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Code Black In the Media


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10 hours ago, Happy Harpy said:

The picture Bonnie Somerville posted was also why I initially freaked out. I saw it when the mention of Christa disappeared from her Twitter profile and I went "uh-oh". I just hoped I was overthinking it but I think she had been informed and couldn't say it yet.

You might be right about MGH. I saw a tweet from M.Seitzman saying that there was no lead on his show when someone protested that she didn't need a male co-lead. I'm even more admirative of Melanie Chandra and Harry Ford who had the guts to like many critical tweets.

M.Seitzman was doing PR damage control imo. He changed his attitude from rather modest with a zest of saltiness to, let's say, very confident after he finally found a handful of people saying they'd watch S2. I don't think that those people were the rage-quitting ones.

And I don't know if TPTB rely on focus groups or who are on those focus groups, but obviously they failed to inform them of the backlash there would be over Neal and Christa. So I wouldn't be so sure they're reliable. Moreover, CBS is no stranger to retooling the cast of bubble shows. Unforgettable comes to mind, Body of Proof after S2 IIRC. True, they left the bubble. They went straight to cancellation.

Maybe B.Somerville and R.Jaffrey dodged a bullet here. Designated Survivor is gaining momentum (guess who's going to watch it because she discovered that Maggie Q was on it?) and is now the most anticipated show. And I hate the Linsday/Halstead pairing on CPD but it does seem to bring the younger "fangirls" demo to the show. If Code Black had stuck to its original recipe, it could have offered something different (the thing that brought 1.5 and 1.4 in the ratings this winter) and found a comfortable niche imo. Now? As you said, they certainly lost viewers with that move and in such a competitive timeslot, well. Maybe they can get some of Nashville soap-loving audience, though.

 M.Seitzman might say there is no lead but if he axed MGH there would be no show left for them to salvage. Its enough to look and all the fanfiction to understand this. 80% of the stories had rorish neal and christa in some constellation if they took rorish out they would have no show left, so at least until the next season she is the lead. 
I think they will loose close to 30-40% of the ratings because of this stunt alone, the reruns in the summer will not help them bring more fans since all those episodes have neal and christa.
Instead of working hard to save all the fans for next year and  trying to get a few more during the summer reruns (and they will really need everyone) they are alienating them  and they will not be able to gain too much fans since their competition next year is going to be very tough. 

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27 minutes ago, silverbell said:

 M.Seitzman might say there is no lead but if he axed MGH there would be no show left for them to salvage. Its enough to look and all the fanfiction to understand this. 80% of the stories had rorish neal and christa in some constellation if they took rorish out they would have no show left, so at least until the next season she is the lead. 
I think they will loose close to 30-40% of the ratings because of this stunt alone, the reruns in the summer will not help them bring more fans since all those episodes have neal and christa.
Instead of working hard to save all the fans for next year and  trying to get a few more during the summer reruns (and they will really need everyone) they are alienating them  and they will not be able to gain too much fans since their competition next year is going to be very tough. 

They will lose for sure. In september will come back to watch other part of viewers  who don't use internet. And believe me, there is such as group people. And they will have "a big unpleasant surprise". They won't know about changes and will feel like we, cheated especialy when if they will watch reruns in the summer. Once again will be aloud. I'm waiting only to read what they will think etc ..  watching will be totaly waste of time for me so I won't.

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(edited)

I am so mad. Christa, Neal, and Leanne (and maybe Mama) were about the only characters drawing me to this show and what made it different from the other hospital shows.

Bye Code Black, it's been nice (I wished we've at least had some closure on the Neal/Christa story. What a slap in the face for the viewers).

Edited by Sarnia
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(edited)
8 hours ago, anlinn said:

You know, after what Michael Seitzman did and wrote, you can expect everything even that what you wrote. If it is to bring him and show better rating he'll do it without looking at the feelings of fans. I don't think that he is planning decent goodbye for Bonnie&Raza, it not his style.

