Code Black is an American medical drama television series created by Michael Seitzman which premiered on CBS on September 30, 2015. It takes place in an overcrowded and understaffed emergency room in Los Angeles, California, and is based on a documentary by Ryan McGarry. On May 16, 2016, the show was renewed for a 13-episode second season which premiered on September 28, 2016. On November 14, 2016, CBS added three more episodes to bring the season two total to 16.
The show centers on the fictional Angels Memorial Hospital, where four first-year residents and their colleagues must tend to patients in an understaffed, busy emergency room that lacks sufficient resources.
Main cast
Marcia Gay Harden as Dr. Leanne Rorish, the ER Residency Director at Angels', known to her current and former students as "Daddy". Her husband and two children were killed after their car was hit by a drunk driver; this sometimes influences her medical decisions. In "Diagnosis of Exclusion" Leanne is promoted to Director of Emergency Medicine, following the death of Gina Perello.Raza Jaffrey as Dr. Neal Hudson, an ER attending physician. A British-Indian former surgeon, his approach is quieter and more people-oriented. He connected with Christa during her first year of residency. In "Hail Mary", Neal becomes a surgical attending, and is once again assigned to the ER (season 1).Bonnie Somerville as Dr. Christa Lorenson, a mature first-year resident. She was married with a son who died of brain cancer. Her experience and her divorce motivated her to attend medical school (season 1).Melanie Chandra as Dr. Malaya Pineda, a second-year resident. She went to medical school and did her internship at Angels Memorial, and is therefore more familiar with the ER. She is a lesbian, who was once involved with a resident when she was a medical student.William Allen Young as Dr. Rollie Guthrie, an ER attending physician with a very nurturing style; he takes Angus under his wing in his first days in the ER. Guthrie's wife killed herself, straining his relationship with his son, a surgeon. He also had a daughter who died from carbon monoxide poisoning while Guthrie tried to save his son from a similar fate.Harry Ford as Dr. Angus Leighton, a second-year resident. His father is on the hospital board, and he feels overshadowed by that and by his older brother, a former resident, but slowly grows in confidence.Benjamin Hollingsworth as Dr. Mario Savetti, a second-year resident. He grew up poor and sees emergency medicine as his only way out. He was previously a bartender.Luis Guzmán as Jesse Salander, known as "Momma". A senior nurse who manages the residents, Jesse is tough on the outside but caring and supportive of the students. He and Rorish have a long-term, close friendship.Boris Kodjoe as Dr. Will Campbell, Chief of Surgery (season 2; recurring season 1). A highly regarded surgeon who becomes the new Chief of the ER in season 2 in order to save costs, causing strife between him and Leanne.Jillian Murray as Dr. Heather Pinkney, a surgical resident who becomes involved with Mario (season 2; recurring season 1). He quickly ends it when he hears about her side relationship with Dr. Campbell. She gets in further trouble when it's revealed she's providing Angus with drugs. When confronted by Campbell, she threatens to turn their past relationship into a sexual harassment case. Heather dies in season 2, episode 15.Rob Lowe as Dr. Ethan Willis, a U.S. Army colonel attached to the U.S. military’s prestigious Combat Casualty Care research program (season 2). He joins the ER staff at Angels Memorial after the Army pulls him from the battlefield in Afghanistan.Kevin Dunn as Dr. Mark Taylor, the Director of the Emergency Department at Angels Memorial, who is on leave during an investigation into potential mismanagement.Shiri Appleby as Dr. Carla Niven, a former resident at Angels Memorial, Malaya's ex-girlfriend. She is diagnosed with leukemia while pregnant and dies shortly after delivering the baby. (Season 1)Christina Vidal as Dr. Gina Perello, the replacement Director of the Emergency Department at Angels Memorial, who takes over when Dr. Taylor is put on leave. She was murdered by Malaya's stalker, Gordon Heshman, in "Diagnosis of Exclusion". (Season 1)Gabrielle Carteris as Amy Wolowitz, R.N., a nurse in the Emergency Department. (Season 1)Cress Williams as Dr. Cole Guthrie, a surgeon and Rollie's son. His relationship with his father is strained by his mother's suicide. (Season 1)Tommy Dewey as Dr. Mike Leighton, Angus' older brother, and a recently hired ER attending physician. He becomes the Director of the Residency Program following Rorish's promotion.Jesse Bradford as Gordon Heshman, a psychotic stalker. (Season 1)Jeff Hephner as Dr. Ed Harbert, Angels Memorial Hospital CEO and Gina's boyfriend. He and Leanne clash frequently, but their mutual respect is obvious.Meagan Good as Dr. Grace Adams, Neal's ex-girlfriend. (Season 1)Ellia English as Isabel Mendez, a nurse in the Emergency Department.Emily Nelson as Hannah Reynolds, a nurse in the Emergency Department.Angela Relucio as Risa Park, a nurse in the Emergency Department.Noah Gray-Cabey as Elliot Dixon, a new first year resident in the ER. (Season 2)Nafessa Williams as Charlotte Piel, a new first year resident in the ER. She was shot and killed in the waiting room while treating patients, in "Angels and Demons". (Season 2, Episodes 1–4)Emily Tyra as Noa Kean, a new first year resident in the ER. (Season 2)Kathleen Rose Perkins as Dr. Amanda Nolan, a psychiatrist at the hospital (Season 2)On January 27, 2015, the show's pilot episode was green lighted by CBS. On June 4, Brett Mahoney was appointed as executive producer for Code Black.
On October 23, 2015, CBS ordered six new scripts for Code Black. The following month, CBS ordered five additional episodes. CBS renewed the show for a second season in May 2016.
On February 17, 2015, Marcia Gay Harden was cast as Christa, a soccer mom who lost her son to cancer. On February 23, Melanie Kannokada was cast as Malaya, a doctor beginning her residency. Maggie Grace was cast as Dr. Leanne Rorish, the lead of the show, the following day. On March 3, Luis Guzman was set to star as Jose Santiago, a senior nurse. The character's name was later changed to Jesse Salander. The following day, Raza Jaffrey was cast as Neal, and Ben Hollingsworth was set to star as Mario, a new resident. When Grace left the show before filming began, the role of Leanne was then given to Harden, and Bonnie Somerville was cast in Harden's role as Christa.
In season 2, Somerville and Jaffrey left the cast with their characters' departures unexplained, and Rob Lowe joined the cast as a military physician on temporary duty in Angels ED.
Code Black has received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes the series has a rating of 54%, based on 39 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads, " While not reinventing the stethoscope, Code Black is an above-average medical drama, with appropriately theatrical storylines that make up for sometimes cheesy dialogue." On Metacritic, the series has a score of 53 out of 100, based on 26 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
At the 2016 Monte-Carlo Television Festival, Harden won the Best Actress in a TV Series Golden Nymph Award, while Code Black was nominated for Best TV Series Drama.
