Max original seriesThe Pitthas been a runaway success, and fans are eagerly awaiting information on season two. Although it won’t be released until January 2026, the show is back in production and we’ve already received key casting updates, including details of new doctors and nurses joining the show.
The Pitt season one played out in real time over one traumatic 15-hour shift that was also the first day for two medical students, one intern and a second-year resident who was on rotation.
Showrunner R. Scott Gemmill has confirmed that characters who played patients, and became dear to viewers across the season, will not return but that “for the most part” all of the doctors and nurses will return for season two, although “some people might be working different hours and different shifts”.
Season two will be set on July 4 weekend, nine or 10 months after season one, but which of the season one cast are confirmed to be back?
Noah Wyle as Dr Michael ‘Robby’ Robinavitch – returning
Dr Robby is the heart and soul of the Pitt, the nickname given to the ER department at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center, and with star Noah Wyle also an executive producer it’s no surprise that he will be back.
Gemmill confirmed that when the show returns, nine or ten months after the events of season one, viewers will see changes in Dr Robby.
“l say that Robby has taken steps in the interim to get better. Whether those go as well as one could hope is another thing,” he told TV Line.
Season one was set on the five-year anniversary of the death of Dr Robby’s mentor Dr Adamson, whose life support machine he was forced to turn off in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
That decision had weighed on Dr Robby and it was revealed that he never worked the shift of the anniversary, and Gemmill shared that Robby will still be on a journey but it may be less about Adamson and more about his own issues.
At the end of season one, Dr Langdon was caught stealing benzodiazepines from patients, and Dr Robby forced his mentee into rehab in exchange for not reporting it.
His stint in rehab will have taken place in the break, and so viewers will get to see his return play out in real time alongside his colleagues.
Gemmill also revealed that Langdon will be the window through which season two viewers will get to explore the Pitt, with Noah telling TV Line: “Patrick is a brilliant actor, and we love Langdon, and there’s a lot more to mine in that relationship.”
Dr Collins was absent from the latter half of season one, and viewers had seen her suffer from a miscarriage during her shift.
She had been desperate to welcome a baby and it’s possible that in the months between season one and two Dr Collins had welcomed a child.
Neither Wyle, John Wells or Gemmill have made any suggestion that Tracy will be returning, and the actress herself refused to answer the question when asked by Us Weekly.
Katherine LaNasa as Nurse Dana Evans – unclear
Fans saw Dana quit the Pitt at the end of the season after being attacked by an unhappy patient earlier in the day.
“See you tomorrow,” Dr Robby told her as she walked out, clearly not believing that she would work away from the hospital.
Wyle and Gemmill have both spoken about how Dana may, or may not, be back on the show, admitting that if season two were set a day or two later she would not be there.
But with almost a year passing between seasons, it sounds like Dana will be back running the Pitt.
“I think when she comes back, she’s going to have a bit of an attitude adjustment, though. She’ll be even less tolerant of [expletive]. She’s going to be much more protective of her flock,” said Gemmill.
Taylor Dearden as Dr Mel King – returning
Dr King has become a huge fan favorite with her cheerful disposition quickly giving way to the realization that the sensitive doctor struggled with social interactions.
Gemmil told HELLO! in May that Taylor – the daughter of Bryan Cranston – would be returning, and promised “nice interactions” between Dr King and Dr Langdon, two doctors whom fans have seen chemistry between.
As a second year resident, Dr King had joined the ER from the VA. Thanks to the time jump she may now be a third year resident choosing to do another rotation with the ER.
Gemmill told TVLine that when season two opens Javadi – who was only 20 after graduation from high school at 13 and college at 17 – will be “doing a sub-internship, and we find out that maybe that’s just her stalling because she doesn’t want to make up her mind about where she wants to go”.
It’s unclear therefore where her sub-internship is taking place, and how many episodes she will be in.
By the time season two opens Whittaker will now be an intern – and finally earning money.
The farm boy from Nebraska was struggling in Pittsburgh, and it was revealed in the final episode that he had been living in an off-limits ward that was not used.
Santos found him, and invited him to live with her, despite their wildly different personalities.
“I think we have an interesting story that happens between [Whittaker and Santos] that’s going to play out over next season and it kind of shows how much they’ve sort of bonded and how much they care for each other,” said Gemmill.
Chicago PD star Shaun was a guest star in the show, appearing in the first episode and then the final few episodes.
Almost guaranteed an Emmy nomination for his work as Dr Abbot, fans will be glad to hear that he is returning for season two despite his love of the night shift.”
Abbot loves the night shift, so he’s not going to work a day shift if he doesn’t want to, but we have a surprise for him next season,” said Gemmill.
Isa Briones as Intern Trinity Santos – returning
Santos made a major impact in season one: brash, cocky and loud.
Her dynamic rubbed many of the doctors the wrong way, including Langdon, whose drug problem was uncovered by Santos.
Gemmill told TV Insider that Santos will be an R2, indicating her return, and with season two focusing on Langdon’s first day back, there is going to be a lot of unresolved tension between the pair the writers can mine.
Cassie was one of the more intriguing characters; she had a house arrest ankle bracelet for reasons that were never fully cleared up in season one, and a bad relationship with her son’s father.
Fiona is expected to return as McKay, telling Gold Derby that she is “curious” how McKay is as a person and a doctor if the ankle monitor is now gone, and she has custody of her son.
“I’m curious who McKay is when she’s out from under the pressure valve that she was this season. Maybe a little more confident,” she said.
A recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar confirmed Supriya’s return to season two, as they referenced she had been on set filming .
In season one, Dr Mohan finished her shift by joining her colleagues in the park for a beer but not before she had a breakdown in the bathroom.
Season two will surely see her more confident but perhaps still dealing with the burnout felt by healthcare workers globally. And for many viewers, there may also be romance between Dr Mohan and Dr Abbot.
“There are so many parallels between them: He’s really lonely; she’s really lonely. He’s a workaholic; she’s a workaholic. And I think he has a lot of respect for her. And I will say that there were some writers on the show who were very interested in our characters having something together,” she told Harper’s Bazaar.