From the U.K. comes a fascinating detective/crime mini-series. Idris Elba stars as John Luther, a moral detective who isn't always lawful. He is a complicated man leading a complicated life. As the mini-series begins, he is suspended from his job for one of his moral, but unlawful incidents and is separated from his wife Zoe (Indira Varma), although he doesn't quite understand why. Eventually reinstated, his first case back introduces him to Alice Morgan (Ruth Wilson), a psychopath, who he ends up befriending. In the context of the series, it makes sense: Luther goes to her to understand the mind of a criminal (besides the slight attraction they share). Their pairing is the most interesting dynamic of the show. It is this relationship that exposes Luther, and the viewer, to the moral ambiguity that sometimes exists in the world.
Each episode features a new criminal that Luther must catch, besides the other issues lingering in his life that tie in across all episodes. The format of the show is similar to Law & Order: Criminal Intent (if you're familiar), in which it allows the viewer in on the perpetrator from the beginning. We delve more into Luther's methods, rather than the criminals'. The last three episodes (of six) are extraordinarily compelling because Luther's personal and professional lives collide in a big way. Excellent viewing for cold winter nights.
It
appears that BBC has ordered two more two-hour episodes of the show. Yipee!
Luther
Find it in the catalog!
