The Pitt rightfully garnered accolades in its groundbreaking first season, setting it apart from other medical dramas, but those other medical dramas, like Grey’s Anatomy, can still do one thing The Pitt can’t. Long before the upcoming Grey’s Anatomy season 22, the drama became the longest-running American medical show in history. The groundbreaking ’90s drama ER previously held the record, but at 466 episodes and counting through Grey’s Anatomy season 21, it has easily beaten ER‘s total of 331 episodes and 15 seasons. The crown was passed from the doctors of the County General Hospital to the doctors of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital six seasons ago.
Just like its predecessor, Grey’s Anatomy has built up a loyal and long-term fanbase who lives for the twists and turns of the show. Their investment in the drama that befalls the characters of Grey’s Anatomy is what has powered the show’s unprecedented run among its peers in the medical drama space. Yet, that investment would never happen in the first place if Grey’s Anatomy didn’t give its viewers exactly what they want. While not every narrative decision has been met with cheers, the show’s sometimes infuriating and sometimes heartbreaking decisions are just as important as the high points. It’s that ethos of leaving fans wanting more that has made Grey’s Anatomy so successful, the best current medical drama at this balancing act – and maybe even the best to ever do it.
Grey’s Anatomy Has Built Its Show On Cliffhangers & Epic Finales
Even This Season Ended On A Cliffhanger
It’s exactly those peaks and troughs that keep audiences coming back season after season. Grey’s Anatomy has trained audiences to expect plenty of plot twists and shocking reveals. While those are sprinkled throughout each season, the medical show leans heavily on the “melo” part of melodrama. It opens the door for some truly unforgettable season finales that often include those unexpected cliffhangers. Who could forget, for example, the season 5 finale of the John Doe being hit by a bus, only for the Grey’s Anatomy season 6 premiere to reveal it was actually T.R. Knight’s George who had died? Even this season, Grey’s Anatomy season 21, ended on a cliffhanger finale.
The Pitt’s Nature Means It Can’t Have That Many Cliffhangers
Real Life Doesn’t Have That Many Left-Field Twists
Both Grey’s Anatomy & The Pitt Showcase The Range Of The Hospital Drama Genre
The Genre Is Thriving More Than Ever
The beauty of being in an era where both Grey’s Anatomy exists as the current reigning grand dame of medical dramas and The Pitt smashes records in its freshman outing is that we now get the benefit of both. Many network hospital shows have tried to be Grey’s Anatomy, and they’ve all failed. Likewise, streamers tried to tout their new medical dramas as a rival to The Pitt and were resoundingly rebuffed. Grey’s Anatomy and The Pitt may be wholly different in terms of tone and focus, but each excels at being exactly the show it’s meant to be.
Their existence shows that there is plenty of space in the sometimes crowded genre for shows to succeed if they know what they are and stay true to that vision. The compare and contrast of the two series, rather than highlighting the flaws in either show, instead highlight the scope of what’s possible. There’s an opportunity to tell countless stories in countless ways in the hospital drama genre, with Grey’s Anatomy and The Pitt anchoring the opposite ends of the spectrum – and one could even throw Doctor Odyssey and St. Denis Medical in there, too, two other freshman shows that carved out their own niches with a fresh take. With Grey’s Anatomy and The Pitt leading the way, the hospital show is thriving in ways old and new
