Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for The Pitt season 1.Now that every episode ofThe Pittseason 1 has been released, it’s worth going back and examining which installments were the best of Max’s medical drama. By theend ofThe Pittseason 1, Dr. Robby (Noah Wyle) and the rest of the doctors and nurses at PTMC had torn both our nerves and our heartstrings to shreds.The Pittalso moved so fluidly and expeditiously that each episode almost seemed to blend together. However, not all ofThe Pitt’s episodes were made equal, and some provided an even more enthralling bit of television than others.
It is honestly hard to rank each episode ofThe Pittseason 1 simply because each episode had so many things to offer. Even the worst episode ofThe Pittwas still a shining example of great television and a superb medical drama, but the best presented something almost completely unheard of.The Pittwas also capable of upping the drama and the intensity with every episode, which means many of the later episodes of the season were even better than the start. The very best episodes offered a unique blend of tragedy, hope, excitement, and above all else, nail-biting medical cases.
15Episode 6: “12:00 P.M.”
The Pitt Lags A Bit In The Middle, But More Even Setup For Later Episodes Proved Interesting
The Pittseason 1, episode 6 may be the most forgettable of the season, but it’s very far from bad.If anything, episode 6 serves as proof thatThe Pittwas able to outdo itself so many times that even a high-quality episode can get lost among even better ones. Episode 6 saw a resolution to the stolen ambulance, it saw some devastating emotional moments, and it saw plenty of interesting medical cases, like testicular torsion and a botched butt-lift. It just wasn’t as good as whatThe Pittwould grow to be.
14Episode 5: “11:00 A.M.”
The Pittepisode 5 also lagged a bit, in similar fashion to episode 6, but it had a few more valuable moments from the doctors to make up for that.From McKay’s unhoused mother and Javadi’s mistake to the growing tension between Robby and Dr. Mohan, episode 5 had a lot of high moments. Its biggest flaw was that it acts as a bridge between the start of the show and the end, and in serving so much function, it didn’t have much room for the flashier, more raw momentsThe Pittis known for.
13Episode 2: “8:00 A.M.”
The Pitt’s Format Struggled To Make Characters Instantly Empathetic, & Episode 2 Didn’t Have The Premiere’s Surprise Factor To Rely On
One of the only drawbacks ofThe Pitt’s hyper-realistic real-time format is that some of the earlier episodes suffer from a lack of character development. Nowhere is that clearer than in episode 2.DespiteThe Pitt’s very fast start, the medical drama’s commitment to realistic dialogue and characters meant that it was hard to empathize with many of the doctors besides Robby early on. That, coupled with some less exciting medical cases, made the second episode a bit underwhelming in comparison to the rest of the season.
12Episode 3: “9:00 A.M.”
More Reveals About The Doctors Kept Things Interesting In The Pitt Episode 3
The Pittepisode 3 was a great chance to better develop its main characters, and it was fully taken advantage of.From learning about Dr. Langdon’s seemingly innocuous decision to buy a dog to getting a glimpse of Dr. Collins' fear of rats,The Pittepisode 3 helped make the doctors of PTMC much more endearing. That being said, it still pales in comparison to the high stakes and gut-wrenching drama of later episodes, which held it back.
11Episode 4: “10:00 A.M.”
Despite Being A Nerve-Wracking Experience, The Pitt Found Ways To Inject Humor & Joy Into The ER
Not every episode ofThe Pittcould have been all doom and gloom, and episode 4 was very much so appreciated for its lighter moments.The betting on the stolen ambulance was a genuinely fun moment forThe Pitt, and it allowed less-highlighted characters like Kiara a chance to stand out, which is always a good thing. Really, episode 4 serves as proof of just how deepThe Pittis: this is not a strictly serious medical show, and it’s just as varied and full of conflicting emotions as real life is.
Episode 4 serves as proof of just how deep The Pitt is: this is not a strictly serious medical show, and it’s just as varied and full of conflicting emotions as real life is.
10Episode 7: “1:00 P.M.”
Episode 7 Is A Great Example Of The Ethical Quandries The Pitt Handles So Well
Aside from pulse-racing action and tearjerking tragedies,The Pittalso gained a lot of acclaim for its knotty, complicated ethical dilemmas. Episode 7 is a great example of why. From questions of how to treat neurodivergent patients to the ever-controversial subject of abortion,The Pittepisode 7 handled these controversial and sensitive topics with nuance, reason, and empathy. It may not have been the flashiest episode, but episode 7 left viewers with a lot to think about, which is never a bad thing.
9Episode 8: “2:00 P.M.”
Episode 8 Saw Two Of The Pitt’s Most Devastating Patients, Making For Heartbreaking Tragedy
By the nature of each episode ofThe Pittdirectly following its predecessor, many of its storylines are split up.The Pittepisode 8, however, introduced and concluded a truly devastating patient, and it also brought home another storyline that had been developing for weeks.Both Amber, the little girl who drowned, and Nick, the teen who overdosed on fentanyl, were utterly heart-wrenching stories that provedThe Pittcould rival even the most depressing tragedies. It was honestly difficult to watch, but the fact thatThe Pittepisode 8 could stir such visceral emotions made it a powerhouse of the season.
8Episode 15: “9:00 P.M.”
The Season Finale Was A Fitting But Slower Ending To A Masterful Medical Drama
The finale ofThe Pittseason 1 wasn’t exactly as hectic or bloody as the rest of the show, but that’s not entirely a bad thing.After taking both thecast ofThe Pittand its viewers through an emotional whirlwind,The Pittfound a well-deserved and fitting stopping point. It left the door open forThe Pittseason 2and delivered some well-earned messages about how life keeps going, whether good or bad.The Pittepisode 15 could have done more, but it smartly chose to end on a high note that cemented it as a very good episode in the grand scheme of things.
7Episode 9: “3:00 P.M.”
Episode 9 Saw The Pitt Firing On All Cylinders, But It Was Overshadowed By Later Episodes
If the PittFest shooting hadn’t changed everything,The Pittepisode 9 might have been one of the best episodes of the entire show.Episode 9 has pretty much everything you could want out of an episode ofThe Pitt: high-speed medical evaluations, peculiar cases, and some ofThe Pitt’s best real-world medical controversies. There’s also plenty of emotion and suspense in its final moments, when Dana (Katherine LaNasa) got punched by an angry patient. Episode 9’s only fault is that it didn’t have a mass casualty event to elevate everything about the show, as later episodes ofThe Pittdid.
6Episode 10: “4:00 P.M.”
The Pitt Episode 10 Feels Like A Personal Betrayal, Which Made Langdon’s Story Even Better
While there’s no shortage of drama and tragedy inThe Pitt, there’s perhaps no better display of interpersonal conflict than in episode 10. AsThe Pittfollowed Langdon’s growing paranoia and distrust of Santos, I personally felt like I had accidentally switched onto a very good mystery show. Then,once Langdon’s drug misuse was outed,The Pittmanaged to tell his story so effectively that I almost felt as betrayed as Robby did. That story alone made episode 10 great, but it also wasn’t slacking in interesting medical moments and other emotional stories to bring it all home.
