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The Worst Episodes of Silent Witness

Every episode of Silent Witness ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Silent Witness!

The Worst Episodes of Silent Witness

A team of exceptional forensic pathologists and scientists investigate heinous crimes and use their skills to catch the people responsible.
  1. Background image for The Penitent (2)
    5.4/10(380 votes)

    #1 - The Penitent (2)

    S26:E2

    Nikki becomes even more involved with the Ndrangheta mafia-group and Jack uncovers some disturbing leads. An unlikely alliance leads Nikki closer to the truth, but not without some collateral damage.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  2. Background image for Fear (2)
    5.9/10(243 votes)

    #2 - Fear (2)

    S15:E10

    Leo is determined to learn the circumstances about the death of Eve Gilston. Nikki and Harry manage to find the nun who performed the exorcism but are surprised by what they find. Eve’s mother Beth Gilston is confronted by Leo and che omes close tod iscovering the truth about what actually happened the night before her daughter died.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  3. Background image for The Penitent (1)
    6.0/10(384 votes)

    #3 - The Penitent (1)

    S26:E1

    When a man plummets from a high-rise building, the Lyell team cross paths with the NCA and a notorious mafia group, pushing Nikki to make a tough decision.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  4. Background image for Star (2)
    6.0/10(263 votes)

    #4 - Star (2)

    S26:E6

    The investigation continues to take unexpected turns, with Nikki managing to get behind the mask of the lead suspect. Jack has a breakthrough at the festival site and Nikki takes a dangerous opportunity. A surprise event at the Lyell brings some hope.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  5. Background image for Familiar Faces (2)
    6.1/10(263 votes)

    #5 - Familiar Faces (2)

    S26:E4

    The Lyell team work together to find out why the lorry was found with bodies inside and a dead driver at the wheel, and are truly shocked to discover where it leads them. Gabriel becomes emotionally invested and is presented with an ethical dilemma, and Jack gets a surprise visit.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  6. Background image for Fear (1)
    6.2/10(251 votes)

    #6 - Fear (1)

    S15:E9

    One of Delaney’s patients, Eve Gilston, is discovered dead in her bed. The coroner’s verdict is sudden arrhythmic death syndrome but Delaney is not convinced and gets Leo to investigate. Suspicion soon falls on Eve’s dad Anthony, who lost the family fortune, and his wife Beth.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  8. Background image for Hearts of Darkness (2)
    6.2/10(230 votes)

    #7 - Hearts of Darkness (2)

    S26:E8

    The Lyell team return to the tunnel and uncover some difficult truths, while the police raid the protester camp, desperate for answers. Family ties are pushed to their limits.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  9. Background image for Familiar Faces (1)
    6.3/10(276 votes)

    #8 - Familiar Faces (1)

    S26:E3

    A lorry is found with people locked inside, some dead. With the survivors refusing to speak, Nikki and the team must use their pathological and forensic skills to identify them.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  10. Background image for Star (1)
    6.3/10(280 votes)

    #9 - Star (1)

    S26:E5

    The Lyell team are thrown into the dark side of social media, where nothing is as it seems, and the perfect profiles of the influencers they are investigating raise disturbing questions. As a heavily pregnant DI asks the team for their expertise, are they running out of time to solve this case?

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  11. Background image for Matters of Life and Death (2)
    6.4/10(302 votes)

    #10 - Matters of Life and Death (2)

    S24:E10

    Stranded in the flooded care home, Jack and Simone fight to keep the residents alive - but Nikki discovers that they may be trapped inside with the killer.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  12. Background image for Hearts of Darkness (1)
    6.5/10(238 votes)

    #11 - Hearts of Darkness (1)

    S26:E7

    Levelling-up leaders and environmental activists clash in a small town trying to look to the future. With a sabotaged train and a dead mayor, the activists become suspects.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  13. Background image for Matters of Life and Death (1)
    6.6/10(302 votes)

