{{Short description|1st series of the British television show Spooks}} {{Use British English|date=February 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}} {{Infobox television season | season_number = 1 | bgcolour = #E5E4E2 | image = Spooks 1 DVD.jpg | image_upright = 1.05 | image_alt = | caption = DVD cover art of ''Spooks'' series one | starring = | num_episodes = 6 | network = BBC One | first_aired = {{Start date|df=yes|2002|5|13}} | last_aired = {{End date|df=yes|2002|6|17}} | next_season = Series 2 | episode_list = List of Spooks episodes }}
The first series of the British spy drama television series ''Spooks'' (known as ''MI-5'' in the United States) began broadcasting on 13 May 2002 on BBC One, and ended on 17 June 2002. It consists of six episodes. ''Spooks'' follows the actions of Section D, a counter-terrorism division of the British Security Service (MI5). Matthew Macfadyen, Keeley Hawes, David Oyelowo, Peter Firth, Jenny Agutter, Lisa Faulkner, Esther Hall, Heather Cave, Hugh Simon and Greame Mearns are listed as the main cast.
Kudos Film and Television developed ''Spooks'' after releasing Channel 4 medical drama ''Psychos'' in 1999, though the company initially faced friction from television networks, which saw no potential in a post-Cold War spy show. The producers later successfully pitched the series to the BBC after the network’s commissioning teams were replaced. Four episodes were being written when the September 11 attacks took place, and the some scenes were rewritten to take the event into account to show the audience ''Spooks's'' goal of fighting terrorism. The producers were advised by former intelligence officers from the Security Service, KGB and Central Intelligence Agency. Filming took place from November 2001 to March 2002.
The first series was seen by an average of 7.49 million viewers, and received generally favourable reviews, with some critics comparing it to American espionage-based series such as ''24''. The second episode attracted controversy after a scene that depicted the brutal death of main character Helen Flynn (Lisa Faulkner) attracted more than 250 complaints. As a result of the series, MI5's website saw a surge in applications to join the organisation. The first series was awarded a British Academy Television Awards (BAFTA) for Best Drama Series, and was nominated for two other BAFTAs and three Royal Television Society Awards. The series was released on DVD on 16 June 2003 in Region 2, 18 August 2003 in Region 4, and 13 January 2004 in Region 1.
==Episodes== {{see also|List of Spooks episodes}} <onlyinclude>{{Episode table |background=#E5E4E2 |overall=5 |series=5 |title=18 |director=13 |writer=29 |airdate=21 |viewers=9 |country=UK |titleR=<ref name=spooks1dvd>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=Secret Credits |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1)}}</ref> |directorR=<ref name=spooks1dvd/> |writerR=<ref name=spooks1dvd/> |viewersR=<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.barb.co.uk/viewing/weekly-top-30? |title=Weekly Top 30 Programmes (See weeks ending May 19 to 23 Jun 2002) |publisher=Broadcasters' Audience Research Board |access-date=19 February 2011}}</ref> |episodes= {{Episode list/sublist|Spooks series 1 |EpisodeNumber = 1 |EpisodeNumber2 = 1 |Title = Thou Shalt Not Kill |WrittenBy = David Wolstencroft |DirectedBy = Bharat Nalluri |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2002|5|13|df=y}} |Aux4 = 9.60 |ShortSummary = Section D of MI5 investigates a car bomb in Liverpool, that has killed family planning doctor Sarah Lynott (Karen Westwood). The agents determine that it is the work of an extremist pro-life movement, led by American terrorist Mary Kane (Lisa Eichhorn), who smuggled herself and 20 bombs into the country to set up cells. Zoe Reynolds (Keeley Hawes) poses as a sympathiser, and uncovers Kane's next intended target. Zoe then poses as the target, Diane Sullivan, and lures Kane to a trap, and she is arrested. After Kane informs team leader Tom Quinn (Matthew Macfadyen) of the location of every cell she set up in the United Kingdom, he sends her to the Central Intelligence Agency, which returns her to Florida to be executed. Meanwhile, Tom enters a relationship with a civilian, Ellie Simm (Esther Hall) after an unrelated operation, going under the pseudonym Matthew Archer, a civil servant. |LineColor = E5E4E2 }} {{Episode list/sublist|Spooks series 1 |EpisodeNumber = 2 |EpisodeNumber2 = 2 |Title = Looking After Our Own |DirectedBy = Bharat Nalluri |WrittenBy = David Wolstencroft |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2002|5|20|df=y}} |Aux4 = 8.10 |ShortSummary = Tom and junior case officer Helen Flynn (Lisa Faulkner) are sent to expose right-wing leader Robert Osbourne (Kevin McNally), who is planning a race war in the UK. MI5 previously attempted to bug his home, only to find high-end security equipment. Tom and Helen pose as a married couple to befriend Claire, Osbourne's wife, who is being abused by him. MI5 believe that Osbourne intends to choke the asylum system, incite a race war, and have Member of Parliament Bill Watson raise the issue of asylum seekers. After they recruit Claire to help, Tom and Helen are kidnapped by Osbourne's gang to be interrogated. When Tom refuses to divulge any information, Osbourne forces Helen's hand, then head, into a deep fryer, before having her shot in the head. Claire then causes a distraction to allow Tom's escape, by throwing a cigarette into the fryer, igniting it. Although pressured by the government to continue tailing Osbourne, superior Harry Pearce (Peter Firth) has him assassinated as retribution for Helen's death. |LineColor = E5E4E2 }} {{Episode list/sublist|Spooks series 1 |EpisodeNumber = 3 |EpisodeNumber2 = 3 |Title = One Last Dance |WrittenBy = Simon Mirren |DirectedBy = Rob Bailey |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2002|5|27|df=y}} |Aux4 = 7.30 |ShortSummary = Zoe is sent on a bugging operation at the Turkish consulate. Whilst there, the consulate is raided by Kurdish rebels, who hold everybody hostage and demand the release of their captured comrades. Tessa Phillips (Jenny Agutter) recognises Johnny Marks (Christopher Fulford), a former MI5 agent and lover of Tessa's, who was believed to have been killed in a car bomb in Northern Ireland several years before. It is revealed that Marks is handling the Kurdish rebels as a distraction, to break into a nearby bank to obtain the identities of every MI5 and MI6 agent. Tom is assigned to negotiate the hostage situation, while Danny Hunter (David Oyelowo) and a team arrive at the bank to engage Marks's men. MI5 fakes a news report detailing the "release" of the captured rebels. Tom is shot and wounded by a rebel, before CO19 armed police take back the consulate. Marks escapes and visits Tessa that evening. Marks learns Tessa was once pregnant with his child; after a change of heart, he only takes the stolen money, leaving behind the files with the agents' identities. |LineColor = E5E4E2 }} {{Episode list/sublist|Spooks series 1 |EpisodeNumber = 4 |EpisodeNumber2 = 4 |Title = Traitor's Gate |DirectedBy = Rob Bailey |WrittenBy = Howard Brenton |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2002|6|4|df=y}} |Aux4 = 5.99 |ShortSummary = While observing an anti-globalisation rally in anticipation of the United States’s President George W. Bush's visit, Danny and Zoe recognise Peter Salter (Anthony Head), a legendary MI5 officer and Tom's recruiter. Salter is undercover as part of a joint MI5/6 operation to bring down an anarchist group led by Istvan Vogel (Jules Werner), which intends to attack Bush. However, Tom believes Salter may have defected to Vogel when it emerges that he is in love with one of the members, Andrea Chambers (Bronwen Davies). This is confirmed when Salter evades his superiors. He and Vogel break into a university campus to tamper with an Air Traffic Control system in an effort to bring down Bush's plane. After Salter is captured, he hangs himself before revealing what he did. However, Danny realises his intentions, and Bush's plane is redirected to Paris. Meanwhile, Zoe realises Tessa is running phantom agents for monetary gain, and is bribed {{£|10000|link=yes}} ({{Inflation|UK|10000|2002|fmt=eq|cursign=£|r=-2}}) to keep quiet. Tom is forced to reveal to Ellie that he is a spy. |LineColor = E5E4E2 }} {{Episode list/sublist|Spooks series 1 |EpisodeNumber = 5 |EpisodeNumber2 = 5 |Title = The Rose Bed Memoirs |DirectedBy = Andy Wilson |WrittenBy = Howard Brenton |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2002|6|10|df=y}} |Aux4 = 6.75 |ShortSummary = Disgraced MP and born-again Christian Hampton Wilder (Tim Pigott-Smith) is released from prison after a sentence for embezzlement. He reveals to Harry that he wrote memoirs, which implicate fellow MP Richard Maynard (Nicholas Farrell) and himself of performing illegal arms deals. However the memoirs have been stolen. Through the investigation behind Maynard, it is revealed that MI6 stole the memoirs; Jools Siviter (Hugh Laurie) hands them over, but as MI5 review them, they find nothing significant. Maynard suddenly resigns to teach at Harvard University, as Jools reveals to Harry that Maynard is a CIA asset. Meanwhile, Tom's relationship with Ellie is strained when her daughter Maisie's (Heather Cave) father returns. When the father digs into Tom's professional life, he is confronted by MI5 officers. Zoe is struggling to deal with Tessa's corruption, and Danny attempts to convince her to tell Harry. |LineColor = E5E4E2 }} {{Episode list/sublist|Spooks series 1 |EpisodeNumber = 6 |EpisodeNumber2 = 6 |Title = Lesser of Two Evils |RTitle = <br />"Mean, Dirty, Nasty"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/spooks/spooksexpert_questions_10.shtml |title=Spooks – Spooks' Expert – Week 10 |publisher=BBC |access-date=1 March 2011}}</ref> |DirectedBy = Andy Wilson |WrittenBy = David Wolstencroft & Howard Brenton |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2002|6|17|df=y}} |Aux4 = 7.21 |ShortSummary = Tom upgrades the security systems in his home to keep Ellie and Maisie safe. Meanwhile, the head of an Irish splinter group, Patrick McCann (Lorcan Cranitch), demands to see an MI5 officer. When Tom sees him, McCann reveals that a Sudanese terrorist group called Asabiyah will attack the Sefton B nuclear power station, but McCann will only disclose the details if his group goes unwatched for 30 hours. Harry vetoes McCann's proposal; however, Tom, believing the threat is credible, asks the Director General of MI5 to override Harry. McCann's group takes the opportunity to plant a bomb at Broad Street Station. MI5 is able to prevent any casualties in the attack and fool McCann, and he gives Tom details of the attack via a laptop; special forces are able to kill two Asabiyah terrorists before they can fire a rocket at Sefton B. Zoe finally reveals Tessa's corruption to Harry, who fires Tessa. McCann calls Tom to reveal that his group rigged the laptop with C4 explosive with the hopes of disabling MI5. However, Tom has stored the laptop in his home. The security measures at his home malfunction, and the series ends with Ellie and Maisie trapped in the home, and Tom outside helpless to save them. |LineColor = E5E4E2 }} }}</onlyinclude>
==Cast== thumb|270px|The cast for series one (from left to right): Keeley Hawes as Zoe Reynolds, Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Quinn, Jenny Agutter as Tessa Philips, Peter Firth as Harry Pearce, David Oyelowo as Danny Hunter, Lisa Faulkner as Helen Flynn.
