鈥淲hy do you think Silent Witness has been so successful?鈥�
Let me tell you, I鈥檝e been asked this question a lot since joining the series in 2019, and even more so in the runup to the show鈥檚 25th Anniversary. Possibly daunted by that extraordinary achievement, my answer keeps changing. After so many years, there are more than 200 episodes and they all seem remarkably 鈥� deliberately - different. Is it the perennial appeal of crime drama? Maybe because the forensic landscape from which it draws its stories keeps evolving too? Characters, perhaps? The steely strength of Sam Ryan? The bond deeper than friendship between Nikki and Jack? Clarissa鈥檚 wicked sense of humour?
Nothing better illustrates the variety of the storytelling over the last quarter of a century than this list of 10 of Silent Witness鈥� most Memorable Episodes. The 大象传媒 Writersroom have made the scripts for these ten episodes available in their online script library. Many of the writers involved have written an introduction to their own episode.
And as Series 25 begins from Monday 23rd May, it鈥檚 clear the show is evolving again. To celebrate the silver anniversary, we鈥檙e breaking the series鈥� long-established format to tell one huge story over six hours titled 鈥楬istory鈥�. History, obviously, because having run continuously since 1996, the series is on the cusp of being the longest running crime drama, right now, in the world. Also because somehow these episodes mark the first time that Sam Ryan (played by Amanda Burton) and Nikki Alexander (played by Emilia Fox) 鈥� two iconic female leads - have shared the screen together. And crucially because the personal histories of each of our lead characters 鈥� Nikki, Jack and Simone 鈥� are exposed in this series as we鈥檝e never seen before. So that none of them will ever be the same again.
So鈥hy do you think Silent Witness has been so successful? Please tell us if you agree with our choices and share your own memorable episodes in the comments below.
Buried Lies
Series 1, Episode 1 (first broadcast 21st February 1996) - by Kevin Hood & Nigel McCrery
鈥淭hey say a victim dies only once, but a scene can be murdered a thousand times鈥�
From her very first scene as Sam Ryan, Amanda Burton sets out the tone, energy and integrity of the series for the last twenty-five years. Sam Ryan鈥檚 character was based on Professor Helen Whitwell, a forensic pathologist, who Nigel McCrery had known while serving as a police officer. The series was originally set in Cambridge. It wasn鈥檛 until the end of Series 3 and Sam鈥檚 promotion to Professor, that the series settled in London and the newly formed Lyell Centre.
(Nick Lambon)
Watch Silent Witness, Series 1, Episode 1 "Buried Lies - Part One" on 大象传媒 iPlayer
Watch Silent Witness, Series 1, Episode 2 "Buried Lies - Part Two" on 大象传媒 iPlayer
Fallout
Series 6, Episodes 1 & 2 (first broadcast 28th & 29th September 2002) - by Tony McHale
The premise of this episode is just fantastic; a major traffic accident on a busy road, leaving 11 people dead, would seem to be more than enough to keep Professor Ryan and her team busy. But among the wreckage, a severed arm is discovered which doesn鈥檛 belong to any of the victims. By this point, Sam has been joined in the series by Leo Dalton (William Gaminara) and Harry Cunningham (Tom Ward), who would become fan favourites and continue at the Lyell long after Sam鈥檚 departure a few years later.
(Nick Lambon)
Watch Silent Witness, Series 6, Episode 1 "Fallout" on 大象传媒 iPlayer
Watch Silent Witness, Series 6, Episode 2 "Fallout" on 大象传媒 iPlayer
Body 21
Series 8, Episodes 7 & 8 (first broadcast 25th & 26th September 2004) - by Michael Crompton
I鈥檇 been told by the producer Nick Pitt that they had a bit of extra money to do something special. We鈥檇 been talking about my interest in The Kings Cross Fire where a man had been found but had remained unnamed and was known as Body 115 (his morgue number). How do you die in the middle of rush hour London, and no-one know who you are? This mystery intrigued me as did the various survivors groups from a number of crashes and disasters that seemed to dominate the headlines at that time.
Added to these true stories was the introduction of a new character. This was to be Nikki Alexander鈥檚 first full episode and it was really exciting to establish not only who she was and how her character would fit in with Leo and Harry. It was also an opportunity to establish how this series was going to work going forwards. Up until now, Sam Ryan led the way but now we had a very different three-way dynamic. A dynamic and format that has endured to the present day.
