There’s good news for those who have been waiting to watch The Pitt as TNT plans to present the hit series just as it was on HBO!
HBO may have lost some of its luster thanks to streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, and more. However, the cable giant can still produce some watercooler and critically acclaimed hit shows and one of the best of 2025 has been The Pitt.
Created by John Wells, who produced the groundbreaking smash hit ER in 1994, The Pitt is set at the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center, with each episode following one hour of the 15-hour shift for the crew. That’s headed by trauma surgeon Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch (Noah Wyle) and his crew.
The series was an instant hit on HBO that quickly earned a second season. It also became one of the most critically acclaimed shows of 2025, culminating in winning five Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series, Lead Actor for Wyle and Supporting Actress in a Drama for Katherine LaNasa as nurse Dana Evans.
Now the series will get a special showcase on TNT starting December 1, 2025, with three episodes airing back-to-back every Monday. Even better is that rather than edit things down for basic cable, the series will be in its full, often gory, glory just as it was on HBO!
Per the press release from TNT and Warner Bros, "acknowledging The Pitt’s core mission to accurately depict the realities of an emergency department, TNT will broadcast the series as it originally streamed on HBO Max, keeping the integrity of scenes that feature graphic medical imagery, including nudity — all of which are integral to the show’s portrayal of the raw emotional toll that such work has on those who commit their lives to the medical profession. TNT will include advisories at the top of each episode and coming out of commercial breaks.”
It’s a big move for the network as it wants to build on the show’s huge audience!
Why The Pitt will be just as great on TNT
While The Pitt isn’t the first pay cable series to be re-aired on broadcast TV, in most cases, those shows are heavily edited for language and adult situations (see The Sopranos). While The Pitt doesn’t indulge in as much nudity, it has a huge amount of cursing and, more importantly, realistic and bloody surgical scenes.
It was thus natural to expect TNT to try to water that down with edits and either dubbing over or just bleeping out any serious curse words. Instead, the show is being presented just like on HBO, except for some commercial breaks.
One reason is that the show’s huge popularity on HBO has gained major buzz, and TNT is hoping to get more viewers to enjoy it. Letting this non-HBO audience see a "watered down” version of the series wouldn’t have the same impact and not be as big a deal for viewers.
There’s also how the series has won raves from the actual medical community for its authenticity and realistic takes on the hardships of a hospital, the health care system, and more. Anthony Cirillo, MD, FACEP, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), was quoted in the press release on how important the show was in educating the public on the challenges of emergency care.
“The Pitt gives everyone a rare and authentic view of what it’s like to practice emergency medicine. This show offers a unique glimpse of the humanity of emergency care and what it takes to heal people within a broken system. The nation's emergency physicians are incredibly proud of the show and grateful for the chance to be seen for who we are, the challenges we face, and the work we do every day. We deeply appreciate the commitment of the cast and crew that makes this show a huge success, especially the ACEP members involved in writing and production, and we are thrilled that The Pitt will soon resonate with even more people, bringing new urgency to critical conversations about real health system fixes that emergency physicians and the millions of patients who rely on us need and deserve."
Obviously, this is also a great way to build up interest in season 2, due to arrive on HBO in early 2026. Warner Bros knows that TNT viewers who get hooked on The Pitt will want to subscribe to HBO for the second year. By presenting the show just how it was on the streamer, Warner Bros and HBO get to expand the audience more than they would have with an edited-down version.
So if you missed The Pitt on HBO, be assured the series will have the same gritty realism and power when it debuts on TNT to show why this show has become such a smash!
The Pitt season 1 premieres on TNT Monday December 1 at 9/8c.