Ten main cast members are listed in the first series. Matthew Macfadyen plays primary protagonist and senior case officer Tom Quinn.<ref name=press/> Creator David Wolstencroft found Tom to be the most fun, yet hardest character to write for due to him being the main character. When portraying the character, Macfadyen did what he was told to do; he did not want to create a backstory for the character as he did not find merit in doing so.<ref>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=Appraisal – Tom Quinn |people=Matthew Macfadyen, David Wolstencroft |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 2 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref> Keeley Hawes plays junior case officer Zoe Reynolds. Hawes was attracted to the parallels between acting and spying.<ref name=press/> The actress described Zoe as "a feisty little number. She can be quite cold and you don't really know her," and the series sees "flashes of how she can be".<ref>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=Appraisal – Zoe Reynolds |people=Keeley Hawes |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 1 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref> David Oyelowo plays fellow junior case officer Danny Hunter.<ref name=press/> Oyelowo first became aware of the show when his agent brought him the script, and was quickly intrigued by the project, and wanted a part to play in it. He downplayed his enthusiasm to get the part.<ref>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=Appraisal – Danny Hunter |people=David Oyelowo |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 3 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref> Macfadyen, Hawes and Oyelowo were initially wary of playing the lead characters even though the actors were in their mid-twenties, but eventually felt that they earned the right to be in the series.<ref name=cast>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=The Cast |people=Simon Crawford Collins, David Oyelowo |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 2 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref>
Peter Firth plays the head of the counter-terrorism department, Harry Pearce. Firth was interested in the series after hearing of Brenton's involvement in the project, and thought ''Spooks'' was "special" and "different" from British television at the time. Firth would "pepper" the dialogue with quotations from famous classical works, with moral and religious philosophies.<ref>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=Appraisal – Harry Pearce |people=Peter Firth |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 2 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref> Jenny Agutter plays Tessa Philips, senior case officer for Section K.<ref name=press/> The actress described Tessa as "hard edged" and "not a nice person", but straightforward and not initially expected to be corrupt. She realised that although Tessa would start off as a peripheral character, her role would build as the series continued.<ref>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=Appraisal – Tessa Philips |people=Jenny Agutter |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 3 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref> Tessa's story was described by a BBC press release as being about "the dangers of corruption from within". Lisa Faulkner portrays admin support officer Helen Flynn. Esther Hall plays Tom's girlfriend and restaurant owner Ellie Simm, while Heather Cave plays her eight-year-old daughter, Maisie. Hall felt that Ellie was the character the audience could identify with.<ref name=press/> The producers created Maisie because they believed that children are often "the best spies of all".<ref name=ep1com/> Hugh Simon plays technical officer Malcolm Wynn-Jones, and Greame Mearns plays MI5 officer Jed Kelley.<ref name=press/>
{{Multiple image | align = left | footer = Guest appearances in the first series include Anthony Head (left) and Hugh Laurie. | image1 = Anthony Stewart Head.jpg | image2 = Hugh Laurie Actors Guild.jpg | total_width = 300 }}
The first series also sees a number of recurring characters and guest appearances. Rory MacGregor appears in two episodes as Colin Wells, an MI5 technical officer.<ref name=spooks1dvd/> American actress Megan Dodds appears in the first episode as CIA liaison Christine Dale. The producers were impressed enough by Dodds' performance that they wished to see her return in the second series.<ref name=ep1com/> Kevin McNally appears as Robert Osbourne, the antagonist of the second episode. The producers felt the actor was suitable for the role, as was the case with Debra Stephenson, who played his wife Claire.<ref name=ep2com/> In the fourth and fifth episodes, Hugh Laurie appears as Jools Siviter, a department head of MI6, an organisation depicted as "old school" compared with MI5.<ref name=jools/> Laurie based his performance on Barry Foster's portrayal of the head of MI6 in ''Sweeney!''.<ref name=press/> Meanwhile, also in episode four, Anthony Head, best known for his work on ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' at the time, played Peter Salter. Despite his status as a former ''Buffy'' regular, Head still had to earn the role from his audition.<ref name=ep4com/>
In episode five, Tim Pigott-Smith plays Hampton Wilder, a character who was based on Richard Nixon and Jeffrey Archer. In the same episode, Naoko Mori appeared as a lover of Danny's; Mori previously appeared in ''Psychos'', another series produced by Kudos.<ref name=ep5com/> In the finale, Irish actor Lorcan Cranitch plays Irish splinter group terrorist Patrick McCann. Cranitch had previously appeared in several other dramas as Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) operators.<ref name=press/>
==Production==
===Crew=== The first series of ''Spooks'' was produced by Kudos Film and Television for the BBC. David Wolstencroft was credited as creator, Simon Crawford Collins as the producer, and Jane Featherstone as the series producer. The executive producers of the first series were Kudos director Stephen Garrett and Head of Independent Drama Commissioning for the BBC, Gareth Neame. The series includes three screenwriters, and three directors. Wolstencroft wrote the first two episodes and finale of series one. Simon Mirren wrote the third episode. Howard Brenton wrote the last three episodes, co-writing the finale with Wolstencroft.<ref name=press/> The producers hired Brenton for his "radical" and "provocative" style. By the time he was hired it had been sixteen years since he last wrote for television.<ref name=origin/>
The producers from Kudos spent up to three months meeting several potential directors to work on the show, but none shared their views about the show's style until Bharat Nalluri. The style the director used was inspired by Bollywood films, as well as American television. According to Wolstencroft, Nalluri "directs as I see."<ref name=look/> Three directors were chosen, each working on two episodes; Nalluri directed the first two episodes, Rob Bailey directed the next two episodes, and Andy Wilson directed the last two episodes. Sue Gibson and Sean Bobbitt served as the directors of photography, with Mark Goddard and Francesco Reidy serving as first assistant directors. Colin Green and Soren B. Ebbe were the series editors, while David Crozier and Andrew Sissions served as sound recordists. Leila Kirkpatrick was the line producer and Linda Stefansdottir was the production designer, while Andrea Galer was the costume designer, and Alison Davies was the make-up designer. The casting director for the first series was Gail Stevens. Karen Wilson was the script editor, and Ralph Cameron and Malcolm Treen were the location managers.<ref name=press/>
===Conception=== Kudos began to develop the show after producing the Channel 4 medical drama series ''Psychos'' in 1999. Kudos wished to explore series ideas that saw beyond typical "precinct-based dramas" (crime and medical). Stephen Garrett decided on developing a spy drama after coming across John le Carré novels at a Waterstone's bookstore, and came to realise that MI5 or MI6 had not been featured as the setting for shows before. He felt the benefit of a spy show is that rather than in a crime drama where the protagonists take their work home with them, spies are given the added dimension that they cannot reveal their work even to their loved ones. In the meantime, Wolstencroft, who wrote ''Psychos'', was also developing a spy drama, albeit as a film. When Kudos contacted him, they agreed they should work together to create a television series based on his idea, which was not to glamourise the world of spies, instead showing the audience that spies work in a "shitty job". Kudos later pitched the show to all the major British television networks; however none of them were as enthusiastic as Kudos, as they did not see the potential of a post-Cold War spy series. After the commissioning teams from the networks were replaced, Kudos again pitched the show, albeit reinvented, and as a result Lorraine Heggessey, controller of BBC One, commissioned the show after planning to introduce "braver", "dynamic" and "pacier" shows to attract a younger audience for the channel.<ref name=origin>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=The Origin of Spooks |people=Simon Crawford Collins, Jane Featherstone, Stephen Garrett, David Wolstencroft |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 2 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref>
