‘CODE OF SILENCE’ TV REVIEW: AN EXCELLENT BUT TENSE BRITISH DRAMA
Another darker crime drama is dropping on one of our favorite British streaming services. This time it’s Code of Silence, and the drama is, as usual, quite good.
Code of Silence (2025) TV Series Review
Working on a high-profile case with some shady people planning a serious hit, DS Ashleigh Francis (Charlotte Ritchie) is good at what she does. From time to time, cases still challenge her. This inspires her to suggest and fight to bring in Alison (Rose Ayling-Ellis). A hard worker who works in the police canteen, and cares for her mother, Alison is trying to keep her head above water. Living as a deaf woman, it’s her skill reading lips that Ashleigh is looking to use in her case when her usual lip readers are unavailable.
Alison ends up being good at this work, but when she begins to care for one of the possible suspects, things get complicated as she is drawn into this dangerous world she knows nothing about.
‘CODE OF SILENCE’ TV REVIEW: AN EXCELLENT BUT TENSE BRITISH DRAMA. Reviewing the new #BritBox drop #CodeofSilence, a tense and exciting mystery! #CharlotteRitchie (from Call the Midwife) is part of the cast. Share on X
Like almost anything from the British or international streaming services I watch, Code of Silence is quite good. It’s reminiscent of other such titles like Patience (on PBS Masterpiece) but still has its own voice. The plucking of a civilian out of normal life to offer an assist to investigators is a common trope that has been done time and again. But it’s one I still enjoy. This one doesn’t have the humor of its peers though it makes up for this in intrigue and good storytelling. Plus, like usual, the cast is quite brilliant.
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I may not be over her exit in Call the Midwife, but I love seeing Charlotte Ritchie in other roles and this is even more fun because I haven’t seen her play a character like this. Rose Ayling-Ellis isn’t a name or talent I know but she’s also really good. There are various other supporting stars including Joe Absolom (Doc Martin) and Andrew Buchan (The ABC Murders, Cranford). Everyone is good although some are more memorable to see than others.
The show begins with the expiration event and then backtracks to three weeks earlier which is a fun way to make us wonder what happened? The story is intriguing and though only six episodes, the idea is this will be a concise story which is part of what is so interesting about British dramas. It’s one of those stories that is building the tension and while some characters we have a clear vision on whether they are good or bad, others we are left to wonder, who are they? The series is off to a good start and I like said already, I’m so pleased that these shows have a story to tell but do it in a short six episodes then, hopefully, move on. Because yes, a second season would be worth seeing, too. The first two episodes are available now.
Stream, at publication, episodes one – two of Code of Silence now on BritBox; stream the rest of the season with weekly episode drops until the show ends.
Photos: Alamy
Content: there are a few uses of strong profanity that use the F-word. The show is building to a point, so there is some tension that leads up to this. There is some “roughing up” of a character but mostly (at least in episodes one and though although obviously bad happens in the end) it’s a mental game. The series rates TV-MA.
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