The BEST episodes of Shetland

Every episode of Shetland ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Shetland!

Set against the stark backdrop of Scotland's rugged coastline, DI Jimmy Perez and his team investigate murders in the small island community of Shetland.

Last Updated: 3/11/2024Network: BBC OneStatus: Continuing
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Episode 6
star
8.19
420 votes

#1 - Episode 6

Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 3/20/2018

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.

Directors: Rebecca Gatward
Writer: David Kane
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Episode 6
star
8.15
396 votes

#2 - Episode 6

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 3/4/2016

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.

Directors: Jan Matthys
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Episode 6
star
8.05
250 votes

#3 - Episode 6

Season 7 - Episode 6 - Aired 9/14/2022

The team races to identify the killer and prevent disaster striking Lerwick. As the investigation draws to a close, Perez faces a life-changing decision.

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Episode 6
star
8.03
393 votes

#4 - Episode 6

Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired 3/19/2019

With Olivia giving up hope, Perez at last closes in on Zezi's location. But can he reach her before it's too late? Duncan is traumatised after his discovery on the beach.

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Episode 4
star
8.02
255 votes

#5 - Episode 4

Season 7 - Episode 4 - Aired 8/31/2022

Perez issues a warrant for Connor's arrest and looks for the motive for his bomb-making.

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Episode 5
star
8.02
400 votes

#6 - Episode 5

Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 3/13/2018

Following Jo's assault, the team is devastated. While Sandy feels guilty for not protecting her more, Jimmy tries to keep everyone focused, but pressure mounts on him to re-arrest Malone. However, in the absence of evidence, Perez resists. Adding to his stress, DI Cole and DS Jackson from the MIT arrive and begin picking holes in his investigation. Stunned that a search of Malone's farmhouse has not been carried out, Cole and Jackson conduct their own. However, when they arrive, Malone is nowhere to be seen.

Directors: Rebecca Gatward
Writer: David Kane
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Episode 6
star
7.98
258 votes

#7 - Episode 6

Season 6 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/24/2021

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.

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Episode 3
star
7.96
264 votes

#8 - Episode 3

Season 7 - Episode 3 - Aired 8/24/2022

Mounting evidence pushes Perez and the team to revise their view of Connor Cairns.

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Episode 1
star
7.93
452 votes

#9 - Episode 1

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/15/2016

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.

Writer: Gaby Chiappe
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Dead Water (2)
star
7.91
478 votes

#10 - Dead Water (2)

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 4/1/2014

After a second body is found brutally murdered on Shetland, Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez wonders if the two killings are connected to corporate greed and corruption on the island or to just one woman - Evie Watt.

Directors: David Moore
Writer: David Kane
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Episode 4
star
7.91
402 votes

#11 - Episode 4

Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 3/6/2018

Perez and Tosh are warned to stay away from Mathias Soderland by the Norwegian Secret Service, who tell them they're meddling in an operation they don't understand. With Soderland their prime suspect for Sally McColl's murder, Perez and Tosh won't be bullied. However, their investigation is suddenly derailed by a shocking discovery.

Directors: Rebecca Gatward
Writer: David Kane
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Episode 5
star
7.91
409 votes

#12 - Episode 5

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 2/19/2016

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.

Directors: Jan Matthys
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Episode 1
star
7.90
269 votes

#13 - Episode 1

Season 7 - Episode 1 - Aired 8/10/2022

DI Perez investigates the mysterious disappearance of a vulnerable young man.

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Episode 5
star
7.88
254 votes

#14 - Episode 5

Season 7 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/7/2022

Perez tries to get the measure of Lloyd. Evidence emerges of another bombmaker. The net closes in around Martin. Sandy uncovers Connor’s interest in a piece of local history.

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Episode 1
star
7.84
425 votes

#15 - Episode 1

Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 2/12/2019

When body parts belonging to a young Nigerian man are discovered on the island, Perez and the team investigate. They use CCTV to trace the victim's last movements, and after scrutinising his emails and social media accounts, the case takes a sinister turn.

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Episode 1
star
7.84
435 votes

#16 - Episode 1

Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 2/13/2018

When Shetlander Thomas Malone has his murder conviction overturned after 23 years, which he's spent behind bars, Perez has to reopen an investigation into the 1994 death of local teenager Lizzie Kilmuir. Later, Perez gets a text from Cassie saying she is unexpectedly flying back to Shetland, so he and Duncan meet her at the airport.

Directors: Lee Haven Jones
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Episode 3
star
7.84
426 votes

#17 - Episode 3

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 2/5/2016

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.

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Episode 3
star
7.84
413 votes

#18 - Episode 3

Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 2/28/2018

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.

Directors: Lee Haven Jones
Writer: Paul Logue
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Episode 3
star
7.83
394 votes

#19 - Episode 3

Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 2/26/2019

Calum is rushed to the hospital after attempting suicide while in custody, which brings Sandy under internal investigation for providing him with a pen. Jimmy travels to Glasgow to investigate human trafficking, but has he brought his family into danger? Meaning, Zezi sees a way to escape from her captor.

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Blue Lightning (2)
star
7.82
395 votes

#20 - Blue Lightning (2)

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 4/15/2014

Time is running out for Detective Inspector Perez as prime suspect Peter Latimer lies critically ill in hospital. Was the fire a drunken accident, or was Peter Latimer the second victim of a murderer still free on Fair Isle?

Directors: Stewart Svaasand
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Episode 2
star
7.82
406 votes

#21 - Episode 2

Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 2/19/2019

Carla and Prentice Hayes are found murdered in a violent knife attack. Jamie Hayes is missing, initially leading the team to speculate that he could be responsible. But Jimmy is convinced that Jamie could not have mutilated his mother in this way. Aware of her altercation with Prentice the previous evening, Perez pays a visit to Olivia Lennox. She's in her room, shaken, with blood on her clothes. Could she be responsible or an innocent bystander?

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Episode 4
star
7.82
401 votes

#22 - Episode 4

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 2/12/2016

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.

Directors: Jan Matthys
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Episode 2
star
7.79
422 votes

#23 - Episode 2

Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 2/20/2018

The hunt is on for Malone's attacker, Tosh investigates Forst Energy in the search for Sally's killer, and DNA in the Kilmuir case yields a surprising result.

Directors: Lee Haven Jones
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Episode 2
star
7.79
260 votes

#24 - Episode 2

Season 7 - Episode 2 - Aired 8/17/2022

As the search for Connor grows desperate, Perez follows Danny on a journey into his past.

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Episode 5
star
7.79
376 votes

#25 - Episode 5

Season 5 - Episode 5 - Aired 3/12/2019

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.

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