CBS hasn’t had a successful medical drama in quite some time. How has Code Black been performing in the ratings? Will the network want it back for a second season or, will it be cancelled instead?
Code Black takes place in an Emergency Room in Los Angeles where underfunding and understaffing pile huge pressures on its staff. The cast includes Marcia Gay Harden, Raza Jaffrey, Bonnie Somerville, Melanie Chandra, William Allen Young, Harry Ford, Benjamin Hollingsworth, and Luis Guzman.
The series debuted in late September 2015 to a 1.54 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 8.58 million viewers. That was an okay start for the 10pm drama though the CBS execs were surely hoping for better.
The ratings took a big fall in week two, dropping 25% in the demo to a 1.16 rating with 6.83 million. The numbers for Code Black stayed at those low levels for the next several weeks and things weren’t looking good. Rather than ordering a full season of the series, CBS picked up five more episodes, bringing the first season tally to just 18 episodes.
Then, the ratings started to slowly rise and reached a mid-season high of a 1.47 demo rating with 8.50 million viewers. In 2016, the numbers have wavered however and last week’s installment hit a series low with a 1.05 demo rating and 6.04 million.
To date, the series has averaged a 1.27 in the demo with 7.13 million viewers. It’s ranking 15th (of 20 scripted CBS shows) in the demo and in total viewers.
Will CBS renew Code Black for a second season or cancel it? Looking at the ratings, the network should probably cancel it but they could easily go either way. Their decision will likely have everything to do with the strength of their upcoming pilots. We’ll know for sure by mid-May.
But, what do you think? Do you like Code Black? If you ran the network, would you renew or cancel the series?


Please don’t cancel Code Black! My husband and I love it!
This show is one of the better shows on tv, and the only CBS show I regularly watched
Do not cancel.one of the best shows on tv
Do not cancel.Ome of the best shows on tv
Please bring back this show! I LOVE this show! This is the most realistic one out there!
Love the Show…..Please bring it back….I look forward to it every week and if I’m out I make sure I record it…..
I completely love this series! My dad is an EMT and recommended i watch it since I’m a pre-med student and bc it’s a real life depiction of what happens in a real ER. I’d be CRUSHED if they cancelled it but I can understand monetarily y. :/
Please renew!! I love this show!
I absolutely love this show please don’t take it off
Renew “Code Black”! Please!! A terrific medical drama – more realistic than anything else on television. Great cast – “Mama knows best”!!!
I really enjoy code black. As a former Special Forces medic and FDNY medic it’s not that far away from what we experienced when the **** really hit the fan, except that in the SF there was live fire as well. I really hope that there is a second season. Q
Code Black = Great show. Clever lines, relationship drama, interesting scenarios. Please keep it
Absolutely renew for season 2. This is one of the best shows on TV right now. Can’t take your eyes off of the screen for 1 second. Love the characters and the plots. Sooo goood! Fabulous. Please bring it back.
Absolutely renew and bring back for season 2. It the best show on TV right now. Fabulous! Please bring it back.
Renew! Best doctor show since ER!