The opening of the episode is, in my opinion, the best (and possibly most expensive) opening of Silent Witness ever. The brilliant Douglas Mackinnon directed a wonderful cast including Emma Cunniffe, Danny Webb, Amita Dhiri, Shaun Parkes, Stephen Boxer and Eddie Marsan. Of all the fifteen (soon to be sixteen) episodes of Silent Witness I鈥檝e written, this is the one I鈥檓 most proud of.
(Michael Crompton)
Read the script for Silent Witness, Series 8, Episode 7 "Body 21 - Part One" by Michael Crompton
Read the script for Silent Witness, Series 8, Episode 8 "Body 21 - Part Two" by Michael Crompton
Shadows
Series 13, Episodes 7 & 8 (first broadcast 28th & 29th January 2010) 鈥� by Jim Keeble and Dudi Appleton
With Shadows we wanted to write a totally immersive film that forced the characters out of their comfort zones. Whilst intricate procedure and tight forensics have their joys, we wanted to see if we could push the show into a seat-of-the-pants real-time thriller in which all the usual systems crashed at first contact with the enemy. Our leads are pushed into using their superpowers to survive, save others and finally bring down the shooters. We watched films like Gus Van Sant鈥檚 and the Cassavetes classic for influences. We were also interested in how the police command structures would cope in a school multiple shooting scenario and were fortunate enough to interview the man who ran Gold Command in London on 7/7. One strange accolade we got after the episodes broadcast was that Prime Minister David Cameron listed Shadows as his favourite piece of television of the year. Big thanks goes to our great Exec Producer Phillippa Giles for letting us push the envelope.
(Jim Keeble and Dudi Appleton)
Watch Silent Witness, Series 13, Episode 7 "Shadows - Part One" on 大象传媒 iPlayer
Watch Silent Witness, Series 13, Episode 8 "Shadows - Part Two" on 大象传媒 iPlayer
Fraternity
Series 17, Episodes 9 & 10 (first broadcast 30th & 31st January 2014) 鈥� by Graham Mitchell
Silent Witness survives and prospers because of its extraordinary ability to reinvent itself. Fraternity was my second story for the show. I鈥檇 written my first Silent Witness story (more of a traditional whodunnit) for the same season, but with Fraternity 鈥� encouraged by producers Sharon Bloom and Phillippa Giles - I delved more deeply into the personal life of one of the central characters than the show usually did. You mess with the format of a hugely successful series at your peril, but by giving Jack an enormous personal crisis to navigate we got under his skin and ended the season on an emotional, as well as investigative, high. It was an entirely fictional story, though there were personal elements in it for me too that kind of rose up during the development, as they often do - but what I remember most about Fraternity now is not so much the process of writing it but David Caves鈥� incredible performance.
I loved working on the show 鈥� the freedom to invent and experiment and the nothing-is-impossible ethos of the production team. Twenty-five years is a remarkable achievement and I鈥檓 incredibly proud to have contributed to that.
(Graham Mitchell)
Watch Silent Witness, Series 17, Episode 9 "Fraternity - Part One" on 大象传媒 iPlayer
Watch Silent Witness, Series 17, Episode 10 "Fraternity - Part Two" on 大象传媒 iPlayer
Sniper's Nest
Series 18, Episodes 1 & 2 (first broadcast 6th & 7th January 2015) - by Ed Whitmore
I think it was - creator of the magnificent and deathless Law & Order franchise - who told his writers he wanted stories 'ripped from the headlines' and I have to say Mr Wolf was onto something. When your clay is a true story you retain the ability to be surprised and disarmed yourself by that raw material and - ideally - to be steered in unforeseen directions.
Since 2003 I have written fifteen episodes of Silent Witness, the vast majority of which were inspired by real cases. Sniper's Nest was no exception and I drew mainly from the extraordinary but also some lesser known cases involving lone gunmen and the very particular stripe of "death from above" terror that they evoke.
I love writing Silent Witness for many reasons - the movie-length 120 minute running time, the amazing regular cast, the massive and enduring fanbase who come back year after year - but, selfishly, I love it because if you put your mind to it every story can be told through the prism of pathology and forensics. I knew SNIPER'S NEST was going to open the series and I wanted it to pack a punch in terms of scale and event so I knowingly pushed my luck with some of the set pieces. But to my astonishment the incredible team of producer Sharon Bloom and director David Richards delivered everything that was on the page and more. The reaction from the viewers was incredible and it remains one of my favourite episodes.
