HBO Max’s “The Pitt” is lauded as one of the most realistic, most raw medical dramas ever on television. There’s no soundtrack, no unrealistic patients, no soapy stories involving the doctors and nurses. It’s a series that sets out to show what it’s really like in the emergency department of a training hospital. And based on the response and feedback from actual doctors and nurses, it’s incredibly accurate.
Given this, the show is pretty heavy as the staff deals with literal life and death, loss, grief, panic, stressful situations, angry and frustrated patients filling up busy waiting rooms, and long days. It’s also pretty graphic, depicting all types of injuries and illnesses that make their way into hospitals every day, from gunshot wounds and organ punctures that require surgery to impacted bowels, sprains, and coughs that can often be diagnosed with a scan, X-ray or consultation. If you’re looking for another show that’s similar to “The Pitt” to watch next or while you wait for new weekly episodes, “ER” is the obvious option. “The Pitt” has often been compared to it both in tone and feel, not to mention that “The Pitt” star Noah Wyle was a fixture among the cast on that show, too. But there are a few other series of the same ilk, each one worth watching for different reasons.
New Amsterdam (2018–2023)
Dr. Maximus “Max” Goodwin (Ryan Eggold) from “New Amsterdam“ is similar to Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch (Wyle) in “The Pitt” in that they are both pragmatic, dedicated doctors who wish that hospitals could simply focus on helping people and not so much the bottom line. Throughout “New Amsterdam”, which aired on NBC, Max constantly fights the system, including the hospital’s chairman of the board of directors, Karen Branley (Debra Monk), who is always on his case about not following the rules. While that angle isn’t a focus of “The Pitt”, it’s one that’s touched on every time Dr. Robby avoids chief medical officer Gloria Underwood (Michael Hyatt) when she’s on his case about something or another.
Both shows explore the limitations and failures of the health care system with stories about families that can’t afford their medical bills, falling between the cracks of not making enough to buy private health insurance but making too much to qualify for assistance. They centre on the administrative sides of the job, too, and the doctors who are trying to make a positive difference. You’ll love Max as much as you do Robby, both for their strong moral compasses and fearlessness in trusting their instincts, no matter the cost.
Transplant (2020–2024)
This Canadian medical drama aired in the U.S. on NBC for four seasons and explores the intersection of medicine and refugee status. It follows Dr. Bashir “Bash” Hamed (Hamza Haq), whose medical experience isn’t initially recognized upon arriving in the U.S. That is, until he proves how skilled he is when an accident occurs at the restaurant where he has been working. Not only is he a talented doctor, but Bash also has extensive experience working in a war zone. This means he knows how to do more with less, saving lives even without access to expensive medical equipment, using unconventional methods, and intuiting what’s wrong better than any other doctor on the team.
Beyond this, both shows pay close attention to representation with characters who bring unique cultural experiences to their roles. Both shows are fast-paced and frantic at times as they depict a hospital dealing with severe cases and emergencies that require a race against the clock to save lives. “Transplant” takes a spin on the saturated genre that hasn’t really been explored in other shows.
Shrinking (2023–)
The angle of mental health isn’t focused on as heavily in “The Pitt”, though Season 2 integrates it more with the addition of Becca Blackwell to the cast, playing social worker Dylan Easton. Apple TV’s “Shrinking” has a completely different tone as a comedy-drama that delivers equal parts laughs and cries. But it’s another perspective on the concept of patient care as the lead characters, who work as therapists, deal with not only the grief and challenges of their patients, but also in their own lives as well.
With a similarly likeable cast of main characters played by an A-list team led by Jason Segel, Harrison Ford, and Jessica Williams (plus a memorable cameo from Michael J. Fox in Season 3), “Shrinking” tackles tough topics that touch on mental health, including PTSD, grief and loss, and even medical issues like Parkinson’s Disease that require consistent treatment rather than emergency care. “Shrinking” is like “The Pitt” in that they both explore trauma from the perspective of those needing help and those who give it, and how to manage the delicate balance between both. Fans will also notice that Luke Tennie, who plays veteran Sean in “Shrinking”, also has a small role in Season 2 of “The Pitt”.
Nurse Jackie (2009–2015)
“Nurse Jackie” is an older show that aired on Showtime, but fans who saw Dr. Frank Langdon’s (Patrick Ball) Season 1 storyline in “The Pitt”, which revealed his addiction to pills, will instantly recognize its premise. This series follows the title character, played by Edie Falco, a head nurse in the emergency department of a hospital who is a functional addict. Most people don’t know that she’s addicted to pills since she hides it well. But like Frank, she has gone to extreme means to procure drugs, including stealing from the hospital to feed her addiction.
While “Nurse Jackie” focuses primarily on this aspect of Jackie and how it impacts her life, from her family to her friendships and job, there are similarities in the dark undertones of the two shows. You’ll instantly notice that Jackie and Dana Evans (Katherine LaNasa), the charge shift nurse in “The Pitt”, both highlight the importance of nurses in the medical profession. Both are incredibly good at their jobs and take initiative as needed, and are deeply invaluable to the doctors with whom they work in ways most people don’t realize.
Brilliant Minds (2024–)
“Brilliant Minds” follows Dr. Oliver Wolf (Zachary Quinto), who is tasked with leading a team of interns. Rather than an emergency room, however, he deals with patients battling complicated neurological and psychological ailments, showing another side of medical care. Adding an interesting twist is that he suffers from prosopagnosia, otherwise known as face blindness, whereby he cannot process and recognize faces he has seen before. With more of a traditional, formulaic medical drama feel to it, “Brilliant Minds” brings another perspective and a unique angle. It’s not as deep and impactful as “The Pitt”, but if you want something lighter that still touches on heavy themes, it’s a nice fit.
Notably on the show, actor Eric Dane, known for his role in “Grey’s Anatomy”, made a guest appearance playing a firefighter dealing with ALS, a disease he is afflicted with in real life as well. Oddly, despite receiving great reviews, “Brilliant Minds” was put on indefinite hiatus in early February 2026, before the remainder of its episodes aired. These will reportedly air later in the season, though there’s no official timeline. That said, it gives plenty of time to catch up on the 27 aired episodes to date.
