ER Vets — and ‘ER’ Vets — Know What They’re Doing in Real-Time Medical Drama ‘The Pitt’: TV Review

variety.com:

Alison Herman TV Critic When watching the premiere of Max medi- cal drama “The Pitt,” one might feel as if they’ve stepped into a time machine.

The series stars Noah Wyle, who rose to stardom in the future-celebrity-studded cast of “ER.” “The Pitt” was created by R. Scott Gemmill, who served as an executive producer on the later seasons of “ER.” The pilot is directed by executive producer John Wells, the initial showrunner of — do I even have to say it? — “ER.” That “The Pitt” takes place in a major hospital’s emergency department seems almost redundant to mention.

Gradually, though, there are signs that the Max series is not a copy-and-paste of its predecessor. Before we enter the belly of the beast, the establishing shots are of Pittsburgh, not Chicago. (“The Pitt” is a double entendre, referring to both Pittsburgh Medical Trauma Hospital’s namesake city and its employees’ nickname for the ER.) Wyle’s “ER” character began as a fresh-faced medical student, but the actor has aged into the role of Dr.

Michael “Robby” Rabinovich, an empathetic attending physician. And most notably, where episodes of “ER” would often cover an entire shift, “The Pitt” plays out in close to real time.