Noah Wyle's The Pitt Gets January Premiere Date — Watch Trailer For ER Vet's New, Real-Time Medical Drama
Noah Wyle is playing doctor again.
The Pitt, a new medical drama starring the beloved ER vet, will premiere Thursday, Jan. 9 on Max, with its first two episodes. An additional 13 episodes will be doled out once a week, culminating in an April 10 finale. A full-length trailer has been released, which you can watch below.
Wyle, a five-time Emmy nominee for his breakout role as Dr. John Carter, will now inhabit the part of chief attendant Dr. Michael Robinavitch (aka Dr. Robby). As previously reported, the 15-episode first season takes place in real time (à la 24), with all episodes encompassing a single emergency room shift. Wyle executive-produces alongside fellow ER vets John Wells and R. Scott Gemmill.
Keep scrolling for a full work-up on The Pitt, then hit the comments with your reactions to the trailer.
5. What is The Pitt about?
The Pitt, which received a 15-episode order in March, will offer a "realistic examination of the challenges facing healthcare workers in today's America, as seen through the lens of the frontline heroes working in a modern-day hospital in Pittsburgh," according to the official logline. Wyle, who serves as star and EP, wrote two Season 1 episodes.
"We are grateful to Warner Bros. Television and Max for giving us this opportunity to return to the world of urban medicine," Wyle, Wells and Gemmill said in a previous statement. "The myriad of challenges facing the doctors, nurses, technicians, patients, and their families who work in the trenches of modern medicine have become only more pronounced in the decade and a half since we last visited their stories [on ER]. We're thrilled to be able to return to this world with the support of our partners and are looking forward to pushing the boundaries of dramatic realism and medical accuracy in following the lives of these heroic men and women."
Added head of Max original programming Sarah Aubrey: "Collaborating with the visionary talents of John Wells, R. Scott Gemmill and Noah Wyle to develop this new series has already been an exhilarating process. Their passion, creativity, and dedication to storytelling elevate every aspect of the project, and together, we're poised to deliver a compelling and authentic portrayal of today's medical world that will captivate audiences and leave a lasting impact."
4. Who is starring in The Pitt?
Noah Wyle (ER) is... Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch, Chief Attending and head of the PTMC Emergency Department. Robby is honest to a fault and does not suffer fools. A great doctor, greater teacher, and questionable human being, Robby is still carrying heavy post-COVID PTSD, he just won't acknowledge it.
Tracy Ifeachor (Quantico) is... Dr. Collins, Senior Resident. Collins transitioned from a career in finance to medicine after the 2008 recession, drawing on her strong moral compass and type-A skills. Now in her final year of residency, Collins remains focused on her career and personal goals.
Patrick Marron Ball (Law & Order) is... Dr. Langdon, Senior Resident. Regarded by Dr. Robby as the heir apparent of The Pitt, Langdon, a charismatic and upbeat presence in the E.D., is everyone's favorite doctor. He overcame a devastating back injury to become a dedicated doctor.
Supriya Ganesh (grown-ish) is... Dr. Mohan, Third Year Resident. Mohan, known by her colleagues as "Slow Mo," is a compassionate and knowledgeable doctor who believes in understanding her patients' entire lives. Now at PTMC for her residency, Mohan is deeply immersed in her work and research on racial disparity in the E.D.
Fiona Dourif (Chucky) is... Dr. McKay, Second Year Resident. Once a wild child with a substance abuse problem, after losing custody of her son, McKay went to rehab, got clean and pursued medical school to prove her worth. Now a sober single mother, she is determined to help others avoid the pitfalls that nearly consumed her.
Taylor Dearden (Sweet/Vicious) is... Dr. King, Second Year Resident. Growing up with a twin sister who has high-support ASD, King was inspired to pursue medicine, aiming to advocate for Autism awareness. Despite facing personal tragedies, King now balances caregiving for her sister with her career as a doctor.
Isa Briones (Star Trek: Picard) is... Dr. Santos, Intern. A former athlete and Fourth Year Medical Student, Santos is tough as nails with no filter. Now doing her residency at PTMC, Santos' competitive streak hasn't gone away, she just channels it into medicine.
Gerran Howell (Suspicion) is... Whitaker, Fourth Year Medical Student. Hailing from Broken Bow, Nebraska, Whitaker is a small-town boy who left life on his family's farm to pursue his dreams in medicine. His determination to succeed remains unwavering, despite several setbacks that challenge his confidence and make him question his purpose.
Shabana Azeez (In Limbo) is... Javadi, Third Year Medical Student. Daughter of two second-generation South Asian American parents, one of whom works in the hospital, Javadi was destined for great academic success. Now approaching the end of her academic journey, she aims to establish her own identity beyond her impressive achievements and parental expectations.
Katherine LaNasa (Truth Be Told) is... Dana Evans, Charge Nurse. With 30 years of experience, Dana is a hard-working, no nonsense, much-respected part of the E.D. The oldest of five, she has the perfect set of skills needed to run the PTMC nursing team. She knows more than most doctors and she's not afraid to tell them.
Additionally, the following actors have been cast in recurring roles: Shawn Hatosy (Animal Kingdom, pictured), Michael Hyatt (Snowfall), Jalen Thomas Brooks (Thanksgiving), Brandon Mendez Homer (The Good Fight), Kristin Villanueva (Bonding), Amielynn Abellera (The Cleaning Lady), Alexandra Metz (Chicago Fire), Krystel V. McNeil (South Side) and Deepti Gupta (For All Mankind).
3. Is The Pitt set in same universe as ER?
No, The Pitt is no way, shape or form, an ER revival. But before streaming service Max handed a series order to The Pitt, there was a concerted effort to bring back the iconic NBC property.
During an appearance on the Still Here Hollywood podcast, Wyle revealed that the iconic NBC property's streaming resurgence several years ago, coupled with a desire to shine a light on the coronavirus pandemic's heroic first responders, led to serious discussions about dusting off Dr. Carter's lab coat.
"[Wells] thought about it, and we talked about it, and then we ended up bringing in a couple of the old ER writers," including Gemmill and David Zabel. "We came up with a concept, and it really never got out of the starting gate," Wyle conceded, explaining that they "had some issues" with the estate of ER creator Michael Crichton, "and the negotiations became a non-starter."
Afterwards, Wyle, Wells and Gemmill pivoted to creating a wholly new series set in the world of medicine — and The Pitt was born. (Alas, the Crichton estate has sued Warner Bros. and the Pitt EPs, insisting that it is, in fact, a revival by a different name.)
2. Does The Pitt have a trailer?
Max has released a pair of sneak peeks for The Pitt, including a teaser (released Nov. 21) and a full-length trailer (released Dec. 12). Both are embedded below.
1. Does The Pitt have a premiere date?
Production on The Pitt began in July, and the 15-episode first season — which will release episodes on a weekly basis — is set to premiere Thursday, Jan. 9 on Max.
LAST UPDATE: THURSDAY, DEC. 12