I Am Helen centres around a lovey-dovey couple, at first… although I will state that Helen does the same as me when she comes into the home… and takes off her outdoor shoes!
But when Helen (Nicola Coughlan – The Magic Faraway Tree) and Steve (Joe Cole – The Ipcress File) get it on, soon after, the situation develops to the point where she demands he stops, because of what he calls “I’m trying a few different things”, and it takes him some time to actually do what he should.
I also thought his workplace clearly had a downer on using your phone at your desk, but then it turns out he IS looking at stuff he really shouldn’t in the workplace, and I’ve seen people sacked for that in the past. I’ll leave it to your imagination what it is…
But their problems start to manifest, because they’ve been together for five years – and he feels like everything has stagnated, because they haven’t got engaged, married, looked to having children… and while missionary is the only type of sex they have, for him, it’s not enough and he weants to experiment with other things, but she hates the thought of anything else.
The first part of I Am Helen is more the build-up, with the meat and potatoes coming into the second part, but even before the first part was over, I felt they do come across like a couple who want different things, and have been together for too long. Plus, I would say that if he wants kids and she doesn’t – and since they’re both in their 30s – now is the time to take a break. Life is short.
However, for all its hype, the writing does feel a bit cookie-cutter at times, though, such as when one of colleagues is brought in and full of ‘manosphere’-style thoughts, and who doesn’t know how to treat women right, so when he’s onscreen, you feel there should be an audience hissing and booing him.
I Am Helen feels too much like a snapshot of life, rather than a full, coherent story, and for the most part, Steve comes across more as a twat, rather than anything worse like Helen appears to be expecting.
Overall, it’s well-acted and worth a look, but is very much less than the sum of its parts.
I Am Helen begins on Monday on Channel 4 at 9pm – showing on consecutive nights, amd then will be available to watch on All 4.
It’s not yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD, but once it is, it will be listed on the New DVD, Blu-ray, 3D and 4K releases UK page.
Check out the trailer below:
Running time: 45 minutes per episode (2 episodes)
Release date: November 16th 2026
Channel: Channel 4
Format: 1.78:1
Director: Dominic Savage
Producers: Krishendu Majumdar, Dominic Savage
Writers: Dominic Savage, Nicola Coughlan
Cast:
Helen: Nicola Coughlan
Steve: Joe Cole
Mark: Cavan Clerkin
Phil: Jack Colgrave Hirst
Sam: Sonny Poon Tip
Martin: Nick Preston
Stacey: Lucie Shorthouse
Pippa: Thalissa Teixeira
Office Manager: Laura Charlotte Clark
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.