10 TV Shows To Watch if You Love ‘The Pitt’

Medical dramas are a fan favorite, but they often fall into predictable patterns—The Pitt, however, broke the mold right out of the gate. Praised by critics, viewers, and even real-life medical professionals, the series stood out with its original concept. Each episode covers one hour of a 15-hour shift in a fictional Pittsburgh hospital, focusing on Dr. Robinavitch (Dr. Robby), the ER’s chief attending, played by Noah Wyle. Unlike typical medical shows that compress time, The Pitt delivers a more realistic, immersive experience. Created by the same team behind ER, the show streams on Max. Season 2 is slated for early 2026, set during a dramatic Fourth of July weekend.

While The Pitt offers a fresh take on the medical drama, it’s part of a long tradition of standout shows in the genre—many of which are perfect for fans looking for something to watch between seasons. Like The Pitt, these series put a unique twist on familiar territory, whether through doctors with unconventional perspectives or hospitals tackling extraordinary challenges. They prove there’s still plenty of life—and drama—left in the world of medical TV.

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The gripping thriller 24 followed counterterrorism agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) as he raced against time to stop terrorist threats and save the nation. Each season unfolded over a single day, with each episode representing one hour in real time. The series ran for eight seasons on Fox from 2001 to 2010, followed by 24: Live Another Day in 2014 and 24: Legacy in 2017.

Though The Pitt and 24 differ in genre, their storytelling approach is strikingly similar. Both shows unfold in near real-time, with each episode covering roughly one hour. While The Pitt chronicles a single hospital shift, 24 spans an entire day per season. This format creates an immersive, high-stakes experience that helped make 24 a landmark in television—and makes The Pitt feel just as intense and urgent.Image via NBC

Scrubs offered a humorous take on the medical profession, following J.D. (Zach Braff) as he navigated his career at the fictional Sacred Heart teaching hospital. The series, mostly narrated by J.D., also explored his personal life, including his romance with co-worker Elliot (Sarah Chalke) and his complicated relationship with his attending physician, Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley). The show originally premiered on NBC before moving to ABC, running for nine seasons.

Scrubs became a beloved series for good reason. It expertly played with the familiar tropes of medical dramas while standing out with sharp writing and interconnected storylines. Despite being a sitcom, it wasn’t afraid to tackle serious emotional moments, producing some of its most memorable episodes that highlighted the emotional toll of working in a hospital.

Code Black, the CBS drama inspired by the award-winning documentary of the same name, followed the staff of Angels Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles, home to the busiest emergency room in the country. As the ER became overwhelmed and resources ran thin, a critical situation known as “Code Black” unfolded. The chaos was further compounded by the arrival of a new group of residents. The series ran for three seasons, from 2015 to 2018.

The original documentary provided the perfect foundation for the TV series, offering a unique angle that intensified the already dramatic world of medical shows. Unlike many similar series that portray typical shifts or occasionally slow days, Code Black highlighted the extreme challenges faced by ER workers during its busiest and most stressful times. Despite the tension, the show also balanced the drama with moments of levity and humor.

• In The Resident, the staff at Chastain Memorial Hospital in Atlanta navigated a range of both professional and personal challenges, with new medical student Devon Pravesh (Manish Dayal) working under senior resident Dr. Conrad Hawkins (Matt Czuchry). The series kicked off with Devon’s first day, and as the story unfolded, he became increasingly disillusioned, particularly as the plots explored the bureaucratic issues within healthcare. The show ran for six seasons and over 100 episodes.The gripping opening scenes of The Resident set the tone, showing a doctor making a fatal surgical error and persuading colleagues to cover it up, revealing a disturbing pattern. This moment made it clear that the show would stand apart from other medical dramas, delving into the darker side of healthcare. As the series continued, it only grew more compelling, especially with its focus on hospital bureaucracy, a theme rarely tackled by similar shows at the time.

Dr. Max Goodwin (Ryan Eggold) became the new medical director of New Amsterdam, America’s oldest public hospital, driven by a genuine passion to help people. He aimed to use his position to bring about meaningful changes in the system, ultimately enhancing the quality of care patients received. Based on Eric Manheimer’s memoir Twelve Patients: Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital, the show ran for five seasons.

