In light of The Pitt's season 3 renewal, announced during the season 2 premiere event in Los Angeles, Noah Wyle told Variety that the creative team is already tossing new ideas around.
Season 2 of HBO Max's hit medical drama takes place during a busy Fourth of July holiday. Although it's still too soon to know for sure, Wyle stated that he doesn't think The Pitt season 3 will take place on a holiday. He also hinted at a smaller time jump, referring to the 10-month time skip between seasons 1 and 2, " I don’t think we need to make that long of a jump next time.”
Whereas Wyle is confident that the next season of The Pitt will not include a holiday, showrunner R. Scott Gemmill "joked" that season 3 will explore a Halloween setting. In response to Gremmill's remark, Wyle added that "He’s got this Krampus costume he wants to wear on set.” The playful dynamic between the cast paves the way for a new heartwarming season of the medical drama. Season 2 premiered on January 8 to positive ratings.
A Halloween-themed season wouldn't be a bad idea. The Pitt is mostly a serious and heartrending show, but it often delivers laugh-out-loud moments such as the rat hunt and Whitaker's scrubs saga in season 1. A Halloween setting could create a dynamic contrast between fun costumes and serious medical cases.
That said, we definitely understand the desire not to fall into a rotation of seasons built strictly around holidays. While fans are eager to see how the Fourth of July backdrop will impact the second season, going right from a season set on the Fourth of July to a season set on Halloween, might be a bit too much.
Medical shows have been recently struggling to innovate on their formula, and The Pitt stands out as a great take on the subgenre. Alternating between a procedural structure — with new cases coming up in each episode — and recurring storylines that escalate throughout the season, the one-shift per season format emphasizes the urgency of the ER and the growing exhaustion of the characters as the day goes by.
Like season 1, The Pitt season 2 will run for 15 episodes, each episode corresponding to 1 hour of a 15-hour shift. There were no mentions of a change to this format in the season 2 premiere red carpet, so The Pitt's signature structure is likely to remain in season 3.