The worst was after his tweets appeared many speculation about leaving Bonnie and Raza. Even this that they wanted leave show because they had offered new jobs! Bonnie's mom reacted on FB, and wrote when and how they got information about cutting their role. She couldn't stand bullshit. Of course this post .. was later deleted. But  you know if something goes viral never disappear, so her post appear once again as printscreen.

So after producer and CBS you can expect everything.

b&r.jpg

Wow it's even worse than I thought. You have no idea of how much I hope that both Bonnie and Raza will find another successful show soon. I don't think I'll stop being angry until they do. You can't do anything about Executive Meddling, but you can be decent and honest with people you work with. CBS, well, we know networks. But Seitzman and the other producers?  Disgusting.

M.Seitzman is now playing the "we have a large crew that works hard (please don't drop our show)". Yeah, cry me a river.  He reminds me of the HIMYM producers.

Now Code Black 2.0 seems to "inspire" from the Night Shift, with an ex-military doctor. I know I said I didn't care who was on or not, but it's like a train wreck. I didn't think I'd ever see a show spiraling even faster than Sleepy Hollow.

New Male Co-Lead

I feel that it adds insult to injury for Raza Jaffrey because "late thirties/early fourties", "sexy to women and compelling to men" EXCUSE-ME? And doesn't the description sound like Leanne, with the cowboy thing? I see more of a "future replacement" than a "love interest" here. 

Edited by Happy Harpy
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5 minutes ago, Happy Harpy said:

Wow it's even worse than I thought. You have no idea of how much I hope that both Bonnie and Raza will find another successful show soon. You can't do anything about Executive Meddling, but you can be decent and honest with people you work with. CBS, well, we know networks. But Seitzman and the other producers?  Disgusting.

M.Seitzman is now playing the "we have a large crew that works hard (please don't drop our show)". Yeah, cry me a river.  He reminds me of the HIMYM producers.

Oh, and now Code Black 2.0 is going to copy the Night Shift, with an ex-military doctor.  I know I said I didn't care what happened but it's actually f

New Male Co-Lead

I feel that it adds insult to injury for Raza Jaffrey because "late thirties/early fourties", "sexy to women and compelling to men" EXCUSE-ME? And doesn't the description sound like Leanne, with the cowboy thing? I see more some "future replacement" than "love interest" here. 

Nobody is safe in Code Black ;). I won't be surprised if Leanne earlier or later disappears if she won't be suit to "new direction". I wish her and others all the best but everything is possible. For sure I will be waiting to see first rating in september. That would be very interesting who will be right we or producer.

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Considering the fact that they will never give Melanie Chandra's Malaya any personal story that involves a healthy relationship with another woman because...CBS I'm not sure I'll be back based on these casting decisions. The reasons why I started watching were for MGH, Bonnie and Raza and got Melanie's Malaya character to boot. I hate the direction CBS is going overall and worry about their upcoming show Doubt with Laverne Cox because when has CBS ever gotten LGBT characters correct??? See Kalinda on The Good Wife.

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(edited)
1 hour ago, anlinn said:

Today Joy D'Angelo wrote what is closest to the true what was written till now! I always liked her point of view and she didn't disappoint me even now. Plus what today spoilertv wrote .. we will have "Night shift" with "GA" together!

http://www.tvovermind.com/code-black/code-black-season-2-is-revamped-with-no-more-christa-neal

I thought that she was way too nice and I certainly didn't look forward to anything involving Saint Ex or a damn love quadrangle. This wasn't why I was watching Code Black. As for the sex-tape blackmail, it belongs to Gossip Girl-like teenage soaps imo.

BTW, they axed Raza and Bonnie a few days ago, and they already have the detailed description of the new male co-lead. I begin to think that it was cynically orchestrated very much in advance and in order to use the shock of losing two beloved and popular characters to create buzz and attract new viewers for S2...obviously they don't care about losing their S1 audience (or a good chunk of it). I wouldn't be surprised, actually, if Code Black channeled ER (Ghant) and Grey's Anatomy (George) with Neal and Christa in order to do the same thing with the offliners/casual viewers, comes September.

