The Pitt

Set in an underfunded and overcrowded Pittsburgh trauma center, with 15 episodes all taking place across a single day, HBO’s The Pitt jolts the TV medical drama to new life. At the show’s center is supervising physician Michael Rabinovitch, played by Noah Wyle, who starred in the legendary hit ER. Yet while The Pitt was also conceived by another ER veteran, showrunner R. Scott Gemmill, it feels completely fresh in its contemporary relevance, as well as its minute depiction of the complexity and gore of specialized emergency medicine. “Dr. Robby” is a model modern empathetic boss, all while suffering from COVID PTSD and other untreated personal demons. The surrounding cast of doctors, residents, interns, nurses, and EMTs represent a cross-section of today’s America but emerge as complex characters who defy easy racial, class, and regional stereotypes. The storylines touch on social crises from opioid overdoses and homelessness to mass shooter violence, all while driving home how those epidemics upend individual lives. And a damning commentary on profit-driven medicine is always in the background, without minimizing the heroism and humanity of the medical professionals who work under those conditions. For providing a riveting example of “appointment television” for the streaming age, The Pitt is honored with a Peabody Award.