How The Pitt’s Crew Shot That Reckless Scene Involving Robby, His Motorcycle And No Helmet

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Be warned: this contains spoilers for the first episode of The Peep Show‘s second season! If you haven’t seen it yet, proceed with caution. You’ll need an HBO Max subscription to watch the show.

I was surprised when Season 2 of The Pitt began with Noah Wyle’s character, Dr. Robby, riding a motorcycle without a helmet – it seemed odd that a doctor wouldn’t prioritize basic safety. That question is definitely on my mind as the highly-rated second season unfolds. While we wait to see if the show addresses it, I spoke with the cinematographer about how they filmed this risky and debated decision made by Robby.

It definitely wasn’t just me who noticed the striking opening of The Pitt – Robby speeding by on his motorcycle with an ambulance nearby, and his helmet resting on the seat. It really sets the tone for Noah Wyle’s character this season. Interestingly, that helmet wasn’t originally planned to be there during filming. Director of Photography Johanna Coelho shared the story with me in a recent TopMob interview, explaining how it came about.

We hadn’t decided if he should wear a helmet during filming, so we shot the scene two ways: once with a helmet, and once without.

The cinematographer mentioned they’d been considering different approaches for a while, and ultimately wanted to capture the scene in multiple ways. They filmed the sequence both with a special trailer and by simply following the bike, giving them a variety of shots to choose from during editing.

Coelho broke down how they shot the scene with both Noah Wyle and a stunt driver, as well, saying:

Let me tell you, filming the driving scenes was interesting. Sometimes they brought in a professional stunt driver, and sometimes it was actually Noah himself behind the wheel! When it wasn’t Noah, and they filmed without a helmet for a more dramatic shot, it added a whole layer of complexity. They had to digitally replace the stunt driver’s face with Noah’s, and honestly, the effect had to be seamless – there was no room for error, everything was on full display.

For the shots where Robby wasn’t wearing a helmet, they digitally replaced his face with Noah Wyle’s in post-production to create the illusion that Noah Wyle was the one driving, rather than the stunt driver.

Coelho also remembered how the filming was done in two ways: using a process trailer – a vehicle that pulls both the camera and the bike – and by simply letting the bike ride freely on the road. The cinematographer explained that they particularly loved the shots taken while the bike was moving freely.

We especially loved the shot of the motorcycle moving freely, not connected to the trailer. It allowed for a great camera move – starting on the wheel and then tilting up to reveal Noah. You can’t achieve that same effect if the motorcycle is attached. That shot was key, and we also used it for face replacements to create the illusion that Noah was actually riding. Getting that realistic feel was really important to us.

The opening scene was exciting and impactful, immediately raising a major question for the show to address. Specifically, viewers are left wondering why Robby didn’t wear a helmet during the sequence, and why he’s being dishonest about it, especially since he clearly had one with him. According to showrunner Coelho, this seemingly small detail will actually be important throughout the rest of the season.

That was definitely a fascinating moment. I especially noticed the discussion around him not wearing a helmet, and I think it’s a good reason to keep watching – it feels like things are building towards something bigger.

I’m really enjoying HBO Max! I can watch new episodes of The Pitt every Thursday, and it only costs from $10.99 a month. For that price, I get access to tons of movies and shows – it’s a great deal!

We anticipate something unexpected will disrupt things at the hospital this season. It’s also obvious Robby is struggling emotionally as he finishes his work before taking a leave of absence. Honestly, his dangerous decision to drive without a helmet feels like it will be connected to whatever happens.

If you’re curious to see how everything unfolds, you can catch new episodes of The Pitt on HBO Max every Thursday at 9 p.m. Eastern Time. I’m definitely setting a reminder!

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2026-01-15 00:09