10 Best Movies & TV Shows Like The Pitt
HBO Max is currently airing a brand-new medical drama, The Pitt, which has become an instant hit among audiences, making them wonder what other movies and TV shows might have a similar atmosphere and story. The Pitt season 1 centers on the emergency department of a hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that is nicknamed the Pitt, because of its location and chaotic energy. Within, doctors in varying stages of their careers work to help patients survive and cope with their injuries. Meanwhile, they must also deal with the unfair bureaucracy of hospital policy, and the dark issues plaguing society as a whole.
Medical dramas are far from being uncommon nowadays, but The Pitt definitely brings something special to the table. First and foremost, the entire first season takes place over the course of a single day, with every episode representing one hour, where new patients are brought in, and new obstacles must be overcome. Furthermore, the large ensemble cast of The Pitt makes it so there is always something interesting happening on-screen. Plus, relationship dynamics only make situations more intense. In this way, The Pitt successfully showcases the overwhelming energy of a busy emergency department.
10 Contagion (2011)
How Hospitals Deal With Medical Emergencies
At first glance, Contagion may seem like an out-of-pocket recommendation compared to The Pitt. However, despite their different genres and forms, the two projects are actually more alike than you might think. Released in 2011, Contagion follows a woman who returns from a trip to Hong Kong only to find that she is deathly ill with an unknown virus. Following her death, her husband and her doctors must try to figure out what was wrong with her, and more importantly, stop the disease before it kills everyone.
The theme that truly ties Contagion and The Pitt together is the COVID-19 pandemic. Contagion rose in popularity during the pandemic due to its relatable themes of disease, and The Pitt has an underlying storyline about the effects of COVID on the hospital and its personnel. In this way, those who are eager to see more of Dr. Robby's traumatic experience during COVID would definitely find the high-stakes fear of Contagion very interesting. Though it has more of a horror edge, Contagion offers very real insights into the effects of an unknown disease.
9 Awakenings (1990)
A Doctor Seeks Answers About Forgotten Patients
Those who love The Pitt's most heroic and caring doctors should check out the 1990 movie, Awakenings. Based on a true story, this movie follows a doctor in the 1960s who becomes interested in a group of catatonic patients in a Bronx hospital. Believing that they may be suffering from an advanced form of Parkinson's, he begins developing a cure for them. Though his superiors doubt his abilities, the doctor is determined to save the lives of these forgotten patients.
Awakenings may not have the fast pace of The Pitt, but it certainly has the heart. Although The Pitt can be edgy and full of conflict, every The Pitt character is clearly dedicated to being a good doctor. More than anything, they want to make people comfortable and help them feel better. Awakenings' protagonist fits into the same category. Audiences will quickly become invested in his journey, and will leave the movie feeling inspired by his passion. Plus, the movie benefits from incredible performances by Robin Williams and Robert De Niro.
8 Sicko (2007)
An Eye-Opening Medical Documentary
Some of the best medical dramas are those that are committed to accuracy, so it makes sense that medical drama lovers would be interested in the 2007 documentary, Sicko. This movie centers on Michael Moore, a filmmaker who sets out to learn more about the United States healthcare system. In particular, he studies insurance issues and shines a spotlight on real patients who were denied care due to red tape or financial issues. Ultimately, Sicko shows just how unfair the healthcare system can be, despite being an incredibly important institution.
Additionally, it is no coincidence that The Pitt itself touches on bureaucratic hospital issues.
To be fair, not all audiences are interested in documentaries, but Sicko is still worth giving a chance. Despite lacking the traditional dramatic nuances of fiction, Sicko is never lacking in interesting information or shocking revelations. More importantly, what Moore discovers in this documentary has real effects on audiences, even a decade and a half later. Additionally, it is no coincidence that The Pitt itself touches on bureaucratic hospital issues. This is a very real problem that all audiences should know more about.
7 The Bear (2022)
A Fast-Paced Workplace Drama
To some, The Pitt is such a good watch because of its fast pace and high stakes. Another popular show that offers the same elements is The Bear.The 2022 series follows Carmen Berzatto, a talented professional chef who decides to take over his deceased brother's sub shop in Chicago. Despite Carmy's skills, it is far from easy to keep the restaurant afloat, and his journey is made even harder by trauma and family struggles. All in all, Carmen and his staff must fight to survive in a cutthroat business.
Obviously, The Bear does not have the medical influence of The Pitt, but the shows are inextricably linked by their atmospheres. In the same way that The Pitt shows five doctors huddled around one patient, racing against the clock to save their lives, The Bear is always putting its characters right on the edge of success or failure. All the yelling and swearing can be overwhelming at first, but ultimately, The Bear never fails to entertain in the same way The Pitt does.
6 Code Black (2013)
An Emergency Department Documentary
One more documentary that is perfect for fans of The Pitt is Code Black. Released in 2013, this documentary follows resident doctor Ryan McGarry as he leads camera crews through the inner workings of America's busiest emergency department. Just like The Pitt, audiences get to see first hand the trials and tribulations of emergency doctors. The only difference is, Code Black is completely real. This makes it even more entertaining, but also extra heartbreaking for everyone involved.
