Last year, ABC had some success with Rookie Blue, a cop drama that’s produced north of the border, in Canada. It’s already been renewed for a third season. This summer, the network began airing another Canadian show, Combat Hospital. Will it find the same success as Rookie Blue or be cancelled after one season like their last medical series, Off the Map?
Combat Hospital (formerly known as The Hot Zone) revolves around the life and work of a group of doctors and nurses from various countries at a military hospital in Southern Afghanistan. The cast includes Deborah Kara Unger, Michelle Borth, Elias Koteas, Terry Chen, Arnold Pinnock, and Luke Mably.
The TV series debuted on June 21st to a less-than-impressive 1.2 rating in the coveted 18-49 demographic and 5.32 million viewers. It was in second place in the timeslot, being handily beaten by The Voice on NBC. The second episode of Combat Hospital dropped 8% in the demo and the following week fell another 9%. Week four then dropped 20% to a 0.8 demo rating.
The ratings have gone up and down a bit since then but the show is only averaging a 0.9 in the demographic and 4.0 million total viewers. While viewership is typically lower in the summer months, this performance is not good at all. ABC has several new shows running and Combat Hospital is currently tied with Friday’s Karaoke Battle USA for last place.
Based on the ratings, there’s simply no reason for ABC to want to renew Combat Hospital for a second season. The 13th and final episode of the season (and likely the series) is set to air on September 13th.
But, what do you think? Do you like Combat Hospital? Should it be cancelled or renewed? Is it worth watching? Cancel or keep it?
Image courtesy ABC.
KEEP IT!
THIS SERIES NEED A CHANCE!
DON’T BLOW IT AWAY!
WE NEED THIS KIND OF PROGRAMS PERSPECTIVE. NOT STUPID SERIES THAT INSULT OUR INTELLIGENCE.
THINK ABOUT IT (SHOW TO THE WORLD THAT WE ARE A GREAT NATION – FULL OF MEN/WOMEN WITH SUPERIOR EXPECTATIVES AND PROUD WARRIORS)
Cancel it
ABC has a bad habit of cancelling good shows. Let’s hope they break the streak.
Combat Hospital gives perspective on our current military not unlike what M*A*S*H did to illuminate Korea and Vietnam. Characters are well-drawn, plots appear realistic, and war should be part of the non-news hours of TV. It certainly is so for those in country. We, and ABC, owe them that.
Keep this show! It takes awhile to find – I had never heard of it – but now I’ve gone back and watched all the episodes, and they keep getting better and better. As more people find out about this show, the ratings are going to go up. I agree with DJ that networks need to give people time to find good shows – especially a show that starts over the summer – and that when a show is good like this one, if the network gives it time, the ratings will follow.
Please keep this show!! You already canceled Off the Map. You keep stupid reality shows that we all can do without. We have enough reality in real life as it is. Life is hard enough a it is. We all need shows like off the map and Trauma and Combat Hospital but what do you do? You cancel those shows, the ones we really watch and want to keep. We need shows like Combat Hospital that really show us REALITY – those heroes who deal with the REAL LIFE, living in combat zones whether they are in Afhanastan, or in… Read more »
I really like this show I hope they keep it on the air. There are so many reality shows it is finally nice to have something better to watch.
Keep!!!!! Love the show!!!
I woild suggest keeping it. It is a well written and acted drma.
i really like this show… please dont cancel it i watch every Tuesday night at 9pm you just gotta love Rebecca and Bobby
Oh, c’mon! abc gets rid of good drama shows (Trauma, Off the Map) and keeps stupid reality shows (Bachelor Pad, Karaoke)?? Where do they get these ratings numbers from? Please keep Combat Hospital! It’s not only a decent drama, but it also keeps us reminded of the sacrifices that our troops are making daily. Definitely worth keeping for another season at least.
I agree with DJ and Brian.
I like the interaction “of various countries” treating the wounded. The last episode was very realistic dealing with the friendship of Afgan nationals. Two different paths were taken: some working at the hospital and others fighting with the Taliban.
Please. Keep. This. Show. The characters are engaging and endearing, the location and setting hugely unique in TV (yes, it was BRAVE to do this and that is to be commended!) and the episodes truly grow on you. Networks should give shows like this time to mature into themselves. This one is a winner. Give it a chance, so the layers planted in the story can come out. If not … for shame.
KEEEEEPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!
I like this show only because one of it’s character’s name is Rebecca.
This show was created to replace Off The Map!!!!!!!
And even though I like this show, Off The Map was waaaaaaaayyyyyy better!
And it got cancelled!
If Combat Hospital can stick to a winning formula and real life like action in a war zone, it’ll do well. If like most good shows it suddenly becomes a daytime soap opera played in the evening, I’m out.
Generally I think the networks need to give shows time to develop themselves and their audiences. Seinfeld was almost canceled after the first couple episodes but they gave it some time to grow and it became one of the best sitcoms in TV history.