===Writing=== The two main writers, Brenton and Wolstencroft, had different styles and influences in their scripts. Wolstencroft was influenced by American television to make the episodes pacier.<ref name=look>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=The Look of Spooks |people=Stephen Garrett, Bharat Nalluri, David Wolstencroft |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 1 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref> His chosen writing style was a mixture of the "grittyness" of le Carré's works and James Bond-like fantasies.<ref name=world>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=The World of Spies |people=Stephen Garrett, Matthew Macfadyen, David Wolstencroft |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 3 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref> While writing the series, the writer introduced a set of "MI5 terminology", terms used by the main characters in the series. According to Oyelowo, Wolstencroft's scripts included more spy terms, stating "we curse David Wolstencroft often. His dialogue tends to be the most chewy," and the actors had to learn them as if they spoke as such on a daily basis.<ref name=ep4com>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=MI5 Terminology |people=Keeley Hawes, David Oyelowo |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 2 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref> Brenton, meanwhile, adopted the same writing style based on early episodes of ''Taggart'', a Scottish-based crime drama; the writer was impressed by the show's ability to add more to the plot halfway through. He also took inspirations from novels including le Carré's ''Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy''.<ref name=ep4com2>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=Audio Commentary for Episode 4 |people=Rob Bailey, Howard Brenton, Simon Crawford Collins |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 2 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref> Mirren wrote "One Last Dance", which he felt was difficult to write as he had to tie two main storylines together.<ref name=ep3com>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=Audio Commentary for Episode 3 |people=Rob Bailey, Simon Crawford Collins, Keeley Hawes, Simon Mirren |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 2 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref> Brenton and Wolstencroft collaborated to write "Lesser of Two Evils" due to timing constraints. Wolstencroft pitched the story, and then each writer wrote 30 pages of dialogue.<ref name=ep4com/>
The pilot originally underwent thirty rewrites and four separate story ideas before the BBC was satisfied.<ref name=ep1com>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=Audio Commentary for Episode 1 |people=Jane Featherstone, Bharat Nalluri, David Wolstencroft |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 1 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref> Similarly, the second episode went through four rewrites.<ref name=ep2com>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=Audio Commentary for Episode 2 |people=Simon Crawford Collins, Bharat Nalluri, David Wolstencroft |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 1 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref> After four episodes were written, the September 11 attacks took place, resulting in three thousand deaths in the United States. As a result, the episodes were rewritten to take account of the events to assure the audience that the show is about fighting terrorism. According to Wolstencroft, the attacks "sidewinded" the show, "perversely made it as relevant as can be", and "commuted a great sense of responsibility" on ''Spooks''.<ref name=terror>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=The Terror Question |people=Simon Crawford Collins, Jane Featherstone, David Wolstencroft |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 2 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref>
Throughout both the writing and filming, the writers were advised by ex-MI5 officers who gave insight into how the characters operate and how their personal lives would be affected.<ref name=press>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2002/05_may/07/spooks_presspack.pdf |title=Spooks: MI5 not 9 to 5 |date=5 May 2002 |access-date=7 April 2012 |work=BBC Press Office |publisher=BBC}}</ref> Among them were Nick Day, who worked in counter-terrorism in the Security Services, Viktor Abramkin, a UK-based former KGB officer,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1929519.stm |title=Agents team up for drama |date=14 April 2002 |access-date=7 April 2012 |publisher=BBC News }}</ref> and Mike Baker, an ex-CIA agent.<ref name=press/> When including terrorists, the BBC often has the responsibility to portray people with as much balance as possible for both sides.<ref name=terror/> The first series’s finale was heavily researched, as the episode was based on real life instances in which terrorists had agreed to work with the authorities in Colombia. Meanwhile, a scene in which Tom and Patrick strip naked to ensure they are not bugged came from the producers' sources,<ref name=ep6com/> who also advised the producers how to tail targets without being spotted.<ref name=ep3com/>
{{quote box|quote="Imagine moving in with the man you love and then discover you don't even know his real name? It's the ultimate betrayal. Suddenly you're in a relationship with a complete stranger. You discover your partner has always been acting in some way, that he's always been at an emotional distance. If someone's lied that much, how can there ever be any trust in your relationship again?"|width=30%|align=left|source=Esther Hall describing the Tom/Ellie relationship from Ellie's point of view.<ref name=press/>}}
The second episode included the death of a main character. This was originally going to be used in the series finale. However, the producers did not know how to fill in episode two, so the death was moved up. According to Wolstencroft, the inclusion of Helen's death was to give the audience the message that "the world of Spooks isn't the world where the cavalry always arrive, because in reality these people [MI5] do risk their lives on our behalf and they do get into sticky situations with genuinely nasty people". The producers wanted main characters to die on occasion rather than on a weekly or bi-weekly basis; otherwise it would show MI5 officers as not doing their jobs properly.<ref name=shock>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=The Helen Flynn Shock |people=Simon Crawford Collins, Jane Featherstone, David Wolstencroft |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 1 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref> Although ''Spooks'' is a serious show, the writers add occasional humour from the characters. According to Wolstencroft, he felt that anybody who works in such an occupation with high responsibilities tends to have humour around, and that those people make jokes even though they have seen "heinous things". This became the basis for creating Jools Siviter.<ref name=jools>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=Intelligence Report – Jools Siviter |people=Matthew Macfadyen, David Wolstencroft |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 2 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref>
Among the storylines of the series were Danny's obsession with money and spending, by hacking into a credit card database to fool it to give him a better credit rating, and the discovery that Tessa is running phantom agents to pocket their money. These were intended by Brenton and Wolstencroft to show the audience that the MI5 officers are tempted by money.<ref name=ep2com/><ref name=ep4com/> A principle story arc is Tom dealing with the complexities of his relationship with Ellie, who at first does not know he is a spy. This storyline was based on Mike Baker, whose wife did not know he was a spy for the first six months they were together.<ref name=press/> As the series progressed, there were more difficulties with the relationship; Brenton wrote Tom's position as if the character did not see the problem. The same episode also introduced the sexual tension between Danny and Zoe.<ref name=ep5com/>
===Filming=== thumb|alt=A skyline of modern buildings underneath an orange sky. All the skyscrapers are lit up by office lights from several windows.|Filming took place in London, Britain's capital city and ''Spooks''{{'}} general setting.