(Ed Whitmore)
Watch Silent Witness, Series 18, Episode 1 "Sniper's Nest - Part One" on 大象传媒 iPlayer
Watch Silent Witness, Series 18, Episode 2 "Sniper's Nest - Part Two" on 大象传媒 iPlayer
Read the script for Silent Witness, Series 18, Episode 1 "Sniper's Nest - Part One" by Ed Whitmore
Read the script for Silent Witness, Series 18, Episode 2 "Sniper's Nest - Part Two" by Ed Whitmore
Awakening
Series 20, Episodes 9 & 10 (first broadcast 30th & 31st January 2017) by Jim Keeble and Dudi Appleton
We often start with what we鈥檇 like to see a Pathologist do 鈥� In Bloodlines we wanted to see how a Pathologist might fake their own death, in Awakening we wanted to see how they might deal with their own slow approaching death. Deep underground in a coffin. In Awakening Nikki knows just how long she will have to live and the order and process of her own death. Even seeing herself on the mortuary slab.
We were very taken with a documentary about popular resistance to the cartels in Mexico called . We worked with two academics who help charities in Mexico locate the bodies of missing loved ones disappeared by the cartels and set the story within that world. As we were shooting in Tenerife we were able to scout locations there in order to write for specific sites that could create our Mexican story. That way we felt we could organically connect story and place in a way that felt very exciting. It鈥檚 what we love about this show: you get to write and direct a movie that can take you anywhere. As it was the 20th Anniversary special, we all felt we wanted to take the audience somewhere special, physically and emotionally.
(Jim Keeble and Dudi Appleton)
Watch Silent Witness, Series 20, Episode 9 "Awakening - Part One" on 大象传媒 iPlayer
Watch Silent Witness, Series 20, Episode 10 "Awakening - Part Two" on 大象传媒 iPlayer
One Day
Series 21, Episodes 7 & 8 (first broadcast 29th & 30th January 2018) 鈥� by Tim Prager
Phillippa Giles, the talented Executive Producer of Silent Witness who joined the show about the same time I did in 2008, asked me if I would reimagine and reboot the programme as it went through a transition in 2013. About the same time, she asked me to join her at a panel discussion hosted by Toby Mildon, an indefatigable advocate for disabled people at the 大象传媒. The panel was about improving the representation of disabled people in drama and increasing on screen opportunities. The following day, 鈥淐larissa Mullery鈥� was born. (fun fact: She鈥檚 named 鈥淢ullery鈥� after Alan Mullery a famous Fulham FC and England Player鈥� probably even Liz Carr doesn鈥檛 know that!!) Casting was not easy. There were a number of talented actresses who auditioned but when I saw Liz Carr read a scene in her audition I was sure she was right for the role. So was Phillippa. I showed her audition to my son, who is disabled. He was hugely in favour because it was an obvious and visual statement that disabled people have value 鈥� both in the show and in life. They can play a 鈥渓ead鈥�.
I had proposed doing an episode about 鈥渄isabled hate crime鈥� repeatedly, and year after year there was always a reason not to do it. Finally, after a number of years of trying, the premise of 鈥淥ne Day鈥� was agreed and I sketched out the architecture of the film. I wrote it quite quickly and knew, as I wrote, who I thought might be able to play the two guest starring roles. I was delighted when Toby Sams-Friedman was cast as Kevin. I鈥檇 known him for many years and seen him grow up. The truth was, I had him in mind as I wrote the film. Rosie Jones was fabulous as Serena. Their rich, moving performances were proof of the reservoir of talent in the disabled acting community.
There are a number of things I am proud of about this film: it was the culmination of a longer journey to increase the representation of disabled people on television and in film. It marked the moment that Silent Witness agreed to honour my pledge to include an actor with a disability in each of my films, irrespective of whether the character, as written, was disabled or not. The point was that disabled actors can play social workers or teachers or scientists; that disability was part of normal life. Scripts can adjust to create the verisimilitude required. That simple undertaking spread to every film in each year鈥檚 series. Charlotte Moore, who introduced the film when it was screened at BAFTA, gave an instruction that all 大象传媒 dramas should look to increase and improve the representation of disabled people.
