Where Dr. Robby might live on "The Pitt"
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Dr. Robby riding to PTMC in "The Pitt." Photo: Courtesy of HBO Max
Do characters in "The Pitt" avoid tunnels like we do on our way to work?
Why it matters: The show's second season opened last week with its overworked attending physician cruising across the sun-soaked Rachel Carson Bridge on his way to a final shift before sabbatical.
- That left us asking: Where does Dr. Robby live?
Context: The award-winning Pittsburgh-set medical drama is already packed with hometown nods, like The Clarks playing as Michael "Robby" Robinavitch rides his motorcycle to Allegheny General, or "Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center," on the North Side.
- The show never pins down where Dr. Robby or the other characters live, igniting friendly debates online and among the Axios Pittsburgh team.
Hear us out
💭 Chrissy's take: Dr. Robby is a North Sider.
Case in point: At the beginning of Season 1, it's implied he walked to work at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center — partly filmed at Allegheny General on the North Side. At the end of the season, he grabs a beer, puts in his earbuds, and sets off from Allegheny Commons Park, possibly to Mexican War Streets or Deutschtown.
- He just feels like a lifelong North Sider: He chose PTMC out of a distinctly Pittsburgh sense of neighborhood loyalty. Rough around the edges after years in a demanding career, skeptical of change, but always putting in the work. He's a regular at Legends and respects Randyland for its character, but doesn't really get it.
- For all we know, our guy was simply aura farming on the Rachel Carson Bridge this season — or coming off a no-strings fling with a techie in the Strip. He'd need a compelling reason to cross a bridge.
💭 Alexis' take: Dr. Robby grew up in Squirrel Hill but moved to the Strip District. She agrees with some Reddit users that he lives in the Cork Factory apartment complex.
Case in point: He could've easily accessed Rachel Carson from Liberty Avenue, making a right onto 9th Street.
- Dr. Robby has mentioned his Jewish background several times in the show, so he may have familial roots in Squirrel Hill. (We know his grandparents were members at Rodef Shalom synagogue, per TribLive.) He left the city for med school and worked his way up through County General Hospital in Chicago before returning home.
💭 Ryan's take: He lives at City View apartments in the Lower Hill, next to PPG Paints Arena.
Case in point: There aren't many routes that take Pittsburghers across the Rachel Carson Bridge on their way to Allegheny General, and this is one of them.
- Dr. Robby probably moved to City View — a haven for transplants — after his residency out of town, thinking he would move shortly after and settle in a different neighborhood. But he's too obsessed with work and never bothered to find a new place.
- Plus, his 2-mile commute is perfect for driving his motorcycle, and his love of revving it over the relatively empty stretch on the bridge.
🗣️ Got a stronger case? Convince us at [email protected]!
What's next: The second episode of "The Pitt" Season 2 airs tonight at 9 on HBO Max.