Code 37

If you like punchy police, crime drama, this is for you. The lead actors are all excellent and believable. The detail is good and their mannerisms, eating habits etc... pretty much what you might expect. That is, not pretty but accurate! Some stories are a little too similar to others, but overall a good watch!

If the expanded title has a ring of click-bait about it, then be assured that the show in no way relies on titillation to keep your attention. That's not to say there isn't the odd seedy interlude here and there, but all emphasis is placed on the continuous development of the characters, the humorous banter between colleagues and a well engineered, slow-reveal, long story.

Initially, I found the shorter, episodic cases to be a little patchy, but with the passage of seasons two and three, they have improved immensely.

Of course, one of the most endearing features must be Baetens' sulky, yet enigmatic acting. In Season 3, her character's ongoing backstory is elevated to new heights, making for some truly memorable moments. I found her quite mesmerizing in 'Tabula Rasa', and even more so here.

My rating of the show so far has been - 7.6/10, 7.8/10 and 8.2/10

Although being a fan of Scandi Noir, from time to time, I am eager to widen my horizon and find out what is going on in other (European) countries vis-a-vis crime series. As I liked Belgian Salamander-series, I was referred to Code 37 - and became excited from the very beginning.

True, not all episodes are equally interesting and accomplished, sometimes I guessed the wrongdoer's's person and motives too soon, but the general atmosphere, combination of case-by-case and recurrent revenge and mystery and the beautiful panorama of Ghent make all the 3 seasons a whole, to be watched in sequence, not sporadically (at first, I thought that I would stick to Season 1 only, but I was interested to see the final solution which, however, could have been more sophisticated). And the topic of prostitution and related phenomena is depicted in a realistic manner, with far more minuses than pluses - if there is any glamour or wealth involved, then it is fake, concealing lots of serious issues.

But the most pleasant component of this series is the characters and cast, even when/if with some clichés and fathomable approaches. To me,Veerle Baetens and Hannah Maes and Gilles De Schryver as Kevin Desmet were the most interesting; the inclusion of several Wat als? actors in supporting roles was also a pleasant diversity - as their parts here were far from amusing or humorous.

Thus, a good series, making me willing to visit Ghent again - after several decades. Recommended, unless you are a strong supporter or frequent customer of prostitution...

So far this entertaining euro series has been just that, entertaining all the way. Complete stories within a longer overall story. As with so many of these "Scany noir(ish)" series the acting and photography are all excellent(although I think that the main lead needs to sharpen up her wall painting skills)!. Well worth the watch it will make you a happy bunny, just like her pet!

This is not a series for the delicate....as the conversations between the characters is very graphic and explicit (x-rated). The actress Baetens is absolutely one of the best female detective leads I have ever watched. Along with her team and their personality quirks, this series is fun watching just to watch them rather then for the actual storyline itself, as some episodes make it easy to guess who the bad guy is. But, what a diverse/comical/pathetic/endearing team of detectives they are! It's unfortunate the whole series is based on graphic sex-crimes as these characters would have appealed to a broader audience otherwise.