Ep 1. Death Has No Dominion, Part 1

In "Silent Witness" Season 15 Episode 1, "Death Has No Dominion, Part 1," we find the team returning from their holiday break. The episode starts with an intense scene where a woman named Julia Bryce is seen being chased by someone through the woods. Bryce seems to be in trouble, but is eventually caught by the assailant. Meanwhile, Dr. Nikki Alexander, Dr. Harry Cunningham, and Jack Hodgson, all members of the Lyell Centre, are dealing with personal issues of their own.

Dr. Alexander (played by Emilia Fox) is dealing with new motherhood, having taken in her deceased partner's child, Leo, as her own. Dr. Cunningham (Tom Ward) is still struggling to cope with the loss of his wife, while Jack Hodgson (David Caves) is dealing with the fact that his father has been diagnosed with dementia.

As the team meets to discuss their plans for the new year, they are interrupted by DS Eve Lucas, who brings them an urgent case. The police have discovered the decomposed remains of a young woman which they suspect to be Julia Bryce. Dr. Alexander and her team are called in to investigate the case, which quickly becomes a lot more complicated than they had initially thought.

As they investigate, they discover that Bryce was a member of a cult, called "The Church of the Bright New Dawn," which is led by a charismatic leader named Gideon Reece. The investigators believe that the cult had something to do with Bryce's death, but they encounter resistance from the cult members, who refuse to cooperate with the investigation.

Dr. Alexander and her team continue their investigation, but they also must deal with their personal issues. Dr. Cunningham struggles to cope with the loss of his wife, and at one point he almost loses his temper with one of the suspects. Meanwhile, Dr. Alexander is struggling to balance her work with her new role as a mother.

As the investigation progresses, the team discovers that the cult has a dark secret, and they fear that more lives may be in danger. With time running out, they must race against the clock to solve the case and bring the killer to justice before it's too late.

"Death Has No Dominion, Part 1" is a gripping episode of "Silent Witness" that showcases the strengths of the show. The acting is superb, with Emilia Fox, Tom Ward, and David Caves delivering excellent performances. The writing is tight, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the audience engaged. The cinematography is also excellent, with the beautiful scenery of the English countryside providing a stark contrast to the dark subject matter of the show.

Overall, "Death Has No Dominion, Part 1" is an excellent start to Season 15 of "Silent Witness." It is a tense and thrilling episode that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats until the very end.