‘The Pitt’ Star Faces Backlash Over “Wildly Offensive” Remark About Working Mothers

Noah Wyle is once again facing criticism online after comments he made during a recent podcast interview upset many fans of The Pitt.

The actor, who stars as Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch in the HBO Max medical drama, appeared on the podcast A Lot More with host Jonathon Buckley on May 14. During the conversation, Wyle was asked about the possibility of a spin-off series focused on the hospital’s night-shift workers.

Instead of supporting the idea, Wyle quickly dismissed it. His response immediately sparked backlash online, especially after he connected night shifts to working mothers.

According to Wyle, hospital night shifts are usually less intense than daytime shifts. While explaining why he believed a spin-off would not work, he said, “You know who works mostly night shift? Mothers. Because they like to be free for their kids (and) to be home during the day.”

He then suggested that a night-shift version of the show would be “a lot more boring.”

Many viewers were not happy with the comment. Fans on X criticized Wyle for what they described as disrespectful and outdated views about women and working mothers.

One user reacted by writing, “Least misogynistic Noah Wyle quote.” Another fan said, “This is wildly offensive and weird on multiple levels.”

The backlash became even stronger because some fans already had issues with the way Wyle’s character treated female coworkers during season 2 of The Pitt. In several episodes, Dr. Robby frequently yelled at women on the hospital staff. Earlier this year, Wyle defended the character and denied that the behavior reflected workplace cruelty toward women. That explanation also received criticism online.

Now, many viewers believe his latest comments only added fuel to the debate surrounding the show’s gender dynamics.

Several fans pointed out that some of the most interesting characters on the series are already mothers. They mentioned Nurse Dana, played by Katherine LaNasa, and Dr. Cassie McKay, played by Fiona Dourif, as examples of strong and engaging female characters who already work the day shift.

One fan wrote online, “Incredibly misogynistic and disgusting. Also, this is insane to be saying when his character/storyline is not nearly as interesting as any of the mothers/women who work the day shift.”

Despite fan interest in a spin-off, Wyle made it clear during the podcast that he does not think expanding the franchise is a good idea right now. He explained that he wants to protect the success of the original show.

He said, “I feel like when you have something that’s a really good thing, and it’s working for you, you don’t want to dissipate it too quickly.”

The idea of a night-shift spin-off became popular after season 2 introduced more scenes involving the overnight hospital crew led by Dr. Jack Abbott, played by Shawn Hatosy.

Hatosy himself addressed the rumors earlier this year in an interview with TV Insider. While he admitted he would be open to the idea, he also doubted it would actually happen.

He said, “If it makes sense, for sure, but I don’t think that’s something that’s going to happen.”

For now, it looks like fans should not expect a spin-off anytime soon. However, HBO Max is already developing a third season of The Pitt. According to Wyle, the next season will take place around four months after the season 2 finale and will be set during the weeks leading up to the holiday season.

The Pitt is currently streaming on HBO Max.

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