What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedCode 8
Jeff Chan · Film · 2019
If you loved Code 8, start with Psycho-Pass (2012) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Code 8 across media.
What hooked you in Code 8 is the grit of ordinary people fighting back against systemic oppression and state-sponsored surveillance.
Books on the same thread
The Memory Police
Yoko Ogawa · Book · 1994
Explores: Memory, Loss, Totalitarianism.
Like the atmosphere of Code 8, this novel captures the crushing weight of a society where the government exerts absolute control over the reality and memories of its citizens.
The Power
Naomi Alderman · Book · 2023
Shares 2 threads with Code 8: Power Dynamics, Abuse of Power.
If the power dynamics in Code 8 intrigued you, this story explores the radical shift in societal structures that occurs when marginalized people suddenly gain dangerous, world-altering abilities.
Inferno 2033
Michael Compton, Allan J. Walsh, Sherry J. Compton · Book · 2016
Explores: Totalitarianism, Surveillance State, Xenophobia.
This political thriller mirrors the surveillance state and mass incarceration seen in Code 8, following a society where fear is used to justify the systematic stripping of civil rights.
COOL MACHINE
Colson Whitehead · Book
Explores: systemic corruption, urban decay, social mobility.
Much like the desperate criminal underworld of Code 8, this urban saga examines how systemic corruption and limited social mobility force individuals into the shadows of the city.
Series on the same thread
Psycho-Pass
Series · 2012
Explores: Moral Ambiguity, Technological Determinism, Social Control.
This series echoes the technological surveillance found in Code 8, focusing on a society that uses biometric data to preemptively police its population for potential criminal behavior.
Sense8
Lana Wachowski · Series · 2015
Explores: Connectedness, Empathy, Identity.
Just as the protagonists in Code 8 are hunted for their nature, this story follows individuals bound by extraordinary links as they navigate a world that fears them.
Person of Interest
Jonathan Nolan · Series · 2011
Explores: Artificial Intelligence, Surveillance State, Moral Ambiguity.
Fans of the police surveillance themes in Code 8 will appreciate this techno-thriller, which centers on a vigilante duo operating outside the law to prevent violent crimes.
The Boys
Eric Kripke · Series · 2019
Shares a thread with Code 8: Abuse of Power.
This show deconstructs the superhero genre with the same blue-collar, anti-establishment grit that defined the struggle of the powered individuals fighting for survival in Code 8.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Deca Tapes
Lex Noteboom · Podcast · 2025
Explores: social isolation, paranoia, confinement.
The claustrophobic tension of this audio drama mirrors the feeling of confinement and distrust that permeates the lives of the characters trapped within the system of Code 8.
The Left Right Game
QCODE · Podcast · 2020
Explores: liminal spaces, paranormal exploration, obsession.
If you enjoyed the exploration of hidden worlds beneath the surface of Code 8, this supernatural mystery follows an obsessive journey into a reality beyond ordinary human understanding.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Code 8 based on a previous project?
Yes, the 2019 feature film Code 8 is based on a short film of the same name released in 2016. Both projects were directed by Jeff Chan and explore the same premise regarding inhabitants with extraordinary abilities living in Lincoln City.
What is the primary conflict for Connor in Code 8?
In Code 8, Connor is a construction worker who possesses extraordinary abilities. He chooses to involve himself with a criminal gang specifically to earn money to pay for the medical treatment required by his ailing mother while living under a militarized police force.
Where does the story of Code 8 take place?
The story of Code 8 is set in Lincoln City. In this location, inhabitants with extraordinary abilities face significant socioeconomic challenges, living below the poverty line while being subjected to constant surveillance by a heavily militarized police force.
How are people with powers treated in Code 8?
In Code 8, individuals with extraordinary abilities are marginalized and live in poverty. They are not integrated into society but are instead monitored by a heavily militarized police force that enforces strict control over the inhabitants of Lincoln City.