In an entertainment landscape where truly original content is increasingly rare, ITV’s “Code of Silence” has emerged as a revolutionary force in television storytelling. This six-part crime thriller has accomplished what few series ever manage—achieving a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the industry’s most respected review aggregator. Led by former “EastEnders” and “Strictly Come Dancing” star Rose Ayling-Ellis, the series has redefined how deaf characters are portrayed on screen while delivering a compelling mystery that has critics unanimously praising its innovation and execution.
The show follows Alison Brooks, a deaf woman working in a police canteen whose exceptional lip-reading skills draw her into a dangerous investigation of a jewelry heist. What sets this series apart isn’t just its premise but its authentic approach to deaf representation, with Ayling-Ellis serving not only as the lead but also as an executive producer, ensuring the portrayal remains genuine throughout. As the series prepares for its international release on BritBox, it stands as a testament to how thoughtful representation and compelling storytelling can coexist to create something truly groundbreaking in the television landscape.
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Rose Ayling-Ellis: A Star-Making Performance
Rose Ayling-Ellis’s portrayal of Alison Brooks in “Code of Silence” has been universally praised as the standout element of the series. Critics have described her performance as “exceptional” and “sublime,” with Charlotte O’Sullivan of the Independent UK going so far as to suggest that Ayling-Ellis delivers “a performance fit to rank alongside the best work of Saoirse Ronan.”
What makes Ayling-Ellis’s performance particularly noteworthy is how she balances vulnerability with strength. Alison is not portrayed as a one-dimensional character defined solely by her deafness. Instead, she’s shown as a complex individual with desires, frustrations, and ambitions. The character lives in a council house with her deaf single mother (played brilliantly by Fifi Garfield), and class issues are front and center in the narrative.
Alison Rowat of The Herald Scotland noted that Ayling-Ellis’s performance allows viewers to “watch a star of the small screen being formed,” highlighting how this role marks a significant evolution in her career. Having already broken barriers with her victory on “Strictly Come Dancing” and appearances in “Doctor Who,” Ayling-Ellis has now proven herself capable of carrying a series as the lead.
Perhaps most refreshingly, the series allows Ayling-Ellis to portray a character with sexual agency. Her chemistry with Kieron Moore, who plays gang member Liam, has been described as “off-the-charts,” challenging stereotypes about how disabled characters are typically portrayed in romantic contexts.
Authentic Representation of Deaf Experience
What sets “Code of Silence” apart from other shows featuring disabled characters is its commitment to authentic representation. Writer Catherine Moulton, who is partially deaf herself, brings personal experience to the script, resulting in what Carol Midgley of The Times UK describes as writing “from experience and with veracity.”
The series takes great care to accurately portray the realities of lip-reading, dispelling common myths about the practice. Rather than presenting it as a magical ability, the show demonstrates that lip-reading is complex and involves reading entire bodies, not just mouths. This is cleverly visualized through an innovative use of subtitles, where letters initially appear blurred before settling into clear sentences—mimicking the process of interpretation that lip-readers experience.
Sound design plays a crucial role in immersing viewers in Alison’s perspective. Helen Hawkins of The Arts Desk specifically praised the “perfect” sound effects that help simulate the deaf experience for hearing audiences. This attention to detail extends to the use of British Sign Language (BSL) throughout the series, which is presented naturally and without explanation, normalizing its presence for viewers.
Lucy Mangan of The Guardian summarized this achievement perfectly, noting that viewers can “watch and learn—or at least newly appreciate an underacknowledged world—without being shortchanged on entertainment at all. That’s quite a triumph.”
Critical Reception and Perfect Score
“Code of Silence” has achieved something remarkable in today’s critical landscape—a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on reviews from eight respected critics. This places it among an elite group of television shows that have managed to achieve universal critical acclaim.
