Joanna Going

[Josette]

This season there has been a new medical drama, "The Pitt" on Max.  Since it's set in Pittsburgh and they used an actual hospital here and filmed exteriors there and tried to faithfully replicate it on the set, I was interested.  It's received a lot of great reviews for how faithful it is to actual ER practice, with a number of medical professionals saying it's the first they felt like they were watching something true to their lives.

Since I get Max, I've been considering going back to watch it (the final episode is apparently this Thursday).  I looked it up tonight and had never heard of any of the cast until I suddenly came to the name Joanna Going!!  I don't think I've seen her in anything other than DS, and that was obviously a long time ago, so it would be interesting to see her now.  Since I was probably going to watch it anyway, that's an additional incentive!

[Gerard]

I lived in "The Pitt" for four years back in the late '80s and I really enjoyed it - all the ethnic neighborhoods and restaurants.  Where else could you spend a Sunday afternoon listening to the Ukrainian Hour on radio?  I was a hospital volunteer at one of the local ones (I think it was Providence) visiting with the patients.  I had the honor of meeting one of the men in the famous photo of the Iwo Jima flag raising.  I wonder if that's the hospital used as the basis for this show.

Gerard

[Uncle Roger]

I saw Joanna and Kim Hunter in a production of Suddenly, Last Summer back in 1991. The final episode of the NBC series had aired and everyone was waiting for an announcement regarding a renewal. It was an excellent production and both ladies were great. Unfortunately, we were not able to meet Joanna after the performance because that was the show that her family came to see.

[Josette]

Gerard, they are using Allegheny General Hospital on the North Side for the show.  Other than Pitt implying Pittsburgh, apparently the ER is in the basement and is referred to as The Pitt.

[Gerard]

Thanks, Josette!  I know which one that is.  I, myself, lived off of Perrysville. 

Gerard

[Midnite]

Josette, did you ever decide to check The Pitt out?

Joanna Going is in most (11 of 15) eps in the 1st season.  She plays a patient who initially has severe vomiting and is desperate to get help for her troubled son.  If anyone is only interested in seeing her, I recommend you watch episode 14, particularly at 36 minutes in-- a haunting scene in which Theresa (Going at her very best) tells her son how afraid she has been for him.  An image from it is below, and before passing judgment, please know that her character has already spent a frantic 11 hours at The Pitt, most of them not knowing what had become of her son.



Episode 14 also contains a bonus cameo from Brad Dourif as his real-life daughter's father. 

The Pitt is on TNT On Demand (season 1), HBO Max, and Prime + Max.

[Josette]

Hi Midnite,

Yes, I was totally hooked on the first season, and tonight was the finale of Season 2.  The whole thing is incredibly gripping.  Obviously the various Pittsburgh references and local things they bring into it made it particularly interesting, but everything is so incredible.  Many reviews and reports from actual medical personnel talk about how close to reality it is.  Joanna had a rather major recurring role in the first season.

[dom]

Is JG the third Vicki from the OS? Or is she from one of the revivals? If they ever do a DS now production they she use JG as an 'old' Vicki.

[Gerard]

She played Vicki/Josette in the '91 NBC prime-time remake.

Gerard