The Pitt has not only emerged as one of streaming’s biggest medical dramas, but has quickly established itself as one of the most acclaimed shows on television. Its first two seasons both took home the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series, while Noah Wyle earned back-to-back wins for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his performance as Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch.
However, with The Pitt currently between seasons, Best Medicine has emerged as streaming’s biggest medical drama. Based on the popular British series Doc Martin (2004–2022), Best Medicine premiered on Fox in January 2026, starring Josh Charles as Dr. Martin Best, who abruptly leaves behind his illustrious career in Boston to become a general practitioner in a small fishing village in Maine.
Best Medicine Has Gotten A Positive Diagnosis On Streaming
Pittsburgh Presbyterian · Shift Report How Well Do You Know The Pitt? “15 hours. One ER. No breaks.”
🏥EREmergency Dept
🚑TraumaMass Casualty
👨⚕️StaffFirst Responders
🌉Pitts- burghSteel City
⏱Real- Time15-Hour Shift
01
Noah Wyle stars as the lead attending physician in The Pitt. What is his character’s name?
✓ Correct! Noah Wyle plays Dr. Michael ‘Robby’ Robinavitch, the experienced attending physician navigating a grueling 15-hour ER shift. Wyle’s return to a hospital setting marks his first major medical drama role since his iconic run as Dr. John Carter on ER.
✗ Code Blue! The answer is Dr. Michael ‘Robby’ Robinavitch. Dr. Carter and Dr. Greene are characters from ER (Carter was Wyle’s own iconic role), and Dr. Wilson is from House. Robby is Wyle’s new character in The Pitt.
02
The Pitt uses a distinctive storytelling format that sets it apart from other medical dramas. What is this format?
✓ Correct! Each of The Pitt’s 15 episodes covers exactly one hour of a single ER shift in real time, creating an unprecedented sense of urgency. This format means the entire first season spans just 15 consecutive hours in the life of Pittsburgh Presbyterian’s emergency department.
✗ Code Blue! The answer is real-time storytelling — each episode covers one hour of a 15-hour shift. This format gives The Pitt an intensity that other medical dramas can’t match, as viewers experience the relentless pace of an ER shift alongside the staff.
03
The Pitt premiered in January 2025 on which streaming platform?
✓ Correct! The Pitt premiered on Max (formerly HBO Max) on January 9, 2025. The show was a massive hit for the platform, becoming one of its most-watched new series and quickly earning a second-season renewal.
✗ Code Blue! The answer is Max. The Pitt debuted on the Warner Bros. Discovery streaming platform in January 2025, where it became a breakout hit and was swiftly renewed for a second season.
04
Noah Wyle previously spent 11 seasons on which legendary medical drama, making his return to the genre in The Pitt especially significant?
✓ Correct! Wyle starred as Dr. John Carter on ER from 1994 to 2009, making him one of the longest-tenured cast members on the NBC hit. His return to a hospital setting with The Pitt was one of the most anticipated TV comebacks in years.
✗ Code Blue! The answer is ER. Noah Wyle played Dr. John Carter for 11 seasons on the groundbreaking NBC medical drama. The Pitt was originally conceived with connections to ER before becoming its own original series.
05
The Pitt is set and filmed in which American city, a departure from the typical LA or New York TV setting?
✓ Correct! The Pitt is set at a fictional hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and films on location in the city. Pittsburgh’s working-class character and distinctive skyline give the show a grittier, more authentic feel than the typical glamorous TV hospital setting.
✗ Code Blue! The answer is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — it’s right there in the title. The show films on location in Pittsburgh, using the city’s distinctive bridges, hills, and neighborhoods as a backdrop that gives the series its unique character.
06
The Pitt was created by R. Scott Gemmill, who previously served as showrunner on which long-running series?
✓ Correct! R. Scott Gemmill was a writer and eventually showrunner on ER, making him the perfect person to reunite with Noah Wyle for a new medical drama. His deep experience with the genre is evident in The Pitt’s authentic portrayal of emergency medicine.
✗ Code Blue! The answer is ER. Gemmill spent years as a writer and showrunner on the NBC classic, which is how he and star Noah Wyle already had a strong working relationship before creating The Pitt together.
07
In the pilot episode, what large-scale crisis floods the ER and sets the tone for the entire series?
✓ Correct! A massive multi-vehicle pileup sends a wave of trauma patients into the ER, immediately establishing The Pitt’s high-stakes, no-respite atmosphere. The crisis forces the staff to make impossible triage decisions from the very first hour.
✗ Code Blue! The answer is a multi-vehicle pileup. The mass casualty event overwhelms the ER from the start, setting up the relentless pressure that defines The Pitt’s real-time format.
08
Unlike many medical dramas that focus heavily on doctors’ personal lives, The Pitt is most often praised for its focus on what?
✓ Correct! Critics and viewers have praised The Pitt for its unflinching focus on the actual work of emergency medicine — the exhaustion, the impossible decisions, the patients who can’t be saved, and the toll it takes on the people who show up every shift.
✗ Code Blue! The answer is the realistic grind of emergency medicine. While The Pitt has character depth, its critical acclaim comes from showing the unglamorous reality of ER work — the burnout, the triage decisions, and the human cost of a healthcare system under strain.
Pittsburgh Presbyterian · Shift Complete Your ER Record
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Chief of medicine — or still in pre-med?
Right now, Best Medicine is No. 1 on Hulu’s Top 10 overall movies and TV shows in the United States for today, September 23. It ranks above General Hospital, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, 20/20, Dancing with the Stars, Wicked, The Drop: A Snowfall Saga, Coraline, R.J. Decker, and Hypnotic.
Best Medicine is also No. 5 on the Top 10 TV shows on Disney+, where it ranks below The Drop: A Snowfall Saga, R.J. Decker, Chad Powers, Bluey Book Reads, and above Furious, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Adults, Magicampers, and Welcome to the Family: The Murder of Dan Markel.
Best Medicine season 1 is also streaming on Netflix, though new episodes stream the next day on Hulu and Disney+.
Where Does Season 2 Pick Up With The Characters?
Best Medicine season 2, which premiered on September 20, jumps ahead five months with Martin facing the consequences of having Elaine draw his blood to help him cope with his phobia, an arrangement that put his medical license in jeopardy. While Elaine is now officially licensed and can legally assist him, Martin must undergo a professional assessment by a team of monitors, who will ultimately decide whether he gets to keep practicing medicine.
Meanwhile, Martin’s complicated love life remains just as messy. Despite his lingering feelings for Louisa and the growing frustration of the townspeople, he is still seeing Eden. Louisa, meanwhile, is weighing her options after Mark generously offers to co-parent her child, leaving her to decide whether she wants to raise a baby on her own.
Beyond the romantic entanglements, things are looking considerably better for Port Wenn in season 2. The town’s economy is thriving, and Greg and George’s restaurant, The Salty Breeze, is riding high after Aunt Sarah’s discovery of a lucrative sea urchin supply.
Best Medicine season 2 airs new episodes Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on Fox.
