BritBox just unleashed the trailer for Code of Silence—and it’s a crime thriller with a twist so sharp, it could cut glass. Rose Ayling-Ellis (EastEnders) stars as Alison Woods, a Deaf lip-reader roped into a high-stakes heist investigation. But here’s the kicker: She starts falling for one of the criminals. Cue the moral chaos.
This isn’t just another cops-and-robbers snoozefest. Code of Silence flips the script by centering a Deaf protagonist in a genre that usually treats disability as a punchline or afterthought. The trailer’s standout moment? Alison’s icy stare as a detective warns her, “Just stick to lip reading. Leave the detection to us.” Spoiler: She won’t.
Compare it to The Silent Twins (2022), which also spotlighted marginalized voices—but Code of Silence cranks up the tension with a Collateral-meets-Fleabag energy. And with Alison going rogue, the series could either redefine representation… or drown in its own audacity.
Lip-reading as a detective tool isn’t new (See No Evil, anyone?), but Code of Silence weaponizes it in a way that’s eerily timely. In an era where surveillance tech dominates, Alison’s skills are both her superpower and her curse.
Behind the scenes, the series boasts a stacked lineup: Catherine Moulton (The Stolen Girl) as creator, with directing chops from Diarmuid Goggins (Kin). Even Ayling-Ellis is an executive producer—proof that Deaf talent isn’t just in front of the camera.
Genius or garbage? A Deaf-led thriller that actually listens—or a risky romance that could backfire? Code of Silence hits BritBox July 24. Place your bets.
