I Don't Like Medical Dramas, But After Watching The Pitt, I'm Changing My Mind

I have a confession to make: I'm not a huge fan of medical dramas.

Sure, I've seen them. Plenty of them. Or, at the very least, I've watched some seasons of Grey's Anatomy (as one of the best shows to binge on Netflix), and I have learned a decent amount about several medical shows that have made me check out others. While some are good, most of them are not my cup of tea.

But, I have to admit, I recently got into watching The Pitt on Max – and it's the kind of show I never thought I would like, but ended up becoming one of my favorite shows of the year. I'm going to give you the reasons why I might be changing my mind on medical dramas – at least this one.

I'm Usually Not The Biggest Med-Drama Fan, Because Most Are Too Cliche

As I mentioned in the introduction, I'm not a big fan of medical dramas, but it's not for the reasons you'd probably expect. I don't mind cliche love stories, typical love triangles, smart/brooding men, or any of that in TV shows. Heck, I welcome them most of the time.

Some of my favorite shocking moments from Game of Thrones or even Breaking Bad hail from well-done, typical tropes. I'm not immune to those stories, and I don't think anyone is.

My biggest issue with medical dramas is that while these tropes are there…I don't really want them to be. Let me explain.

When I'm watching a medical drama, nine times out of ten, it's because I want to learn something. Yes, this is television, so you can't really learn everything from a series because things are made much more dramatic for entertainment purposes. But, I'd much rather dive deeper into the world of medicine and surgery than have to wonder who is going to end up with whom on which episode.

If I'm signing myself up for a medical drama, I really do not want to watch something with the same tropes you would expect in, say, the best teen romance shows on Netflix. I want something gritty, something tangible—and that's coming from someone who was legit scarred by medical dramas as a kid (don't ask).

The Pitt made me see that the genre can deliver what I want…and now, I have more hope for how other medical dramas could play out in the future.

But Max's The Pitt Makes It Dramatic By Making It Real

When I first saw that The Pitt was getting spectacular reviews, I thought, "Well, of course it is. It's Max. They really don't make bad shows, even if everyone doesn't get the chance to watch them." Max is one of the best streaming platforms out there with some fantastic original series, and The Pitt is among them.

On one boring day, my boyfriend decided to check it out – as someone who does like a good medical drama – and I decided to sit down and watch it with him because it's rare we end up picking a lot of the same shows (he's a lot harder to entertain).

We sat for all fifteen episodes. We binged it in a single day, and yes, we were exhausted afterwards, but it was worth it.

This is the type of series where they are not afraid to show you the reality of being a doctor. It all takes place during one single shift in a trauma center in Pittsburgh, and let me tell you, everything that could go wrong does, and Pitt is determined to show you exactly how it affects not only the people who come to the hospital but also the doctors around them.

It's authentic in a way that only an incredible HBO-produced show could be, but it still finds ways to make things entertaining without throwing in unnecessary tropes or stories. The Pitt is terrifying in its way; it feels like real life.

It's Also Not Afraid To Dive Deeper Into The Trauma Doctor's Psyche

Something else that I really do love about The Pitt is that while it does focus on healing people and showing how surgery works and how an E.R. functions, it also shows you what happens to a doctor over time when they are constantly faced with death.

Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch is the primary doctor we follow. We get a first-hand look into his harrowing experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and how they still haunt him now.

That's the kind of stuff I want. That's the kind of realness we need. That's what makes this medical drama turn into something legendary when I think most tend to fall flat nowadays.

And It Gives You A Look Into How Fast Devastating Deaths Happen

It's not like most medical shows don't show you death – they do. But there's just something about The Pitt that makes you realize just how fragile life is.

Remember – this entire first season takes place over a single day shift, fifteen hours. Each episode is a new hour. Without giving away spoilers, this show really makes you think about your mortality and how it can be taken away with just a snap of Death's fingers. One false move and you're done – and sometimes, it might not even be your fault.

We go from healthy individuals, smiling folk, to a cold body so quickly, and that's just sad. But, it's genuine and devastating, and that's the kind of drama that we need, because it can happen to any of us.

It's Not For The Faint Of Heart, But It Makes Me Want Way More Medical Dramas Like This

Look, I'll be real and say that this show is not for the faint of heart. You can think of any show out there – the heartbreaking The Walking Dead deaths, maybe all those Game of Thrones deaths, etc. – none of them will match this series. That's because most of these injuries, deaths — anything, can happen in real life.

The thing with this drama is that it not only teaches you a lot, but it also does not hold back any gore. From the moment the first episode starts, you don't see any glamour to being a doctor.

You know the legitimacy of it, the reality of the pain they face on a daily basis, and the amount of strength these doctors need to have not only to operate, but to function when something goes terribly wrong.

For that, you need a strong stomach and a steady heart. Granted, I am an emotional baby, so I cried plenty watching this series. Either way, it's not afraid, and that's why I really wish we had way more medical dramas like this.

I know that television's goal is to entertain and keep people coming back each week, but with the success of the Noah Wyle hit, it's clear that there is a group of people who crave this kind of television. It doesn't try to fool you; it enlightens, scares, and maybe teaches you something along the way.

I doubt there's going to be any other medical dramas on the 2025 TV schedule that will shake me as much as The Pitt does, but I'll surely be coming back for Season 2. If you're in the same boat, and don't watch medical dramas because they seem unrealistic, then you need to check this one out – but make sure you have an empty stomach.