The BEST episodes of Silent Witness

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

Forensic pathologists face personal and professional challenges in a moody, tense thriller that moves from the crime scene to the lab.

Last Updated: 5/14/2025Network: BBC OneStatus: Continuing
Coup de Grace (2)
star
8.31
194 votes

#1 - Coup de Grace (2)

Season 17 - Episode 4 - Aired 1/10/2014

Thomas is under increased pressure from DI Rachel Klein and the Home Office as he battles to save the Lyell Centre's reputation. Peter Masham makes an unlikely deal with Bennetto's brother-in-law. Jack and Clarissa finally uncover the true identity of murder victim Byron Lee.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
In a Lonely Place (2)
star
8.26
199 votes

#2 - In a Lonely Place (2)

Season 17 - Episode 6 - Aired 1/17/2014

Nikki, Jack and DS Ross are feeling the pressure to close the net on a serial killer abducting young women. Concerns increase about missing Sarah, and solving her mysterious disappearance becomes an urgent priority for the team.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Bloodlines (2)
star
8.22
169 votes

#3 - Bloodlines (2)

Season 14 - Episode 8 - Aired 1/25/2011

With Harry dead and Leo and Nikki getting nowhere with the police, the pathologists struggle to clear Harry's name, while the police seem intent on covering up a wider conspiracy.

Directors: Dudi Appleton
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Bloodlines (1)
star
8.18
174 votes

#4 - Bloodlines (1)

Season 14 - Episode 7 - Aired 1/24/2011

When human rights lawyer Anna Sandor calls Harry to Budapest to investigate the death of a client, they start to uncover a sinister underworld conspiracy, putting both their lives in danger.

Directors: Dudi Appleton
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
And Then I Fell in Love (2)
star
8.16
123 votes

#5 - And Then I Fell in Love (2)

Season 15 - Episode 12 - Aired 8/20/2012

Harry and Nikki make a crucial connection between the dead girls and sex-grooming victim Shannon, but is it too late for Hannah and Lauren?

Directors: Mike Barker
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Greater Love (2)
star
8.14
136 votes

#6 - Greater Love (2)

Season 16 - Episode 10 - Aired 2/8/2013

Nikki, Jack and Leo struggle to identify the human remains with only sections of skeleton found and basic forensic facilities, but believe Dan Lambert must have been captured by the Taliban, executed and buried. Whilst Leo grows closer to charity worker Fawzia, Nikki and Jack find and assemble the skull fragments and make an unnerving discovery that challenges their theory of what happened to Dan Lambert. However, when an imprisoned Taliban fighter is found dead in the compound, the team suspect he was murdered, and suspicions grow about Sean Nugent and his men's treatment of prisoners. No longer able to trust anyone, the increasingly isolated team doggedly piece together the circumstances surrounding Dan Lambert's disappearance, but the shocking truth triggers a chain of events which leaves everyone's lives in danger.

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The Greater Good (2)
star
8.12
151 votes

#7 - The Greater Good (2)

Season 23 - Episode 10 - Aired 2/5/2020

Jack is rushed to hospital after collapsing at the scene of a car crash. Thomas discovers that soldier John Sealy may have been exposed to a nerve agent.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Fraternity (2)
star
8.01
166 votes

#8 - Fraternity (2)

Season 17 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/31/2014

Jack's world has been blown apart following the discovery of Hannah's dead body. Nikki manages to find out the truth behind Jack and Ryan's strained relationship. Thomas thinks about hiring forensic scientist Helen as Jack's permanent replacement. Christy Nash is scared for the future of his marriage and business after DI Carter finds out abouts of his relationship with 15-year-old Katie.

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Shadows (2)
star
8.00
161 votes

#9 - Shadows (2)

Season 13 - Episode 8 - Aired 1/29/2010

Leo's postmortem of the victims reveals there were two guns used, and possibly a second shooter.

Directors: Farren Blackburn
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
King’s Cross (2)
star
7.99
95 votes

#10 - King’s Cross (2)

Season 27 - Episode 10 - Aired 2/13/2024

There are further twists ahead for Nikki, Jack and the team as they work with the police to explore multiple avenues to solve a 20-year-old case.

Directors: Toby Frow
Writer: Ed Whitmore
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Two Below Zero (1)
star
7.93
153 votes

#11 - Two Below Zero (1)

Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 2/12/2001

Sam is called in to identify the naked body of a woman uncovered on a ski slope in Norway.

Directors: Rob Evans
Writer: Tom Needham
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Exodus 20:17 (2)
star
7.93
86 votes

#12 - Exodus 20:17 (2)

Season 28 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/7/2025

Benjamin continues his desperate search for Gloria. Nikki’s disturbing discovery joins the dots. A new team member joins the Lyell.

