Shetland backdrop
Crime•Drama•Mystery

The Best Episodes of Shetland

Every episode of Shetland ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Shetland!

Binge this in 2d 6h•Peaking at 8.7/10

Created from the novels by award winning crime writer Ann Cleeves, Shetland follows DI Jimmy Perez and his team as they investigate crime within the close knit island community. In this isolated and sometimes inhospitable

Airs on
BBC OneBBC Four
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons10

All12345678910

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Click to reveal
    Shetland Season 4 Episode 6 - Episode 6
    8.7/10(927 votes)

    #1 - Episode 6

    S4:E6

    Season Finale - Troubled by historical DNA evidence results, Jimmy has to face the fact that Duncan may have been involved in Lizzie Kilmuir's murder, and potentially Sally McColl's as well. A shocked Duncan is brought to the station for questioning, hurt that Perez would even think him capable of murder. However, the detective knows Duncan's lying - perhaps not about the murder, but about something else significant. So when Duncan finally admits he had an affair with Donna, it's not long before a bombshell is dropped.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  2. Shetland Season 3 Episode 5 - Episode 5
    8.6/10(838 votes)

    #2 - Episode 5

    S3:E5

    Perez struggles to deal with what has happened to Tosh as he continues to investigate the murders of Robbie Morton and Michael Thompson, but a shocking discovery finally leads him to the identity of who Thompson was going to testify against.

    Director:Jan Matthys
    Writers:Gaby Chiappe, Robert Murphy

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  3. Shetland Season 3 Episode 6 - Episode 6
    8.5/10(839 votes)

    #3 - Episode 6

    S3:E6

    As the investigation reaches its final stages, Detective Inspector Perez and his team discover the person responsible for the deaths of Robbie Morton and Michael Thompson is closer to home than any of them thought.

    Director:Jan Matthys
    Writers:David Kane, Gaby Chiappe, Robert Murphy

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  4. Shetland Season 3 Episode 4 - Episode 4
    8.4/10(771 votes)

    #4 - Episode 4

    S3:E4

    Perez and his team are determined to track down the person who helped Michael Thompson's killer on Shetland. But the closer the team get to the truth in both Shetland and Glasgow, the more dangerous it becomes for all of them.

    Director:Jan Matthys
    Writers:Gaby Chiappe, Robert Murphy

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  5. Shetland Season 4 Episode 5 - Episode 5
    8.4/10(719 votes)

    #5 - Episode 5

    S4:E5

    Perez must re-assess the investigation in the aftermath of the attack. The MIT arrives on Shetland and sets its sights on Malone. Meanwhile, Tosh begins to have doubts about Lars.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  6. Shetland Season 3 Episode 1 - Episode 1
    8.2/10(938 votes)

    #6 - Episode 1

    S3:E1

    When a young man disappears on the Aberdeen to Shetland ferry crossing and a small boy ends up in intensive care, DI Jimmy Perez and his team investigate, becoming convinced the two events are connected.

    Director:Thaddeus O'Sullivan
    Writer:Gaby Chiappe

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 WORST Episodes of Shetland

    READ
  7. Shetland Season 3 Episode 2 - Episode 2
    8.2/10(823 votes)

    #7 - Episode 2

    S3:E2

    DI Jimmy Perez is convinced that Michael Maguire is somehow implicated in the death of Robbie Morton. But with the investigation seemingly under threat before it's even started, he faces an uphill battle to uncover the truth behind Maguire's silence.

    Director:Thaddeus O'Sullivan
    Writer:Robert Murphy

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  8. Shetland Season 3 Episode 3 - Episode 3
    8.2/10(809 votes)

    #8 - Episode 3

    S3:E3

    The murder investigation takes Perez and Tosh to Glasgow as they try to uncover the reasons behind Maguire's brutal death and his connection to Robbie Morton. But old ghosts return to haunt Perez as his enemies try to prevent him from getting to the truth.

    Director:Thaddeus O'Sullivan
    Writers:Gaby Chiappe, Robert Murphy

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  9. Shetland Season 2 Episode 2 - Raven Black - Part 2
    8.1/10(925 votes)

    #9 - Raven Black - Part 2

    S2:E2

    Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez believes he and his team are finally closing in on the killer as they discover what 17-year-old Catherine Ross was hiding from everyone in the hours before her death.

    Director:John McKay
    Writer:Gaby Chiappe

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  10. Shetland Season 4 Episode 1 - Episode 1
    8.1/10(876 votes)

    #10 - Episode 1

    S4:E1

    When Thomas Malone has his murder conviction overturned after 23 years behind bars, DI Perez has to reopen the investigation into the 1994 death of local teenager Lizzie Kilmuir.

    Director:Lee Haven Jones
    Writers:David Kane, Ann Cleeves

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  11. Shetland Season 4 Episode 2 - Episode 2
    8.1/10(729 votes)

    #11 - Episode 2

    S4:E2

    Perez is on the trail of an attacker, Tosh investigates an oil company in the hunt for Sally's killer, and DNA testing in the Kilmuir case yields a surprising result.

