HBO Max's The Pitt has become a phenomenon, a TV show that is critically acclaimed with 13 Emmy nominations and also has a rabid online fandom, which the cast fondly call "unhinged".
Season two is currently in production, with star and showrunner Noah Wyle revealing at the Television Academy's Televerse Festival that they will begin work on episode six on Tuesday August 19.
Season two will be set on July 4, 10 months after the events of the first season, which followed the doctors and nurses of Pittsburgh Medical Trauma Center across one 15-hour shift.
That time jump has given the second season a "more lived in" vibe, Patrick Ball, who plays Dr Frank Langdon, tells HELLO!
"It's truer and it's back with the friends that you know," he said.
"It's a little more lived in. We spent a lot of work in season one introducing everybody – this world and all these people that would grow to become your friends – and now we get to pick back up in season two and we get to dive right in. It should just get deeper and richer and fuller."
It's "better than any theory you've had so far," teased Shabana Azeez, who stars as MS3 Victoria Javadi while Fiona Dourif, aka Dr Cassie McKay, simply called season two "colorful".
Unlikely friendships
There is one thing Fiona would love to see in season two though – more on-screen time between McKay and Langdon.
© Getty Images"I think [McKay] and Langdon have had similar conditioning in some way, and it would be interesting to see those two react," she told HELLO!
"We're both sober at this point and have dealt with addiction issues and I think there's some meat there."
"Now we get to pick back up in season two and we get to dive right in. It should just get deeper and richer and fuller."
When asked if there was the possibility of that becoming reality, Fiona was quick to stay mum, joking: "Who knows? You don't!"
For Supriya Ganesh, who plays upcoming fourth year resident Dr Samira Mohan, she would love to see more of a friendship between Samira and McKay, adding that it "has been absolutely incredible to work with" Sepideh Moafi, who joins the show as a new attending physician.
© Getty ImagesDana's emotional journey
Katherine LaNasa is Emmy nominated for her work as Charge Nurse Dana Evans, and she said during the panel that 10 months on, Dana is still "affected by the aftermath of the punch and what happened" in season one.
"She will have an internal emotional journey that is cool," she said. "It's exciting for me to play things subtle and complicated. It's divine and delicious. We have one storyline and then there is something else going on underneath."
Season 2 romance?
Romance seemed possible for Javadi and nurse Mateo Diaz (Jalen Thomas Brooks) in season one but Shabana isn't sure if that is in the books for season two, as Jalen is now filming the Off Campus series in Canada.
"He's booked Off Campus!" she said to HELLO!
"So I hope he comes back. I'm rooting for [Victoria and Mateo]. I think they're really sweet, she has so much to learn and they've already learned so much from each other after going through something really huge together – but Jalen is booked and busy."
When asked about possible romance in season two, Taylor Dearden, who plays Dr Mel King, joked: "I don't think any of us have the time."
But in good news for fans of the chemistry between Dr Yolanda Garcia and Dr Trinity Santos, their "not so secret romance that was introduced in the first season is still kind of going on".
Art imitating life
During the panel Noah, who plays Dr Michael 'Robby' Robinavitch, spoke about the decision to include recent real life news in season two, including President Donald Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" which is leading to the closure of rural hospitals among other side effects.
"It's a shame what is happening right now. Laws being written by non-medical professionals is absurd."
"Most of the writing room process, before we start to write, is conducting interviews with all people from all sectors and vectors of healthcare, and they tell us what they want to see and what is counter productive," he said.
"It always starts with people in the field."
© Variety via Getty Images"It's a shame what is happening right now. Laws being written by non-medical professionals is absurd," added Taylor.
"It comes up [in season two] because how can it not? After COVID, and having had so much trauma, to then have restrictions that prevent them from doing jobs is ridiculous."
Langdon and Santos
© Warrick Page/MAXSeason two will also see viewers "dive back in" inside the tense working relationship between Dr Langdon – who is on his first day back from rehab after being caught stealing benzodiazepines from patients at the end of season one – and Dr Trinity Santos (Isa Briones), who discovered his addiction.
"To end the season getting fired and desperately attacking America's Sweetheart (Noah Wyle) was not the way I thought it would go."
"It was a nuanced and balanced conversation that sparked cool dialogue," said Patrick of the arc in season one, admitting that although his audition scene with Noah was the locker scene in episode 10 when Dr Robby found the missing drugs, he didn't know "how we got from point A to B".
"It became an exercise in trust," he said, and then "after 10 we knew the mass casualty incident was coming down the pipe… but to end the season getting fired and desperately attacking America's Sweetheart (Noah Wyle) was not the way I thought it would go."
The Pitt fans
© Variety via Getty ImagesAfter the panel fans rushed the stage, and the cast were happy to talk and accept gifts; Shabana later showed off her new friendship bracelet with "nepo baby" spelled out in beads, a reference to her character.
"It's completely unhinged, completely unhinged," Patrick told HELLO! of the online fandom.
"But I love it. We set out to make a show about healthcare workers for healthcare workers, and that community has really embraced us, and then also the Twitter community has kind of gone crazy! It's a lot of fun; I've had to stay off Twitter, but my girlfriend tells me what I need to know."
"I love how engaged they are, and how supportive they are and how much they love the show."
"I'm finding out things about my own life from my fan accounts sometimes," laughed Supriya.
"It's been a really fun experience, to be honest, because I love how engaged they are, and how supportive they are and how much they love the show, and it's just been really great to experience it all."
"Partially because I live under a rock, and partially because I live in LA, I haven't [experienced] it as much as what everyone else has," added Taylor of the fandom – before sharing that Supriya has told her that there is "erotic fiction" out there about Mel.
"I'm like, 'Oh no, I don't want that!"
