If you loved The Pitt, watch these free medical dramas on streaming next

Here’s what to watch if you’re up to date with The Pitt (Picture: John Wells Productions/HBO Max UK & Ireland. All Rights Reserved)

The Pitt has taken the medical drama world by storm, but with series two dropping episodes on a weekly basis, fans are desperate for more.

Metro‘s TV editor, Sabrina Barr, branded The Pitt the ‘best show on TV’, calling it a ‘phenomenon’ that ‘drags you into the thick of the action in a way that no other drama has managed before.’

It’s high praise, but what should you do if you’ve already binged season one on HBO Max and are now looking to scratch that medical drama itch elsewhere?

From long-running soap Casualty to recently rebooted sitcom Scrubs, no matter the genre, we can’t look away from shows set in a hospital.

However, if you’re looking for something a little bit grittier to sink your teeth into, here’s our picks for the best medical dramas to fill The Pitt’s void.

ER

If you love The Pitt, the natural next step is to watch ER, which was made by much of the same creative team.

Not only that, leading man Noah Wyle is back with his stethoscope as John Carter, who starts as an intern in the pilot episode and takes us through 11 seasons.

Young Noah Wyle (left) – ER is basically The Pitt (Picture: NBCUniversal via Getty Images)

Unlike The Pitt, ER has a whopping 15 seasons to get through, spanning a total of 331 episodes from 1994 to 2009.

If endless binging isn’t enough to convince you, the show boasts an impressive cast, including Alex Kingston, Linda Cardellini, John Stamos, Angela Bassett and George Clooney.

ER is available to watch on Netflix.

Grey’s Anatomy

When it comes to iconic medical dramas, Grey’s Anatomy usually finds itself at the top of the list thanks to its sheer number of episodes.

At 22 seasons (and counting), there’s roughly 280 hours worth of medical emergencies, personal dramas, and swooning about McDreamy.

Grey’s Anatomy is coming back for season 23 (Picture: ABC via Getty Images)

The best known cast are Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Patrick Dempsey, Jesse Williams, Katherine Heigl, Kevin McKidd and the late Eric Dane.

If there’s ever a time to finally dive into the Shonda Rhimes show, it’s ahead of season 23.

Grey’s Anatomy is available to watch on Disney Plus.

This Is Going To Hurt

Want something a little less time-consuming? This Is Going To Hurt could be exactly what you’re looking for.

The seven-episode mini series details Adam Kay’s memoir of his time as a junior doctor in the NHS, working in the obstetrics and gynaecology wards.

This Is Going To Hurt takes an unflinching look inside the NHS (Picture: BBC/Sister/AMC/Anika Molnar)

Paddington’s Ben Whishaw stars as Adam, often breaking the fourth wall alongside co-worker Shruti Acharya (One Day’s Ambika Mod).

This 2022 series has a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, branding it ‘a smart drama full of humour and pain.’

This Is Going To Hurt is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

The Knick

If modern medical dramas are a little too close to home, The Knick offers a gritty drama set in early 20th-century New York.

It follows fictional staff working at Manhattan’s very real Knickerbocker Hospital, including leading man Clive Owen as Dr John Thackery.

The Knick gives gory old-school medicine (Picture: Cinemax/Everett/Shutterstock)

The Knick, which ran for two seasons in 2014, doesn’t shy away from the brutality of early medicine, pushing boundaries and blurring ethics.

Largely overlooked for the past decade, this Emmy-nominated show is waiting for its moment to shine.

The Knick is available to watch on NowTV.

House

Much like ER and Grey’s Anatomy, House is one of the most well-known medical dramas out there, having run for eight seasons (2004 – 2012).

The show is famously fronted by Blackadder’s Hugh Laurie as Dr Gregory House, a genius with little regard for bedside manner.

House has become an icon of the genre (Picture: 20thC.Fox/Everett /Rex)

While speaking on the Late Show, Hugh shared it was the ‘most thrilling adventure’ of all his roles to play the titular doctor.

It’s not known for its medical realism, but if you want a complex mystery to dive into each episode, then you’ve got over 200 to enjoy here.

House is available to watch on Netflix and Amazon Prime.

Bodies

Before the Stephen Graham 2023 miniseries, Bodies, there was Bodies – a BBC-produced medical drama which ran from 2004 to 2006.

Max Beesley stars as Rob Lake, newly appointed to the obstetrics and gynaecology department in fictional South Central Infirmary.

Bodies didn’t shy away from darker story lines (Picture: BBC/ HAT TRICK / MIKE HOGAN)

What sets this one apart from the rest is the incredibly graphic depictions of procedures, tackling dark and often devastating themes.

It gained praise as one of the best shows of the decade from various outlets, and after two seasons ended in an epic 90-minute finale on December 13, 2006.

Bodies is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Monroe

Did you want one more British series with a charismatic lead to round out your medical drama binge? Have you seen Monroe?

Monroe saw the cast go to hospital boot camp (Picture : ITV)

From the creator of Casualty, Monroe was commissioned to fill The Bill-shaped hole in the schedule and rival Doc Martin (another brilliant medical drama you can watch for free).

James Nesbitt is the eponymous Gabriel Monroe, a flawed but genius neurosurgeon, working in Leeds’ fictional St Matthews Hospital.

Taking a serious approach to the setting, the cast actually attended a ‘boot camp’ at Leeds General Infirmary before filming.

Monroe is available to watch on Netflix and ITVX.

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