Luther

Detective chief inspector John Luther isn’t an eccentric genius who solves murder cases with his extraordinary gift. He doesn’t find the most miniscule piece of evidence from across the room due to his superhuman powers of observation, in fact at times he has trouble finding any incriminating evidence at all. He’s not cool and calculated and he’s often quite impulsive. Despite lacking the qualities that many prosperous crime dramas have banked on in previous years, the BBC’s “Luther” takes a different approach to the ever so popular cop show. Instead of the cookie cutter characters that one may be used to seeing on television, “Luther” humanizes its main character in a way that hasn’t been done before.

The series pilot finds John Luther pursuing a suspect responsible for a string of recent kidnappings. In the pursuit, the suspect meets a tragic end that DCI Luther could’ve stopped but didn’t out of spite. It picks up some time later as the investigation into the incident finds Luther innocent of all wrongdoing and back on the job, hunting for the killer of a man and his wife.  On top of the stress that his job offers, he’s also dealing with a plethora of relationship issues with his wife whom he’s been in a trial separation from.

On the outside it sounds like just another cop drama however with Idris Elba at the helm as Luther this character comes to life. You can see exactly how the stresses of John Luther’s life are being weighed upon him in his every action. Upon hearing of past you can sense the regret that he has for the wrongs he’s done in the past.  Elba brings a refreshing quality to the screen in a fictional character that’s not infallible and is flawed like the rest of us. He’s got good intentions but his mind wont always let him do the right thing.

Elba’s not the only cast member that stands out in his exceptional performance however. The mysterious and painfully intelligent Alice Morgan (played by Ruth Wilson) is about the farthest thing from ordinary as you could get. Morgan is a research scientist and a complete psychopath who has suddenly taken an interest in the life of DCI John Luther. She’s the most complex right after the main character. After watching, it’s confusing as to whether one should hate her for being the cold unfeeling person she is, or be fascinated by her sheer brilliance.

That’s not to say there are no pitfalls because the shows got plenty. “Luther” is riddled with the typical “cop show” clichés. Its got the over the top dramatic music, its got the intense boss that rides John’s ass when he crosses the line (which is always), the show even has the rookie partner who isn’t quite used to Luther’s questionable approach but grows to accept it over time. However it is almost as if the show embraces these overused dramatic elements and puts them to work to create a more interesting plot. This show knows exactly what it is and doesn’t try to hide it one bit.

Devoted British television fans will notice a similar feel to that of another hit BBC law enforcement drama, Spooks. This is largely in part due to the fact that creator and writer of the show Neil Cross has contributed his skillful writing to a good deal of more recent episodes of the ongoing television program. Although Cross’ television reputation is fairly impressive it’s interesting that a vast majority of previous writing experience comes from novels, having published 8 books in the past.

Although the show has received average to less than favorable ratings the BBC has made the decision to bring back the show for another season in the form of two two-hour long specials. It seems as if the future of this show is up in the air regarding whether it will have a long and prosperous life or a short but glorious one.

Overall the show comes off cheesy or overdramatic in some parts but it’s the performance by the exceptional cast that really shines through. Although it does tend to follow some crime show clichés you’ll not be wasting your time on this British import. Luther may not be as flashy and clever as other dramas you may see but in a lot of ways it’s a great deal more interesting.