The awards-guzzling medical show The Pitt already has a connection to the critics’ darling crime drama Breaking Bad, and it’s deepened through one of The Pitt season 2’s most compelling patients. Breaking Bad lead Bryan Cranston’s daughter, Taylor Dearden, portrays The Pitt‘s Dr. Mel King in her most prominent role to date. And now, another Breaking Bad alum has joined the cast.
The Pitt has had some fun with its casting of patients and loved ones, including Scandal‘s Mackenzie Astin and Suits‘ Amanda Schull. Though perhaps most notable is The Pitt season 2′s unhoused patient, Digby, who’s growing increasingly more lovable with every episode. Breaking Bad fans will immediately recognize actor Charles Digby, who played an important role in the iconic crime drama.
The Pitt Season 2’s Digby Also Played Skinny Pete In Breaking Bad
Charles Baker’s most famous role is that of Skinny Pete, Jesse Pinkman’s good friend in Breaking Bad. Like Digby, Skinny Pete is entertaining and endearing. He’s Jesse’s on-again/off-again meth dealer, often wanting to leave the gig in pursuit a straight life — or because he’s just not tough enough for the competition on the street.
In a particularly entertaining storyline, Skinny Pete and Badger attend Narcotics Anonymous meetings with the intent of unearthing customers for Jesse’s meth. Instead, the two end up following the recovery program and feeling too guilty about jeopardizing the sobriety of their fellow members.
Baker’s Skinny Pete also appears in Jesse’s Breaking Bad sequel film, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. In El Camino, Skinny Pete doubles down on his loyalty to Jesse, proving himself as one of the crime saga’s few truly trustworthy friends. Having become associated with comic relief and a compelling innocence despite a difficult life, Baker is perfectly cast as The Pitt‘s Digby.
Digby Is A Great Supporting Character In The Pitt Season 2
Digby had a heartbreaking entrance into The Pitt season 2, arriving at the ER filthy and with an arm in a cast that was long past its expiration date. After being literally hosed off, the cast was removed to reveal maggots eating at his forearm. On the whole, Digby’s situation serves as an alarming reminder of the conditions some struggling people are forced to endure.
However, Digby has proven to be more than his circumstances — his personality has continued to be a source of levity and warmth. While Dana professionally led him through the process of getting cleaned up and treated, Digby was pleasant and agreeable. When the team worked to save a life, Digby quickly moved to give them space, then offered a double thumbs up from the next bed.
The Pitt’s Supporting Cast Is What Makes The Show So Special
The role of the patients in The Pitt is what makes the show feel so distinct from any other medical drama. With each season taking place over the course of a single day, the patients’ stories are able to unfold over an entire season, rather than a single episode, case-of-the-week format that many medical series employ. This allows for deeper foreshadowing and more developed personalities.
The show’s rapid pace and the busyness of the ER also contribute to the stakes of each patient’s case. With so much going on, any attention paid to a character or story is significant. With both the story and the doctors having so much ground to cover, it’s clear that even The Pitt‘s most seemingly harmless cases are anything but.
And with their presence lingering over the course of a season, there’s nearly as much emotional investment in the patients as in the doctors. This is especially true with “regulars,” like The Pitt‘s Louie, and with such a winning personality and emotional history, The Pitt season 2 is well on its way to establishing a similar attachment to Digby.
- Release Date
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January 8, 2026
- Network
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Max, HBO Max
- Episodes
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15