Noah Wyle’s ‘The Pitt’ Is the ‘ER’ Sequel We Didn’t Know We Needed

This week:

• Possibly the best way to have watched The Traitors premiere.

• Noah Wyle is back in the ER, thank God!

• It’s 2024 and I’m still talking about the Chicago movie.

• The Real Housepresidents of the Funeral.

• Smiling during a hard time.

Hellooooo, Dr. Carter

Technically speaking, Max’s new medical drama The Pitt is not an ER sequel. Spiritually speaking—and, more importantly, in the fantasy world of ER superfan Kevin Fallon—it absolutely is a sequel. And, when viewed as such, I think it is way more gratifying to watch.

The Pitt, which launched Jan. 10, stars Noah Wyle, who played Dr. John Carter for 15 years on ER—full-time for its first 11 seasons, and then in bursts of guest arcs through its 2009 finale. He plays Dr. Michael “Robby” Rabinavitch, a senior attending in the emergency department of an overextended hospital in Pittsburgh. Robby has a wily, mischievous streak offsetting what is clearly a heart of gold, breaking the rules with no thought if it means his off-book ingenuity can save a patient.

Does that character sound familiar? Sure. And THANK GOD. Of course, Wyle isn’t just redoing Dr. Carter here. His character has a compelling backstory, reeling from the traumatic experience of working during the initial COVID-19 outbreak, so there’s a darkness underlying his swashbuckling charm. And The Pitt’s conceit, where each episode chronicles one hour of Robby’s 15-hour shift, compounded with streaming’s allowance for more graphic content, lends the series an intensity that even trumps ER’s, if possible.

But I’d be lying if I said it’s not extremely pleasant fanfiction to imagine this Pittsburgh hospital as where Dr. Carter landed, looking for a restart all these years after ER ended. It’s also besides the point—but maybe entirely the point—that, good lerd, does Wyle wear these last 15 years well.

Strutting around with confidence swirling around him like pheromones, a casual hoodie over his scrubs, and a constant half-smirk on his face, he is so understatedly, yet radiantly hot that I would be throwing myself down the stairs every other week just to land back in his ER again.

And All That Jazz…

It is my irrefutable opinion—I guess, then, one would call it a “fact”—that Chicago is the modern ideal of a movie musical. Not a bum note in the entire vivacious production, not even by its weakest singer, Richard Gere. Catherine Zeta-Jones and her fierce bob give a hurricane of a performance. “Cell Block Tango” is unrivaled. Etc. etc.

Part of that perfection is Renée Zellweger’s slightly batty, endearingly desperate performance as Roxie Hart. I wouldn’t recast her even if my good-for-nothing genie would finally grant me my wish to go back in time and escape the current hellscape we’re living in. That said, it’s always fascinating to find out what other actors were up for iconic roles, and to have video proof that they would have nailed the part too.

So I present to you this video of Toni Collette’s audition to play Roxie. Showbiz lore is that director Rob Marshall was gobsmacked by her audition and wanted to cast her, but producer Harvey Weinstein wanted a bigger name. It all worked out, though we are morally opposed to giving Weinstein any credit for anything. So instead just delight in this fantastic time capsule:

Bros Being Bros…

In my deranged mind, whenever the former presidents and their spouses get together, it’s like a Real Housewives reunion. I could watch the way they greet each other—or don’t—and interact for hours. All it’s missing is Andy Cohen reading them shady questions from random Twitter accounts: “Mike Pence, @jansixth4ever69 wants to know if you think Donald owes you an apology for almost having you killed.”

As you can imagine, then, I’m fascinated by this drive-by belly tap that George W. Bush gave Barack Obama when he arrived at Jimmy Carter’s funeral. And by fascinated, I mean I will be thinking about it forever. And by forever, I mean sporadically through at least Monday.

Something to Laugh at…

The devastation in Los Angeles is overwhelming. What it’s like for anyone going through it is truly unimaginable. I have nothing valuable to say, so instead, I hope to find something in it for us to laugh about.

For example, let’s all giggle about ABC News’ David Muir cinching his prop fireman’s jacket with clothespins while reporting on the fire earlier this week. Do I fault him for doing it? Nah, girl. Do what you gotta do to look your best. In fact, it’s pretty common practice in TV to do this. Less common, though, is getting caught. So it’s the whole breaking of the illusion thing that is hilarious and, surely, embarrassing for him.

And, if we’re the spirit of laughing at things, perhaps the Very Online among us will enjoy these X posts my friend in L.A. sent me tying some of the best pop-culture memes of the last few years to the fires in an attempt to find some levity in the trauma of it all.

What to watch this week

Den of Thieves 2: Pantera: Did you see that thing above about Gerard Butler being the coolest? (Now in theaters)

The Traitors: So far, the best season yet. (Now on Peacock)

Asura: The year’s first great TV show. (Now on Netflix)

What to skip this week

Shifting Gears: Oh yay! Another Tim Allen cranky Boomer sitcom. (Wed. on ABC)

On Call: Lori Loughlin’s first major role after her scandal is as a cop?! (Now on Prime Video)

American Primeval: So violent it may turn your stomach. Nope! (Now on Netflix)