Silent Witness – Finding Rachel
The team flies out to Zambia to investigate the death of a young doctor, Rachel Harrington, who disappeared two weeks earlier, in the last two-part drama in the series.
Rachel’s father, Stephen, works in Zambia with Peter, a childhood friend of Nikki’s from South Africa. A medic volunteering at the St Agatha’s Mission, Rachel had been causing some commotion about sick villagers dying and corrupt government officials being part of a cover-up. Stephen doesn’t trust the police or the government to get to the truth.
Driving from the airport, the team is carjacked. When one of the carjackers, Eunice, sees “Rachel Missing” posters in Stephen’s car, she reveals that she knew his daughter, and that Rachel tried to help her. But the carjackers speed off as DI Cosmas Hamukoma arrives. Cosmas and Stephen are mutually distrustful.
The next day, Stephen, Nikki and Cosmas set off to the riverbank where Rachel’s remains were found. They come across student journalist Emil and his girlfriend, Sian, who are taking photos. Emil claims that Rachel knew who was responsible for the deaths of a number of refugees and, when they talk to Mizinga, a local man who found the bones, his story doesn’t add up.
Harry and Leo visit St Agatha’s, the Mission run by Dr Christopher Andrews and his wife, Harriet. Their daughter, Bethany, reveals that she was meant to be going out with Rachel the night she left the Mission and it wasn’t like Rachel to let her down.
Sian turns to Harry after Emil is involved in an accident and the surgeon can’t get to the hospital. As Harry struggles through the operation, Sian discovers from Emil’s text message log that he was on his way to see Rachel when he was hit … and that he was sleeping with Rachel.
To further complicate matters, back at the post-mortem, Leo and Nikki have discovered that the remains they have are not those of Rachel Harrington…
Wednesday 5 November
9.00-10.00pm BBC ONE
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Silent Witness wednesday 5th November “Looking for someone or other?” – the Zambian ‘thing’! I WILL NOT BE WATCHING THE NEXT EPISODE. Last night was so poor for such a brilliant series. Three government pathologists go to Africa. Three? I lived in the country. Obviously the scriptwriters only went on holiday! It was very badly directed with poor acting performances by EVERYONE! Our lovely female lead showed her delightful bottom to camera at any opportunity in the Zambian bush! Come ON! It’s not even a credible storyline. Get them back to the UK and lets get back to the series’ high quality.
Silent Witness wednesday 5th November “Looking for someone or other?” – the Zambian ‘thing’! I WILL NOT BE WATCHING THE NEXT EPISODE. Last night was so poor for such a brilliant series. Three government pathologists go to Africa. Three? I lived in the country. Obviously the scriptwriters only went on holiday! It was very badly directed with poor acting performances by EVERYONE! Our lovely female lead showed her delightful bottom to camera at any opportunity in the Zambian bush! Come ON! It’s not even a credible storyline. Get them back to the UK and lets get back to the series’ high quality. Oh and get neqw scriptwriters!
Sorry you didn’t enjoy the programme Neil. It just shows how everyone is different. OK, we had to suspend belief about the fact that all three were able to leave England. Who was holding the fort?!… But the interaction between the three of them is a necessary ingredient. We have to regard it as poetic licence.
That said, I thoroughly enjoyed both episodes and think the storylines have been much more interesting recently. I gave up watching Amanda Burton and much prefer Emilia Fox. You must obviously be in the business to say that it was badly directed and acted. I usually notice that kind of thing but it didn’t jar for me. If you know the country, perhaps you notice more anomalies but I have never been there, although I shall be off to South Africa for the first time, at Christmas.
Anybody else out there, who enjoyed it? Or am I losing my judgement?
I thought it was great! Silent Witness is so underated and doesn’t need gimmicks or spin-offs like CSI. Although I would like to see more episode set away from London, surely working for the Home Office allows that?
Have to agree with the Amanda Burton thing, I didn’t watch Silent Witness until her last series and since then i’ve seen every episode. The series pre-Nikki was centred on Sam Ryan and I believe that Harry and Leo where the first permanent co-stars. It makes sense roating the plotlines with three main leads, it makes it refreshing but at the same time – not boring!