This evening, we must say goodbye to the Code Black TV show after three short seasons on the air. Series get cancelled all the time — mostly due to low ratings — but, did this Wednesday night series deserve the ax or, should it have been renewed for a fourth season instead?
A CBS medical drama, Code Black stars Marcia Gay Harden, Luis Guzmán, Rob Lowe, Boris Kodjoe, Harry Ford, Benjamin Hollingsworth, William Allen Young, Emily Tyra, Noah Gray-Cabey, Emily Alyn Lind, and Moon Bloodgood. The story unfolds at Angels Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles — the busiest, most notorious ER in the country. The high patient volume dwarfs the resources available to the exceptional staff — creating a condition known as Code Black.
Debuting in September 2015, the first season of Code Black averaged a 1.27 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 7.11 million viewers. It was a middle-of-the-road performer for CBS that year and was firmly on the bubble.
It ended up getting a second season renewal but that came with a price. In an attempt to boost the ratings, some cast changes were made and Rob Lowe (whose FOX comedy, The Grinder, had just been cancelled) joined the cast.
Unfortunately, those changes didn’t seem to help the ratings. Season two of Code Black averaged a 0.97 in the demo with 5.98 million. That was down by 23% and 16%, respectively.
The CBS series once again squeaked out a renewal but the show didn’t earn a spot on the fall schedule this time. CBS held the season three premiere of the medical drama until very late in the season.
It’s very tough to launch a season so late in the broadcast season when viewers are either wrapped up in the final episodes of existing shows or starting to shift their attention to warmer month activities. CBS might have done better to hold season three until after Memorial Day or July 4th but, they didn’t.
Season three has averaged a 0.70 rating in the demo with 5.69 million viewers. For a summer CBS show, that’s not too shabby. Compared to season two, that’s down by 27% in the demo but down by just 5% in viewership. That’s pretty rare to have such a moderate year-to-year decline in viewers. Like most CBS programs, this one tends to skew older.
Compared to CBS’ other summer shows, Code Black is doing quite respectably. In the demo, it’s outperforming scripted series Salvation and Elementary. In viewership, it’s beating all of CBS’ summer shows, including all three nights of Big Brother.
While Code Black’s ratings have not ever been stellar, it’s hard to understand why the network didn’t renew Code Black for a fourth season. They could air it during Summer 2019 so they could amass enough episodes for syndication. Perhaps that scenario didn’t make sense financially. Alas, we may never know.
What do you think? Do you think CBS should have cancelled Code Black or renewed it for a fourth season?
No!!!! Please bring back. Best show on right now. Great casts and storyline. Bring. It. Back.
Out of all the garbage shows on TV, Code Black gets cancelled? No wonder I rarely watch TV shows, they keep cancelling all of the good ones.
Great series. Bring it back.
Code Black is one of the best shows on TV. It should not be cancelled – a huge mistake. The acting is excellent and the storylines well devloped. We are relate to the characters and their stories.
I watch a lot of medical shows and this one by far is the best. I think this was the best season and CBS just has favorites that I stopped watching years ago. Came back when this show started. Big mistake, all the good ones get cancelled. Great job cast you were great.
Code Black should not have been cancelled.
Bring it back, please.
I love this show! Not all shows get 100% viewership, this one has a great cast and great story lines maybe Hulu or Netflix will pick it up.
Please bring back Mama & Daddy! This was…is the best show on tv!
My favorite show. Every time I watched this year, I told my wife I couldn’t believe such a great show was being cancelled. I just can’t believe with all the trash on TV today that this show got the ax. Blows my mind. Loved it and will miss it a lot.
This decision makes no sense to me. It was one of the more interesting shows on TV.
I watch Code Black every week with my 13 year old grandson. We both love it. As an educator and a grandmother I think there are a lot of life lessons that can be learned from such a well written and wonderfully acted show. We learn about the lives of this fine ensemble cast and how and why they are able to provide more than medical help to their patients. Please, “… save the life” of this great show.
One of my favorite shows. I am so disappointed
CBS canceled again a great show cod black
No it should not have been cancelled. I really like that show.
Code Black was one of my favorite shows. I wish it hadn’t been canceled.
Code Black was one of mine & my husband’s favorite shows…CBS should never have cancelled this program…please bring back Mama & Daddy…
Please don’t cancel Code Black, it’s the only feel good show on the air.