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CBS is getting viewers ready for the new season of Code Black and the many changes that are in store. On Friday stars Marcia Gay Harden and the show’s new co-star, Rob Lowe, did a CBS Facebook Live Lounge chat for the 2016 Television Critics Association summer tour. It’s intriguing to watch the interplay between Harden and Lowe. She let him take the lead, while occasionally reminding him of talking points. At times I found myself wondering if this dynamic was Harden & Lowe or their characters. The latter could be a lot of fun on the show! (Also, Harden looks awesome! I know Lowe’s the consider a “pretty boy” but he couldn’t outshine Harden’s sparkle.)
The two answered questions that came up on the shared tablet, but they also teased some of the first few episodes. What was the most encouraging? Harden’s comments about the characters of Dr. Neal Hudson (Raza Jaffrey) and Dr. Christa Lorenson (Bonnie Somerville). Viewers of season one were not thrilled to learn that Jaffrey and Somerville would not be back. Harden made a point of addressing their distress.
At least in my mind, Bonnie and Raza’s characters have gone on to get married and they’re in another hospital, doing great medicine at another hospital. And we remember them for their great teamwork and great medicine that they did.
The New Season of Code Black & Rob Lowe’s character
During its first season Code Black has had a number of well-known actors come and go. None of them have had the star power that Lowe does. Cress Williams had been brought in as a love interest for Harden’s character, but when that didn’t pan out he was abruptly gone. This addition of Lowe is not the same thing.
Yes, back in June, creator and executive producer Michael Seitzman made the point to not get too attached to any principle character. However, that seems to pertain to the large guest and recurring cast that the show will have. As Lowe’s character is one of 13 regulars, he will not be just passing through.
Takeaways from the chat
On the face of things Lowe’s character sounds very cool! Col. Ethan Willis is a doctor who’s been embedded at Angels Memorial by the U.S. Military’s ” elite army combat trauma unit that was recently stationed in Afghanistan.” Lowe explains that the idea is based on a real military medical program that sends doctors to teach “cutting edge battlefront technique to hospitals.
Lowe’s character gets to make a 35 foot jump out of a helicopter in the first episode. This is an immediate way for the audience to get he’s a tough and bad*ss kind of doctor. To that end, Lowe discusses “the golden hour” – a real-life concept from critical care combat that aims to cut down the time between an injury and when the person gets medical treatment. (Hence him jumping out of a helicopter.)
Lowe and Harden are both enthusiastic about the level of authenticity the show wants to continue to bring to the screen. The level of respect for what real doctors and nurses do hasn’t waned. This element from season one, of trying to really make things look authentic and pointing out the kind of pressure ER personnel are under every day isn’t going away. Thank goodness!…
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