Suddenly, with the death of 'Junior' Juniper, the series acquired some real cachet. It now played like a true-life war drama where people got killed and never came back. You wondered who would be next".
The sudden loss of 'Junior' Juniper led to an increase in the series' popularity as it became more realistic and gritty, highlighting the tragic consequences of war.  You were left wondering if anyone else would meet a similar fate.