PILOT REVIEW: The Code

THE CODE

Starring: Luke Mitchell, Anna Wood, Ato Essandoh, Phillipa Soo, Raffi Barsoumian, and Dana Delany

Created by Craig Sweeny and Craig Turk
Written by Craig Sweeny & Craig Turk, Directed by Marc Webb

IN SHORT: NCIS: The Code

THE PREMISE:
The Code is a military/legal drama where a team of captains seek to expose some of the more sinister sides of the military while protecting the brave men and women who serve. At the center of the legal team is Captain John Abraham (Luke Mitchell), Captain Maya Dobbins (Anna Wood), and Major Trey Ferry (Ato Essandoh). Rounding out the main cast is their boss, Colonel Glenn Turnbull (Dana Delany) and Hamilton alum Phillipa Soo as Lt. Harper Li.

THE REVIEW:
In 2017-18, we had an influx of military dramas with The Brave, SEAL Team, and Valor all premiering within weeks of each other. Only the struggling SEAL Team remains and I didn't watch any of them past their first episode. I don't see myself really getting into The Code either, but it's slightly more intriguing to me due to the legal angle even though it appears to be a by the book legal drama, just with a military setting.

The cast is solid here. Luke Mitchell and Anna Wood have good chemistry with each other as the sparring captains who actually have some respect for each other (and, of course, some sexual tension). The best addition to the cast is Dana Delany who brings some gravitas to the proceedings. It's good to see Delany back on network TV and she always exudes a strong presence. Ato Essandoh and Phillipa Soo have a couple comedic moments in the pilot too so overall, it's a pretty strong cast.

Exactly what makes this show a little more interesting to me than the other military dramas from last year is also what it makes it such a typical CBS procedural. As someone who watches a handful of the CBS procedurals, I can get on board. But don't mistake that for me saying this is a great drama or one with top notch writing or character development. It's pretty basic in every sense of the word even if it might have something to say about the inner workings of the military. The slightly fresh setting for a legal drama and more importantly, the winning performances, help to mask the utter average-ness of this drama.

BOTTOM LINE:
If it lasts, this feels like one of those shows that I'll record 2-3 times a year if the premise sounds interesting. I probably won't have missed much with character development in the meantime.