Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1538125
INTENSIVE CARE 'THE PITT' POST TEAM TALKS ABOUT REINVENTING THE HOSPITAL DRAMA FOR THE POST-COVID ERA 24 C I N E M O N T A G E F E A T U R E By Kristin Marguerite Doidge W h e n t h e H B O M a x d ra m a s e - ries "The Pitt" premiered last January, audiences and critics sensed almost immediately that some - thing special was happening on screen. From the sounds of the stuffy crowded waiting room to the looks of fear and sheer exhaustion on the characters' faces, it was almost as if you were right there beside them. For many viewers, the adrenaline rush that comes with making split-sec- ond life-changing decisions became just as addicting for them as it was for the hardworking staff in the fictional Pitts- b u r g h T r a u m a M e d i c a l H o s p i t a l ' s emergency room. The show's creator, R. Scott Gemmill, wanted to show the most realistic exam- ination of the challenges facing healthcare workers in today's post-COVID America through their eyes — and with each episode following one hour of an intense 15-hour shift. It's become one of the most watched series of all time for the streaming platform. Noah Wyle plays chief attending physician Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch and leads a talented cast playing physicians, nurses, and medical students. Picture editors Mark Strand, ACE and Annie Eifrig, as well as supervising sound editor Bryan Parker, already had an existing relationship with the show's legendary ex- ecutive producer John Wells, while picture editors Lauren Pendergrass and Joey Rein- isch came on board to round out the team. Strand, Parker, and Reinisch will return for Season 2, which will premiere on HBO Max in January of next year. P H OT O : J AY C L E N D E N I N OPERATING ROOM: From left: Lauren Pendergrass, Annie Eifrig, Bryan Parker, Mark Strand and Joey Reinisch.