The first series began filming in November 2001,<ref name=ep1com/> and continued until March 2002.<ref name=press/> Shooting took place mostly in London, with many rural scenes filmed around South East England.<ref name=press/> Each episode took approximately 12<ref>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=Directing Ep. 1–2 |people=Bharat Nalluri |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 1 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref> to 14 days to shoot, although they do not follow on the order of the script; the production crew would film all scenes set at a certain location first, and then move on to the rest.<ref name=ep2com/> Between 40 and 50 cuts were made in the first 10 minutes of the pilot episode to quickly introduce the main characters. Filming was usually done with long lens cameras, which proved difficult for the crew as many filming location were short on space.<ref name=ep1com/> The scenes where Tom reveals he is a spy to Ellie in "Traitor's Gate" were filmed using hand-held cameras, the first time they were used in the series.<ref name=ep6com/> By the time the crew filmed the series finale, hand-held cameras were mostly used. The cameras allowed for more intimate filming as opposed to shoulder-operated cameras. The downside to the hand-held cameras was that they can only shoot four minutes worth of footage from each film stock. In addition, the operators at first hated using the cameras.<ref name=ep6com/>
The episodes of the first series were not filmed in the order they were broadcast; "Traitor's Gate" was the third episode to be filmed, while "One Last Dance" was the fourth.<ref name=ep4com/><ref name=ep3com/> While filming "One Last Dance" and "The Rose Bed Memoirs", Macfadyen had a bloodshot left eye. To cover it, sometimes Macfadyen had to hide the left side of his face from the camera. At other times, the actor wore sunglasses.<ref name="ep5com">{{cite video |year=2003 |title=Audio Commentary for Episode 5 |people=Howard Brenton, Jane Featherstone, Colin Green, David Oyelowo, Andy Wilson |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 3 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref><ref name=ep3com/> The series made use of real firearms that were decommissioned from service. Certain cast members, including Oyelowo, handled firearms; to maintain gun safety, two weapons experts were on hand to train the actors.<ref name=ep3com/>
The producers chose the exterior and some interior of Freemasons' Hall in Holborn as the stand-in for Thames House, the real-life headquarters of MI5, as they felt both buildings shared a similar architecture. However the Grid set, the offices of the protagonists, was filmed in a closed medical school in Kensington.<ref name=ep1com/> Sometime after filming concluded for the first series, the building was demolished.<ref name="ep6com">{{cite video |year=2003 |title=Audio Commentary for Episode 6 |people=Howard Brenton, Jane Featherstone, Colin Green, David Oyelowo, Andy Wilson |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 3 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref> Several other locations around London were used. The scenes leading up to Mary's apprehension in "Thou Shalt Not Kill" were filmed at Borough Market in Southwark. The same episode made use of Covent Garden.<ref name=ep1com/> "One Last Dance" had scenes filmed in Roehampton and New Zealand House. In the latter case, the actors were filmed on the top floors, where the wind forced them to raise their voices so the sound unit could hear.<ref name=ep3com/> Scenes were filmed in Hampstead Heath at "Traitor's Gate", while one scene was filmed in Trafalgar Square and at London Bridge for "The Rose Bed Memoirs". The last two episodes had several scenes filmed at a high-end house in Highgate owned by a silk merchant, in particular the opera house and bar Jools frequents,<ref name=ep5com/> and the DG's (Director General of MI5) office.<ref name=ep6com/> Rural scenes were filmed across South East England, including in Surrey,<ref name=ep1com/><ref name=ep4com/> and outside Maidstone in Kent.<ref name=ep5com/><ref name=ep6com/> In the finale, the exterior of Sizewell nuclear power stations in Suffolk was used as a double for the fictional Sefton B power station.<ref name=ep6com/>
===Post-production=== Each episode took approximately two months to edit, and editing usually began while the episodes were still being shot. The editors would work on two episodes simultaneously.<ref>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=Editing Spooks – Colin Green |people=Colin Green |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 1 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref><ref name="nalluri">{{cite video |year=2003 |title=Directing Ep. 1–2 – Bharat Nalluri |people=Bharat Nalluri |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 1 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref> Following completion, Muskett added the score.<ref name=nalluri/> The episodes include split screen sequences. Although these were presented in a similar vein to the American series ''24'', the split screen idea did not come from that show; Nalluri thought of it independently, after visiting a pub one night after filming.<ref name=ep1com/> The series also introduced the premise of not including any production credits, which the producers saw as a waste of time, with viewers paying no attention to them. However, they also saw this as an opportunity: as ''Spooks'' is a spy show, Wolstencroft thought it would be "cool" to have a show that was anonymous, which would fit the spirit of the series.<ref>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=Taking (Away) the Credit |people=Jane Featherstone, David Wolstencroft |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 2 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref>
==Broadcast and reception==
===Broadcast, ratings and impact=== thumb|Final ratings for the first series The BBC initially considered airing the show on a Saturday night , as its research found that potential viewers were less likely to watch television on Saturdays; the BBC hoped that ''Spooks'' would boost that timeslot.<ref name=look/> However, the series instead broadcast on Mondays, beginning on 13 May 2002 on BBC One during the 9 to 10 pm timeslot, and continued every Monday night until 17 June, with the exception of the fourth episode, which was viewed on Tuesday 4 June starting at 10 pm, due to an overrun of the coverage of Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee. The episodes were also repeated on the digital channel BBC Choice.<ref name="104rating">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/jun/07/overnights?INTCMP=SRCH |title=BBC is ratings king for jubilee |first=Jason |last=Deans |date=7 June 2002 |access-date=29 March 2012 |work=The Guardian }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mf4b/episodes/player |title=Spooks – Broadcasts in May 2002 |access-date=29 March 2012 |publisher=BBC}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mf4b/episodes/player |title=Spooks – Broadcasts in June 2002 |access-date=29 March 2012 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> In the US, the first series aired in mid-2003 on A&E. However, each episode had approximately ten minutes edited out to accommodate for advert breaks. The DVD release of the series in America contained the British, uncut, episodes.<ref name=dvdtalk/> The first series was later repeated on BBC America, alongside the second series from June 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch/mi-5/listings/ |title=MI-5 on BBC America |access-date=28 September 2012 |publisher=TheFutonCritic}}</ref>
The ''Spooks'' producers were hoping the ratings for the pilot would achieve at least six million viewers; at the time this was considered acceptable by the BBC, as it would allow them to further consider ''Spooks{{'}}'' future.<ref>{{cite video |year=2003 |title=The Public Face |people=Stephen Garrett |medium=Spooks DVD (Series 1) Disc 2 |publisher=Contender Entertainment Group}}</ref> The first episode ended up with an overnight rating of 9.2 million viewers, with a 41 per cent audience share, easily winning its time slot, and nearly double the numbers of ITV1's ''Helen West'' in the same slot.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/may/14/overnights?INTCMP=SRCH |title=ITV hopes goes West as Spooks steals in |first=Jason |last=Deans |date=14 May 2002 |access-date=29 March 2012 |work=The Guardian }}</ref> The second episode dropped to 7.8 million, but was still the most viewed series in the timeslot.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/may/21/overnights |title=Chelsea Flower Show blossoms on BBC2 |first=Claire |last=Cozens |date=21 May 2002 |access-date=29 March 2012 |work=The Guardian }}</ref> Although the series won its timeslot again in the third episode, "One Last Dance" faced competition from ''The Kumars at No. 42'' on BBC Two, and dropped to seven million.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/may/28/overnights |title=Plain Jane fails to captivate |first=Claire |last=Cozens |date=28 May 2002 |access-date=29 March 2012 |work=The Guardian }}</ref> The different timeslot for episode four meant that it dipped below six million;<ref name=104rating/> however, ratings recovered to over seven million by the finale.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/jun/18/overnights?INTCMP=SRCH |title=Spooks survives with 7m |first=Claire |last=Cozens |date=18 June 2002 |access-date=29 March 2012 |work=The Guardian }}</ref> With consolidated figures factored in, the first series was seen by an average of 7.49 million viewers.<ref group="n">See the ratings on the episode table above. Look up the top 30 weekly programmes from weeks ending 19 May to 24 June 2002 from the [http://www.barb.co.uk/viewing/weekly-top-30? Broadcasters' Audience Research Board] website.</ref> After two episodes aired, the BBC began considering renewing the show for a longer second series as it had proved popular among the key demographics of viewers aged 16 to 34.<ref name="renewelprosects">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/may/28/bbc.broadcasting?INTCMP=SRCH |title=Spooks to return as BBC1 spies a hit |first=Jason |last=Deans |date=28 May 2002 |access-date=15 April 2012 |work=The Guardian }}</ref> The renewal was officially announced by the BBC's Head of Drama Commissioning Jane Tranter in December 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a9689/second-season-of-spooks-announced.html |title=Second season of 'Spooks' announced |first=James |last=Welsh |date=2 December 2012 |access-date=18 April 2012 |work=Digital Spy }}</ref>
Within the fortnight of launch, MI5 noted a surge in a number of applications to the organisation. Out of the 10,000-plus applications per week to MI5's website, more than 2,500 people applied following the end of a ''Spooks'' episode, while before the episodes broadcast, only a handful of new applications were received. MI5 welcomed the show's impact, despite its officers' views that ''Spooks'' was "unrealistic and far-fetched", and could give viewers a false impression of how the organisation operates.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1395368/MI5-drama-doubles-numbers-applying-to-be-real-life-spooks.html |title=MI5 drama doubles numbers applying to be real-life spooks |first=David |last=Bamber |date=26 May 2002 |access-date=29 September 2012 |work=The Daily Telegraph }}</ref>
===Critical reception=== {{quote box|quote="This new series looks like it's going to be great fun, but it's presumably not meant to be taken too seriously, because surely life in MI5 can't be this exciting? Of if it were, we'd all be queueing up to talk in clipped and meaningful tones while striding down official-looking corridors."|width=30%|align=right|source=Alison Graham of the ''Radio Times''<ref name=guardianreviews/>}}
The first series received generally favourable reviews. Joe Joseph of ''The Times'' stated that it "bears a closer resemblance [to] ''24''", which "shaded the pleasure of this opening episode", but felt that by the end of the episode, ''Spooks'' had "established a voice of its own". Gerard O'Donovan of ''The Telegraph'' thought that the series "proved thoroughly entertaining", and praised Wolstencroft's writing, which O'Donovan felt was "confident enough to be playful with its subject – especially regarding Britain's poor-relation relationship with America". Alison Graham of the ''Radio Times'' called the first series "a tremendous pieces of hokum, which is only slightly po-faced (but in a knowing kind of way) and which manages to stay just on the right side of self-parody". Thomas Sudcliff of ''The Independent'' felt it was a "different kind of spy drama" with "a literal description, derived from the sort of rueful story you could imagine being told at an MI5 staff social", and "a lot of bullshit too, naturally. This is one of those dramas where colleagues never make small talk but instead launch straight into an urgent purposive shorthand."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/may/14/firstnight.broadcasting1?INTCMP=SRCH |title=Spooks |date=14 May 2002 |access-date=15 April 2012 |work=The Guardian }}</ref>
