Noah Wyle might not think a night shift spinoff of The Pitt is a great idea, but fans (myself included) still really, really want it. So, with that in mind, when I interviewed one of the show’s writers, I had to ask for her take on the potential for the night crawlers to get their own show.
Simran Baidwan has been a writer and executive producer on The Pitt since Season 1, and when I spoke to her about Season 2 and what’s to come, I also asked about what fans want. Specifically, I asked her how she felt about the growing discourse surrounding a potential night shift spinoff. In response, she said:
Listen, I'm glad people are talking about us, you know. I'm glad that people are excited about these characters. I'm glad that we've made the night shift characters as interesting and complex, even in the limited screen time they get, as we are to the day shift. As to what happens in the future, that is above my pay grade. I will let Scott Gemmill decide that.
Well, you heard her, this choice is in the hands of showrunner and creator R. Scott Gemmill. And for all you night shift supporters out there, that’s not a great sign. He told EW that while it’s fun to see the night crawlers in The Pitt, a spinoff about them is “not our show.”
So, while Shawn Hatosy, who plays Abbot, is all for the night shift getting a show, the guys who make the big decisions behind the scenes aren’t so sold on it. Therefore, at least for now, don’t get your hopes up for a full-blown spinoff. However, do get your hopes up for more night shift showing up in Season 3 of The Pitt.
That’s because earlier in the interview, I also talked to the writer about the potential role the night shift could play in Season 3. We already know Ellis is going full-time in the daytime for this upcoming cycle. So, I asked how they decide when to bring these beloved characters into each shift. In response, Baidwan said:
I mean, I think our whole thing is that we're telling a story of one shift in one day. And you know, yes, the handoffs are great, they're fun, they're exciting, and it adds a little bit of a pop for everybody. So, yeah, to bring in those little teases in the middle of a season was a nice surprise, I think, for viewers, you know, bringing Lena, and then Abbot in the SWAT gear, you're like, ‘What's happening? This is wild.’ So, I think that, yes, I think it's safe to say that you will be seeing more of that handoff stuff, but you know, our principal point of view is always going to be Robby and that day shift.
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If you are looking to clock in for a shift or two in The Pitt, you need an HBO Max subscription. The series is fully available there, and new episodes will likely drop on the streamer in early 2027. View Deal
How exciting! In Season 2, which you can stream in full with an HBO Max subscription, we got to see the night’s charge nurse, Lena, earlier in the season because she was Roxie’s death doula. Meanwhile, Abbot showed up mid-season because he was on a SWAT call that ended with people getting injured. I didn’t expect either of those appearances, and it makes me very excited to see how they work the night shift into the November-set season that’s coming up.
While the night shift won’t get their own show, at least they’ll still play an important role in The Pitt. It also sounds like it's perfectly possible for them to show up outside their shift handoffs, too. So, while I’ll keep hope alive that someday Shawn Hatosy and co. will get to lead their own spinoff of The Pitt, I’ll be looking forward to seeing them return in Season 3.