Oh, and one more thing I鈥檓 proud of - thanks to director Thaddeus O鈥橲ullivan and producer Kiaran Murry-Smith, the actors, designers and production team鈥t is a very, very good film!
(Tim Prager)
Watch Silent Witness, Series 21, Episode 7 "One Day - Part One" on 大象传媒 iPlayer
Watch Silent Witness, Series 21, Episode 8 "One Day - Part Two" on 大象传媒 iPlayer
Hope
Series 23, Episodes 7 & 8 (first broadcast 27th & 28th January 2020) 鈥� by Lena Rae
I鈥檝e always loved Silent Witness. I鈥檓 a big forensic science geek and grew up on a diet of classic murder mystery shows, so Silent Witness appeals to me on so many levels. I had always wanted to write for the show, tried and failed many times to pitch stories. This time round, I was lucky enough to have my work championed by the wonderful Josie Burke, who was the Senior Script Editor at the time - and happens to have one of the best story brains in the business! Clarissa was my all-time favourite character. Ballsy and smart, with a razor sharp wit. I knew I wanted to write a story that put her front and centre, allowing us a small glimpse into what made her the woman we know and love. So, I told the story of Clarissa caring for her dying mother. At the time, it was unusual to delve so deeply into a main character鈥檚 personal life, so I wasn鈥檛 sure how it would be received. But the audience really responded to it. Liz鈥檚 performance was so real and truthful, it resonated with so many people.
The show had been running for so many years, they鈥檇 looked at death from every angle and I was keen to try and find something that felt new. I was researching cryogenics at the time, and was interested in the challenges a 鈥榝rozen鈥� body would cause the team, so I weaved that into the story. It created a lot of really interesting story quirks, such as allowing a mother to see her lost daughter, decades afterwards, totally preserved in childhood.
Silent Witness is a tough show to write for, a 大象传媒 two hour script is massive. It sounds obvious, but because it鈥檚 a pathology led show every major turning point needs to come from the science; the body. That鈥檚 a lot trickier than it sounds! It鈥檚 very easy to get drawn into allowing the detectives to lead the story, as would happen in a more traditional crime show. You鈥檙e constantly fighting against that. But that鈥檚 part of the challenge and the joy of Silent Witness. It鈥檚 totally unique. I absolutely loved being a part of these episodes, I learned a huge amount and I鈥檒l always be proud of what we achieved.
(Lena Rae)
Watch Silent Witness, Series 23, Episode 7 "Hope - Part One" on 大象传媒 iPlayer
Watch Silent Witness, Series 23, Episode 8 "Hope - Part Two" on 大象传媒 iPlayer
Bad Love
Series 24, Episodes 3 & 4 (first broadcast 13th & 14th September 2021) 鈥� by Susan Everett
I've been a fan of Silent Witness since it started, so when given a chance to pitch, I grabbed it. This was followed by writing what felt like endless outlines and treatments of my Bad Love story, with methodical pathology/forensic beats and character stories. I was tasked with bringing Adam into the show, which was initially quite daunting - but when I wrote his first line of dialogue in the script he amused me and set the tone.
I'm rather obsessive about planning, research and getting things right. There's a scene where Jack inspects a toilet, so I took a toilet seat off to check how that would work. The show has advisors for pathology/forensics, so I didn't try to cut up any bodies...
I loved writing the Jack/Cara/Ryan story at the heart of the episodes. It was only at script stage that Cara became a deaf character, communicating through BSL - a brilliant idea from producer Lawrence Till, which brought opportunities for dramatic tension as she and Jack struggle to communicate. Rhiannon Jones makes such a wonderful Cara. I'm thankful to the whole Silent Witness team for believing in me as a writer and bringing Bad Love to life.
(Susan Everett)
Watch Silent Witness, Series 24, Episode 3 "Bad Love - Part One" on 大象传媒 iPlayer
Watch Silent Witness, Series 24, Episode 4 "Bad Love - Part Two" on 大象传媒 iPlayer
Watch Silent Witness Series 25 from Monday 23rd May 2022 at 9pm on 大象传媒 One and 大象传媒 iPlayer
Watch the complete Silent Witness from the beginning on 大象传媒 iPlayer