Dr. Carter Noah Wyle is back and better than ever.
I had to stop writing my other articles this week because I just got through the first two episodes of Max’s new medical drama, The Pitt. Noah Wyle stars as Dr. Michael “Robby” Rabinavitch, leading what seems to be a very promising cast in the series’ first two episodes, titled “7:00 AM” and “8:00 AM.” If you haven’t caught on to the concept yet, the plan is for the entire season to take place over one 15-hour shift.
If you’re a fan of ER, which ran for 15 seasons, you’ll feel right at home. We all loved watching Dr. Carter grow into the mature doctor who ultimately “set the tone” for the rest of the series after Dr. Greene’s departure. For the most part, Noah Wyle plays a similar character to Dr. Carter—albeit more rugged and at a different stage in life—but, honestly, I don’t think anyone will mind.
The shift begins with Dr. Robby being introduced to a fresh set of med students, providing an easy, way to meet the unique characters who will drive the season. Most of the supporting actors are unknowns—meaning the average viewer likely won’t recognize them right away. In my opinion, this is the best kind of supporting cast: there’s no pressure or preconceived expectations about what they can deliver. I definitely got ER-like vibes from at least two of the characters, which may have been an intentional callback from the writers. Dr. Langdon, played by Patrick Ball, feels reminiscent of a modern Dr. Gates (John Stamos), while Dr. McKay (Fiona Dourif) steps into a role akin to Sam (Linda Cardellini).
We also meet senior resident Dr. Collins (Tracey Ifeachor), who is quickly established as Dr. Robby’s love interest. Meanwhile, Dr. King (Taylor Dearden) plays the timid yet sharp second-year resident. Although the med students have limited screen time so far, they show enough potential to be interesting and worth watching for the rest of the season. A great show is only as good as its supporting cast, and The Pitt absolutely hits it out of the park in this regard. A love story, a troubled teen, some gruesome imagery (Good lord, Make-up and CGI has come a long way since ER), and emotional setbacks—all set the stage for what’s already shaping up to be one hell of a season.
Since this is my first TV show review, it may not be perfect or as comprehensive as I’d like, but this familiar yet fresh series was worth writing about. We’ll figure out our rating system as we go, but for now, I’m giving the first two episodes a solid 5/5 Weasels (shrug).