1 hour ago, maraleia said:

Considering the fact that they will never give Melanie Chandra's Malaya any personal story that involves a healthy relationship with another woman because...CBS I'm not sure I'll be back based on these casting decisions.

The cast is so bloated that I don't see how they'll be able to give storylines, less significant ones, to everyone or even to half of the cast.

There will be nine regulars: Leanne, Jesse, Rollie, Angus, Mario, Malaya, Heather, Campbell, Co-lead MartyStu and four heavily recurring new characters. There are the nurses, cops, patients of the week etc. Even if they do a Bones squint-rotation thing with the new residents it's still too much.  They can't humanly develop everything in 50 minutes long episodes, imo.

Either it becomes a procedural where everybody is interchangeable because there is no personal storyline at all, but the choice of keeping Campbell and Heather (after what they did to her at the end of the season) doesn't seem to go in this direction. Either it becomes a true night soap with "plots" and relationships going ten miles a minute (because tweeners love "fast-paced"). Either several characters will get the short end of the stick.

Edited by Happy Harpy
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While I liked Christa and Neal and am surprised the actors are gone (for whatever reasons), I wasn't a shipper and I won't miss them.  I'm looking forward to the new actors and seeing the show again. 

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I really liked the chemistry that Raza and Bonnie had, not only between themselves but also with the other characters.  The whole team seemed to mesh together very well.  I disliked Heather, Saint Ex, and Campbell and felt that they served very little purpose.  I liked having characters that were nice but flawed people.  Seeing characters that treated others shabbily and rudely be elevated for drama detracts from the show for me.  So sad to see a show that I really liked and invested in take this route.  I am out.    

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Just read an article about a medical resident who began writing for TV, including Code Black:

 

Quote

Accuracy is taken so seriously, he says, that fellow staff doctor Ryan McGarry actually taught the actors on Code Black to put in central lines, and rigged up an elaborate system for making CPR look lifelike without injuring the actors. “If you’re not accurate, you risk being irresponsible to people who watch these shows,” Sethi says.

One thing that’s stretching the truth? The number of emergencies and high-drama cases the doctors see on a regular basis, Sethi says.

Had to include that last bit, as it made me chuckle. We PTVers had have a thing or two to say about that. 

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Just watching too. Got first 2 episodes in. I think I realized I like Hospital dramas as I have watched most of them. The Knick finished up, ER is long over, Grey's needs to be 'put to pasture'...so I am in like Flint for this show. I don't know where it's been all this time...LOL!

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I just saw the promo last night & came here to catch up. No Neal & Christa means I'm out. This show was on the bubble for me anyway & the direction they're going makes my choice easy.  I'm not going to stay around while TPTB muck up the chemistry the show had & add multiple new younger characters. 

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8 hours ago, twoods said:

I just saw the new promo- there is no Neal or Christa in them. Is it panic time? Saw some new residents instead, and Rob Lowe.

Neal and Christa are gone and their departure will not be addressed  on the show in any way or shape (official word from the showrunner himself, source: TVLine).

Edited by Happy Harpy
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15 hours ago, twoods said:

I just saw the new promo- there is no Neal or Christa in them. Is it panic time? Saw some new residents instead, and Rob Lowe.

I don't think it's any reason to 'panic' since this was entirely expected.

I'm extremely bitter about it, though. I may or may not give the first episode a chance, but most likely not. Maybe I'll see what you all think of it first, to see if it's worth the time. I feel bad for the other actors.

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7 hours ago, Happy Harpy said:

Neal and Christa are gone and their departure will not be addressed  on the show in any way or shape (official word from the showrunner himself, source: TVLine).

I had no clue! Now I'm looking at the above posts and realized this is old news. I was set with CBS keeping this show and canceling Limitless because Neal and Christa were coming back on my screen. Screw you CBS! I may be done with this show now. So bummed. 

Edited by twoods
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(edited)

I could see the show letting go Rob Lowe; he was brought on to raise ratings which didn't happen and he is probably the highest paid actor on the show.  I like Ethan, so I hope he comess back in season 3. But I wouldn't be surprised if he was written out.

