‘ER’ and ‘The Pitt’ Are Similar Enough for Suit to Proceed, Appeals Court Finds; CBS Reports
Court allows claims to advance
The lawsuit, filed by Sherri Crichton two years before “The Pitt” aired, alleges that the series is an unauthorized reboot of “ER.” The California appeals court found the shows sufficiently similar for the case to continue. The judges said their decision concerns only an early legal challenge. They did not rule on whether the plaintiffs had established that “The Pitt” is derived from “ER.”
Shared emergency room focus
The court agreed that both series comment on the healthcare system and center on emergency rooms and the difficult conditions medical staff face. It noted that the shows generally stay in the emergency department, unlike other medical dramas that follow patients elsewhere or never enter the emergency room.
Warner Bros. disputes allegations
Warner Bros. Television said it maintains that “The Pitt” is an original series and that the claims lack merit. The company said the appeals court ruling does not establish otherwise and that it will defend its position as the case proceeds.
Three defendants dismissed
The appeals court unanimously dismissed Wyle, “The Pitt” creator John Wells and executive producer R. Scott Gemmill as defendants. All three had worked on both series. The judges found no evidence that the three men knew about the contract provisions the lawsuit says they interfered with.
Key points
- The appeals court found enough similarity for the lawsuit to proceed, but did not decide whether “The Pitt” derives from “ER.”
- Sherri Crichton filed the case two years before “The Pitt” aired.
- Warner Bros. says “The Pitt” is original and plans to defend its position.
- The court dismissed Wyle, John Wells and R. Scott Gemmill as defendants.