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What the doctor ordered: how The Pitt became the TV show of the moment

The stressful Noah Wyle-led hospital drama has swiftly become the surprise breakout show of the season, speaking to a time of healthcare crisis

A mix of quick adrenaline hits and longer, nuanced story arcs, of formal gimmicks (like 24, each episode covers roughly an hour in real time) and tried and true staples (Patrick Ball’s hot doctor with an attitude, cases that are always more complicated than they initially seem). This is the type of show that streaming companies should have mastered long ago but have struggled to produce, opting instead for experiments in theme and structure, such as the recent Netflix hit Adolescence, or cheaply made, disposable fluff. Still, the fact that it weaves in about every conceivable knot of health and social issue – inherent racial bias in not recognizing sickle cell crisis, fat-shaming dressed up as medical advice, language barriers, state abortion restrictions – meets a national moment of overlapping crises, particularly in healthcare.

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