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." 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." 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." Helen Flynn 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. The scene attracted over 250 complaints, 154 of them to the television watchdog, the Broadcasting Standards Commission, the highest number of complaints for a television programme in 2002. 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 in the scene. 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." Accolades and viewer polls The first series of Spooks 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. The series won the Best Drama Series category over Clocking Off, Cutting It and Teachers. Colin Green was nominated