Luther: Boy Does He Have Anger Issues

Hello everybody! Today we have the BBC police procedural mini series Luther.

LUTHER

CREATED BY: Neil Cross

STARRING: Idris Elba, Ruth Wilson, Dermot Crowley, Michael Smiley, Warren Brown, Steven Mackintosh, Indira Varma, Saskia Reeves, Paul McGann, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Aimee-Ffion Edwards. David O’Hara, Sienna Guillory

NO. OF EPISODES: 14

GENRE: Psychological Crime Drama

YEAR: 2010-2015

COUNTRY: United Kindom

“Luther” follows the cases of a troubled yet brilliant English police detective, DCI John Luther (Idris Elba). Separated from his wife, whom he loves passionately, he is torn between an unrelenting approach to solving serial killings and his attempts to rekindle his marriage. Luther is a highly charged emotional man who is not above stretching the law to solve a case or save a life. In episode one, Alice Morgan (Ruth Wilson) proves she is equally brilliant by committing the perfect murder of her parents, which challenges Luther as never before. Alice develops a strange fascination for Luther and their continued exchanges and interplay serve as a backdrop for the rest of the season. Luther’s edgy police tactics make him a serious concern to his superiors, who feel that he is a threat to their reputations and that of the Police force. From the opening credits to the end of season one, “Luther” is a fast paced mystery presented with many plot twists and insights into the human psyche.

I know what you’re thinking: Luther is just like any other screwed up TV cop fighting his inner demons—been there, seen that. But what separates Luther  from the latest wave of dark police dramas is what separates Luther from any of those cops: Idris Elba. The outstanding Elba broods like no other actor, and adds nuance to the series beyond the excellent writing of series creator Neil Cross and his team.

The supporting cast is every bit as good as Elba. Ruth Wilson is icily creepy as the former child genius turned murderess and Luther-idolizing nut job Alice Morgan. Warren Brown as Justin Ripley adds real dimension to the usually one-dimensional role of the main character’s partner. And best of all, Aimee-Ffion Edwards is extraordinary as Jenny, who fights to hide her vulnerability but eventually learns to trust Luther and perhaps even believe that she can turn her young life around.

PROS:

• Neil Cross
• Idris Elba performance.
• Supporting cast performance
• Character development.

CONS:

• Convoluted plot.
• Some faults in dialogue.

SCORE: 8.3 / 10

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