The brave officers of The Chicago Code fight for what’s right in their fair city. Unfortunately, that battle doesn’t attract enough viewers to keep their TV show on the air. FOX has cancelled the cop show after one season.
Created by The Shield’s Shawn Ryan, The Chicago Code revolves around the officers of the Chicago Police Department. Veteran detective Jarek Wysocki (Jason Clarke) leads a special unit that fights against crime and corruption in the windy city. Others in the cast include Jennifer Beals, Matt Lauria, Devin Kelley, Todd Williams, Billy Lush, and Delroy Lindo.
The series debuted to an okay 2.4 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 9.43 million total viewers. In week two, it dropped 17% in the demo and the ratings kept dropping in subsequent weeks.
 Loading ... |
On May 2nd, The Chicago Code hit a series low with a meager 1.6 in the demo and 5.59 million viewers. Last Monday’s episode bumped up to a 1.7 rating but that’s still far from a good number.
Looking at FOX season averages, the cop TV series is the second lowest-rated drama still on the air (after Fringe on Friday nights).
FOX has now decided to cancel The Chicago Code after one season and 13 episodes. The remaining two unaired episodes will air on the next two Mondays, May 12th and May 23rd.
Ryan reacted on Twitter by writing, “Fox suits loved the show, but have a business to run.”
What do you think? Are you sorry there won’t be a second season? Why do you think this TV series didn’t catch on?
Image courtesy FOX.
And this is probably the reason the best shows on TV today reside on the cable networks. Much less pressure to draw in large numbers of viewers to justify the ad dollars they receive.
Hopefully a network with some smarts picks up the show. Look at Southland once TNT picked it up after NBC cancelled it prematurely. These networks need to remember that most hit shows from way back didn’t always carry great ratings till season two of their show.
Of course this is cancelled, because that’s what they do to shows that are actually good. Total BS. This was my favorite new show this season, really bummed now. Terriers was my favorite new show last season and that got cancelled too, I am 0 for 2…
I wish another network picks up this awesome show! I’m sorry that people wants to flood their hour with more reality nonsense
That is some bull ish… the show was pretty good.. it also help chicago and the income of the city.. it was better than bringing a movie to the city.. smdh @ fox! I bet if american idol had those “ratings” it wouldn’t be cancelled..n…
Wow! Very sad news. I’m not surprised though I just thought that it was a quality show and it needed more time for the audience to bond with the characters. Today people like to watch a lot of junk and a lot of poor quality shows particularly reality shows like Jersey Shores and won’t stay tuned in to a good show with good writing in the “wrong time slot.” I think this was its major downfall. Should have done a demographics survey and found which time slot it fit best in and what it should follow and then should have… Read more »
loved the chicago code and very upset with fox for cancelling the show. if it wasn’t football then fox could completly be cancelled and i wouldn’t miss it.
OVer the years I have grown to hate FOX more and more… I hate getting into a new show that turns out to be really good and FOX to dump it… Was a great show for Jason Clarke, hopefully the 2 episodes dont end in a cliff hanger at least…
I am so disappointed. This was one of the best shows of the season…such depth, richness and quality! I can’t believe I won’t know what happens to these fabulous characters. FOX-bring it back!!!! It doesn’t matter to me when it’s on. We tivo everything anyway.
Great show! I was born in Chicago and the show was so real. All my Chicago relatives loved it. It is a keeper!
a sad day for network television. This show is far better than most of its network competitors and one of the few shows on network tv that can compete with the quality of an increasing number of programs airing on cable. It is a great disappointment that FOX cancels one of the few programs on its mediocre that was worth watching. Hopefully one of those forward looking cable channels will pick it up and give it the chance that it deserves. Fox gets my boo of the week
Disappointing. I really thought this show had a chance. It could have been a modern day Hill Street Blues. How long did that show run?
Hill Street Blues ran for 7 seasons from 1981-1987
I am so disappointed about this. I wasn’t too shocked about Human Target after the horrible scheduling mess FOX did with bringing it back. But The Chicago Code is such a great show; it is like no other cop drama out there. I, like many others, thought that FOX would at least give the show a second chance (they did that for several other shows). I honestly believe one of the reasons why it did poor was because of the time slot. FOX needs to compete with the other networks and open up its 10-11pm slots, we can watch the… Read more »
RIDICULOUS!!!!!! This was a well done show, great scripts, great throughline arc, great locations with real accents and real (not forced) ethnic diversity. Execellent acting, and stylish directing…FOX suits are effing idiots. Hopefully they will replace it with another karoke show or a reality program (The Florida Shore: they’re old but still smokin!)
Bad decision.
I think when all the networks are showing now days are reality type shows, they can’t think of anything else. I am reality showed out even though I don’t watch them. You put something decent on and all they care about are the ratings. What happened to just good ole TV? They change shows like women changing panties. Greed is the name of the game, forget the small people. Everybody is so busy trying to outshine one another you don’t give a show a chance. The honchos are idiots as usual.
Madness on Fox’s part ! I live in the UK – the show doesn’t air here -starts tomorrow, but I have caught a few eps when in the US. I found it a really refreshing concept and far better than the constant reality drivel that is out there. What a short sighted decision. So hope it gets picked up by another network.