(We’re going to pretend Bonekickers never happened, much like BBC One’s audience did.)

The year is 2013. Set immediately after a nuclear bomb has gone off in London, the government have relocated further North and, with a generation of devastation to manage and a civilisation to rebuild as radiation sickness and southern refugees are treated and relocated, it’s a recognisable post-apocalyptic world in Britain.

Oh, and did we mention the hot young things taking over MI5? Yes, the old crew are gone, through either the obvious bombing or recruitment into a lucrative private sector, leaving the door wide open to recruit the young and the beautiful to compete with younger and more beautiful terrorists that need to be stopped. Get the gist?

Aimed firmly at BBC Three’s target demographic, the last semblance of reality-touching that kept both Spooks and Life On Mars believable appears to have gone off for its holidays when it came to Code 9. That said, the actors (including Doctor Who‘s ‘daughter’ Georgia Moffett) are fair, the plots twisty and turny, and the score amps the tension up amply. It’s fun, just not as good as you’d expect from the Kudos stable.

Released on DVD on 8th September 2008 by Contender Home Entertainment.