Many fans want to know what hospital The Pitt is based on or filmed at given the high accuracy of the medical drama. The show’s fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center looks like a proper hospital, while some residents in the Pittsburgh area may recognize several scenes that are located in the city. Suffice it to say, the shots in The Pitt are realistic enough that some are looking to visit the real thing.
Is The Pitt based on a real hospital?
The Pitt is based on Allegheny General Hospital, which is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and many of the show’s exterior shots were done on location. But the majority of the show is actually filmed on a set in Burbank, California at a Warner Bros. Studios lot.
As noted by CBS News, The Pitt shot three days at the Allegheny General Hospital (AGH). The show’s John Wells Production filmed footage of the hospital, including LifeFlight helicopters on the building’s helipad, and other areas around the city using drones. It was a slight challenge to shoot scenes at a fully operating trauma hospital, but the hospital’s staff was excited to see it all lit up for the show.
Otherwise, the main set for the Pitt is shot on a lot that is inspired by the real-life hospital. Production designer Nina Ruscio, per The Daily Bruin, said that several columns were placed on set to mimic those at AGH and that real medical equipment worth millions of dollars was donated for use on the show.
Journalist Eric Goldman on Substack describes how the only lighting on set comes from visible overhead lights for authenticity and how main cast members are frequently seen as extras in other scenes to make it feel like a genuine hospital. This helped the actors immerse themselves in the hustle and bustle of an emergency room, particularly during emergency scenarios in the latter half of the show.
The critical success of The Pitt has many asking for season two for the show.
