Is there a The Pitt spin off sites in the cards? Star Shawn Hatosy opens up

The Pitt has had a very strong run since it first arrived on HBO Max, and it has built up a fan base that is genuinely passionate about the show and everyone in it, including the characters who do not even show up that often. One of those characters is Dr. Jack Abbot, the night shift attending physician played by Shawn Hatosy, and fans have been asking for more of him since the very first season. Now, Hatosy himself is talking about what a spinoff could actually look like, and what he has said is giving a lot of people reasons to feel hopeful.

In an interview with People, Hatosy said there has been "a lot of talk about the night shift," adding that a spinoff would be "really cool" and that the creative team could do "some cool, interesting things with the tone of the show." He was careful to point out that no official plans are in place right now, and that everything with The Pitt as it currently stands is working well. But the fact that he is talking about it at all, and that the conversations seem to be happening behind the scenes, is enough to get fans excited about what might be coming down the road.

For anyone who has not been following the show closely, The Pitt is a medical drama set in a Pittsburgh emergency room that follows the day shift through a single 15-hour stretch in each season. Noah Wyle leads the show as Dr Michael Robinavitch, and every episode moves in real time through the chaos of the hospital floor. The night shift crew, including Hatosy's Dr Abbot, only shows up at the edges of each season, but those brief appearances have been more than enough to make fans want a whole lot more of them.

What Hatosy thinks makes the night shift from The Pitt worth its own show?

Hatosy has a pretty clear sense of why the night shift setting would make for compelling television on its own. It is not just about changing the lighting or the hours. It is about the kinds of people who choose to work in a hospital in the middle of the night, and what that says about who they are and how they do their jobs.

When speaking to Parade, Hatosy said that working nights requires a certain type of person and that you get those personalities combined with the types of cases that come in at night, which he described simply as "wild" and full of variety. He also said he would be completely open to a spinoff if the opportunity ever came together, and that he would love to be part of it, while being clear that he would not want to get in the way of what The Pitt is already doing.

The way the night shift crew has been written and performed so far has clearly left a real impression on viewers. Characters like Dr Parker Ellis and Dr Shen have become fan favourites even with very limited screen time, which says a lot about how well they have been brought to life. In what could be a sign that the night shift is about to play a bigger role in the show, it was confirmed on April 2 that Ayesha Harris, who plays senior night shift resident Dr Parker Ellis, has been promoted to series regular for The Pitt season 3.

That kind of development suggests the show is already moving in a direction that gives the night crew more room to breathe, even before any spinoff talk turns into something real.

Hatosy's Emmy win and his growing role behind the camera

Talks of an upcoming spinoff are taking place during a time when Hatosy's name recognition is greater than it has ever been in regard to The Pitt. Hatosy earned the 2025 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of Dr Abbot. After his win, Hatosy shared with People that the part came to him during a rough patch in his life, and that Abbot is a character he feels very attached to, and would love to continue to play as long as The Pitt continues to have him.

He has also been named a director on the program in addition to his role as an actor. During the second season, Hatosy served as the director of the ninth episode of the series after being offered this opportunity based on his previous work as a director on another television program produced by one of the executive producers, John Wells, of The Pitt. Hatosy explained that it was a unique experience directing on the television show because what made it unique from other shows he had done previously was that the show had one set where all of the scenes took place and they filmed everything in order; therefore, it gave all of the actors and the viewers a very immersive experience.

Trending

There has not yet been a definitive confirmation that the night shift spinoff will actually be produced at all. But with Shawn Hatosy providing some initial buzz about the spin-off and a supporting cast that viewers are clearly already backing, plus the addition of one member from these supporting casts being promoted to a regular series cast member, this is going to provide some type of framework for the show to do something larger, even if it is quietly being developed. The Pitt season 2 releases new episodes every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO Max.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback