Helen's Gruesome End...

[JHyde]

Spoiler: show

There are definitely some graphic images in season 8. The execution in 8.3, for example. Or Ros torturing that guy by starting to hang him in 8.6

Ultimately, the reason Helen's death works so well is that everyone knows what it feels like to be burned. It's ingrained and understood and instinctual. That's what makes it horrific - because we can imagine so clearly just how much it would hurt.

[Beatriz]

Helen's death really shocked me, I didn't see that coming :O of course there are some other examples in Spooks later on, but as it was the first one... (can't imagine being... *shivers*)

When I saw that, I thought this was a different tv show, not many dare to do so...

[Beatriz]

I've found an article titled "Fryer named most shocking 'Spooks' death". Based on a poll done by LastBroadcast, it got the 49% of the votes. BEWARE OF SPOILERS!!!

49% seems too much... perhaps was the factor we didn't expected as it was the first one and in the 2nd episode... For me it has to be this one or

Spoiler: show

Colin's. It did surprise me that Danny's wasn't included in the top

[carole9908]

The thing with the other deaths is that people have seen others die the same way in other shows (trying to avoid spoilers here...) whereas I don't think anyone has ever been deep fried before like Helen. And as JHyde says above, we all know how painful even a small burn can be (looks at recently burned arm & winces). I do also think that it being so early in the first series, it really brought the show to everyone's attention.

[lwhite53]

As I remember, the other thing that rumbled people about Helen's death was that the actress who played her was VERY popular and no one could believe that she was killed so soon into the run of the show.

[ausfan]

Spoiler: show

Helen and Colin werent really feild agents, Its shows what can happen in that world if they leave the office. Both episodes were well written and Danny did go out with a few good lines and knew that day would come at some point.

[spooksdreamer]

I think it was great for the BBC to take such a risk with this. It was disurbing but a great scene.

[A Cousin]

Completely by accident, this was the first episode that I saw. I knew nothing about Lisa Faulkner and it still worked incredibly well. At the time, I felt as if I was missing something, but cottoned on to enough to know that the character of Helen was a complete innocent. I simply could not believe that any TV show would do that so graphically and quickly! They filmed it very well - it suggests just enough without having to really watch it. It lets the imagination take over whether you want it to or not! I believe in the DVD commentaries at some point, the writer and producers mention that they were not initially intending to do this quite so early in the series and it was actually slated for near the end of the series.

[spooksdreamer]

^ You're right. The filming was unforgettable.

[tmscrapbook]

What a way to wrap up a season!! Gets the viewer hooked in a heartbeat