The Pitt, Season 1

What’s it about?

The daily lives of healthcare professionals in a Pittsburgh hospital as they juggle personal crises, workplace politics, and the emotional toll of treating critically ill patients, revealing the resilience required in their noble calling.

The facts

• Created by R. Scott Gemmill
• English language
• Runtime ~41-60 minutes
• Each episode portrays an hour of a shift on the ward. 15 hours, one shift.
• Executive produced by John Wells and Noah Wyle
• Gemmill, Wells and Wyle previously worked together on ER
• A Max Original production

Why did it get this rating?

This series was self-rated by Neon. You can find out more about self-rating by streaming providers here.

Each episode is self-rated separately by Neon. For this featured decision breakdown we have noted the highest age rating and strongest content warnings for the series episodes 1 –11.

Child death and pregnancy loss

Episodes 7 and 8 deal with sensitive topics of miscarriage and the death of a young child.

A pregnant character is shown going to the bathroom with stomach pains. We then see her bloody underwear, subsequently the character grieving for the loss of her baby. We see her do an ultrasound to confirm she has lost the fetus, and we hear her discuss the loss with another character. These scenes will likely be very upsetting for anyone impacted by pregnancy loss.

In episode 11 we see a labour up close with a baby’s head crowning out of the woman’s vulva. We see in detail the Doctor using their hands to assist the baby out of the birth canal when the baby’s shoulder is caught. There is very little blood shown but the scenes are graphic. We also see the doctors working on the baby to kick start their breathing. The mother begins to haemorrhage while birthing the placenta. We see surgical equipment being inserted into the vagina, and we see a large volume of blood on the table. These scenes will be very upsetting for anyone impacted by traumatic births.

In episode 8 we see doctors and nurses working to save the life of a seven year old child who drowned in a pool. Through the course of the episode we witness the grief of the caregivers, and how the emotional reality of the case impacts the entire ER staffing team. This carries on into episode 9. These episodes will be upsetting for many people.

Body horror

The emergency room stories being told often involve surgical scenes, bloody wounds, close-up shots of injections and cuts, and intubations (air tube being inserted down a patient’s throat so they can breath).

We see a number of close-up surgical procedures of scalpels cutting into skin, and several tracheotomy emergency operations with the throat is cut open to enable an air way.

There are surprise moments of blood spurts, and in one scene a Dr is covered in urine from a patient having a psychotic episode (the patient later apologises).

We see the close-up skin detail of a burns victim who has burns to over 80% of his body.

Violence

A patient referred to as the ‘Kraken’ has to be held down by many staff so that a tranquilizer can be stabbed into their upper thigh.

A character is blindsided by a punch to the face. We see the subsequent bloody face and pain inflicted from the assault.

Nudity

All of the nudity in the show is related to patients being treated in a medical situation: we see exposed chests, including (briefly) female breasts.

Content that may disturb

A Doctor is shown having panic attacks and flashbacks to the ER during the height of the Covid pandemic, fully masked and under pressure.

Two cases of fentanyl overdose in young people are shown with very different outcomes.

We witness doctors having to tell caregivers that their loved one has died, and distressing conversations about organ donation.

A feisty elderly patient asks a doctor if they want to see her vagina.

Staff place bets on the outcome of an ambulance being stolen from the emergency bay, such as the criminals caught potentially being ‘meth heads’ and ‘junkies’.

A 17-year-old presents for a medical abortion and is interrupted by her mother who refuses to give parental consent.

Discussion about grooming and sexual assault

A character confides in a student doctor that she believes her daughter is being sexually assaulted by the father. There is discussion about inappropriate touching and situations at home that have made her suspicious. We see the student doctor confront and threatened the father in an aggressive way. These scenes will likely be upsetting for anyone impacted by this subject matter.

Offensive language

Occasional strong language is used in moments of high tension, such as ‘motherf*cker’, ’f*ck’, ‘sh*t’, ‘ars*hole’.

Helplines:

Discussions of sexual assault, grooming, pregnancy loss, or any of the medical situations portrayed in the show could be upsetting for some viewers, especially for those who have gone through similar experiences. If you are struggling with what you have seen on-screen please reach out for help. If you or someone you know needs to talk:

• 1737
• Safe to talk
• Lifeline
• Youthline

Further information

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?