The Pitt is up for 25 Emmys – but the show’s biggest fans are real-life doctors
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It’s a familiar sight: a crowded waiting room, trolleys in corridors, stressed doctors and nurses. But this isn’t a typical A&E unit in the NHS, it’s a Hollywood set with actors recreating the drama of an emergency department for TV series The Pitt.
And among its biggest fans are real-life doctors.
“We finally feel validated for everything we go through every day,” says Dr Tony Cirillo, President of the American College of Emergency Physicians.
On Monday, The Pitt could become this year’s most decorated series at the Emmys, America’s most coveted TV honours, with 25 nominations.
Doctors and others in the medical profession say, for them, it’s the most realistic medical drama yet – which is why they love it.
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The series covers the life and work of the staff of Pittsburgh’s Trauma Medical Centre, with each episode representing an hour of a day and there are 15 in each series.
A constant thread through each episode is the noise, the pace of activity and the constant demands on the staff who never seem to get a break. Complex procedures and life-saving interventions are shown in graphic, and often, gory detail.
The lead character Dr Michael Robinavitch, known as Dr Robby, is a hardened and highly experienced emergency medicine consultant (in US hospitals a senior emergency attending physician).
Played by Noah Wyle, previously in the cast of mid-90s medical drama ER, he is an executive producer as well as part of the writing team, which includes qualified doctors.
‘The Pitt makes us feel validated’
Wyle was invited to take part in a platform discussion at a prestigious conference with more than 6,000 emergency medicine experts in the audience.
“People came up to him and, as opposed to actors and athletes where they say they are amazing or love their work, people just said thank you to him,” Cirillo says.
“The Pitt is more than just a good TV show – the term I use is validation.”
Social and ethical issues are often reflected. A stressed daughter who is caring for her sick mother leaves her in the emergency department and then can’t be found.
There are anguished conversations with parents who are desperate for their child to be kept alive, despite doctors saying there is no hope.
Health inequalities are highlighted, with some patients struggling with the payments required in the US health system.
Long waits and patient frustration are obvious shades of the NHS.
And, based on our conversations, the series has become more popular in the UK with medics.
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Doctors seem ready to watch even in weeks when they have had punishing days or nights in A&E.
One of them is Dr Fiona Hunter, vice president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine in Scotland.
“I wouldn’t do it straight after a shift,” she said. “We all need to decompress and debrief what we have experienced.
“But in between shifts, when I have got downtime, it’s watchable, relatable. It makes me feel other people might get it.”
North Wales consultant Dr Rob Perry is another fan.
“I think it is reassuring when you see people portraying doctors and nurses in a similar job to your own and, though its not in the UK, they are doing their level best to give the best care they can,” he said.
‘A very common problem around the world’
Doctors we spoke to do point out that each episode of The Pitt brings together several urgent trauma cases which typically might be spread across 24 hours or more.
But Prof Damian Roland, a practising emergency medicine consultant, notes that the drama does illustrate wider health challenges.
He thinks it puts the problems of the NHS in perspective.
“Virtually every emergency department in the world at the moment has not enough space to see patients,” he says.
“It’s a very common theme in The Pitt about the central character arguing with hospital management saying ‘I need more flow, you can’t just leave these patients here’ – that’s a very common problem.”
“In my work in the NHS, its very much we all work for one another and I like that we represent that on the show,” says Sarah Tosh, a senior NHS nurse who is the series medical adviser.
“In The Pitt they’ve got a bit about the characters’ day-to-day life, but it’s more about their medicine, which patient they are doing and what they are going on to next.”
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One of the stars of The Pitt, Gerran Howell, was born and brought up in South Wales.
With other actors he was put through a medical boot camp for speed learning of medical techniques and jargon. This included training on dummies and CPR practice.
In a BBC Wales interview he was asked if he would like to train to be a doctor.
“I have such a newfound respect for the medical profession. It’s maybe made me realise that I don’t know how I would do this. I will stick to acting.”
Howell is nominated for an outstanding supporting actor award at the Emmys.
The winners will be announced on 14 September at a ceremony in Los Angeles.
The Pitt is available to stream on HBO Max in the UK.
Noah Wyle is back in A&E with new drama The Pitt: ‘I hope people watch with empathy’
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