Fed-up Silent Witness viewers point to huge problem with the show this series: ‘I'm out I give up'
Other viewers were left 'terrified' by the new episodes
Silent Witness series 29 is proving to be divisive among the show’s longtime viewers, with some threatening to stop watching it altogether.
Last night’s episode, the first part of The Enemy Within, follows the aftermath of a stabbing in Birmingham.
It appears to be racially motivated, with a video warning that he was a “racist pig” and “the end of white people” was coming. However, it’s not as simple as it seems.
Both parts are streaming on iPlayer now, but it’s sparked a sharp divide between the show’s fans. Some have said it’s “disturbing”, but others are ready to “give up”.
***Warning: spoilers for Silent Witness series 29 ‘The Enemy Within’ Parts 1 and 2 ahead***
Fans say ‘this isn’t Silent Witness’ after divisive series 29 episodes
According to some fans, it’s not a matter of whether or not the new series of Silent Witness is entertaining. However, does it feel true to the show?
“I have finished this week’s two episodes… they were not Silent Witness,” one fan wrote on Reddit.
“I feel the show has lost what made it so unique and what made it so brilliant. It’s no longer about the bodies and solving a case through evidence. Jack and Nicky are running around as if they’re the police, Jack especially.”
Jack’s heroic antics have been noted by other viewers, too. “I was disappointed to see Jack running after a suspect, right past two patrol cars. What were uniform doing? Having a wee break?” one viewer asked, adding that the “shine is fading”.
“I thought I was the only one who didn’t like Jack or his relationship with Nikki. There’s nothing there to me. No romantic chemistry,” another wrote.
Is it all Jack’s fault? One viewer pinpointed the shift in the show’s tone to his arrival in series 16.
That said, viewers have wider grievances. “Last night ended up giving up about 15 mins in. It’s just not the same anymore and I think I may call time on it for me. Feel like the acting isn’t great let alone anything else,” one commented.
“Don’t like the new characters or the move to Birmingham, don’t see the point of that, stopped watching it, shame [as it] was one of my favourite programmes,” another wrote.
Silent Witness series 29 leaves viewers terrified over AI
Not everyone feels the same way. In fact, some viewers have praised ‘The Enemy Within’ as one of the most affecting storylines in this year’s series of Silent Witness.
“I’ve watched both episodes and think it’s the best Silent Witness I have seen. AI is terrifying,” one user commented on Facebook.
“So disturbing and uncomfortable to watch. But superbly done,” another added.
In The Enemy Within Part 2, it’s revealed that AI was used to “harvest images from legitimate posts [and] corrupt, distort, and repurpose them”. So, the video calling Alex Nelson a “racist pig” was nothing more than a deep-fake; “unsophisticated, but convincing”.
“AI content makes you think,” one viewer commented. “A timely reminder of the adverse effects of AI,” another wrote.
