How “The Pitt” Diagnoses America’s Ills
Critics at LargeMax’s new medical drama puts the daily grind of a resource-strapped E.R. on full display. At a time when Americans are angrier at the health-care system than ever, is the genre changing to meet the moment?Illustration by Miguel PorlanDownload a transcript.Listen and subscribe: Apple | Spotify | Wherever You ListenSign up to receive our weekly cultural-recommendations newsletter.“The Pitt,” which recently began streaming on Max, spans a single shift in the life of a doctor at an underfunded Pittsburgh hospital, where, in the course of fifteen gruelling hours, he and his team struggle to keep up with a seemingly endless succession of patients. The show has been praised by lay viewers and health-care professionals alike for its human drama and its true-to-life portrayal of structural issues that are rarely seen onscreen. On this episode of Critics at Large, Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz parse how “The Pitt” fits alongside beloved medical shows such as “E.R.” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” While the new series upholds many of the tropes of the genre, it’s set apart by its emphasis on accuracy and on the daily struggles—and rewards—of laboring toward a collective goal. At the heart of “The Pitt” is a question that, in 2025, is top of mind for many of us: does the for-profit medical system actually allow for humane care? “Faith in these institutions has eroded,” Schwartz says. “At the low point of such faith and trust, what happens to build it back?”Read, watch, and listen with the critics:“The Pitt” (2025-)“E.R.” (1994-2009)“Grey’s Anatomy” (2005-)“This Is Going to Hurt” (2022)“House” (2004-12)“The Bear” (2022-)Doctor Mike’s YouTube channelSteveoie’s YouTube channelNew episodes drop every Thursday. Follow Critics at Large wherever you get your podcasts.
Listen and subscribe: Apple | Spotify | Wherever You Listen
Sign up to receive our weekly cultural-recommendations newsletter.
“The Pitt,” which recently began streaming on Max, spans a single shift in the life of a doctor at an underfunded Pittsburgh hospital, where, in the course of fifteen gruelling hours, he and his team struggle to keep up with a seemingly endless succession of patients. The show has been praised by lay viewers and health-care professionals alike for its human drama and its true-to-life portrayal of structural issues that are rarely seen onscreen. On this episode of Critics at Large, Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz parse how “The Pitt” fits alongside beloved medical shows such as “E.R.” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” While the new series upholds many of the tropes of the genre, it’s set apart by its emphasis on accuracy and on the daily struggles—and rewards—of laboring toward a collective goal. At the heart of “The Pitt” is a question that, in 2025, is top of mind for many of us: does the for-profit medical system actually allow for humane care? “Faith in these institutions has eroded,” Schwartz says. “At the low point of such faith and trust, what happens to build it back?”
Read, watch, and listen with the critics:
“The Pitt” (2025-)
“E.R.” (1994-2009)
“Grey’s Anatomy” (2005-)
“This Is Going to Hurt” (2022)
“House” (2004-12)
“The Bear” (2022-)
Doctor Mike’s YouTube channel
Steveoie’s YouTube channel
New episodes drop every Thursday. Follow Critics at Large wherever you get your podcasts.