Code Black is the closest viewers can get to the truth about emergency medicine. The Pitt is an admirable adaptation, alongside other medical dramas, but Code Black really gets into the nitty-gritty of the field. If anything, it puts into perspective the fact that real people are working in ERs every day, seeing difficult things and saving lives. Plus, those who prefer fiction should rejoice, as Code Black has a fictionalized TV series that ran for three seasons in 2015.
5 24 (2001)
Fast-Pased Police Procedural
Yet another TV drama that has nothing to do with medicine, but is actually a perfect companion to The Pitt is 24. Running for nine seasons back in 2001, 24 is about Jack Bauer, a counterterrorism agent who takes on a new death-defying case every single day. The catch is that every episode takes place over the course of just 24 hours and counting. Because of this, audiences are often at the edge of their seats, waiting to see if Bauer can save the day yet again as the clock steadily ticks down.
Not only is 24 a strong parallel to The Pitt, but it is also a beloved drama in general. Its long runtime and 87% on Rotten Tomatoes are just two hints at how much audiences enjoyed this fast-paced action series. Crime procedurals are another type of show that is ridiculously common these days, but 24 harks back to a simpler time of procedurals, where stories still felt fresh and exciting. Overall, it will definitely scratch the itch of high-speed television that The Pitt creates.
4 House M.D. (2004)
A Quirky Medical Drama
A medical drama that can sometimes be overlooked in the face of other flashier series is House M.D. This 2004 series stars Hugh Laurie as the titular Dr. Gregory House, who is a gruff yet intelligent doctor who leads a team of other medical professionals in solving strange medical cases. Like certain characters in The Pitt, House is more prickly than he is kind, and this can often be interpreted as ego. However, at the end of the day, House is committed to patient care, despite his tough personality.
House M.D. stands out among other medical dramas because of its talented cast and unique set up. Although House M.D. does have a procedural element to it, there are also overarching themes that make the show feel a bit different. For example, House is really a representative of the classical literature character, Sherlock Holmes. Furthermore, the medical cases he takes on are never straightforward. Because of this, viewers are unlikely to get bored watching House M.D.
3 St. Elsewhere (1982)
The OG Medical Drama
Sometimes, in order to see the best of the best in medical dramas, it's necessary to go back to the beginning. One of the very first medical dramas that garnered serious attention was St. Elsewhere.Like The Pitt, this series is concerned with the doctors at St. Eligius Hospital in Boston, who are saving lives, but also facing truly dark and disturbing situations. As a result, they must use black humor and their relationships with each other to get by.
St. Elsewhere included various notable actors, including Denzel Washington.
In its day, St. Elsewhere won a number of accolades, and it's no surprise why. The series represented a new kind of medical drama that no longer romanticized doctors and their patients, but instead, showed the reality of working in a hospital. As much as doctors worked hard to save lives, they also made mistakes and were negatively impacted by the trauma they saw every day. Ultimately, The Pitt would not have been possible without St. Elsewhere, so medical drama lovers should certainly check it out.
2 Third Watch (1999)
First Responders Handle Work & Personal Issues
The closest relative to TV medical dramas is first responder series, and one of the classics is Third Watch. Released in 1999, the series centers on firefighters, paramedics, and police officers as they take on the 3 PM to midnight shift. In the midst of medical emergencies and high-stakes crimes, these characters also handle their own personal issues and relationship dynamics. Notably, the series was created by John Wells, who acts as executive producer on The Pitt.
Undoubtedly, Third Watch has the ideal ambiance for audiences who love The Pitt. Within a particular time frame, viewers get to see the highs and lows of first responders, and how they interact with each other and the outside world. Those who enjoy The Pitt's diverse cast will especially love Third Watch, as it includes a strong ensemble cast with unique personalities and entertaining bonds. Generally, Wells' influence is clear in both Third Watch and The Pitt.
1 ER (1994)
The Pitt's Immediate Predecessor
In the end, the best medical drama to watch after The Pitt is ER. Like St. Elswhere, ER was one of the first medical shows to go mainstream, and for good reason. The series centers on County General Hospital in Chicago, where the emergency department is constantly flooded with patients. As a result, the doctors, nurses, and interns in the hospital must work hard to stay on top of their assignments, even when they must make tough decisions or face horrible tragedies. This is yet another John Wells project, and starred The Pitt's Noah Wyle for all 15 seasons.
Arguably, ER is the direct predecessor of The Pitt.Although the shows don't exist in the same universe, they are inextricably linked by members of their cast and crew. It is clear that the atmosphere and ideals of ER are infused in The Pitt. For example, ER originated the exciting trauma scenes that seem completely ordinary in The Pitt.Plus, Wyle's portrayal of Dr. John Carter is adorably refreshing after seeing him as the weary Dr. Robby. Anyone who is impressed with the quality of The Pittabsolutely must check out ER, because it is what really started it all.
The Pitt
- Release Date
- January 9, 2025
- Network
- Max
- Showrunner
- R. Scott Gemmill
- Directors
- Amanda Marsalis
- Writers
- Joe Sachs, Cynthia Adarkwa
Cast
Noah WyleDr. Michael 'Robby' Robinavitch
Tracy IfeachorDr. Heather Collins
- Creator(s)
- R. Scott Gemmill, John Wells, Noah Wyle
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