Edited by Fireball
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Damn.  That's a shock.  Given how they made the last episode almost like a neatly wrapped up season finale, I wonder if they're all a bit surprised as well.  I, for one, am glad it's back.  I'd love to see Rob Lowe again, too. 

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(edited)

So Melanie Chandra (Malaya) won't be returning that's disappointing. However, I'm not exactly surprised, she spent a lot of last season not having a story. I have to say that I am surprised that Rob Lowe is coming back. I was expecting him to be written out.

ETA: anyone know if Leanne and Jesse will be back?

Edited by Fireball
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18 hours ago, Fireball said:

So Melanie Chandra (Malaya) won't be returning that's disappointing. However, I'm not exactly surprised, she spent a lot of last season not having a story. I have to say that I am surprised that Rob Lowe is coming back. I was expecting him to be written out.

ETA: anyone know if Leanne and Jesse will be back?

Code Black firing a white man? LOL.

Rob Lowe's character even got a promotion, since he's going to be on an ambulance with his own new partner (an actress from Falling Skies). How much screentime will be left to the dozen of other characters in the actual ER is anyone's guess. The (female, of course) characters they axed were seemingly  non-entities in S2, so their absence won't give more leeway there.

Jesse and Leanne are back. And Leanne will get one storyline for sure since Ariel is back, too.

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2 hours ago, Happy Harpy said:

Code Black firing a white man? LOL.

Rob Lowe's character even got a promotion, since he's going to be on an ambulance with his own new partner (an actress from Falling Skies).

Leanne will get one storyline for sure since Ariel is back, too.

Well I would think Rob Lowe wouldn't be a cheap salary to pay which is why I was expecting him to be written out. So wait he's going to be on ambulance instead of in the ER that seems random and weird to me. I guess the partner is going to be his love interest. 

 

And Ariel is going to be back... All I can say is Ugh 

Edited by Fireball
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According to TV Guide:

Quote

Dr. Willis (Rob Lowe) is getting a new partner on Code Black next season, and she's right up his alley.


The CBS medical drama has recruited Moon Bloodgood to play Rox, "a brassy and competitive paramedic who thinks fast on her feet and doesn't scare easily," according to TVLine. Rox will be Willis' counterpart as he heads into the field this season and the two are going to challenge each other.

(Moon Bloodgood?  Seriously?)

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16 hours ago, Netfoot said:

According to TV Guide:

  QUOTE

Dr. Willis (Rob Lowe) is getting a new partner on Code Black next season, and she's right up his alley.


The CBS medical drama has recruited Moon Bloodgood to play Rox, "a brassy and competitive paramedic who thinks fast on her feet and doesn't scare easily," according to TVLine. Rox will be Willis' counterpart as he heads into the field this season and the two are going to challenge each other. /QUOTE

Sounds dreadful, and we have seen this character/situation so many times, on so many shows. They will hate each other at first, she will ignore his orders (I'm guessing he will be her boss or at least ahead of her in the pecking order), then will go rogue but it works out perfectly, and he will begrudgingly give her props. Oh - maybe she'll save his life! Meanwhile, the countdown to the will they/won't they will be unbearable, and by unbearable I mean annoying, until they are going at it in the back of the ambulance. And she will be at least 10 years younger than he is. 

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10 hours ago, Toothbrush said:

Sounds dreadful, and we have seen this character/situation so many times, on so many shows. They will hate each other at first, she will ignore his orders (I'm guessing he will be her boss or at least ahead of her in the pecking order), then will go rogue but it works out perfectly, and he will begrudgingly give her props. Oh - maybe she'll save his life! Meanwhile, the countdown to the will they/won't they will be unbearable, and by unbearable I mean annoying, until they are going at it in the back of the ambulance. And she will be at least 10 years younger than he is. 

I think you nailed where Ethan's story is going to go. And I agree the whole thing sounds annoying and dreadful.  Also why is Ethan out on ambulance runs all the time; it doesn't make sense he's an ER doctor. I know that drs do got out in the field from time to time, but it sounds like being out in the field/doing ambulance runs is Ethan's new job. If Ethan is going to be separated from the hospital & main cast all the time idk why CBS just didn't go ahead and give Rob Lowe a spin off show.

