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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!

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A team of exceptional forensic pathologists and scientists investigate heinous crimes and use their skills to catch the people responsible.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    Silent Witness Season 26 Episode 2 - The Penitent (2)
    5.4/10(400 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Silent Witness Season 15 Episode 10 - Fear (2)
    5.9/10(252 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Silent Witness Season 26 Episode 1 - The Penitent (1)
    5.9/10(408 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Silent Witness Season 26 Episode 6 - Star (2)
    6.0/10(277 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Silent Witness Season 15 Episode 9 - Fear (1)
    6.2/10(259 votes)

    #5 - 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Silent Witness Season 26 Episode 4 - Familiar Faces (2)
    6.2/10(279 votes)

    #6 - 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  7. Silent Witness Season 26 Episode 3 - Familiar Faces (1)
    6.3/10(292 votes)

    #7 - 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Silent Witness Season 26 Episode 5 - Star (1)
    6.3/10(293 votes)

    #8 - 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?

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Silent Witness Season 26 Episode 8 - Hearts of Darkness (2)
    6.3/10(247 votes)

    #9 - 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Silent Witness Season 24 Episode 10 - Matters of Life and Death (2)
    6.4/10(317 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Silent Witness Season 24 Episode 9 - Matters of Life and Death (1)
    6.6/10(318 votes)

    #11 - 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Silent Witness Season 26 Episode 7 - Hearts of Darkness (1)
    6.6/10(255 votes)

    #12 - 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Silent Witness Season 24 Episode 8 - Brother's Keeper (2)
    6.7/10(256 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. Silent Witness Season 24 Episode 7 - Brother's Keeper (1)
    6.8/10(277 votes)

    #14 - 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. Silent Witness Season 11 Episode 3 - Suffer the Children (1)
    6.9/10(204 votes)

    #15 - 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. Silent Witness Season 11 Episode 4 - Suffer the Children (2)
    6.9/10(190 votes)

    #16 - 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Silent Witness Season 13 Episode 9 - Home (1)
    6.9/10(195 votes)

    #17 - 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. Silent Witness Season 13 Episode 10 - Home (2)
    6.9/10(181 votes)

    #18 - Home (2)

    S13:E10

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

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Silent Witness Season 16 Episode 9 - Greater Love (1)
    6.9/10(243 votes)

    #19 - 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Silent Witness Season 25 Episode 3 - History (3)
    6.9/10(264 votes)

    #20 - 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. Silent Witness Season 10 Episode 10 - Schism (2)
    7.0/10(193 votes)

    #21 - 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. Silent Witness Season 23 Episode 6 - Seven Times (2)
    7.0/10(265 votes)

    #22 - 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Silent Witness Season 10 Episode 9 - Schism (1)
    7.1/10(211 votes)

    #23 - 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. Silent Witness Season 20 Episode 9 - Awakening (1)
    7.1/10(263 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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Silent Witness Season 3 Episode 7 - Brothers in Arms (1)
    7.2/10(192 votes)

    #25 - Brothers in Arms (1)

    S3:E7

    The death of a farmer involving a combine harvester seems like an accident - until Sam receives an anonymous tip-off.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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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 400 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)".