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 keep it on!!! Seems the good shows lately are being canceled… Ughhh…its a great show its something different for a change and intense… Never even knew there was a code “black”in the ER very entertaining and at times gets me on the edge of my seat!!
Code Black is a cut above most network dramas – please renew!
Please keep code black
Please keep Code Black on television. The actors are perfect for the show, and I haven’t seen a good show like this in forever.
Please renew season 2 of Code Black. It’s one of the only medical shows that actually uses real medical terms and scenarios. I’m in the medical field and it will make me very upset if CBS doesn’t renew.
Please renew Code Black. It is a wonderful show and a breath of fresh air amongst the prime time shows.
Please keep Code Black. I am from LA and it’s about time we had a medical drama about our city. And besides that Code Black is definitely at least 3X better than Chicago Med honestly. Thanks
Please keep Code Black, I’m from LA and it’s about time we had a hospital drama about my city, and most of all its at least 5 times better than Chicago Med. Code Black just seems more real than any of the other shows. Thanks
please renew code black! i love limitless,scorpion,lucifer, mom and 2 broke girls, big bang,rush hour
netFlix and cable shows are doing great because every time Network TV gets a show people like it but they take their time worrying if its good enough then they wait a couple weeks to continue it or restart in middle of season and there is no place on internet that says its gonna continue or end for sure its all just speculative and people want to watch good series and or DVR them. so they can carry on with things in their life just because they don’t have the time to watch a network tv 24/7 in hope of… Read more »
Favorite med show on TV. Great cast and story lines.
Please bring it back. My wife and I loved this show.!
Love this show! Characters are great. I think it can find an audience.
I LOVE IT. PLEASE RENEW.
Wonderful show. Please don’t cancel!