Code of a Killer

The title of this British miniseries may sound like a direct-to-cable thriller but it actually dramatizes the true story of the first use of DNA fingerprinting in 1984 to identify and convict a murderer in a police investigation. John Simm stars as Dr. Alec Jeffreys, a scientist and professor at the University of Leicester who is studying DNA to find a way to read the unique genetic codes of individual humans. David Threlfall costars as DCS David Baker, whose investigation of a possible serial murderer is hitting a wall for lack of physical evidence. Baker approaches Jeffreys with a proposal to use genetics to help them identify the DNA left by the killer and isolate the identity of the murderer. Much of the human story slips into clichés, especially the absent-minded professor so obsessed with his research that he neglects his family, and the ethical and privacy concerns of the countywide campaign to test the DNA of every adult male is not really addressed. But the miniseries also explores the scientific and bureaucratic challenges of presenting this kind of forensic evidence, which had never before been used as evidence in a court of law. Extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette with the real Jeffreys and Baker along with cast and crew. A strong optional purchase. (S. Axmaker)