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?


Finally found a show we love on CBS-please extend Code Black for another season. Have told friends and family about it, they’ve watched it & also love it. My daughter has her friends watching in college-please don’t let us down. It keeps your attention from start to finish, great medical scenes
Please let there be a series 2, I was actually looking forward to watching another episode tonight after I got kids in bed to find it had finished 🙁 love code black great cast!
I love Code Black, but highly disliked the murder scene in the locker room, which was an unwelcome surprise in a medical show, and I refused to watch the following episode. I record it and watch it at my convenience, and miss it already. But really, the murder scene was uncalled for, unnecessary, and isn’t a typical thing that happens in hospital locker rooms….why even put the idea out there?
Love code black yes renew for season 2
Don’t cancel. It’s a great show with fabulous actors and great writing!!!!!!
Love Code Black, hope it’s renewed!
Really enjoyed the show. Great characters and plot lines. I hope it is renewed. Have missed it not showing the last couple of weeks. I have my DVR programmed to record this show/
Definitely renew – very good show!
Please do not cancel this show! There are way too many cop shows and we need more medical shows. I work in the medical field myself and love watching these shows on TV. Code black, I thought, was an awesome season!
Please renew! Its the best medical show on tv!
It’s a great show. Please renew.
Please, please! RENEW
keep the show!!
RENEW CODE BLACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love the show we need more medical shows to offset the enormous amount of cop shows on tv