Helen West (TV series)

Helen West is a British television crime drama series, based upon the novels of Frances Fyfield, a former crown prosecutor, whom the character is loosely based upon, that first broadcast on 15 December 1999 on ITV.[1] The pilot episode, Trial By Fire, stars Juliet Stevenson as the title character, with Jim Carter co-starring as Chief Superintendent Geoffrey Bailey. The pilot was also released on VHS on 24 January 2000.[2]

Helen West
Cover of the Region 4 DVD release
GenreCrime drama
Written by
  • T.R. Bowen
  • Justin Chadwick
  • Shelagh Stephenson
Directed by
  • Jacqueline Holborough
  • Coky Giedroyc
  • Myles Connell
  • Patrick Lau
Starring
ComposerRichard G. Mitchell
Country of origin
  • United Kingdom
Original languages
  • English
No. of series2
No. of episodes4 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Keith Anderson
  • Patrick McGwire
Producers
  • Alan Wright
Production locations
  • United Kingdom
CinematographyGordon Hickie
EditorsJohn MacDonnell
Fergus MacKinnon
Matt Platts-Mills
Running time90 minutes
Production companies
Release
Original network
Picture format16:9 (576i)
Audio formatStereo
Original release15 December 1999 (1999-12-15) –
20 May 2002 (2002-05-20)

In 2001, following the success of the pilot, a series of three episodes was commissioned, titled The Helen West Casebook. The role of Helen West was subsequently re-cast with Amanda Burton taking over the role, and Conor Mullen replacing Jim Carter as Geoffrey Bailey.[3] The series began broadcasting on ITV on 6 May 2002. Despite obtaining a cult following, the series was not renewed for a second run. The series was distributed internationally by Acorn Media, and was released on DVD in the United States on 18 August 2009.[4] The series was later released on DVD in the United Kingdom on 24 May 2010.[5]

Plot

The series features on the work of Crown Prosecutor Helen West (played by Juliet Stevenson in Trial By Fire and Amanda Burton in The Helen West Casebook), who tries to achieve balance in a life that consists of an emotionally heavy caseload and a stressful relationship with her supervising police officer, Geoffrey Bailey (played by Jim Carter in Trial By Fire and Conor Mullen in The Helen West Casebook).

West is a very hot-headed and driven woman who tends to pursue justice in each case, even when she is told by her bosses to drop them. As "Deep Sleep" is the third of the Fyfield novels in the series, viewers of The Helen West Casebook are plunged straight into the story without much introduction, with West undergoing and recovering from surgery, and finding solace in the arms of Superintendent Bailey.[6]

Cast

Pilot (Trial By Fire)

Series (The Helen West Casebook)

Episodes

Pilot (1999)
No.
overall		No. in
series		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date Viewers
(millions)
11"Trial By Fire"Patrick LauT.R. Bowen15 December 1999 (1999-12-15)7.74
When a badly decomposed body is found buried in the woods outside the village of Branston Vale, Ch. Supt Geoffrey Bailey is called to investigate, and suspects the victim may be the housewife of a respected businessman who mysteriously disappeared two weeks ago.

Series (2002)
No.
overall		No. in
series		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date Viewers
(millions)
21"Deep Sleep"Jacqueline HolboroughJustin Chadwick6 May 2002 (2002-05-06)6.48
When the wife of a respected pharmacist dies in her sleep, it seems like natural causes--except for the amount of chlorofom in her system. Helen's by-the-book boss wants her to move on, and even her boyfriend, Bailey, dismisses her suspicions. But Helen won't let it go and pursues the truth on her own time. When a junkie dies and the dark past of a key witness comes to light, Helen senses impending menace about to explode.
32"Shadow Play"Coky GiedroycShelagh Stephenson13 May 2002 (2002-05-13)5.23
A street sweeper and a lowlife, Lycett makes many court appearances, often charged with lewd acts but acquitted for lack of evidence. Out of court he obsesses about his missing daughter--the only reason, he claims, he's so interested in children. Back in the offices of the Crime Prosecution Service, files keep disappearing, and Helen's clerk, Rose, is sleeping her way through the young police recruits. Helen's romance with Bailey falters when he comes close to exploring other options.
43"A Clear Conscience"Myles ConnellT.R. Bowen20 May 2002 (2002-05-20)5.09
Helen's life is falling apart. Witnesses won't testify, her romance with Bailey is on the rocks, and her apartment desperately needs a spring cleaning. When a friend convinces her to hire help, Helen gets more than she bargained for. The new cleaning lady's husband is Bailey's prime suspect in a murder investigation. Helen finds that justice can be an uphill battle, but Bailey comes through in more ways than one.

References
  1. "Trial By Fire (ITV 1999, Juliet Stevenson, Jim Carter) - Memorable TV". www.memorabletv.com. 27 December 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  2. "Trial By Fire". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  3. Bearn, Emily (9 May 2002). "Being Amanda Burton". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  4. "The Helen West Casebook". Amazon.com. 18 August 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2018 – via Amazon.
  5. "The Helen West Case Book - The Complete Collection". Amazon.co.uk. 24 May 2010. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  6. "» British TV Mini-Series Review: THE HELEN WEST CASEBOOK (2002)". mysteryfile.com. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
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