There’s one television show on everyone’s lips this January 2026 — that’s right, it’s The Pitt.
After recently clinching a couple of Golden Globe awards for Best Television Series – Drama and Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama for star Noah Wyle, the show is back and better than ever in its highly-anticipated second season on HBO Max.
If you haven’t gotten into The Pitt, Watch With Us would like to sit you down and explain why you have to change that as soon as possible.
If you’re going to watch one new drama show this month, it has to be The Pitt.
‘The Pitt’ Wins Big at 2025 Emmy Awards Ahead of Season 2
It’s a Refreshingly Honest Look at Hospital Work
You might already be aware of The Pitt‘s ambitious format, but if not, we can explain. Basically, each season of The Pitt is meant to take place across only one day of work in the emergency ward of the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center, with each episode chronicling a single hour of a one-day shift. Led by attending physician Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch (Wyle), the center’s doctors and medical personnel struggle to tend to patients while also dealing with common problems like overcrowding and not enough resources to properly care for everyone.
The Pitt comes from some of the same creatives behind ER (including Wyle, who co-starred in it), so it should come as no surprise that The Pitt is a similarly authentic look at the demands of the medical field. Far from the glossy melodrama of shows like Grey’s Anatomy, The Pitt doesn’t shy away from depicting the stresses of working in an emergency room that is constantly bludgeoned by systemic issues stemming from a flawed healthcare system. Real ER doctors have even found the show cathartic in how it depicts the genuine hardships inherent in their line of work.
‘The Pitt’ Finds Humanity Amidst Its Seemingly Endless Chaos
In spite of the fact that ER doctors are overwhelmed and forced to endure a constant whirlwind of drama, emotion, triumph, loss and frustration, they have to do it over and over again with each new patient they see. This reality of emergency room care is not only made strikingly real in The Pitt, but so too is the humanity and connection inherent to both saving and losing lives. The Pitt exposes the sheer emotional weight of medical care with narrative tact and frequently rewarding catharses.
The Pitt always takes care to highlight moments of human connection amidst the exhausting emergency ward, most deeply felt in Dr. Robby, who is committed to imbuing the next generation of doctors through his undaunted humanity and deep passion for his work. This humanity that The Pitt does such a great job in depicting is a huge part of why people get into the medical field in the first place, and it’s another reason why the show has so deeply resonated with real doctors.
‘The Pitt’ Has an Excellent Ensemble That Keeps You Coming Back
The Pitt is certainly a well-written show, but it wouldn’t be the crossover hit it is in 2026 without its talented and diverse cast. Largely made up of little-known character actors, Wyle and his ensemble — which includes Fiona Dourif, Tracy Ifeachor, Patrick Ball and Gerran Howell — work together seamlessly to convincingly portray a staff under constant pressure to perform at a high level. Wyle’s Emmy and Golden Globe wins for his performance are certainly well-earned; his Dr. Robby is a determined doctor who, while occasionally reckless, refuses to be beaten down by his taxing line of work.
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Of course, Wyle can’t carry the show on his own — thankfully, he doesn’t. The eclectic cast of young actors deftly portrays unique characters who each have their own strengths, weakness and flaws, making every character not only feel unique but also deeply relatable as they play residents, nurses, interns and attending physicians. Veteran actors like Wyle and Katherine LaNasa play off beautifully against newcomers like Ball and Supriya Ganesh (who has a real background in neuroscience), creating a show that finds a great amount of strength in the impressive diversity and versatility of its ensemble players.
Stream both seasons of The Pitt now on HBO Max.