    Director:Lee Haven Jones
    Writer:Louise Ironside

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  12. Shetland Season 4 Episode 4 - Episode 4
    8.1/10(734 votes)

    #12 - Episode 4

    S4:E4

    Ignoring Secret Service warnings, Perez and Tosh track down Mathias Soderland. Back on Shetland, a beach memorial service is held for Sally McColl.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  13. Shetland Season 5 Episode 6 - Episode 6
    8.1/10(682 votes)

    #13 - Episode 6

    S5:E6

    Perez closes in on Zezi's location at last. But can he reach her before it's too late?

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  14. Shetland Season 4 Episode 3 - Episode 3
    8.0/10(725 votes)

    #14 - Episode 3

    S4:E3

    Jimmy questions Donna about the shocking DNA results, Alison arrives in Norway in search of Andreas Hagan, and an unexpected twist leads Perez and Tosh into the murky world of the Norwegian far right.

    Director:Lee Haven Jones
    Writer:Paul Logue

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  15. Shetland Season 6 Episode 1 - Episode 1
    8.0/10(785 votes)

    #15 - Episode 1

    S6:E1

    When a prominent and controversial Shetlander is shot dead on their doorstep in broad daylight, Perez rushes back from his mother’s funeral to lead the investigation.

    Director:Max Myers
    Writer:David Kane

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  16. Shetland Season 6 Episode 6 - Episode 6
    8.0/10(563 votes)

    #16 - Episode 6

    S6:E6

    As Perez closes in on the identity of Galbraith’s killer, he struggles with Duncan’s secret, while Donna has one more surprise in store.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  17. Shetland Season 7 Episode 4 - Episode 4
    8.0/10(520 votes)

    #17 - Episode 4

    S7:E4

    Perez issues a warrant for Connor’s arrest and looks for the motive behind his bomb-making. Sandy tries to find out what business William Rodgers had in Shetland.

    Director:Siri Rødnes
    Writer:Paul Logue

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  18. Shetland Season 2 Episode 1 - Raven Black - Part 1
    7.9/10(990 votes)

    #18 - Raven Black - Part 1

    S2:E1

    Old wounds are painfully reopened for the shocked residents of Ravenswick, as Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez and his team look to a past crime to solve the present day murder of a young teenage girl.

    Director:John McKay
    Writer:Gaby Chiappe

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  19. Shetland Season 5 Episode 1 - Episode 1
    7.9/10(802 votes)

    #19 - Episode 1

    S5:E1

    A severed hand washes up on a Shetland beach, with further body parts discovered in a holdall that has been dumped at sea. Perez and the team begin a complex murder investigation.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  20. Shetland Season 5 Episode 5 - Episode 5
    7.9/10(634 votes)

    #20 - Episode 5

    S5:E5

    The discovery of Niki’s body intensifies the search for Zezi. Perez feels that time is running out. A desperate Olivia tries to get information from Jamie Hayes.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  21. Shetland Season 6 Episode 4 - Episode 4
    7.9/10(546 votes)

    #21 - Episode 4

    S6:E4

    After the shocking events of the previous night, Perez must piece together what happened before a rampaging and vengeful Creggan finds his target.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  22. Shetland Season 6 Episode 5 - Episode 5
    7.9/10(509 votes)

    #22 - Episode 5

    S6:E5

    Facing a dead end in the hunt for Galbraith’s killer, Tosh leads Perez to the remote island of Fetlar. Donna asks Duncan for one last favour.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  23. Shetland Season 7 Episode 1 - Episode 1
    7.9/10(647 votes)

    #23 - Episode 1

    S7:E1

    DI Perez investigates the disappearance of a vulnerable young man, whose family are new to Shetland. Has whatever they are running from come back to haunt them?

    Director:Max Myers
    Writer:David Kane

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  24. Shetland Season 7 Episode 3 - Episode 3
    7.9/10(542 votes)

    #24 - Episode 3

    S7:E3

    Mounting evidence pushes Perez and the team to revise their view of Connor Cairns. Is he a vulnerable missing person or a killer on the run?

    Director:Max Myers
    Writer:David Kane

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  25. Shetland Season 7 Episode 6 - Episode 6
    7.9/10(597 votes)

    #25 - Episode 6

    S7:E6

    Perez and his team face a race against time to prevent disaster striking Lerwick. With nowhere left to run, an increasingly desperate killer looks to make a devastating political. As the investigation draws to a close, Perez faces a life-changing decision.

    Director:Siri Rødnes
    Writer:David Kane

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

Best Episodes Summary

"Episode 6" is the best rated episode of "Shetland". It scored 8.7/10 based on 927 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 3/20/2018. This episode scored 0.1 points higher than the second highest rated, "Episode 5".