Directors: Tracey Rooney
Watch Now:Amazon
King’s Cross (1)
star
7.91
99 votes

#13 - King’s Cross (1)

Season 27 - Episode 9 - Aired 2/12/2024

The Lyell are called to King's Cross Station Museum, where they discover the bodies of eight victims entombed below. With the knowledge that a prolific serial killer was operating in London nearly 20 years ago, Nikki and the team know this will be a case like no other.

Directors: Toby Frow
Writer: Ed Whitmore
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Double Dare (2)
star
7.87
139 votes

#14 - Double Dare (2)

Season 11 - Episode 8 - Aired 9/18/2007

Nikki grows increasingly worried that a mistake she made on a case four years ago may have contributed to the murder of a young woman.

Directors: Maurice Phillips
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Peripheral Vision (2)
star
7.87
131 votes

#15 - Peripheral Vision (2)

Season 11 - Episode 10 - Aired 9/25/2007

Having fallen out with both the police and Clara's family, Nikki finds herself increasingly alone in her search for the killer.

Directors: Bruce Goodison
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Shadows (1)
star
7.86
170 votes

#16 - Shadows (1)

Season 13 - Episode 7 - Aired 1/28/2010

Nikki and Harry try to help wounded victims of a campus shooting while trapped in the building with the rampaging shooter.

Directors: Farren Blackburn
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Legacy (2)
star
7.86
166 votes

#17 - Legacy (2)

Season 16 - Episode 8 - Aired 2/1/2013

Whilst Nikki and Jack close the net on Brian Blackburn's troubled son for murdering his co-worker at the eco-housing project, Leo finally finds someone willing to confirm his fear about the mysterious local health hazard. But when his would-be-informant is found murdered, Leo is convinced he was the victim of a government conspiracy to conceal the truth. And during his dogged efforts to expose the cause of the health hazard, Leo begins to suspect that Nikki's new man, science minister James Embleton, and his belligerent father, may be linked to a ruthless plot to silence him, which leaves Leo battling alone to seek justice and save future lives.

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Family (2)
star
7.86
208 votes

#18 - Family (2)

Season 21 - Episode 10 - Aired 2/7/2018

As the truth behind the McMorris family is revealed, the team is brought together by the conclusion of a shocking Christmas family tragedy. Reuniting with their respective families, Nikki finds her secret Santa gift is a visit from a loved one.

Directors: Colin Teague
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Trust (2)
star
7.86
193 votes

#19 - Trust (2)

Season 16 - Episode 4 - Aired 1/18/2013

As the basement women case highlights two cooperating killers, Nikki, Jack and DI Reed realise one victim was killed by a controlled sedative, stolen from a high-tech vaccine research lab. And suspicion falls on Lucas Ballinger, a scientist who works there. Meanwhile, Leo draws a blank with his theory that Shona's baby died of natural causes, but when he discovers Mark's violent past, Leo fears Shona may have taken the rap for her partner's child abuse. Jack makes a chilling forensic breakthrough which exposes a dangerous plot to breach national security, leaving the Lyell Centre paralysed by a government-imposed lockdown. With Nikki, Jack and DI Reed locked in a race against time to find Ballinger and prevent mass casualties, Leo has one last shot at proving that Shona's baby died from natural causes in a desperate bid to reunite her and Mark with their other son before he is adopted.

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Broken (1)
star
7.85
75 votes

#20 - Broken (1)

Season 28 - Episode 5 - Aired 1/20/2025

Dismembered body parts take Nikki into the crumbling world of criminal justice. Can the Lyell team find a missing barrister before it’s too late?

Watch Now:Amazon
A Body of Work (2)
star
7.85
210 votes

#21 - A Body of Work (2)

Season 10 - Episode 6 - Aired 7/31/2006

Leo is puzzled by the strange death of conceptual artist Jimmy Triangle.

Directors: Martyn Friend
Watch Now:Amazon
Reputations (2)
star
7.84
135 votes

#22 - Reputations (2)

Season 24 - Episode 6 - Aired 9/21/2021

With their suspect in a coma and an attacker seemingly at large in the hospital, Nikki calls on Adam’s expertise to help solve the case.

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Body 21 (2)
star
7.84
249 votes

#23 - Body 21 (2)

Season 8 - Episode 8 - Aired 9/27/2004

Leo, Harry and Nikki step up their efforts to discover the truth behind the train crash but there are still many unanswered questions.

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Terminus (1)
star
7.84
221 votes

#24 - Terminus (1)

Season 10 - Episode 3 - Aired 7/23/2006

The team investigates a hit-and-run accident, an arson and a woman who collapsed on her hen night.

Directors: Alrick Riley
Watch Now:Amazon
The Prodigal (2)
star
7.82
136 votes

#25 - The Prodigal (2)

Season 14 - Episode 10 - Aired 2/1/2011

When the Van Burens' au pair commits suicide, the pathologists start to unravel the truth behind the embassy shootings, and a dark family secret is exposed.

Directors: James Strong
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV