The Pitt or ER? Noah Wyle’s Candid Comparison of 2 Iconic Medical Dramas
The high stakes competition is on the line.
Once you dive into the world of medical dramas, there’s no coming back. Thankfully, there are numerous of them, for every viewer’s taste. If you like it funny, Scrubs’ your choice, if you like it shocking and gritty – then check out House. For the rest of us there’s Nurse Jackie, Grey’s Anatomy, The Good Doctor and many more.
But for those who like when they keep it real, NBC’s ER is definitely the standard for medical dramas, with its fast-paced storytelling, iconic character development, and groundbreaking realism. And one of the beloved characters of the show was definitely Noah Wyle’s Dr. John Carter.
So when ER fans heard that he was going to star in another medical drama, they marked their calendars to make sure they didn't miss the premiere. The Pitt debuted on HBO on January 9, and it has already caused quite a stir in the media. The premise of the show is genius: each episode of the season covers one hour of a single 15-hour emergency room shift. The fans seemed to love it.
“It's ER told through the lens of 24 by disciples of The Wire. I'm absolutely flabbergasted by how good this is. Every second is PACKED with significance. Second viewings reward almost as much as first. Subplots can and do go anywhere. I have no idea what is coming but can't wait for whatever it is,” Redditor DrChasco said.
Does Noah Wyle Like The Pitt More Than ER?
In a recent interview with Forbes, Noah Wyle himself shared his thoughts on the two medical dramas he is starring in. He credited ER for shaping his career and giving him a deep appreciation for the genre, but at the same time he noted that in comparison to ER, The Pitt takes a grittier, more contemporary approach, reflecting the challenges faced by modern healthcare workers.
ER focused more on the heroism of the doctors, while The Pitt makes sure the audience understands the real, often primitive, problems doctors face in saving lives. The series explores issues such as systemic failures, underfunding, burnout, and moral dilemmas.
And Wyle thinks it's amazing that he's had the chance to be a part of both shows and see the progress the genre has made over the decades. Wyle admitted that this shift required a different approach to his acting, as his character in The Pitt is more jaded and complex than the idealistic Dr. Carter from ER.
“It would be rare for another actor to have an opportunity to revisit something that was such a huge part of their early career and that was so ingrained in their tissues and then get to play that instrument again with a little wisdom and maturity and hear the tone and how it’s changed over the years. It's been really rewarding,” he said in the interview with Forbes.
The Pitt is available to stream on Max and Hulu. You can stream ER on Hulu as well.
