The Code - The Complete Series

This gripping Australian TV drama series has all the right ingredients to make it a memorable and thought-provoking viewing experience: an intelligent and complex plot, an engaging cast, brilliant cinematography, and enough cyber technology to appeal to a younger generation.

When two Aborigine teenage joyriders inadvertently crash their stolen car into a truck which happens to be part of an envoy, a monstrous can of worms is opened and help for the injured youngsters is not forthcoming. Some time later, Clarence (Aaron McGrath), one of the joyriders, returns a bloody and confused mess to Lindara, where teacher Alex Wisham (Lucy Lawless) had taken him into temporary care. It appears Clarence has no memory of the incident in the outback, however, since he is covered in blood and has no recollection of what has happened to Sheyna (Maddeleine Madden), his girlfriend and fellow passenger, he is arrested under suspicion of murder. It is only when Clarence is driven to the local hospital that his mobile phone falls out of his pocket… Back in Canberra, government officials get wind of the incident and apart from trying to find out more about it, at the same time refuse to go official. Instead,

Deputy Prime Minister Ian Bradley (David Wenham) gives relative material to chief of staff Randall Keats (Aden Young), who in turn instructs head of communication (and occasional squeeze) Sophie Walsh (Chelsie Preston Crayford) to leak the info to her ex boyfriend, PASSWORD journalist Ned Banks (Dan Spielman). Interested in the case, Ned contacts Alex in Lindara. Reluctantly, she sends Clarence’s mobile phone to him, who hands it to his highly autistic younger brother Jesse (Ashley Zukerman), an expert in computer hacking for which he has a cyber crime conviction. Jesse manages to repair the incomplete video clip, and it emerges that on the night of the incident both Clarence and Sheyna were threatened by one of the guys who escorted the truck and later pushed the car down the ravine with Sheyna in it. Wondering as to why no one called for help or reported the incident, Ned soon is on his way to Lindara. Both he and indeed Alex suspect that something very dodgy is going on after Jesse traces the truck’s number plate to Physanto, a biotech and medical research company but which might be up to something more sinister… Ignoring Ned’s warnings, Jesse, despite his conviction, can’t keep his fingers from computer hacking and hacks into Physanto’s server to download encrypted files, but unfortunately is caught in the act by cyber security.

Not only does this have dire consequences for the staff of Password, but Jesse gets kidnapped by the AFP, head of its Cyber Crime Unit lead by the nasty Malcolm Coover (Steve Rodgers). Within no time, Ned is offered a lucrative deal by the Deputy Prime Minister if he agrees to forget everything for the time being – and Jesse will be released. Obviously, this Deputy Prime Minister knows a little bit more than he should know. Reluctantly, Ned sees no alternative than to agree, much to the chagrin of the crusading Alex. However, with Jesse’s release their can only be more trouble in store for the two brothers, a lot more in fact! Enter the feisty Hani Parande (Adele Perovic), a fellow hacktivist who is about to supply a little romance for the severely dysfunctional Jesse – but is she what she appears to be?

Psycho hit-men, investigators with a conscience, bent politicians, oppressed asylum seekers, and twist and turns at every corner are all thrown into the same melting pot which makes up for a toxic brew. You’ll see what I mean.
With six episodes on this two-disc DVD set, The Code is perfect viewing for a rainy night!