“She’s just trying to find her way”: The Pitt creator reacts to fans’ criticism of Dr. Santos

The Pitt has been well-appreciated by audiences for its earnest portrayal of the challenges faced by medical staff. The Max series follows a group of doctors and nurses through a 15-hour-long shift at the emergency room.

There is one character in the show that has left fans divided: Dr. Trinity Santos. The intern failed to become a fan favorite due to her overconfident and rude personality. Though she did redeem herself by the end of the first season, viewers had already started despising the character by then.

Series creator R. Scott Gemmill has now expressed his thoughts over viewers' reactions to Dr. Santos, played by Isa Briones. In an interview with Decider, the showrunner said he feels the audience is being a little too harsh with Santos:

“I think the fans have reacted the way we had hoped. I thought they were a little harsh on Santos. Cause I actually, if anybody on the staff is close to me personally, personality-wise, it’s probably Santos. I was like, ‘Yeah, but she’s just trying to find her way. She doesn’t mean it all.”

The Pitt creator defends Dr. Santos against criticism

From the beginning, Dr. Santos is depicted as a judgmental person who rubs people the wrong way, which does not make her a very likable character. However, as the first season of The Pitt progresses, different shades of her personality come out.

In the season finale, especially, Santos showcases a responsible side when she convinces a patient to seek mental health treatment. In the same episode, she finds out that Whitaker does not have a place to live and offers him accommodation at her own house.

In his interview, R. Scott Gemmill said that Santos has always been a good doctor:

“I think there was maybe a little bit of wanting to show Santos is a good doctor, but I think that was always there.”

Talking about the situation between Santos and Whitaker, the showrunner said:

“At some point, it just seemed like what if Santos has a place and finds Whitaker living up there and offers. It just seemed like a natural, really nice, fun way to end their day since she’s been like just hammering him all day long.“

While he defended Santos against criticism, Gemmill also said that he is happy with the reception toward the rest of the characters of The Pitt:

“No, I’m really happy with the way people responded to the characters. You know, when you write them, when you create them, they’re just words on a page until you cast them.”

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The show is set at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital and features 15 episodes, covering a day-long shift in the emergency room. The series has been renewed for a second season, which is slated to premiere in January 2026.

The Pitt is available to stream on Max.

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