Silent Witness: Is Leo really dead?

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Britain’s most ridiculous (though terrifically compelling) crime drama is at it again: trying to convince their audience a leading character has died at the end of the first of a two part story. In the trailer for tomorrow’s finale we see Nikki sitting by a coffin crying and saying things like ‘He’s been like a father to me’. Who knows, maybe Professor Leo Dalton has really been beaten to death while investigating a killing in Afghanistan. Or maybe we’re being deceived by clever editing. Tomorrow we shall know the truth.

Tonight’s story opener – the last two-parter in the series – was largely set in Afghanistan, and saw Nikki and Jack joining the professor in the desert to examine the scene of crime where a dead Briton was found. Nikki was in her element, as bones are her thing, and the young man’s corpse is heavily decomposed. Meanwhile Jack, though ruggedly handsome, acted like an idiot for the majority of the running time, pissing off soldiers and throwing his weight around (and that is some substantial weight if those arms and shoulders are anything to go by).

As always, the pathologists spent most of their time not doing their jobs, but by setting it in the desert, with limited authority available, the writers have found a loophole. They can have their pathologists acting like detectives and get away with it even more than usual. If they can avoid the roadside bombs, that is (there’s a very near miss for poor Leo at one point).

Middle-aged women across the country will be holding their breaths tomorrow to see if dearest Leo is still alive. Though after the ‘Harry Cunningham is dead’ con Silent Witness pulled in 2011, I’d advise not opening the box of Kleenex just yet.

Silent Witness, Series 16, concludes on BBC One HD & BBC One on 8 February at 9PM. Previous episodes can currently be found on BBC iPlayer. 

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Second year BA Film & English Student. Watches too many films and enjoys good novels.

20 Comments

  1. Inspector Taggart on

    Haven’t watched part 2 yet, but never even occurred to me he was really dead. The absence of Leo in the “Next Time” trailer was just a bit *too* complete and obvious.

    • That story of Silent Witness was the biggest load of codswallop I have ever watched. As for handsome Jack, he can act none.Bring Harry back at least he was believable and more likeable.

  2. If they have killed off Leo then they have killed off the show. The only sensible mentor,companion come father figure for Nikki is dead… then so is the show. Leo was a terrific character and for thousand of viewers like me, yes middle aged and female, he was out hero. Firm and gentle, keeping the team grounded. What is with your writers. We don’t need ‘hunks’ and Nikki certainly doesn’t, especially after you ditched Harry. What a shame to kill off the ordinary man who mattered to us all.
    I wont be watching again, which should make you think about they way you’ve ruined what has been a fabulous series. Shame.

    • Jonathan MS Pearce on

      What a shame to kill off the ordinary man who mattered to us all.
      I wont be watching again, which should make you think about they way you’ve ruined what has been a fabulous series. Shame.

      Of course, he could be dead because he wanted to leave the series after all those years. Don’t always blame the writers…

  3. So upset Leo been blown to bits! If the scriptwriters have written him out it will be the death knell for Silent Witness

  4. So I was bawling my brains out when it hapenned. Good thing I did open the box of Kleenex.

    The only reason I will keep watching the show is because I want to see how Nikki will end up. I hope with Jack, ’cause he’s a catch.

  5. I agree – I thought they were mad to let Harry go from Silent Witness, but to kill off Leo – that’s it. There’s no follow-up series. And if they bring it back with Leo being alive, it rather makes a mockery of the drama. Who could survive a blast like that? Why oh why does TV have to ruin good programmes?

  6. Never start watching a show the last season the main character is on! I just started watching this show, and I did not even realize Episode 10 was the Finale.
    I had watched 6 from this season already and have a few others ready to watch. I was totally shocked when he blew up.
    But I have 11 years of shows to watch this with main character, so that should be fun. But wow what a shocker for a total newbie viewer. lol

  7. janice samuels on

    Im reading this really months after the event? But who are you ? Obviously a complete moron.why is it that you so called critics , sneer and look down your nose at fans of variouse well written t.v dramas that are increadably popular. But ofcourse we lesser mortals have no taste apparently

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