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The Pitt Needs A Spin-Off... Maybe More Than One
There’s a world of fan-favorite docs, nurses, and medical staff to follow beyond the ER — and I’ll watch them all.
During a recent PaleyFest screening of The Pitt Season 2 finale, star and producer Noah Wyle seemed to dismiss one of the more popular spin-off ideas tossed around by fans — a show following the care team that clocks in just as their main-stage counterparts are heading home. “You’re getting just enough night shift,” Wyle said (via The Wrap). “You don’t want any more. You think you do, but you don’t.”
But... we do! At least, I do. And Shawn Hatosy, who earned an Emmy for his turn as Dr. Abbot and recently told People he could imagine “some cool, interesting things with the tone of the show.” After all, he added: “Dr. Abbot chose the night shift because it’s a certain kind of group of misfits that work together at night.”
Indeed, The Pitt: Night Shift would be a deliciously moody, quirky medical drama — the perfect dish to hold you over between seasons of the flagship show. But it’s not the only way forward for a potential Pitt spin-off. With the successive departures of Dr. Collins (Tracy Ifeachor) and Dr. Mohan (Supriya Ganesh) in the show’s first two seasons, The Pitt has made clear that exits should be expected — as heartbreaking as they are to fans.
“It’s an inevitability that’s going to happen every season with this show because as writers we’re hard-pressed to figure out what a lapse of time we can have and keep most of the ensemble together realistically,” Wyle recently told Variety, noting that “emergency rooms have a high revolving door.”
While such shuffling around might be realistic, it presents a challenge when The Pitt parts ways with characters that form the beating heart of the show. Following those stars to new specialties, or in different areas of the hospital, could expand storytelling opportunities while making use of many of the same sets. Given the show’s ardent viewership — there’s a passionate fandom for even minor characters — it’s hard to imagine a spin-off not finding its people.
Such as...
- The Pitt: Night Shift (it bears repeating!)
- “Literally anything with Dr. Abbot bc he is hot and calm in a crisis.” - Christina Amoroso, Editorial Director
- Dr. Mohan thriving on her own show, à la Addison moving from Grey’s Anatomy to Private Practice
- One-off holiday specials
- An I Love LA-esque show about Dr. Whitaker and Dr. Santos’ life as roomies (and Santos’ relationship with Dr. Garcia)
- Nurses spin-off: “Give me a buddy comedy with Princess and Perlah. Show me Dana at home smoking a cig in the tub.” - Aubree Lennon, Associate Director, Social
- Dr. Abbot’s at home yoga routine - AL
- The Pitt: Company Retreat, because they all need a break
