
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
“The Pitt,” which recently began streaming on Max, spans a single shift in the life of a doctor at an underfunded Pittsburgh hospital where, in the course of fifteen gruelling hours, he and his team struggle to keep up with a seemingly endless stream of patients. The show has been praised by lay-viewers and health-care professionals alike for its human drama and its true-to-life portrayal of structural issues that are rarely seen onscreen. On this episode of Critics at Large, Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz parse how “The Pitt” fits alongside beloved medical shows like “E.R.” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” While the new series upholds many of the tropes of the genre, it’s set apart by its emphasis on accuracy and on the daily struggles—and rewards—of laboring toward a collective goal. At the heart of “The Pitt” is a question that, in 2025, is top of mind for many of us: does the for-profit medical system actually allow for humane care? “Faith in these institutions has eroded,” Schwartz says. “At the low point of such faith and trust, what happens to build it back?”
Read, watch, and listen with the critics:
“The Pitt” (2025-)
“E.R.” (1994-2009)
“Grey’s Anatomy” (2005-)
“This Is Going to Hurt” (2022)
“House” (2004-12)
“The Bear” (2022–)
Doctor Mike’s YouTube channel
Steveoie’s YouTube channel
New episodes drop every Thursday. Follow Critics at Large wherever you get your podcasts.
4.4
452452 ratings
“The Pitt,” which recently began streaming on Max, spans a single shift in the life of a doctor at an underfunded Pittsburgh hospital where, in the course of fifteen gruelling hours, he and his team struggle to keep up with a seemingly endless stream of patients. The show has been praised by lay-viewers and health-care professionals alike for its human drama and its true-to-life portrayal of structural issues that are rarely seen onscreen. On this episode of Critics at Large, Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz parse how “The Pitt” fits alongside beloved medical shows like “E.R.” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” While the new series upholds many of the tropes of the genre, it’s set apart by its emphasis on accuracy and on the daily struggles—and rewards—of laboring toward a collective goal. At the heart of “The Pitt” is a question that, in 2025, is top of mind for many of us: does the for-profit medical system actually allow for humane care? “Faith in these institutions has eroded,” Schwartz says. “At the low point of such faith and trust, what happens to build it back?”
Read, watch, and listen with the critics:
“The Pitt” (2025-)
“E.R.” (1994-2009)
“Grey’s Anatomy” (2005-)
“This Is Going to Hurt” (2022)
“House” (2004-12)
“The Bear” (2022–)
Doctor Mike’s YouTube channel
Steveoie’s YouTube channel
New episodes drop every Thursday. Follow Critics at Large wherever you get your podcasts.
3,875 Listeners
37,904 Listeners
3,325 Listeners
3,856 Listeners
10,877 Listeners
283 Listeners
515 Listeners
6,666 Listeners
2,068 Listeners
1,195 Listeners
27,242 Listeners
112,729 Listeners
781 Listeners
7,577 Listeners
414 Listeners
14,670 Listeners
1,413 Listeners