If You Loved The Pitt, Should You Start ER? A Superfan And First-Time Viewer Watch The Pilot, Give Their Two Cents
Once you've been Pitt-pilled, can you enjoy ER? That's the question we're here to answer today.
After a fast-paced freshman run, many fans of The Pitt are looking for another medical drama to hold them over until Season 2 premieres in January 2026. Of course, ER, that other medical series starring Noah Wyle, is the obvious choice for their next big binge... but after having watched the latest, greatest, buzziest hospital show, can ER really live up to the hype for first-time viewers?
TVLine's Ryan Schwartz and Claire Franken are here to hash it out. Ryan is a longtime ER fan; Claire has quite literally never heard of Cook County General. Both have just watched the 1994 pilot (find out how to stream it!) and both are here to share their thoughts and impressions on Episode 1 — all of which abstain from spoiling future episodes, should you decide to give the former NBC juggernaut a shot.
SCHWARTZ | So, I should probably start by acknowledging that ER is my comfort show. (It's basically my entire personality on Threads.) I've seen it all the way through more times than I can count, which means I've probably seen the ER pilot more than any other TV pilot. Even still, I was excited to revisit it, and even more excited (anxious, even!) for you to watch it. Claire, be honest with me: What did you think?
FRANKEN | OK, I've never seen ER and I literally know nothing about the plot or characters, except that the cast includes George Clooney and Noah Wyle. I've always been more of a Grey's Anatomy girl myself, but after watching Wyle in The Pitt, I discovered I have a larger appetite for medical dramas than I ever thought. And after watching this pilot, let me tell you: It definitely exceeded my expectations.
SCHWARTZ | I am thrilled to hear you say that. Going into this, I was nervous that it wouldn't play as well for someone who watched The Pitt first. Personally, I think the ER pilot is timeless — the acting, writing and directing are all first-rate — but it certainly looks old. And I wasn't sure if the pacing would be an issue.
FRANKEN | Well, I am sort of ageist. Because ER is older than The Pitt, I feared that would mean it's slow, boring and creepily lit. But I actually thought, aesthetically, it looked great. Plus, Episode 1 felt fairly fast-paced. Like The Pitt, it introduced several patients and jumped around from case to case, which definitely kept the energy up. It captured the busy buzz of the emergency room, while taking the time to focus on our main players — all of whom delivered excellent performances and had me immediately invested in their stories. Speaking of which, can we get into the Noah Wyle of it all? I'm thoroughly charmed by Dr. Carter.
SCHWARTZ | Yes, let's get into it! Wyle was only 23 when they shot the pilot episode, but it hadn't dawned on me just how young he looked — especially compared to the grizzled Dr. Robby. Carter was a baby! And I loved seeing him fake his way through his first day of rotation. Coming into this, I expected the character to remind me of The Pitt's Denis Whitaker, but dare I say that Carter is even more of a bumbling idiot here.
FRANKEN | Yes! I feel like Whitaker just lacks confidence, whereas Carter lacks knowledge. I died when he told the woman she could come back to get her stitches removed in 10 days or three weeks! Of course, I'm also obsessed with watching a young George Clooney as Dr. Ross — I am but a girl! I honestly knew nothing about his character going in, so I was thrilled to find out that he's a hottie, bad-boy pediatrician. And when Ross confronted that mother for abusing her baby, I got the sense that this man is going to have some real depth — he's not just a pretty face.
SCHWARTZ | Totally. And it's easy to see why Clooney was the breakout star. They definitely play up how classically handsome he is, but Dr. Ross is a deeply broken man, and Clooney finds real depth in Doug over the next several seasons of the show. But enough about him! I want to know what you thought about Anthony Edwards' Dr. Mark Greene — especially since, I have to imagine, you went into this thinking Carter would be our protagonist.
FRANKEN | Yes, I was surprised to see we're following Greene. I know he's married, but I'm wondering if he'll ultimately have some sort of flirtation with Sherry Stringfield's Dr. Susan Lewis? It felt like there was some hinting going on. And his scene outside with Carter was one of the high points of the episode. He seems like a good leader, but also is clearly dealing with some turmoil in his personal life.
SCHWARTZ | I refuse to spoil anything for you or our dear readers! But since you brought up Greene and Lewis, let's get into some of the other relationships established in the pilot. My personal favorite isn't a romantic one — it's the relationship between Carter and Eriq La Salle's know-it-all surgical resident, Dr. Peter Benton. I don't think I'm revealing much by saying that it's one of the most important relationships — if not the most important relationship — in the run of the show. Did their dynamic stick out to you at all?
FRANKEN | Yes! I feel like Benton wants to seem tough, but we saw his vulnerability poke through during that emergency surgery. I am excited to see how Carter's ignorance will continue to play off of Benton's bravado. I also felt chemistry between Dr. Ross and Julianna Margulies' nurse Carol Hathaway. I feel like there's history there? And possibly a future — should this woman live! I was absolutely shocked that they seemingly killed her off in Episode 1?! But because I've seen ER posters with Margulies' face on them, I have to believe she survives. I definitely wasn't expecting the overdose, though — what a twist!
SCHWARTZ | And here I thought that seeing Margulies in the hero image would ruin the pilot's big twist for you! Speaking of Benton, let's talk favorite moments! I'd be remiss if I didn't bring up The Benton Punch — the moment where he comes out of surgery and punches the air after Morgenstern (hi, William H. Macy!) congratulates him on a job well done. Claire, I don't know if that stood out to you, but it's iconic. And you'll see it in the opening credits for the next eight seasons should you decide to continue. Morgenstern telling Greene that he "sets the tone" is another favorite moment of mine, though I'd be spoiling future seasons if I explained why.
FRANKEN | The punch was great, the perfect way to release all that adrenaline after such an exhilarating surgery. Another memorable moment for me that we haven't already mentioned was Carter witnessing the miracle of childbirth. The man was in awe! It was so cute! I just know he wanted the chance to hold that newborn like Mel did in The Pitt.
SCHWARTZ | That parallel hadn't even dawned on me, but I totally see it now. And it speaks to Carter's naiveté here, and just how much he grows as a doctor over the next 330 (!) episodes. That brings me to perhaps the most important question of all: Now that you've experienced the pilot, do you think you'll go ahead and binge the rest of ER? And bonus question: Do you think you'll get through all 15 seasons before The Pitt returns early next year?
FRANKEN | Ryan, I feel like now is the time I can finally be honest. I did, in fact, roll right into Episode 2 after finishing the pilot. I ultimately felt guilty about possibly spoiling our official debrief, so I was a good friend and hit pause after only a few minutes. But please know: As soon as I'm out of here today, I'll be sitting on my couch, eating this show up. It definitely lived up to the hype for me. As for your bonus question, I'm insulted you even had to ask. Of course I will!