In just a couple days of viewership, the HBO Max original The Pitt has become one of the most engrossing shows that I have experienced to date. Through recommendation, I started the first episode with the intention of making it my designated cardio show, meaning I would work through it an hour a day. In just one evening I had finished the first seven episodes; had I not been in need of sleep I’d have gladly powered through all 15.
Before even pressing play I was excited by the prospects of this show, its main unique selling point being its distinct use of a very linear timeline. The show takes place in real time, all fifteen episodes span one fifteen hour shift in a Pittsburgh Emergency Room. This immediately reminded me of the highly praised cinematography in Birdman, a film which lacked plot and character development but made up for itself in its fascinating use of (seemingly) one-shot camera-work. This similar effect makes The Pitt equally as engaging, the entire show feels so authentic that, at times, I felt I was watching a livestream of a real hospital. Often with medical dramas the high-tension and extremely elaborate patient-traumas can feel hyperbolised and unrealistic. Whilst I cannot speak for the realities of an ER, the temporal aspect of this show provides a level of realism that makes the medical dilemmas feel genuine and high-stakes in a way that transcends fiction.
The unique timeline benefits the show in more ways than one, and a stand out of these is the humility and honesty that it provides to its characters. Often with hospital dramas it’s easy for the characters to feel manufactured, some seem too good at their jobs while others are crafted entirely as nervous and withdrawn. However, with no erased time the characters introduced in The Pitt do not have the liberty of being edited or censored, instead we are exposed to actualised people who experience emotion in real-time, therefore their behaviour feels natural and levelled; we see them at their best and their worst, often within the span of a single episode. A character who challenges our perception of what makes a person inherently “good” or “bad” is a sign of good writing, and this is perfected through the complexity of these doctors. Many we see to be morally good people but none can be described as perfect. We see them all range on a spectrum of likeability, often causing us as viewers to cringe or verbally groan when their actions irritatingly do not meet the level of respectability that we want to assign to them. This is a trait that made me binge this show. I cared about its characters-not just the patients whose lives were at stake, but the well-crafted people who cared for them.
Whilst the pacing of this show is definitely a stand-out, the storylines it provides alone are an exceedingly good reason for anyone to give this show a chance. We spend time with the hospital patients in a way that makes us empathise with them, it’s not a single scene of exposition before being rushed into a tense climax. In some cases we are left with a comforting simplicity where no escalation occurs at all, in other circumstances this same security is used as a false guise before things derail. What amplifies this impact is that we, as the viewer, are experiencing this change in tension at the exact same time as the doctors and nurses. They know these ill or critically injured people as well as we do, therefore we are fully invested in the outcome of their stories and the development of their relationships. The show finds an excellent balance in providing enough plot development that feels satisfyingly exciting, but also allowing for enough explanation and understanding that does not feel overstimulating. A challenge that medical dramas have is trying to weave in medical terminology that makes the content believable, whilst also not overwhelming the viewer with confusing or unfamiliar jargon. Upon my investment with the hospital setting, a recurring curiosity would be to ask a professional within the field if the language used is representative of real life, or whether it has inaccuracies? Regardless of the answer, in watching this show it is best to take early comfort in the fact that these characters are the experts. Much like the patients, It is not our job to fully understand them, but instead we should observe and respect them with the comfort that they will relay the crucial information to us.
Another great aspect to this show’s writing is its inclusion of emotion and raw humanity, even amongst the chaos. Blood, injury and bodily trauma all take their moments in the spotlight, however this doesn’t overshadow the fact that this show centres the characters who resolve all these issues. Themes of human connection, emotional trauma and loss are all explored in equal depth and honesty, no less than the cuts and bruises. Some of my favourite moments from this show are the glimpses of humility in which we are reminded that these incredibly intelligent and dedicated professionals are all just employees of a job. Conversations about pets, loved ones and holiday plans are a constant reminder that these people gossip, as does any person with their coworkers. In these moments it’s a reminder of how doctors are humans, and deserve to be treated as such. Then, In just seconds, we are catapulted into the reminder that an Emergency Room isn’t like an average workplace, and the conversations about pets and loved ones are contextualised by the constant looming pressure and responsibility.
The final five episodes of this show, and the events that unfold, made for five hours of the most intense, stressful and brilliant entertainment that a streaming service has put out. My screen time report this week will win awards for its percentage decrease. Not once in this show’s climax did I find myself reaching for my phone because of the show’s incredibly compelling drama. Amongst the gripping storytelling, The Pitt does an excellent job at summarising the human experience. For a show that feels so real and authentic, we are never left feeling one consistent emotion. The ebbing and flowing of new hospital goers is a reminder of how turbulent life is, and yet within this there are moments of beauty, sadness and pure joy that make the show feel so fulfilling. I am yet to watch the second season, however if it is anything like the first I can guarantee that it will be a consistently brilliant watch from beginning to end, and I cannot wait.