Nancy Banks-Smith of ''The Guardian'' stated that it was "one of those shiny and insubstantial series", adding that "all that leaping out of bed at dawn on the pretext that you have to go and sell a house tends to wear thin". Banks-Smith also called the story "slightly unexpected" and stated, "''Spooks'' appears to plume itself on its authenticity, and there are moments, well one moment, so stupid it has to be true."<ref name="guardianreviews">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/may/14/tvandradio.television?INTCMP=SRCH |title=TV review: Spies like us |first=Nancy |last=Banks-Smith |date=14 May 2002 |access-date=15 April 2012 |work=The Guardian }}</ref> Fellow ''Guardian'' reviewer Gareth McLean stated that ''Spooks'' is "so good it makes you want to be a spy."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/may/28/tvandradio.television1?INTCMP=SRCH |title=TV review – A bad hair day |first=Gareth |last=McLean |work=The Guardian |date=28 May 2002 |access-date=23 April 2012}}</ref> Dennis Landmann of MovieFreak rated the series eight out of ten, calling it "thrilling, dramatic, and fast", while "much more concise" than many American series. Landmann added, "Each story is complex and convincing, plus the scripts are very well written. A lot goes on in each episode, and it's detrimental for a show like this to keep the action and tension going as fast as possible." The reviewer also noted that having only six episodes worked as an advantage over American television, stating "while this seems incredibly short, the idea is actually very good. This ensures that each episode is strong in content and execution. American shows tend to run for 20–25 episodes a season, and while developments occur, there are always the filler episodes. With [''Spooks''] there is nothing like it, no filler material at all. In fact, the first season sees a lot of development."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.moviefreak.com/dvd/m/mi5_vol1.htm |title="MI- 5: Volume 1" DVD Review |first=Dennis |last=Landmann |date=20 April 2004 |access-date=26 September 2012 |publisher=MovieFreak |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714122237/http://www.moviefreak.com/dvd/m/mi5_vol1.htm |archive-date=14 July 2011 }}</ref>
Matthew Millheiser of DVD Talk agreed. Millheiser called it a "great show," with "plotlines that are fast-paced and gripping throughout", adding, "It lacks the slick, candy-coated escapism and romanticism of ''Alias'', or the white-knuckled, thrill-a-minute intensity of ''24''. [''Spooks''] is its own beast altogether: a smart, thrilling series that pulls no punches and maintains a consistent level of quality and intelligence throughout its running time."<ref name="dvdtalk">{{cite web |url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/8751/mi-5-volume-1/ |title=MI-5: Volume 1 |first=Matthew |last=Millheiser |date=17 December 2003 |access-date=26 September 2012 |work=DVD Talk |publisher=Internet Brands}}</ref> Bryan Byun of DVD Verdict had an issue with the storylines, stating, "At times it takes the entire length of an episode to figure out precisely what's going on. While that frenetic pace makes for challenging viewing, it might prevent the show from reaching a broader audience." However, Byun thought the first series was a "solid, gripping entertainment that pulls few punches. While it's a little talkier and more reliant on suspense and mystery than trigger-happy American action shows, [''Spooks''] should please any fan of cloak-and-dagger antics."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/mi5vol1.php |title=MI-5: Volume 1 |first=Bryan |last=Byun |date=12 February 2004 |access-date=26 September 2012 |publisher=DVD Verdict}}</ref> Michael Mackenzie of The Digital Fix rated the series eight out of ten, stating that although ''Spooks'' "may not be perfect", "it is an imaginative and intriguing series".<ref name=digitalfix/>
===Helen Flynn controversy=== {{See also|Looking After Our Own#Broadcast, reception and controversy}} The first series attracted controversy for its second episode, which saw the demise of a main character after her hand and head were forced into a deep fryer.<ref name=renewelprosects/> The scene attracted more than 250 complaints, 154 of them to the television watchdog, the Broadcasting Standards Commission, the highest number of complaints for a television programme in 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3073921.stm |title=Spy show draws record complaints |date=17 July 2003 |access-date=15 April 2012 |publisher=BBC News }}</ref><ref name=controversy>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/jul/31/broadcasting.bbc1?INTCMP=SRCH |title=BBC spy drama spooks TV watchdog |first=John |last=Plunkett |date=31 July 2002 |access-date=15 April 2012 |work=The Guardian }}</ref> Following the complaints, the BBC admitted that the scene "clearly disturbed" several viewers, but defended it as it was showing the audience "the kind of threat which might be faced by agents engaged in the fight against terrorism". The Broadcasting Standards Commission stated the scene was shocking, but "in the context was acceptable and important for the later narrative". However the watchdog still criticised the BBC for failing to warn viewers of the violence to come.<ref name=controversy/> The controversy sparked a response from comedian Charlie Brooker in his ''Guardian'' column, stating: "The moment her head was forced into the deep-fat-fryer, viewers reared on the formulaic, it'll-be-alright-in-the-end blandness of cookie-cutter populist dramas like ''Casualty'' and ''Merseybeat'' sat up and blinked in disbelief: here was a major BBC drama series that actually had the nerve to confound expectation."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/dec/21/broadcasting.arts?INTCMP=SRCH |title=The grim reality of TV |first=Charlie |last=Brooker |authorlink=Charlie Brooker|date=21 December 2002 |access-date=15 April 2012 |work=The Guardian }}</ref>
===Accolades and viewer polls=== The series was nominated for six awards, one of which it won. It was nominated for three British Academy Television Awards (BAFTA) awards, two of which were Craft nominations, and won the Best Drama Series category over ''Clocking Off'', ''Cutting It'' and ''Teachers''. <ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/2944955.stm |title=Bafta TV Awards: The winners |date=13 April 2003 |access-date=26 September 2012 |publisher=BBC News }}</ref> Colin Green was nominated for his editing, and Jennie Muskett for Original Television Music in the Craft awards, but they lost to ''Daniel Deronda'' and ''The Forsyte Saga'' respectively.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bafta.org/awards-database.html?year=2002&category=Craft&award=false |title=Awards Database; for 2002 Craft Awards |access-date=26 September 2012 |publisher=BAFTA.org}}</ref> The series was also nominated for three Royal Television Society Awards, including Drama Series, although it lost out to ''Clocking Off''. Howard Brenton and David Wolstencroft were nominated for the Writer award, but lost to Peter Bowker's work on television film ''Flesh and Blood''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rts.org.uk/programme-awards-winners-2002 |title=Programme Awards Winners 2002 |access-date=26 September 2012 |publisher=Royal Television Society |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810040701/http://www.rts.org.uk/programme-awards-winners-2002 |archive-date=10 August 2014 }}</ref> In the Craft awards, Julian Slater, Nigel Heath, Michael Fentum and Dan Morgan were nominated for Best Sound in Drama.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rts.org.uk/rts-craft-design-awards-20012002 |title=RTS CRAFT & DESIGN AWARDS 2001/2002 |access-date=26 September 2012 |publisher=Royal Television Society}}</ref>
