"Vera" Silent Voices (TV Episode 2012) Poster

(TV Series)

(2012)

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8/10
dark
blanche-218 March 2014
When a social worker connected to a high-profile case is found drowned by being held under water, Vera and Joe (Brenda Blethyn and Joe (David Leon) embark on an investigation, in "Silent Voices." Social worker Jenny Lister was part of the Mattie Jones case two years earlier. Mattie had drowned her son Elias while she was the client of Connie Masters, whom Jenny supervised. Jenny was found innocent of any wrongdoing, but Connie Masters, overloaded with cases, was blamed. Masters now lives quietly under another name.

Jenny, on the other hand, was well regarded and adored by her daughter Hannah (Hannah Britland). She is devastated over her mother's death and leans heavily on a neighbor, Simon (James Rastall), whose mother Veronica (Penny Downe) disapproves of the relationship.

It's learned that Jenny was writing a book of case studies -- could that be the reason she was murdered? She had reported her bag stolen, and in it was her laptop. Could Mattie's old boyfriend, the strange and manipulative Michael Morgan (Daniel Lapaine) be responsible because she would have negative things to say about him? Vera and Joe have their hands full with this one. It's a depressing, dark story with the backdrop of loss -- Vera reminiscing about the loss of her own mother, Hannah facing the death of hers, and Veronica reliving the death of her other son as a child. It's also the anniversary of Elias' death.

By the time Vera has this one figured out, it's nearly too late.

Excellent mystery with wonderful performances by Blethyn, Britland, and everyone involved, as well as a story with a nail-biter of an ending.
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9/10
Excellent, despite the dark tone.
Sleepin_Dragon6 January 2020
Silent Voices is a terrific episode, it's a fantastic mystery, it really is Vera at its best.

The story is very dark, with some harrowing elements, but it's cohesive, interesting, intriguing and surprising. The opening is terrific, the visuals are incredible, talk about a sublime landscape. The ending is excellent, hard to find any real fault with this episode.

Just when you think her and Joe have reached an understanding and a closeness, she flies off the handle with him. She's given a new DC whom she actually treats rather well,

Kenny is more involved than in previous episodes, that's great, he's a great character.

Excellent. 9/10
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9/10
Well-written episode, featuring knockout performance from Kaye Wragg.
msghall20 May 2020
While I have issues with both the post-production darkening of the skies to give the series its dreary, depressed look and with Blethyn's irritating whine, this is a fine episode that stands out primarily due to actor Kaye Wragg. In one remarkable scene where she recounts a story to Vera, Wragg takes her character from defiantly uncooperative to soft and empathetic. Not many actors can pull off such a smooth transition but Wragg changes the entire complexion of the episode and gives it much-needed heart in the middle of all the mean-spiritedness and ugliness that defines much of this show.
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6/10
Well-made but overwhelmingly depressing
gridoon202421 July 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Vera and her team investigate the brutal murder of a highly esteemed social worker who was also a swimming enthusiast.

"Silent Voices" is well made and very well acted, especially by Hannah Britland, but it's also depressing to the point of cruelty: there is not a single one important female character in this episode who has not been deeply traumatized by a terrible loss (the previous episodes have been sad as well but this one takes the cake). I formed a theory about the killer being the most unlikely person based on the formula of the series so far, but I was wrong....it was the second most unlikely person! **1/2 out of 4.
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2/10
Probably the worst Vera episode --- catastrophic
mgl-9203710 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Vera has had several stinker episodes, and it's almost always about who the guilty party actually is. I just can't buy Simon as the killer at all. The psychology of his deep guild over his little brother's death 15 years ago does not let me believe he can be a murderer of Psycho intensity. On top of that, the tapioca - bland performance by the actor playing Simon doesn't work at all.

The episode is absolutely terrible in spite of great location shooting and some excellent performances in other roles. I really liked the slimeball healer who got murdered. The social worker who had to change her name was excellent. All blame for the low quality goes to the writers.
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