Code of Silence - Season 1

In Code of Silence, you often feel like telling Alison not to be so naive. For various reasons, that's pointless now. Of course, you're shouting at your TV screen that it's not very smart to do what Alison (Rose Ayling-Ellis) is doing. The idea that someone on the other side of the screen hears this is just as naive and silly. Moreover, you're watching a television series with actors, and the story has long been played out. The fact that Alison is deaf doesn't help when you're urging her to do something else. It's a sign that Code of Silence excels at engaging you as a viewer in the story.

Alison is a waitress in the canteen of a police station. In the evening, she works at a café/restaurant to earn extra money. She lives with her also deaf mother. Her relationship has just ended, which is why Alison is living at home again. The financial situation is dire, and when it is decided that the flats they live in will be sold, the future becomes even more uncertain. Alison feels (rightly) not always seen, and partly because of that feeling, she tends to overcompensate. When she is fired from the restaurant and gets the chance to take on tasks in a police investigation, she grabs it with both hands.

It's a sign that Code of Silence excels at engaging you as a viewer in the story.

The police investigation by Ashleigh Francis (Charlotte Ritchie) and James Marsh (Andrew Buchan) is at a standstill. They are investigating a number of criminals they know are up to something. The police just don't know what. Due to a lack of resources and too few lip-readers, they turn to Alison. Some of the police team react rather skeptically to the involvement of an untrained civilian. However, when Alison manages to achieve results, the enthusiasm grows.

Alison feels she constantly has to prove herself, especially in her new role. This causes her to go further than what is actually asked of her. Ashleigh, like James, tries to set boundaries for her. Stubborn and driven as Alison is, she continues to push forward despite those warnings. This places the police in a moral dilemma. Alison often goes too far, but by doing so she consistently provides vital information. Therefore, she manages to deflect the pressure to stop. In fact, she's increasingly being used. This doesn't always lead to smart choices.



Through her approach, Alison becomes more and more involved with the criminals. One of them manages to strike a chord with her. Where Alison appears strong, she also proves to be very vulnerable. The feelings seem mutual. As a result, there's an increasing risk that Alison will be discovered as a police informant. Her feelings also lead her to struggle more with her role. These feelings cause her to withhold information that could be important to the police investigation. When she receives an offer that, given her situation, she can't really refuse, the dilemma only grows larger.

Code of Silence provides a fascinating glimpse into another world. Rose is deaf in real life, which makes her role as Alison very believable. You see her struggling with a life that may feel everyday to most people. This makes Alison stronger and more driven. With those traits, she has managed to get by. Her great ambition often takes over. Her naïveté during her work in the police investigation is mainly because, as a civilian, she ends up in a situation she isn't prepared for. Her urge to prove herself makes her frequently go just a bit too far. That creates risks, both for her and for people in her private life.

Code of Silence provides a nice glimpse into another world.

The second season has already been announced, which is understandable. This first season, through a different approach, shows what a police investigation looks like in a different way. Furthermore, it is, in every aspect, a quintessentially British series. Acting is elevated to an art. Characters are well-developed, and the plot is cleverly devised. Unfortunately, it also has some flaws. It's just a bit too predictable to completely surprise. I must say, though, that you only realize this at the end of the season. Before that, you're mostly occupied with shouting at the TV screen, urging Alison not to do what she's about to do.