“Here’s what I learned my first day at medical school. Think long and hard before choosing to become a surgeon. It takes 100% commitment. You have to be on your A-game every single time you walk into that OR. When patients are lying on your table, completely at your mercy, they need to know that when you make that first cut, you know what you’re doing. No other specialty requires the time, the focus, the complete dedication…”

So says Meredith Grey, Chief of General Surgery at the fictional Grey + Sloan Memorial Hospital and titular character of the award-winning TV show Grey’s Anatomy. As viewers, we’re inclined to believe her. After all, she isn’t wrong when she warns in a different episode voiceover, “The average person touches their face about eighteen times every waking hour. That leaves you susceptible to infection about one hundred times a day. Infection has a nasty habit of taking advantage of our everyday behaviours. It spreads by touching doors, desks, elevator buttons, pens, sharing cups, even money.”

Television shows centered around hospitals or medical teams aren’t new. Remember M*A*S*H*? That show (short for “Mobile Army Surgical Hospital”) was inspired by real units who served during the Korean War. It aired for 11 seasons, running from 1972 to 1983. The series finale, “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” remains the most-watched scripted TV episode in U.S. history with 105.97 million viewers.

At least three new medical shows began streaming in 2025: Doc on Hulu, The Pulse on Netflix, and The Pitt on Max, but only one of them is the runaway winner in both ratings and realism. Keep reading to learn why.

Some of the Most Popular Medical Dramas
According to Viewership, Critical Acclaim, and Cultural Impact

1. Grey’s Anatomy (20 Seasons, ongoing as of 2025)
2. ER (15 Seasons, 1994–2009)
3. House, M.D. (8 Seasons, 2004–2012)
4. The Good Doctor (7 Seasons, 2017–2024)
5. Chicago Med (9 Seasons, ongoing as of 2025)
6. Scrubs (9 Seasons, 2001–2010)
7. New Amsterdam (5 Seasons, 2018–2023)
8. The Resident (6 Seasons, 2018–2023)
9. Code Black (3 Seasons, 2015–2018)
10. 1St. Elsewhere (6 Seasons, 1982–1988)

Although there’s an abundance of medical dramas on TV, a few of them are primarily set in the emergency room. These shows include ER (of course), Chicago Med, Code Black, and newcomer The Pitt.

Viewers are drawn to The Pitt for its groundbreaking approach to the medical drama genre, offering a raw, immersive, and emotionally resonant portrayal of life in a modern emergency room. Here are a few more reasons why the show has garnered such acclaim.

Real-Time Storytelling Makes Narrative Come to Life in The Pitt

Much like former Fox hit “24,” each episode of the show portrays one hour of time, inviting the viewer on a 15-hour series roller coaster. Each episode of The Pitt (a nickname often assigned to real-life emergency rooms regardless of the hospital name) unfolds in real time, depicting a single hour within a 15-hour shift at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital. This format immerses viewers in the relentless pace and intensity of emergency medicine, capturing the chaos, urgency, and unpredictability of the ER environment.

Unflinching Realism in The Pitt Draws Praise from Healthcare Workers

Real-life medical workers, especially ER doctors, nurses, and other staff, attest to the authentic script and well-written scenes. The Pitt covers common challenges facing healthcare and hospitals, from staffing shortages and racial bias to fentanyl overdoses and mass casualty events from active shooters. Comments across social media platforms range from being “addicted” to the show and “feeling seen” when Noah Wyle’s lead character, senior attending emergency medicine physician Michael Robinavitch (Dr. Robby), struggles for several hours to find enough uninterrupted time to use the restroom.

The series is lauded for its authentic depiction of medical procedures and hospital dynamics. Real-life healthcare professionals have praised the show’s accuracy, noting its portrayal of the physical and emotional toll on medical staff. The involvement of actual medical personnel in production, including nurses and a trained doctor among the writers, enhances its credibility.

One healthcare professional who agrees that The Pitt is a credible portrayal of an ER doctor’s experience is Dr. Lukas Ramcharran of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. A physician who holds an M.D. and an M.B.A. from New York University, Ramcharran serves as an attending physician and assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Johns Hopkins.

Before The Pitt, many healthcare practitioners contended that TV comedy Scrubs, even with its fantasy cutaways, absurd humor, and exaggerated personalities, more accurately reflects what it feels like to work in a hospital than serious dramas like Grey’s Anatomy or House, but all doctors recommend that people should see real-life physicians for medical help instead of taking advice from their favorite show.

Real Quotes From Fictional Doctors

• “Our job is to save lives, not to judge them.” (Dr. Luka Kovac, ER)
• “We don’t need to be insecure, because every step of the way, we’ve had to be twice as good as everybody else.” (Dr. Audrey Lim, The Good Doctor)
  “It is in the nature of medicine that you are gonna screw up. You are gonna kill someone. If you can’t handle that reality, pick another profession or finish medical school and teach.” (Dr. Gregory House, House)
• “I guess it’s because we all want to believe that what we do is very important, that people hang on to our very word, that they care what we think. The truth is, you should consider yourself lucky if you even occasionally get to make someone—anyone—feel a little better.” (Dr. J.D. Dorian, Scrubs)
• “The dying patient better not be dead when I get there.” (Dr. Miranda Bailey, Grey’s Anatomy)

The Pitt Offers a Compelling Ensemble Cast of Veteran Actors and Newcomers

Led by Noah Wyle as Dr. Robby, The Pitt cast delivers nuanced performances that bring depth to their characters. Standout roles include Katherine LaNasa as the steadfast charge nurse Dana Evans, and Taylor Dearden as the empathetic resident Melissa King. The show skillfully balances character development with the high-stakes environment of the ER.

Critical and Audience Acclaim for The Pitt in Its First Season

Audiences have expressed strong emotional connections to the characters and storylines, often sharing personal reactions and fan content online. Even though some viewers have expressed “feeling PTSD” over some episodes and storylines or images, the series has received high praise from critics such as Inkoo Kang of The New Yorker, who calls it “a counterintuitive comfort watch.” 

The Pitt debuted with a high Rotten Tomatoes score, which usually bodes well for a show and predicts future success. Following its two-episode premiere, the show’s audience expanded nearly tenfold within its first week, doubling the average growth rate observed for other Max drama series. Premiering in January 2025, The Pitt soon became Max’s most-watched original title globally, airing 15 blood-pumping episodes, with the finale released on April 10, 2025. Max has already announced Season 2 and is working to avoid “the sophomore curse.” 

Photo by Warrick Page/Warrick Page/MAX – © MAX 2024

The Pitt Addresses Contemporary Healthcare Challenges

Embroiled in controversy before it even began (for its connections to another hit medical drama, ER, which also featured Noah Wyle in its ensemble cast), the series doesn’t shy away from exploring systemic issues within the healthcare system, such as staff shortages, resource limitations, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. By highlighting these challenges, The Pitt offers a poignant commentary on the current state of American healthcare.

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