Ever sinceThe Pittpremiered on HBO in January of 2025, viewers and critics can’t get enough of the ground-breaking TV show.Starring Noah Wyle alongside a stellar ensemble cast,The Pittcaptured our attention because it unfolds in real time throughout a 14-hour shift in the emergency room, offering insights into the doctors' lives and the circumstances of the patients who come in and out of the hospital.
The Pittseason 2can’t come soon enough, as everyone who got invested in the drama and intensity of season 1 knows that once you start watchingThe Pitt, it’s impossible to stop. Fortunately, it’s far from the only compelling medical drama. There’s an older, but classic addition to the genre thatThe Pittowes a lot to that fans should check out beforeThe Pittreturns.
ER Remains One Of The Most Influential Medical Dramas Of All Time
Before there wasThe Pitt,Grey’s Anatomy, or any of the litany of ground-breaking medical dramas released every year,ERbroke the mold and changed television.Running for 15 seasons from 1994 to 2009,ERwas an enormously popular network TV show that distinguished itself by maintaining its success and popularity despite the large rotating cast that came and went over the years.
By following the personal lives of the doctors and setting these interpersonal dramas against the high-intensity backdrop of the emergency department,ERinstantly stood out on TV. ThoughThe Pittisn’t anERspinoff series, all series within the medical drama genre are in conversation with each other. WatchingERtoday only further cements how much the beloved modern medical shows owe to the project.
The Pitt Fans Need To Meet John Carter After Watching Dr. Robby
WhileThe Pittworks because there’s a large cast of characters with different approaches and motivations, it’s anchored by Noah Wyle’s turn as the complicated but skilled head of the ER, Dr. Robby. Watching Robby grapple with the toll that working in this high-stakes and fast-paced environment has on him while trying to teach the next generation of trauma doctors takesThe Pittto the next level.
Compared to Dr. Robby, John Carter is almost entirely different. The audience meets Robby later in his career after he’s seen a lot and knows it all. Carter joinsERas a med student, uncertain of his role in the department and in need of a reality check. However, Carter grows into just as nuanced a character as Robby by the end of his time onER.
Don’t Go Into ER Expecting It To Be Like The Pitt
ERandThe Pittare very different, and first-time watchers shouldn’t overlook this fact. While they both share Wyle, Dr. Carter and Dr. Robby aren’t comparable characters, and the style of storytelling is vastly different. The ceaseless pace and action ofThe Pittmake it an anxiety-inducing thrill ride. ThoughERhas high stakes, it unfolds similarly to a typical medical procedural with a more episodic structure.
There are overarching plot points inER, butThe Pittis a fully serialized exploration of both its characters and the flaws of the health care system. Additionally, it’s impossible to ignore some of the more dated elements ofER, which can be surprising to contemporary viewers. However,The Pittclearly learned from the genre’s past, and this allowed it to become one of the best shows airing today.
