Robby, the no-nonsense yet caring attending physician, to the student and resident doctors and the nurses.
The show’s diversity is meant not just to appeal to “woke” audiences, but also to depict the variety of people in an ER. From queer characters to characters of all races, we learn about people and their backgrounds, from conversations and situations. In fact, there are three Filipino actresses on the show—Isa Briones, Kristin Villanueva, and Amielynn Abellera—who joined the cast onstage, led by Wyle, to accept their award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series at the recent Actors’ Awards. Briones, who plays Dr Trinity Santos, even went viral among her kababayan for singing the Hilgaynon lullaby Ili-Ili, Tulog Anay to a crying baby on the show.
What I like most about the show is how much you’re able to dissect an episode which is densely packed with details you can easily miss. You’re not just encouraged but even required to keep a keen eye on a detail about a pivotal character. This show is like your homework, it’s probably best to set aside your phone while you’re watching it. If, like me, you love rewatching shows to catch things you missed the first time, you’ll love The Pitt for sure.
The Pitt’s second season is shaping up to be an exciting watch, just like the first. So if you need something good to watch, run (don’t walk) to watch The Pitt while it’s ongoing!
