If you had any doubt about the humble medical drama's cultural cachet, you needn't look any further than The Pitt. In just one season, the HBO Max series has risen above the rest to become a fan favourite, and taken out three Emmy Awards in the process – including the coveted Best Drama, Best Lead Actor, and Best Supporting Actress categories.
Set in a bustling Pittsburgh hospital, The Pitt looks at the realities of America’s healthcare system. Each episode is framed around a 15-hour shift, putting the intensity and pressure of the ER, plus the day-to-day pressures of medical staff navigating an overburdened system, at the centre of the story.
Thankfully, there are countless other medical shows to get stuck into if you've already made your way through The Pitt season one. Below, our pick of the best medical dramas like The Pitt to stream now.
Grey’s Anatomy (2005–present)
The blueprint. Grey’s Anatomy has everything: plot twists, emotionally wrecking monologues, love, death and just enough medical lingo to sound credible. We'll admit, 20 seasons in, it’s less about the medicine, but we’re still watching nonetheless.
This Is Going to Hurt (2022)
This limited series shifts gear from the American healthcare system to the UK. Based on Adam Kay’s memoir of the same name about working in the NHS, This Is Going to Hurt cuts deep — literally and emotionally — offering an unfiltered look at underfunded healthcare systems, burnout, and the emotional toll of medicine.
House (2004–2012)
Each episode of House follows a similar formula: a patient arrives with a baffling condition, doctors attempt to diagnose them, and finally, House has a last-minute breakthrough. But House keeps us interested in large part because of Hugh Laurie’s magnetic performance as Dr. Gregory House — a brilliant but bitter doctor who – although at times infuriating – is completely compelling.
Offspring (2010–2017)
Set in Melbourne, Offspring follows obstetrician Nina Proudman as she navigates the chaos of work, love, heartbreak, and her dysfunctional family. Though it's not strictly a medical show, Nina's internal monologues and romantic escapades are more than enough to keep you fully invested. She might be a doctor, but she’s just as messy as the rest of us, and that’s what makes the show so addictive.
Private Practice (2007 –2013)
If you love Grey's Anatomy, consider this essential viewing. Private Practice is a spin-off of the series, following Addison Montgomery post-Grey’s, as she trades Seattle for LA and neurosurgeons for neonatal specialists. Need we say more?
Call the Midwife (2012–present)
Who said a medical drama had to be set in the current day to be interesting? Call The Midwife takes place in 1950s East London, it follows a group of midwives and nuns delivering babies and dealing amidst major social changes. It's often tear-inducing, so come prepared.
