If You’re Thinking Of Watching ‘Pulse’ On Netflix — Just Watch ‘The Pitt’ Instead
Which of these ER dramas is better? There's a clear winner -- and it's not close.
Pulse is Netflix’s new medical drama about residents working in an emergency department in a Miami hospital. It is currently the #1 show streaming on the platform. This is not 2025’s only new show about residents working in an emergency department — Max’s The Pitt has a similar plot. So, which of these ER dramas is better? There’s a clear winner — and it’s not close.
The Pitt is miles above Pulse. The plotlines are more compelling, the acting is better, the characters are more endearing and relatable, the technical medical aspects are more realistic and the season’s arc as a whole just feels like well-made, prestige television. The Pitt is Game of Thrones seasons 1-7, Pulse is Game of Thrones season 8.
On Pulse, the drama comes from main character Danny Simms (Willa Fitzgerald) and her tumultuous relationship with her boss, chief resident Xander Phillips (Colin Woodell). In episode 1, Danny has made a sexual harassment complaint against him. The season hinges on learning the content of this claim and deciding whether Danny or Xander screwed up. This plot has been done to death in the post-#metoo era, its conclusion is unsatisfying and it feels like a distraction from the more interesting drama going on in the hospital.
On The Pitt, the drama comes from the real life frantic demands of emergency medicine. There aren’t enough nurses, the patients are secretive or belligerent or coding, and the staff deal with PTSD from their traumatizing work during the Covid pandemic. An ensemble of patient and staff stories weave through each episode in a satisfying way. Plus, the framework of each episode being an hour of a shift, culminating in the whole season being one 15-hour shift is effective in creating real tension and a sense of urgency. We as viewers are desperate to see what happens next.
I won’t say Pulse is wholly unenjoyable. It has some good moments and some promising cast members/character stories. But it really struggles. If you’re only going to watch one medical drama, save it for The Pitt.
All 10 episodes of Pulse are streaming on Netflix and The Pitt has 14 episodes streaming on Max, with the season finale coming on April 10.
