The 'Silent Witness' Season 27 Trailer Brings a Serial Killer Into the Light
Rhiannon May as Cara Connolly, Alastair Michael as Velvy Schur, Emilia Fox as Nikki Alexander, David Caves as Jack Hodgson, and Aki Omoshaybi as Gabriel Folukoya in 'Silent Witness' Season 27
BBC Studios
While Doctor Who may boast it just celebrated its 60th Anniversary, fans know that a good decade and a half of that was spent off the air, in the wilderness of fandom supporter media, including radio dramas, novels, and one 1996 television film that nearly killed the franchise. However, 1996 also spawned another series, one that shows no signs of ending anytime soon, Silent Witness, which had become the BBC's longest-running non-soap-opera, non-medical drama, with Season 27 heading to the BBC for January 2024, and more seasons to come.
Silent Witness initially starred Amanda Burton as Dr. Sam Ryan, a forensic pathology expert hired to investigate crimes, which in the 1990s was something of a new area. Burton starred in the lead role for eight seasons before calling it quits in 2004; her replacement, Emilia Fox, as Dr. Nikki Alexander, has been one of the series' central characters since, celebrating 20 years on the program with the new season. I say "one of" because, with Burton's departure, the writers wisely decided if the series wanted to be able to run beyond its original star, it would need to become an ensemble piece.
Though Fox has been an anchor for the show since Season 8, the turnover throughout the seasons has been steady, and if it weren't for the ensemble nature of the series, it might not have survived this long. Luckily, Alexander, along with David Caves, who joined as DCI Jack Hodgson, her mainstay partner in crime solving in Season 16, have kept the show on an even keel through cases and casts of all sorts. With the Season 27 trailer, it looks like the two are ready to do it again.
Here's the Season 27 synopsis:
Dr. Nikki Alexander, forensic expert Jack Hodgson and their dedicated team must help the police solve some of their most chilling cases yet: a body found in an abandoned church sparks fears that a serial killer has resurfaced after twenty years, death terrorizes a university campus and no one is safe, a mummified corpse is uncovered - seemingly forgotten by everyone, multiple bodies are found entombed beneath a train station in a makeshift mass grave, and the Lyell is infiltrated by a malevolent force.
As the team uses their expertise to unlock the truth, they are tested to their very limits. Gabriel seeks advice from Jack in an unexpected way, and lets down his guard at work with devastating results. Velvy tries to do the right thing for his family, but at great cost to himself. Cara navigates London student life, making friends and enemies along the way. She impresses Jack when she undertakes work experience at the Lyell, and is forced to intervene when she makes a shocking discovery about Velvy. Nikki and Jack deal with one of the most difficult cases of their career, and their relationship becomes stronger than ever.
Emilia Fox as Nikki Alexander, David Caves as Jack Hodgson in Silent Witness Season 27
BBC Studios
Fox and Caves will be joined in the 27th season of Silent Witness by Rhiannon May as Cara Connolly, who was a guest star in Season 26 and moves up to series regular. Season 27 will also add two complete newcomers to the team with Alastair Michael (Ridley Road) as Velvy Schur and Aki Omoshaybi (The Pursuit of Love) as Dr Gabriel Folukoya. As usual, the series will feature guest stars who will only be revealed ahead of the the week's episode.
However, we do have the episode titles for the season:
- Episode 1+2: Effective Range
- Episode 3+4: Grievance Culture
- Episode 5+6: Invisible
- Episode 7+8: Death By A Thousand Hits
- Episode 9+10: King’s Cross
Season 27's episodes were written by Jim Keeble, Dudi Appleton, Tim Prager, Ed Whitmore, and Tracey Malone. Max Myers directed the first two installments, and Appleton is expected to direct at least two episodes this season as per usual. Jayne Chard is producer. The series is executive produced by Fox, Suzi McIntosh, and Priscilla Parish for BBC Studios and Nawfal Faizullah for the BBC.
Silent Witness Season 27 will premiere on BBC One on Monday, January 8, at 9 p.m. BT with Episode 2 on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, also at 9 p.m. ET. The series will follow this two-episode-a-week format for the remainder of the run. All ten episodes are expected to arrive for U.S. viewers in a batch drop on BritBox within a few weeks of the season finale.
