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 I think the show should not be canceled. I love the show and I think the story lines are excellent with great actors.
Please do not cancel this show! It’s one of the free shows I enjoy watching. Please bring it back!!??
It was cancelled. They had already said that this was the last season.
Great show! A FAMILY show, why is it the good shows that can teach people how to deal with life situations are cancelled? They are not willing people, Code Black was saving lives and teaching lessons. Please please bring it back.
No it shouldn’t be canceled. I love this show. I’ve learned so much from it about love, honor, sympathy and how people are in their darkest moments of life. I’ve learned about family, how that is most important thing. Angels memorial is all about family and saving lives
Please bring it back.. In a world of UGLY, this show was a breath 0f fresh air… We need to show m0re compassion in this world and this show was just that..
Code Black is one of my favorite TV dramas. The realism, cast, plots are great. Compared to many other renewed shows, it is no contest to renew Code Black.
Bring it back CBS, in a world of ugly this show was a breath of fresh air.
One of my households FAVORITE! We cannot BELIEVE it is cancelled. Don’t you think numbers are a result of so many shows so the spread is lower at time of airing. Does the numbers include recorded episodes?
We love Code Black and can’t imagine why you would cancel it! I guess being a 45year old, all of our mild shows have been cancelled, replaced with Reality show.
Please don’t cancel this show!!!
Never should have been cancelled. It is a GREAT show. The actors were great there are a lot of “Other Shows” that should have been cancelled but they go on. I wish maybe another Network would have picked Code Black ! I also lost Night Shift. A real shame.
Code Black did have structural problems which shows fix over a period of seasons. The story lines and cast is stellar and the show should have been renewed as it is one of the better broadcast shows.
PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT CANCEL”
CODE BLACK”, EXCELLENT ACTORS WITH ACTION MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE REAL LIFE SITUATIONS, EXCELLENT WRITERS DIRECTORS #DON’T #CANCEL
I’m sorry to loose this show it had heart and good story line with thought provoking situations.
I’m so sick of GREAT SHOWS like Code Black being cancelled & stupid Syfy, reality crap staying on!! This was THE BEST SHOW! Reminded me of “ER” & that show lasted for a while!! CBS is screwed up & I’m really not sure if I’ll continue to watch anything on CBS!! #BRINGBACKCODEBLACKPLEASE
#SAVECODEBLACK
I’m really sad to see Code Black go. I love this show. I have since it first aired. I wish they would renew it. Another good show gets the axe While shows like big brother continue.