Speaking as a civilian, I do feel that one of the reasons that the series hasn't proved popular is that the whole campaign against "terrorism" hasn't caught the public imagination. It's something happening far away, and to be frank, the majority of the population are unaffected and indifferent as long as they are still in a job or their dole is being paid.
To the odd person that does read past the first few pages of the newspapers that are devoted to "Big Brother" and MP's expenses or the credit crisis, there may be the feeling of "just what the hell are we doing over there anyway?"
Let's face it, most of the UK population would rather watch 24 hrs of Eastenders and Coronation Street.