The series was well received by fans. At the end of 2002, the BBC released a "Best of" viewer polls on its website. ''Spooks'' was voted the third best drama,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/bestof2002/best_drama_3.shtml |title=BBC Drama – Best of 2002 – Best Drama No.3: Spooks |access-date=18 April 2012 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> beaten only by lesbian period drama ''Tipping the Velvet'', which starred Keeley Hawes,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/bestof2002/best_drama_2.shtml |title=BBC Drama – Best of 2002 – Best Drama No.2: Tipping the Velvet |access-date=18 April 2012 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> and American action series ''24''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/bestof2002/best_drama_1.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030421212314/http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/bestof2002/best_drama_1.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 April 2003 |title=BBC Drama – Best of 2002 – Best Drama No.1: 24 |access-date=18 April 2012 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> However, Spooks was also voted the third worst drama.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/bestof2002/worst_drama.shtml |title=BBC Drama – Best of 2002 – Worst Drama |access-date=18 April 2012 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> Firth and Macfadyen were listed in the "Best Actor" category, being voted twenty-first, and fifth, respectively.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/bestof2002/best_actor.shtml |title=BBC Drama – Best of 2002 – Best Actor |access-date=18 April 2012 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> Macfadyen was also voted the sixth "hunkiest male".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/bestof2002/male.shtml |title=BBC Drama – Best of 2002 – Hunkiest Male |access-date=18 April 2012 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> Meanwhile, in the "Best Actress" category, Agutter and Hawes were voted twenty-sixth and second, respectively.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/bestof2002/best_actress.shtml |title=BBC Drama – Best of 2002 – Best Actress |access-date=18 April 2012 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> Agutter, Faulkner and Hawes were also respectively voted the thirtieth, sixteenth and second "most fanciable females".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/bestof2002/female.shtml |title=BBC Drama – Best of 2002 – Most Fanciable Female |access-date=18 April 2012 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> The Tom and Ellie relationship was seen by viewers as the fourth best couple in television for the year,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/bestof2002/best_couple.shtml |title=BBC Drama – Best of 2002 – Best Couple |access-date=18 April 2012 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> and Patrick McCann as the sixth best villain.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/bestof2002/best_villain.shtml |title=BBC Drama – Best of 2002 – Best Villain |access-date=18 April 2012 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> The closing scenes of the series finale were voted the second "Favourite Moment", behind the reveal of Nina Myers as a mole in ''24''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/bestof2002/favourite_moment.shtml |title=BBC Drama – Best of 2002 – Favourite Moment |access-date=18 April 2012 |publisher=BBC}}</ref>
==Home video release== The series was first released on DVD in the United Kingdom (Region 2) by the Contender Entertainment Group on 16 June 2003.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bva.org.uk/node/500318 |title=Spooks: The Complete Season 1 |access-date=28 March 2012 |publisher=British Video Association}}</ref> It was later released in Australia (Region 4) by Universal Pictures on 18 August 2003,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvd/dvd-genres/drama-romance/spooks-series-1-3-dvd-set/223700 |title=SPOOKS (Series 1) |publisher=JB Hi-Fi |access-date=28 March 2012}}</ref> and in the United States (Region 1, where it is known as ''MI-5: Volume 1'') by BBC Video/Warner Home Video on 13 January 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/MI-5-Volume-1/3194 |title=MI-5 – Volume 1 |access-date=28 March 2012 |publisher=TVShowsOnDVD |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110914221951/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/MI-5-Volume-1/3194 |archive-date=14 September 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The box set consists of all six episodes of the first series over three discs and 1.78:1 Anamorphic PAL widescreen format. The box set includes an array of special features. Each episode has its own audio commentary. In addition there are interviews with the cast and crew members, discussing the origins and development of the show and the purpose of the main characters. There are also deleted scenes, image galleries, an explained list of MI5 terms, series credits (''Spooks'' is a programme that has no credits), and scripts, the latter found on DVD-ROM. In the United Kingdom, the box set was released with a "15" British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) certificate (meaning it is unsuitable for viewing by those under the age of 15).<ref name=digitalfix>{{cite web |url=http://film.thedigitalfix.com/content/id/5519/spooks-season-one.html |title=Spooks: Season 1 |first=Michael |last=Mackenzie |date=31 August 2003 |access-date=28 March 2012 |publisher=The Digital Fix}}</ref>
==Notes== {{Reflist|group=n}}
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== * {{IMDb episodes|0160904|Spooks}}
{{Spooks}}
{{Good article}}
Category:2002 British television seasons Category:Spooks (TV series)