Writersroom Blog

Dear Alice,

It was interesting to read about your decision in 'Helen's Story' for the jury to return a verdict that reflected the audience's feelings rather than the probable reality.

Over twenty years ago, there was a 13 part BBC serial called 'Jury' where a man was on trial for rape. The rape definately happened, but the man had mental problems and, in Episode 13, the jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty on the grounds of diminished responsibility. There was a mass of angry letters in the Radio Times and I can remember the producer's reply: "In reality, the man would almost certainly have got off and we felt that having the jury return a Guilty verdict would be to evade the issue."

Should drama reflect life as it is or life as it should be?

My own preference is for an upbeat ending - I think I would have made the same writer's decision as you did. I hate the feeling that injustice can triumph. However, I'm also aware that I was a teenager when I saw 'Jury' (I'm now 44) and it has stayed clear in my memory for precisly that reason. I'm curious whether 'The Accused' will do the same.

This is the first episode I've watched of this series and my eyes watered in the final moments, it was electric. I'd been browsing Writer's Room earlier in the evening looking for inspiration to kick-start what seems to be a constant procrastination in relation to screenwriting and I came across first this blog entry, then the script, then a link to the Iplayer. The fact that this has happened so much so there is an organisation to help bereaved families made me want to watch the episode. It's interesting to read the notes on this being fictional and not a docudrama but I feel fiction which can reflect real life in such a way is not only powerful but important. I didn't feel manipulated into feeling for the parents, rather enlightened by it, heightened further so by the reality that, pardon the expression, this s*** happens to real families in real life and what comebacks do these families have to judicial roadblocks such as "lack of evidence" or - in more practical terms - lack of funds to seek justice.

Drama like this isn't just powerful entertainment, it's a reminder that sometimes it's maybe not a news item or a documentary that gets your attention, it's a fictionalised account which can make you think and investigate what's going on in the world and - crucially - what, within reason, can be done about it.

Thank you for writing it.

I watched Helen's story with my daughter Heather, My partner Graham Meldrum was killed at work in 2005 when Heather was 5. My story was as Helen's, I was last to know, lied to, rebuked for asking questions, left out whilst the deals were done an that was nothing in comparison to the injustice and discrimination that killed Graham. This powerful and truthful drama told my story and the countless others. Thank you to both writers for pointing out that the law as it stands is swifter to prosecute for crimes against property and sadly walks hand in hand with big business. The acting was superb an Heather and I cried, laughed and cheered. I felt as though I got my justice at the end. thank you

Thank you. It was a a quietly moving experience for me to read the blog, read the script, watch the episode. I was quietly affronted and at the same time disgusted and ashamed that this kind of corporate injustice exists and that it wrongs all the 'right' people. The drama resonates for me not simply as a drama but also for real; I was left with a feeling of an empty victory, that a battle may have been won but the war goes on. In a world of so called reality television with it's here-now-gone-tomorrow 'stars' this was indeed BBc drama at its very best.

Thank you, been really heartened by the general response to Helen's Story but I have to say that the story comes at a time when things are primed to get worse rather than better. The cuts to Health and Safety are going to result in more deaths... people might claim that Health and Safety is a left wing conspiracy to make us all wear ugly cycling helmets or not drink tea that's too hot... in reality if there is nobody continually checking that companies operate proper safety procedures some of them will try and get away with murder...