It's barely been a full year since HBO Max's breakout, Emmy Award-winning medical drama series The Pitt made its premiere, but we're already clocking back in for our next shift. Fresh off the show's Outstanding Drama Series win, The Pitt season 2 arrives for a victory lap and to continue to showcase why it's one of the best shows currently on television.
The medical drama starring Noah Wyle, which was renewed for season 3 before season 2 even premiered, returns with brand-new episodes on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. That's almost one-year to the day of the series' initial premiere on HBO Max in January 2025. Once again, The Pitt season 2 will contain 15 episodes and take place across one hectic shift in the emergency room.
But when are new episodes of The Pitt season 2 released, and will multiple episodes be released at one time? We're sharing the key information fans need to know about how and when to tune into the second season of the acclaimed medical drama and teasing a bit about what to expect from the new episodes. Find out when your next shift with Dr. Robby begins below!
The Pitt season 2 release time and schedule on HBO Max
As mentioned above, The Pitt season 2 premieres on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 on HBO Max. Rather than being released at midnight or 3 a.m. like other shows, the medical drama once again has a primetime release with new episodes dropping at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Unlike the first season, The Pitt season 2 will not kick off with a two-episode premiere. Only one new episode will be released on Jan. 8 and each week thereafter. Unless HBO Max changes things up in the weeks ahead, expect one new episode Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Take a closer look at The Pitt season 2's full release schedule below:
Episode # | Episode Title | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
Episode 1 | "7:00 A.M." | Thursday, January 8, 2026 |
Episode 2 | "8:00 A.M." | Thursday, January 15, 2026 |
Episode 3 | "9:00 A.M." | Thursday, January 22, 2026 |
Episode 4 | "10:00 A.M." | Thursday, January 29, 2026 |
Episode 5 | "11:00 A.M." | Thursday, February 5, 2026 |
Episode 6 | "12:00 P.M." | Thursday, February 12, 2026 |
Episode 7 | "1:00 P.M." | Thursday, February 19, 2026 |
Episode 8 | "2:00 P.M." | Thursday, February 26, 2026 |
Episode 9 | "3:00 P.M." | Thursday, March 5, 2026 |
Episode 10 | "4:00 P.M." | Thursday, March 12, 2026 |
Episode 11 | "5:00 P.M." | Thursday, March 19, 2026 |
Episode 12 | "6:00 P.M." | Thursday, March 26, 2026 |
Episode 13 | "7:00 P.M." | Thursday, April 2, 2026 |
Episode 14 | "8:00 P.M." | Thursday, April 9, 2026 |
Episode 15 | "9:00 P.M." | Thursday, April 16, 2026 |
The season 2 finale will be released on April 16, which means we have 15 weeks already booked with The Pitt. Since HBO Max already renewed season 3, we can also likely expect the next season to follow the same production and release cycle as the first two seasons. But before we get too ahead of ourselves, we still have the entire second season to enjoy this winter and spring!
What to expect from The Pitt season 2
Before season 2 was even filmed, the creators and showrunner confirmed that the real-time formatting would not change. The Pitt continues to tell its story one hour at a time, with its full seasons taking place in a single day. However, season 2 doesn't pick up the day after season 1. There's a 10-month time jump that takes us from September to July.
The Pitt season 2 takes place over Fourth of July weekend as the emergency room staff takes on the stressful task of saving lives in the midst of wild holiday emergencies. According to the new season's already glowing reviews, the medical cases won't be any less graphic or realistic as the dedicated staff tends to their patients' needs. But there's also continued drama between the staff.
The second season will be without Dr. Heather Collins (Tracy Ifeachor) but gains new character Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi (Sepideh Moafi), the hospital's new attending physical who previously worked with Mel (Taylor Dearden) and Samira (Supriya Ganesh). She's arrived to the hospital early and will take over for Dr. Robby when he leaves for a temporary sabbatical.
As the official trailer reveals, there's still some simmering tension between the doctors from the events of season 1, even with nearly one year having passed. Additionally, the hospital will be facing a blackout on their servers, forcing them into an even more painstaking situation as the Fourth of July emergencies pile up. Watch the trailer below to see what's coming in season 2!
The Pitt releases new episodes Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO Max.