Those who love medical dramas are in for a treat with Max’s 2025 series,The Pitt, and not only that, but the show offers a great parallel to another beloved fictional physician, Dr. House. First released in January 2025,The Pitttakes place at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital, also known as The Pitt, where interns have just started their first shift and hospital veterans take on another day of traumas and disasters. With the first season now completed,The Pitthas received a flood of praise for its accuracyand emotional effect.
Medical dramas are a particularly populargenre among TV lovers, and it is often the case that those who love one medical series will probably like another. One show that gained a solid following during its eight-season run isHouse.In this drama, Dr. Gregory House takes on strange medical cases every week alongside his crew of young medical students.There are countless ways in whichThe Pittis different from a series likeHouse,but one of the most noticeable is the distinction betweenThe Pitt’sDr. Robby andHouse’sDr. House.
Dr. Robby From The Pitt Is Caring, Empathetic, & Doesn’t Abuse His Employees
Robby Can Be Tough But Only When He Needs To Be
Arguably, one of the best parts ofThe Pittis Dr. Robby.Portrayed byERalum, Noah Wyle, Robbyis a senior attending who assists in teaching the new interns and takes on some of the most difficult cases in the emergency department. AlthoughRobby is as intelligent, skilled, and occasionally reckless as Dr. House, his personality is completely different. Robby has no sense of ego and never abuses his employees. On the contrary, he is empathetic, kind, and eager to teach them what he knows. Robby certainly has grievances, but they are almost never against his fellow doctors.
What makes this distinction between Robby and House so much better is that Robby isn’t a completely sweet character. He definitely has his moments of anger and frustration, and he will yell at an employee if necessary. ThroughoutThe Pitt,he scolds Mohan for being too slow, gets into a heated disagreement with McKay over a potentially dangerous patient, and blows up on Langdon after discovering his drug addiction. However,unlike House, Robby’s intentions are always for the betterment of the hospital, not for his own amusement. The only character he really targets is hospital chief, Gloria.
Dr. Robby Is Emotionally Invested & Affected By His Patients' Outcomes
Robby’s Emotional State Is Integral To The Pitt
Robby is as caring to his patients as he is to his peers. Regardless of injury, background, or anything else, Robby treats all his patients with respect. The same cannot be said for House, who generally meets his patients with scorn and outright dislike. Generally,Robby makes no judgments about how a patient arrived at the hospital, and almost always gives them his attention, even when they are more of a distraction than anything, i.e. Myrna. Robby is even willing to break the rules to save a patient, regardless of how it may affect him.
In fact, Robby’s emotional attachment to his patients is part of what makes him such a compelling character (and the opposite can be said for House as well.)
In fact, Robby’s emotional attachment to his patients is part of what makes him such a compelling character (and the opposite can be said for House as well.) In other medical series, doctors often forget about their patients once the episode ends, no matter how positive or negative the outcome of the case. Yet, inThe Pitt,Robby is clearly haunted by the people he couldn’t save.The emotional consequences of his work are not glossed over, but are integral to the plot. This is true for Robby and allthe other employees at The Pitt.
Robby Is A Better Doctor But Not A Better Character
Image via Max
Lastly, Robby always puts his patients above himself. The most obvious example of this is when he goes above and beyond trying to save Leah, despite knowing that she can’t be saved. He does this, not only for Leah, but also for Jake. In a different way,he puts his patients and their families over himself because he knows that their emotions are importantand cannot be rushed. This is why he allows the parents of a brain-dead 18-year-old to remain at the hospital for hours so that they can grieve and make decisions in their own time.
The Pitthas already been renewed for a second season.
There is little doubt that Dr. Robby is a better doctor than House, if not medically, then in terms of bedside manner and mental state. Robby is able to tackle his feelings far better than House is. That being said,House is still just as captivating as Robby,becauseof his bad disposition.He intrigues viewers by pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable, and by being a talented physician, even if he’s a miserable person. All in all,The Pittsimply opens the door for a new kind of Dr. House.
