Noah Wyle, star of the medical drama ER, has returned to television after 16 years with his new show, The Pitt. Created in collaboration with ER producers John Wells and R. Scott Gemmill, The Pitt aims to recreate the fast-paced and intense environment of an emergency room.
To achieve this, the production team has taken a meticulous approach to designing sets and planning storylines. “I’ve spent many times in the ER with loved ones, and it’s hard to capture what that feels like,” said R. Scott Gemmill, executive producer and creator of The Pitt. This attention to detail is reflected in the show’s design, which includes a waiting room, patients waiting to be seen by doctors, and the monotony that can occur in an ER.
The cast also underwent extensive training to prepare for their roles. Patrick Ball, who plays Langdon, has a real-life father who is a paramedic, while Fiona Dourif’s character, McKay, was inspired by her mother, an ER nurse. The actors have reported that rehearsing complex trauma scenes before filming begins helps to ensure accuracy and realism.
The show also tackles sensitive topics such as mass shootings and births. For the PittFest mass shooting episodes, production designer Nina Ruscio had to track the blood on the floors, ensuring it was ergonomically connected to where the wound was. In contrast, the birth scene in Episode 11 was achieved using a “birth rig,” which consisted of a gurney with a prosthetic belly and legs.
The Pitt has also brought together talent from the film industry, including Brad Dourif’s real-life father, who plays McKay’s father. The show’s creator, R. Scott Gemmill, reportedly had an idea for his character before writing it into the storyline.
Overall, The Pitt appears to be a well-researched and realistic medical drama that aims to capture the intensity and complexity of life in an emergency room. With its detailed sets, complex storylines, and talented cast, it will be interesting to see how the show unfolds over time.
Source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/noradominick/the-pitt-behind-the-scenes-facts