Der Code

Wow, what a promising start to a series. I've seen some really good quality coming out of Australia lately and wonderful to see a political thriller now. Absolutely outstanding acting from Ashley Zukerman. I can see him moving on to films in the states, with that talent.

The pilot is gripping from the very initial scene where the accident takes place. I love the way Jesse's mental health issue is portrayed, it's delicate but raw. There should be more programs showing what life is like for those with mental health issues. Portraying such issues in a positive way helps others to understand that they are people first.

This is a first for me, giving a ten out of ten but this is well worth it. I look forward to watching the rest of the series.

This is ABC TV's most ambitious political tense thriller about a Government cover up involving two teenagers (Aaron Grath; Clarence Boyd & Madeleine Madden; Sheyna Smith) in a car accident that collided with a truck- one dies set in the fictitious country town of Lindara ( filmed in Broken Hill). Journalist Ned Banks ( Dan Spielman) comes across this story when he is given a file by a Government worker Sophie Walsh (Chelsie Preston-Crayford) who he gets his brother Jesse (Ashley Zuckerman) who has autism but smart to hack into the computer to retrieve the full video the teens left on their phone. The Code is full of A grade talented actors like Lucy Lawless (Alex Wisham) a school teacher in Lindara who contacted Ned and Aaron Pedersen plays Lindara's police officer Tim Simons, Steve Rogers & Dan Wylie play AFP officers, Aden Young and David Wenham play powerful Government officials desperate to keep the accident a secret.

Like many Australians I have been let down by the calibre of television in this country. Never did I think I would award 10 stars to an Australian show. That was under I started "The Code". I didn't expect much from this show, in fact I thought a "Samson & Delilah" esque plot would evolve from the synopsis. How wrong I was.

There are several plot lines running concurrently. One is set in the bush in a remote town where Alex (a VERY unrecognisable Lucy Lawless) has set up shop as a bleeding heart teacher. Two of her students take her car for a joyride. Cut to Canberra where we get a glimpse into the surprisingly thrilling world of Australian politics. My personal favourite is watching the complex relationship between brothers Ned & Jessie unfold, Ned being an internet journalist who uncovers the story of the missing teens & Jessie being a brilliant but troubled computer geek. This is all tied together beautifully with the Australian version of the NSA on the trail of our would be heroes. Gripping stuff.

This is every bit as slick & well developed as its Hollywood counterparts, in particular Homeland (before it went weird). Give it a go, you will not be disappointed.

I'm not going to write a review discussing the profound elements of the show, but just a viewer's opinion. In Canada we just got this on the SuperChannel in January so I do not know how this ends. I watched it because there was nothing on telly.....and then the first episode had me riveted and I wanted, no needed the next episode. I really like this show, and not all specialized series are worth much, in fact there are sooo many police shows, gangsters, spies....when does it end, but this show, completely original, actually has me looking forward to the next episode. I have no idea what will happen in any episode, but the fact is that a lot happens in each episode, it feels so much longer than an hour because the show is constantly throwing in a twist and moving....no drawn out drama. I'm so glad I watched it and I highly recommend "the code" to anyone who wants to watch something different but high in action, the actors are great, they are so believable and I'm invested in them. Ashley Zukerman deserves recognition for his role as he is so believable. Dan Spielman is fantastic as his brothers keeper and I have not seen Lucy Lawless since her Zena days but she really can act and does so superbly. I hope there's another season (even tho I don't know how it ends) and thank you so much for creating a TV series that is original, well acted and addictive.

Australian thriller 'The Code' brings to mind the classic BBC thriller 'Edge of Darkness', with its story of nuclear secrets, dodgy corporations and untrustworthy government. But we make dramas differently now, and the pace is much faster - which is not altogether a bad thing, although the slick graphics and camera-work are sometimes distracting. There are also some disappointing clichés: the genius hackers who can do just about everything, and the expository graphics that the computers conveniently display for the sole purpose of telling us that they're currently being hacked. Another point of critique is that, apart from the good guys, just about everyone else seems utterly ruthless and violent, in a way that slightly beggars belief: our heroes are asked to make constrained choices, but the motivations of the villains are seemingly explained by villainy alone. That said, the plot is both superficially clever and substantially intelligent, and there's some genuine emotion in the relationship of the central protagonist and his socially limited brother. And for Europeans like me, a chance to get a glimpse of the bleak beauty of the Australia itself.