| Publication | Critic | Rating | Key Quote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guardian | Lucy Mangan | 4/5 | “You can watch and learn without being shortchanged on your entertainment at all. That’s quite a triumph.” |
| Independent UK | Charlotte O’Sullivan | 4/5 | “Code of Silence is truly groundbreaking, and the first three installments are sublime.” |
| Daily Telegraph | Anita Singh | 4/5 | “A taut plot sees Alison drawn further into danger, and the direction builds a real air of menace.” |
| Times UK | Carol Midgley | 4/5 | “A fresh, original drama that has done the near impossible and given us a cop drama with something new to say.” |
| London Evening Standard | Vicky Jessop | 4/5 | “An addictive Sunday night drama.” |
| Financial Times | Dan Einav | 3/5 | “Ayling-Ellis succeeds in capturing feelings of insecurity and excitement and imbues Alison with authenticity.” |
| The Arts Desk | Helen Hawkins | 3/5 | “The handling of lip-reading is fascinating, and the sound effects are perfect.” |
| The Herald Scotland | Alison Rowat | Positive | “By far the best thing about it is Ayling-Ellis.” |
While critics acknowledge some flaws—including plot holes and occasionally pulpy later episodes—the consensus is that the show’s strengths far outweigh its weaknesses. The first three episodes, in particular, have been singled out for special praise, with O’Sullivan calling them “sublime.”
Breaking New Ground in Representation
“Code of Silence” arrives at a pivotal moment in the evolution of disability representation on screen. As Charlotte O’Sullivan notes, “Members of the disabled community are no longer grateful to be noticed. They’re not willing to tolerate half measures.”
The series avoids the common pitfall of presenting its deaf protagonist as an “inspiration” or defining her solely through her disability. Instead, Alison is shown as a fully realized character whose deafness is just one aspect of her identity. The show explores how being both deaf and working class creates multiple layers of marginalization, with Alison noting that people “underestimate me. A lot of people do.”
By casting deaf actors in deaf roles—including both Ayling-Ellis and Fifi Garfield as her mother—the series demonstrates a commitment to authentic representation that goes beyond tokenism. Ayling-Ellis’s role as an executive producer further ensures that the deaf perspective is incorporated at all levels of production.
This approach stands in stark contrast to earlier portrayals of deaf characters on television, which often relied on hearing actors or presented deafness as something to be “overcome” rather than as a different way of experiencing the world.
The Future of Inclusive Storytelling
The success of “Code of Silence” points to a promising future for inclusive storytelling in television. By achieving both critical acclaim and creating compelling entertainment, the series demonstrates that authentic representation can enhance rather than hinder storytelling.
As the show prepares for its international release on BritBox, it has the potential to influence how deaf characters are portrayed globally. The series proves that audiences are ready for complex, nuanced portrayals of disabled characters that move beyond stereotypes and inspiration narratives.
For Rose Ayling-Ellis, this role marks another significant step in a career that has consistently broken barriers. From her groundbreaking silent dance on “Strictly Come Dancing” to her leading role in “Code of Silence,” she continues to challenge perceptions and expand opportunities for deaf performers.
The perfect Rotten Tomatoes score serves not just as recognition of the show’s quality but as validation that audiences and critics alike are hungry for fresh perspectives and authentic representation. As Vicky Jessop of the London Evening Standard put it, the series is “addictive” despite its flaws, proving that innovative approaches to storytelling can captivate viewers while advancing representation.
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FAQs
What makes “Code of Silence” different from other crime dramas featuring characters with disabilities?
Unlike many shows that treat disabilities as either a superpower or a burden to overcome, “Code of Silence” presents deafness as simply one aspect of Alison’s identity. Written by Catherine Moulton, who is partially deaf herself, the series offers an authentic portrayal of the deaf experience, including accurate representations of lip-reading techniques and the social challenges deaf people face.
The show also explores intersectionality by examining how Alison’s working-class background compounds the marginalization she experiences as a deaf woman. Rather than focusing solely on Alison’s ability to lip-read as a “special skill,” the series develops her as a complex character with desires, flaws, and agency—including sexual agency, which is rarely afforded to disabled characters on television. This nuanced approach, combined with Rose Ayling-Ellis’s involvement as both star and executive producer, ensures that the representation feels genuine rather than exploitative.
When will “Code of Silence” be available to watch internationally, and what can viewers expect?
“Code of Silence” premiered on ITVX in the UK on May 18, 2025, and will be available internationally through BritBox, though exact release dates for different regions have not yet been announced. The series consists of six episodes that follow deaf caterer Alison Brooks as she becomes involved in a police investigation using her lip-reading skills, only to develop feelings for one of the suspects.
Viewers can expect a taut thriller with elements of romance, humor, and social commentary, enhanced by innovative visual techniques that help simulate the experience of lip-reading. While critics note that the later episodes become somewhat pulpy and convoluted, the consensus is that the first three episodes are particularly strong, with Charlotte O’Sullivan of the Independent UK describing them as “sublime.”
