Silent Witness viewers all missed Clarissa as the show returned to BBC One last night (Monday, September 6) for its 24th (24th!) series.
And while viewers loved the fact that the forensics crime drama was back, they all thought the same thing about an old star of the show.
They all missed Clarissa dreadfully.
What happened in last night’s Silent Witness on BBC One and where was Clarissa?
In last night’s series opener of Silent Witness, Nikki (Emilia Fox) had to deal with some memories from the past as she and Jack (David Caves) visited a high-security prison.
They were tasked with investigating the suspicious death of an inmate.
Read more: Liz Carr in Silent Witness: Why did she leave as Clarissa and what is she up to now?
The victim’s cellmate turns out to be the student responsible for a mass shooting she witnessed 10 years earlier.
And yes, that meant remembering Harry and the case they worked on a decade ago.
#SilentWitness on tolerable enough form tonight but I do feel like it’s missing some hard to define but essential part of its soul now, in the absence of @thelizcarr’s superb Clarissa.
— Julie Hulltra (@rivier) September 6, 2021
#SilentWitness Great to have a new series back. As always a gritty storyline but enthralling from start to end. I miss Clarissa though. @BBCOne
— Alan (@Alan1_IOW) September 6, 2021
Watching the new series of #SilentWitness, and it's not the same without Clarissa; I hope @thelizcarr returns one day to keep jack in line. Well done on a great first episode @EmiliaFox and @MrDavidCaves
— Esther Ridgway (@EssieRose89) September 6, 2021
I want her back 😭 #clarissa #queen #SilentWitness pic.twitter.com/acPgpDEgGk
— Natalie Clennell (@MissNaralie) September 6, 2021
How did viewers react to Clarissa not being in Silent Witness?
While viewers loved the opening episode, they all felt something – or someone – was missing, and that was Clarissa, played by Liz Carr.
One viewer on Twitter said: “#SilentWitness on tolerable enough form tonight but I do feel like it’s missing some hard to define but essential part of its soul now, in the absence of @thelizcarr’s superb Clarissa.”
Another wrote: “Watching the new series of #SilentWitness, and it’s not the same without Clarissa; I hope @thelizcarr returns one day to keep jack in line.
“Well done on a great first episode @EmiliaFox and @MrDavidCaves.”
Finally one viewer featured an image of Liz as Clarissa and simply said: “I want her back.”
Why did Liz Carr leave and what did she say last night?
Liz left the show at the end of series 23 after seven years playing the popular lab assistant.
She said: “To quote Clarissa, ‘I just know, deep down – that it’s time for me to move on, to focus less on the dead and more on the living. On life.’”
And last night Liz tweeted after the first show had aired.
Read more: Silent Witness: Are Nikki and Matt still together?
“Congratulations @EmiliaFox @MrDavidCaves @lawrencetill @lenarae01. on the return of #SilentWitness @BBCOn tonight!” she said.
“Me & @thevjoiners will be tuning in again tomorrow to find out who did it…
“In the meantime, Clarissa & Max send their love – all the way from Eastbourne.”
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