Why The Pitt Got End-of-Life Right (When So Many Other Shows Don’t)
When we watch TV, we often see illness and death portrayed in ways that feel totally unreal. Characters bounce back from impossible odds thanks to a last-minute miracle. Or they slip away in a way that looks neat and tidy—one last sentence, a dramatic pause, then eyes closing as the screen fades to black.
But those of us who’ve walked alongside real people at the end of life know it’s rarely like that. Endings can be complicated, emotional, messy, and deeply human.
That’s why The Pitt struck me so powerfully. The show didn’t shy away from showing what end-of-life actually looks like. It showed conversations that families avoid, decisions that carry weight, and deaths that reflect reality rather than a scriptwriter’s shortcut. For once, TV didn’t sanitize the hard parts, it honored them.
A big reason for that authenticity is thanks to Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider and the End Well Project. The writers of The Pitt partnered with End Well to make sure the show’s portrayal of end-of-life decisions was accurate, compassionate, and true to the experiences that families and clinicians face every day. Their expertise shaped not just the storylines, but the tone, grounding it in empathy and honesty instead of sensationalism.
And it’s working. Viewers are starting long-delayed conversations at home. Families are making different choices in hospitals. A TV show is actually helping to shift culture around death and dying and that’s extraordinary.
Representation matters. Because when we see death reflected in stories, it helps us prepare for our own. It reminds us that end-of-life is not just a medical event but a deeply human one, full of love, complexity, and truth.
The Pitt made visible what so often remains hidden. And in doing so, it gave us something we all deserve: honesty.
If you want to read more about the End Well Project and their involvement in The Pitt you can check out this article in The Hollywood Reporter. They are also hosting their annual End Well Conference in Los Angeles (and virtually) on November 20th. You can learn more or register here.