Edited by Fireball
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13 hours ago, Toothbrush said:

And she will be at least 10 years younger than he is. 

Eleven.

But it's quite believable, because, after all, delicious young women throw themselves at me all the time.  I have to beat them off with a stick!

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9 hours ago, Fireball said:

I think you nailed where Ethan's story is going to go. And I agree the whole thing sounds annoying and dreadful.  Also why is Ethan out on ambulance runs all the time; it doesn't make sense he's an ER doctor. I know that drs do got out in the field from time to time, but it sounds like being out in the field/doing ambulance runs is Ethan's new job. If Ethan is going to be separated from the hospital & main cast all the time idk why CBS just didn't go ahead and give Rob Lowe a spin off show.

Maybe this is the set up to a spin off. I think Rob Lowe works really well off of Marcia Gay Harden & Luis Guzman, but maybe he, or the network, wants him to go his own way. It would make sense actually, since he is a popular actor on an established show. 

6 hours ago, Netfoot said:

Eleven.

But it's quite believable, because, after all, delicious young women throw themselves at me all the time.  I have to beat them off with a stick!

LOL! My husband complains about that too! ;-) 

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Quote

They will hate each other at first, she will ignore his orders (I'm guessing he will be her boss or at least ahead of her in the pecking order), then will go rogue but it works out perfectly, and he will begrudgingly give her props. Oh - maybe she'll save his life! Meanwhile, the countdown to the will they/won't they will be unbearable, and by unbearable I mean annoying, until they are going at it in the back of the ambulance. And she will be at least 10 years younger than he is. 

You totally deserve a writing credit (and the pay!) for that.

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On 7/22/2017 at 1:57 AM, Fireball said:

Well I would think Rob Lowe wouldn't be a cheap salary to pay which is why I was expecting him to be written out. So wait he's going to be on ambulance instead of in the ER that seems random and weird to me. I guess the partner is going to be his love interest.

 Oh, your reasoning makes perfect sense. They brought Rob Lowe  to broaden the ratings and...well, to my recollection it's the first time that Deadline mentions the numbers for the second-to-last episode of a show and not the finale when they announce a renewal. They were too bad for CBS, even for a midseason filler. From what I heard at the time, the network expected at least a 1.5 for 2x01 and it was already down to tie S1 low (1.1) in the second half-hour. So yes, it was absolutely logical to conclude he would be gone.

What I meant is, it doesn't work like this on CBS. They thought that S1 didn't work because it's was female-led and there was no white male among the five lead characters (billing, in order: Leanne, Neal, Christa, Malaya plus Jesse's "and" in the credits). The ratings for S2 sucked? OK, let's give Rob Lowe his own new segment, and fire the Asian actress who plays a lesbian to replace her with another Asian actress with lighter skin, whose character can sleep with a guy. If you add that Code Black was renewed at the very last minute while it was up against the last pilot in contention, The Get, which was female-led (Amy Brenneman)...well, again.

It would be unfair to blame Rob Lowe only, though. He actually did bring some viewers.  Not the male or young viewers that CBS hoped for with the casting changes. Nowhere near enough to avoid or even cushion the fall. But enough to avoid the show being pulled from schedule (in the USA, at least). So people who watch for Rob Lowe will leave if he does, but viewers who left because of the casting changes/concept change won't come back. Oopsy.

I mean, they won't stay because of the writing. Giving full control of the show to the creator was really the biggest mistake that CBS made. IIRC, he in turn booted the veteran EP and many of the writers who penned the highest-rated and best episodes of S1. What were they thinking, really ?

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9 hours ago, Happy Harpy said:

It was actually cancelled last year. The showrunner admitted it was supposed to be the finale season (and pretended it still had a chance...just before CBS renewed Elementary. LOL).

hmm interesting because it's all coming out this year..but thanks for the info. 

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