'The Pitt' Producer Addresses Backlash to ICE Episode

[Jilly_in_VA]

An episode of The Pitt that divided viewers with its ICE-focused storyline was based on real-life accounts of hospital staffers and was not meant to “politicize” the series, the executive producer says.

Producer John Wells, 69, explained that the episode was shaped to remain faithful to a reality unfolding across the country. Since its inception, HBO’s medical drama The Pitt has not avoided politics; instead, it addresses the intersection of headlines and life within a hospital. This time was no different, Wells said, also revealing that the episode was written before the fatal shootings of U.S. citizens in Minnesota in January.

“We were just trying to get to this issue of why it’s important that immigration enforcement doesn’t happen in certain kinds of public spaces, like where we have to be able to provide services regardless of whether or not someone is an unauthorized person in the country or not,” Wells told Deadline.

This particular episode of The Pitt became preemptively controversial after Wells revealed that HBO told him to ensure the ICE episode remained “balanced.” On an episode of The Town with Matt Belloni, Wells said they would be “careful” in their portrayal of the issue, adding, “We’re not really in the business of preaching to the choir on this show.” The comments received pushback from fans before the episode aired.

Asked about this, Wells said that they sought to tell a story of what is “factually happening.”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-pitt-producer-addresses-backlash-to-ice-episode/

I haven't seen this episode yet owing to recent travels,so I can't really comment on it, but if It's as good as the series generally is, I'm sure it's right on.

[AZ8theist]

1. We watched last night....

If anything, they treated the ICE situation with kid gloves, IMO.
If it was me, I would have been much harsher in my portrayal of the ICE goons.

[justaprogressive]

2. They arrested Jesse

The Real nurse on the show.

As a nurse, if I had been present for the filming,

*I* too would have have demanded to play the role of protecting a patient
from the thugs of ICE!

[Jilly_in_VA]

3. I've been in a situation

of protecting a patient from police, at least from their behavior. I ordered prison guards to shut up, turn off lights, and turn the TV *way* down so my patient, who had just had major surgery and and was in a LOT of pain, could sleep. Other than that, I pretty much ignored them. I got them coffee, but only if they said please and thank you. I've done the same with police who were guarding prisoners or arrestees. Patients first, always. Of course, if the patients misbehaved or were uncontrollable, that was a little different, but mostly, if they were treated like human beings, they weren't.