Max’s role as medical director allowed New Amsterdam to explore not only the typical medical emergencies of a drama but also the complex bureaucratic challenges within the healthcare system. His optimism and determination were a refreshing contrast, particularly for viewers who have struggled with navigating healthcare. Of course, the show didn’t shy away from medical drama—over the course of its five seasons, it delivered numerous compelling cases, many with unexpected twists.

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In The Knick, Dr. John W. Thackery (Clive Owen), known as “Thack,” worked at New York’s Knickerbocker Hospital, serving the city’s poor and immigrant populations in the early 1900s. In an era before antibiotics, Thackery was a brilliant but controversial surgeon, pioneering new techniques that often turned his patients into experimental subjects—all while battling an addiction to cocaine and opium. Although the series ran for just two seasons, there are rumors of a potential spin-off in development.

The Knick gave audiences a rare look into the medical profession of the past, blending period drama with medical drama. In contrast to modern medicine, where many conditions are easily treated, the series highlighted how such ailments were major challenges at the time. The show’s historical setting also provided a platform to explore complex issues like race relations.

The limited series This Is Going to Hurt, based on the memoir by series creator Adam Kay, followed junior doctor Kay (Ben Whishaw) working in Obstetrics and Gynecology at an NHS hospital. The show not only highlighted his demanding medical career but also explored how his work affected his personal life—everything from the physical exhaustion caused by sleepless nights to the strain on his relationships.

Like some of the best medical dramas, This Is Going to Hurt was deeply rooted in the real-life experiences of its creator, and it depicted the rollercoaster of emotions in the world of Obstetrics and Gynecology, a rare focus for many medical shows. The series also highlighted the lack of support Kay and his colleagues faced, reflecting issues seen in The Pitt, particularly Dr. Robby’s battles with hospital administration over resources.

The Good Doctor followed Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore), a talented surgeon with autism and savant syndrome, as he started his career at a prestigious hospital. Although Shaun’s medical skills were undeniable, he often faced skepticism from his colleagues—except for his supportive mentor, Dr. Aaron Glassman (Richard Schiff). Based on the South Korean series of the same name, the show aired on ABC from 2017 to 2024, spanning seven seasons and over 100 episodes.

While The Good Doctor faced criticism for its portrayal of autism, it remained a popular and successful series throughout its run. The show introduced a range of engaging characters and compelling storylines, exploring both the personal lives of the hospital staff and their professional challenges. It also delved into how Shaun’s autism affected his work—both the advantages and difficulties—and the complications arising from hospital administration.

Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie), a grumpy and brilliant infectious disease specialist, led a team at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey, tackling some of the most perplexing medical cases on House. Known for his unconventional methods, House wasn’t afraid to break the rules to save his patients, though he struggled with his own personal demons, most notably an addiction to painkillers. The show ran for eight seasons, from 2004 to 2012.

Like The Pitt, House stood out among medical dramas—but not for its structure, rather for its unconventional lead character. Unlike the compassionate, empathetic doctors usually portrayed on TV, House viewed his patients more as puzzles to be solved than as people in need of care. This unique approach, combined with the show’s focus on rare and often bizarre medical cases, set it apart from other medical dramas.

NBC’s medical drama ER premiered in 1994, chronicling the lives of the staff at the fictional County General Hospital, a teaching hospital in Chicago. The series explored the high-stakes nature of emergency medicine alongside the personal struggles of its characters. Created by Jurassic Park author Michael Crichton, ER ran for 15 seasons, ending in 2009 with over 300 episodes. It held the title of longest-running medical drama until Grey’s Anatomy surpassed it in 2019.

For many, it’s hard to separate The Pitt star Noah Wyle from his breakout role on ER, the series that made him a household name. Widely regarded as one of the greatest medical dramas ever, ER redefined the genre with gripping, emotionally charged cases and a memorable cast of characters. It earned an impressive 124 Emmy nominations and won 23.