Medical TV shows have grown as a popular form of entertainment, especially in the 21st century. Shows such as Greys Anatomy, E.R., and The Good Doctor have portrayed a variety of hospital environments and departments. Although, these shows are often scrutinized for being medically inaccurate. Adela Wu, of Stanford Neurosurgery, says, “What makes a good medical drama compelling is that the scenarios in the show could happen in real life. It’s not necessarily about digging up the rarest, borderline-outlandish diseases and predicaments and throwing it on screen.” (Stanford Medicine). Wu makes a good point, more people are inclined to watch something that feels real and reliable. Which all ties into HBO’s newest medical series that airs every Thursday at 9 pm –The Pitt.
The Pitt stars Noah Wyle and Katherine LaNasa, both previously in the show E.R. Some other cast members include Taylor Dearden, Shawn Hatosy, and Gerran Howell. Noah Wyle was the main character on the show E.R. that originally ran from 1994 to 2009. E.R. was a very popular series, although it was deemed medically inaccurate. Noah Wyle was determined to change this as executive producer of The Pitt. Noah Wyle’s mom, a former nurse even criticized the show for being unrealistic and “lacking realism”. Some mistakes his mother noted were the doctors touching their faces with bloody gloves. Now, with her son’s creation of The Pitt she knows it is realistic because often, the patients’ deaths in The Pitt remind her of her old patients.
A major piece of news in support of The Pitt is a CBS article about Pittsburgh medical workers endorsing the show and its accurate storylines and procedures. In the article, Andy Sheehan says, “And that praise is not just for the accuracy in how the show handles complex medical language and procedures, but also for the topics it tackles”. In all, The Pitt has been deemed medically credible and accurate by many sources. Including medical workers and close relatives of actor and producer, Noah Wyle, himself.
Sources:
Bringing medical accuracy to ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
Pittsburgh medical professional explains why “The Pitt” is so accurate – CBS Pittsburgh