    #12 - Matters of Life and Death (1)

    S24:E9

    Nikki’s students make an alarming discovery while dissecting a body donated for their training. Jack and Simone try to save care home residents from a flood.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  14. Background image for Brother's Keeper (2)
    6.7/10(244 votes)

    #13 - Brother's Keeper (2)

    S24:E8

    Jack, Nikki and Simone investigate another death connected to the underground boxing ring. Jack's loyalty is tested when he fears Ryan has put Cara in danger.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  15. Background image for Suffer the Children (1)
    6.8/10(194 votes)

    #14 - Suffer the Children (1)

    S11:E3

    When the mutilated body of a young boy is pulled from the river, Leo is determined to give him an identity and to bring his killers to justice.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  16. Background image for Suffer the Children (2)
    6.8/10(180 votes)

    #15 - Suffer the Children (2)

    S11:E4

    Leo refuses to back down in his search for the killers of the young boy, despite threats and increasing racial tension.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  17. Background image for Home (1)
    6.8/10(185 votes)

    #16 - Home (1)

    S13:E9

    When a Zimbabwean asylum seeker is unfairly deported to South Africa, Leo needs to find a way to help her return to the UK.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  18. Background image for Home (2)
    6.8/10(173 votes)

    #17 - Home (2)

    S13:E10

    Nikki is forced to make some hard choices when she discovers that Anton has been less than honest with her.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  19. Background image for Greater Love (1)
    6.8/10(234 votes)

    #18 - Greater Love (1)

    S16:E9

    Human remains found on an Afghan water supply project send Leo, Nikki and Jack to the war-torn region to establish if it is a missing British soldier.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  20. Background image for Brother's Keeper (1)
    6.8/10(265 votes)

    #19 - Brother's Keeper (1)

    S24:E7

    The murder of a promising boxer draws Nikki and Jack into the world of underground boxing. Meanwhile, Jack's brother Ryan is released from prison.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  21. Background image for Schism (2)
    6.9/10(184 votes)

    #20 - Schism (2)

    S10:E10

    With Nikki missing, Harry works against the clock to find out who is responsible for the murders and finds himself in a cover-up.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  22. Background image for History (3)
    6.9/10(252 votes)

    #21 - History (3)

    S25:E3

    When a woman confesses to murdering her husband, the Lyell team must determine if all is as it seems. Meanwhile, Simone is shocked to be reunited with a detective from her childhood and struggles to untangle her past.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  23. Background image for Schism (1)
    7.0/10(200 votes)

    #22 - Schism (1)

    S10:E9

    Harry and Nikki are drawn into a war between a medical research establishment and a group determined to take direct action.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  24. Background image for Seven Times (2)
    7.0/10(255 votes)

    #23 - Seven Times (2)

    S23:E6

    When the team's search for Jenny's killer hits a wall, her friends at the women's refuge seek answers. Meanwhile, Thomas makes some friends in high places.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  25. Background image for Awakening (1)
    7.1/10(257 votes)

    #24 - Awakening (1)

    S20:E9

    Nikki travels to Mexico to attend the funeral of Luisa, a former intern at the Lyell Centre who was murdered in a carjacking in her native country. She soon stumbles across the post-mortem report and realises that the body is not that of her ex-colleagues. Assisted by Dr Eva Vasquez and fired up with the idea that Luisa might still be alive, Nikki and Jack trace her last-known movements and are led to a farm where a cartel massacre was carried out.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  26. Background image for Long Days, Short Nights (1)
    7.2/10(349 votes)

    #25 - Long Days, Short Nights (1)

    S1:E3

    When Mark James's decomposing body is discovered, it bears all the signs of a ritualistic killing.

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Worst Episodes Summary

"The Penitent (2)" is the worst rated episode of "Silent Witness". It scored 5.4/10 based on 380 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 1/3/2023. This episode scored 0.5 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Fear (2)".