Fall TV Preview: Will CBS’ ‘Code Black’ stand out from the typical hospital series?
We never imagined going into the fall TV season that we were suddenly going to see the rise of the hospital drama. Maybe someone feels like it is time for someone to replace “Grey’s Anatomy” as the top show of the genre, and CBS clearly thinks that “Code Black” can be that show. The series, which stars Marcia Gay Harden and Raza Jaffrey, is named after a key situation where there are more patients than resources. Rather than try to describe it further, we’ll go ahead and share the official logline now before getting into our impressions on the surprisingly-lengthy trailer below. (Seriously, how much more of the pilot is there beyond this?)
“Based on the feature documentary, it is set at the busiest and most notorious ER in the nation … where the extraordinary staff confronts a broken system in order to protect their ideals and the patients who need them the most.”
What works – Intensity and grit. This is clearly the most realistic of the medical shows that are out there right now. Even the thumbnail for the trailer below makes this not look like the sort of hospital you want to be working at, unless of course you thrive on something this intense and constantly moving. There’s a chance for powerful, real stories to be told here, and the show will most likely have an ensemble feel. It also brings with it what we personally believe to be a strong, marketable name.
What doesn’t – Trying to sell viewers that they really need another hospital show, especially one that doesn’t really have any major star power from the get-go. While this may help the show when you are actually watching it, you still have to get people to watch. Our major concern is that this may read as too depressing, and therefore be quick to scare a few people out there away.
Our verdict – If you like the genre, it’s almost a must-watch. For everyone else, we’d say to wait for early reviews to figure out if this is something worth a try.
Do you plan on checking out the show? Share in the comments.