What happens when you try to roll up a daily soap plot into a concise web series? You get a show like Code M. The Jennifer Winget-starrer show tries very hard to be structured and precise but isn’t quite able to achieve that. One ends up feeling that something is amiss.
The plot of the show is rather simple. Military lawyer, Major Monica Mehra (played by Jennifer Winget) is summoned by her mentor Colonel Suryaveer Chauhan (played by Rajat Kapoor) to conduct a formal inquiry into what seems like an open-and-shut case, of the death of an army officer and two militant suspects. However, as she begins to investigate the incident, she feels that it is a case of a murder, and not just an encounter.
On the night of the encounter, three army officers are shown chasing two suspected militants, and after a round of firing, the militants are gunned down and an officer loses his life. An inquiry is ordered into the case after the mother of the two suspected militants immolates herself demanding justice. Also because the slain army officer was Col Chauhan's future son-in-law. Now, Monica Mehra is called from Pune to Jodhpur to work as an investigating officer on the case.
After Monica begins questioning Ajay's colleagues, who were there with him on the night of the encounter, they get Angad Sandhu (played by Tanuj Virwani) as their legal counsel, who's also Monica's ex-boyfriend.
Poorly written script and dialogues fail to create an impact on the viewers. Time and again, we are reminded that the plot is about the Indian Army and the words ‘honour’ and ‘pride’ reverberate through all eight episodes.
In Jennifer Winget’s introduction scene, she walks into a pub where a gun-wielding drunk man is creating a ruckus, snatches his gun, points it at him and says, “This is the Indian Army. Apologise. Now.” With sequences like these, the show becomes overbearing at times.
The web series also tackles issues like homosexuality and casteism, but only in the last two episodes and that is where it truly shines. That is where it leaves the viewers wanting for more.
Jennifer Winget doesn’t disappoint in her digital debut; she perfects the body language and expressions of an army officer. With the show resting on her shoulders, she’s easily able to pull off the role of an officer whose professional and personal lives are two conflicting worlds. It was a pleasant change to see a woman leading the show as brilliantly as Jennifer did.
Playing the role of a Colonel, Rajat Kapoor shines in every shot he is in. His presence as the cigar-smoking, authoritative leader, makes the few scenes exciting and worth watching. Tanuj Virwani, who was extremely good as Vayu Raghavan in Amazon Prime’s Inside Edge, here seems visibly awkward, barring a few scenes.
Code M is a step towards good content by platforms like Zee5 and AltBalaji, who have previously attempted the same with shows like Test Case and Home Sweet Home.
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