HBO’s Emmy-winning drama The Pitt will air on TNT in time for the holidays, and, to the shock of many, the series’ graphic medical content and nudity will not be cut for television. Kicking off 2025, The Pitt became an instant hit with critics and fans alike. Starring Noah Wyle, each episode of the first season follows one hour of a 15-hour shift at a Trauma Medical Center in Pittsburgh. The series defied the odds and won Outstanding Drama at the Primetime Emmys, beating out fan favorites like Severance, Andor, and The Last of Us.
Variety reports that The Pitt will air three episodes a week on TNT, starting Dec. 1, 2025, until Dec. 29, 2025. TNT will not edit any of the episodes, which are labeled TV-MA for “graphic medical imagery.” This means the series nudity and accurate medical procedures will air unedited, but will include advisories at the top of each episode and after each commercial break. In a press release, TNT said the decision not to edit for linear TV was motivated by the “core mission to accurately depict the realities of an emergency department” and that the graphic medical imagery is “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.” Regarding the decision, The Pitt’s executive producer John Wells said:
“All of us at ‘The Pitt’ are very excited that the TNT audience will have the opportunity to see our Emmy award-winning show beginning on December 1st. We’re also very grateful to TNT for allowing the series to be shown as it was initially shot and aired on HBO Max.”
‘The Pitt’ is Hyping Up Season 2
There are no rules that prevent TNT from airing The Pitt uncut. Because TNT is a cable network, it is not subject to the same content standards as over-the-air broadcast television outlets by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission), allowing it to air The Pitt without edits. Typically, what has motivated them to air edited TV-MA or R-rated material has been advertisers, but now products won’t mind advertising their project on the linear broadcast of one of the most popular new series.
Debuting The Pitt on TNT during the holiday frame is a smart business move, as it puts the series in front of more viewers, likely those who have heard the strong buzz around Season 1 and its Primetime Emmy win. Disney pulled a similar tactic in November 2022, airing the first two episodes of Andor on ABC, FX, and Freeform. The goal appears to be to attract viewers who will then either tune in or sign up for The Pitt Season 2. The Pitt Season 2 will debut on HBO Max on Jan. 8, 2026, a little over one week after the final three episodes air on TNT.
It will be interesting to see how The Pitt does on linear television in terms of ratings. Despite the series being readily available on HBO Max, The Pitt‘s status as a medical series makes it feel right at home in a linear television programming block, one where reruns of series like House M.D. and Grey’s Anatomy still perform well. It will certainly stand out from traditional December holiday programming, which might be a welcome break for audiences watching standard television while traveling during the final month of the year.
- Release Date
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January 9, 2025
- Network
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Max
- Showrunner
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R. Scott Gemmill
- Directors
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Amanda Marsalis
- Writers
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Joe Sachs, Cynthia Adarkwa
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Noah Wyle
Dr. Michael ‘Robby’ Robinavitch
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Tracy Ifeachor
Dr. Heather Collins
