Doctors race around a busy emergency room, saving lives, barking orders, and figuring out next steps. They’re tired, overwhelmed, and buzzing with adrenaline. They don’t have time to chat or gossip, let alone use the bathroom. (That can’t be healthy, can it?) They’re at the top of their game and determined to help as many people as they can. Their personal lives will have to wait. This is what they care most about. And they’re prepared to wake up after only a few hours of sleep and do it all again tomorrow.
While real-life medical professionals know that experience all too well, that scene also describes each 15-hour shift on The Pitt, the hit medical drama on HBO Max that premiered in 2025. However, there’s another beloved hospital series that is the only true answer to the burning question, “What should I watch if I enjoy watching The Pitt?” And by “enjoy,” we mean, “It makes me laugh, cry, and cry some more.” The answer is ER. According to Flix Patrol, as of Wed., Mar. 18, 2026, ER is at the #10 spot on the Top 10 list of trending HBO Max shows.
Why You Need to Watch ER If You Love ‘The Pitt’
Over 30 years ago, a TV drama debuted that followed doctors and other hospital employees through their shifts at a hospital emergency room. Wait, are we describing The Pitt? Yes, The Pitt and ER sound very similar. Fans can’t discuss The Pitt without mentioning ER, the medical drama that aired on NBC from 1994 to 2009 for 15 seasons. And while many fans of the ’90s series have discovered their love for the HBO Max drama, there are definitely some fans of The Pitt who haven’t watched the NBC series yet.
Several decades after playing Dr. John Carter in Seasons 1 through 11 of ER, and coming back again for some Season 12 and Season 15 episodes, Noah Wyle came back to the genre. Along with portraying Dr. Robby Robinavitch on The Pitt, Wyle serves as an executive producer on the series. He has also written some episodes, and he directed Season 2, Episode 6, which features the death of Louie (Ernest Harden Jr.). In the pilot episode of ER, “24 Hours,” Carter is in his third year of medical school and starting his first day at the hospital. In The Pitt Season 1, Episode 1, Robby mentors a group of students, interns, and young doctors. It’s the first day for some of them, too. Yes, there are so many parallels!
While there are several binge-worthy hospital dramas, ER is the only show that captures the same emotional tone as The Pitt. However, there’s one main difference: the story structure. Although the recent HBO Max drama has one setting (the emergency room) and follows the characters through every hour of The Pitt‘s 15-hour shifts, ER shifts the focus outside this one location.
Yes, this structure makes The Pitt a game-changer. Fans love that it’s different from other shows and that it feels so “real.” But ER merges medical cases with romance, friendship, and family stories. It tells tragic, funny, and uplifting stories over 15 seasons. When you see the doctors at home, on vacation, and around Chicago, you get a well-rounded picture of who they are. Also, there are some beautiful speeches about life and death.
‘ER’ Is a Longer Binge-Watch Than ‘The Pitt’ But Just As Compelling
It won’t take that long to catch up on Seasons 1 and 2 of The Pitt. The first season has 15 episodes, and 10 episodes of Season 2 are available on HBO Max so far. Sure, you can’t watch all 15 seasons of ER in one weekend, or even in two. (Well, you could try.) However, sometimes a long binge-watch is particularly rewarding. ER is the kind of series that viewers can look forward to. It’s comforting to know that when the work day is over and the evening has arrived, you have a new (old) episode of the hit medical drama to watch. It might be hard to stop at one episode, though.
Both shows have emotionally charged episodes about a long list of topics. The Pitt Season 1 explores measles, abortion, vaccines, substance use, miscarriages, and gun violence. Season 2 has covered eating disorders, alcoholism, necrotizing fasciitis, PCOS, and sexual assault. ER addresses love, death, pregnancy, mental health, and the list goes on. (The series has 15 seasons!) Most of all, though, ER has some wonderful characters. If you love Dana Evans (Katherine LaNasa), you’ll love the equally tough and smart nurse Carol Hathaway (Juliana Margulies). Dr. Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards) is as kind as many of The Pittt‘s doctors. And there are so many other great characters to meet and get to know. So, give this incredible ’90s series a try, and prepare to be obsessed and impressed.
- Release Date
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1994 – 2009-00-00
- Network
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NBC
- Showrunner
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Michael Crichton
- Directors
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Michael Crichton
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
