Idris Elba returns as Detective Chief Inspector John Luther in "Luther" in a season that will put the character through more than he's ever been through and test his skills, good heart, and the bounds of his commitment to the law.
Season three of "Luther" is my favorite. It's a show that realizes it's in its prime and, because of it, makes some daring swing-for-the-bleachers choices that ultimately work to make the show more daring and bold than ever before.
John Luther finds himself in the best position we've seen him yet. He is still working for the police force, healing from the death of his ex-wife Zoe, and finally unencumbered by his personal life seeping into his work life. Of course, this doesn't last for too long as threads from season two involving Nikki Amukka-Bird's Erin Grey come back to hit Luther with more trouble than he's been in before.
Idris Elba reprises Luther to immaculate perfection. This season, in particular, pushes Elba a little harder than the others. The last two seasons serve to be the building blocks to understanding who Luther is. He's still battle-weary, but above all, he is a survivor, and his survivor instincts are what set him apart from others.
Some actors are lucky enough to find a role that feels built for them and, in turn, they are built for. John Luther and Idris Elba are inseparable. Elba is so dialed into the character that watching him almost feels like watching a documentary. He blends into Luther so well that there is no doubt that this will be one of, if not the most defining role of his career. He's cool but not perfect, at times, even as an audience who is rooting for him, we're frustrated or astounded by his choices. It makes him endlessly compelling to watch and suffer with.
Warren Brown returns as Justin Ripley and has his most meaty of roles yet. The character growing into his own and graduated from sidekick to equal with John Luther. Thrust into his own personal drama that starts to distract and threaten his police work. Brown is captivating, playing off a bit of a boy-next-door quality with a man growing into his own, making his own mistakes, and triumphing over his own demons. Seeing the character have an arc over three seasons and the culmination of events bringing Justin to a clear place in the story in this season is a delight, and Brown does it all with a hint of boyish innocence and clever learning.
Dermott Crowley returns as Schenk and brings such gravitas to the story. Though not given as much to do this season, any scene that he's in immediately drips with urgency, the three men making a triangle of justice of sorts.
Nikki Amukka-Bird's Erin Grey is back as well, just as frustrating (if not more) as the last season, her character having a crisis of faith based on revenge along with newcomer DCU George Stark, played with maliciously juicy gravity by David O'Hara brings a sort of mirror image of Luther to the table. Cops willing to do the wrong thing to catch Luther, whom they believe is dirty, but how far are they willing to go to catch Luther, and when does it cross the line between morally righteous to downright illegal?
And, of course, Ruth Wilson's Alice Morgan brings such chaos to the show that it's sometimes hard to believe the show isn't called "Alice." Her entire place in this story is somewhat of a spoiler, but what can be said is that this is arguably the best use of the character of the three seasons. The third season pays off a three-season arc between Luther and Alice with such fun and profound intensity.
There's so much to say about season three of "Luther," but all of it goes into the realm of spoiling the story. The killers-of-the-week are more ingrained into the main story, with the final one being a wonderful mix of the anti-John Luther (the good guy doing what he can to bring justice) and how the desire for justice can bring all people down and take everyone with them.
In many ways, season three is the end of the series. Seasons four and five certainly offer more to the story, but the first part of this story closes with the third season, and in another way, season three's events seem to reverberate back and forth. It affects how season four and five will unfold but also re-contextualizes seasons one and two. Knowing what will happen dramatically affects how one will view those seasons.
"Luther" as a show will always be remembered primarily for these three seasons, and the finale of season three shows why it is a lightning-in-a-bottle situation. The timing, the acting, and the incredible writing by Neil Cross, who created all of these characters, really feel like a dream come true. A passion project where the passion is more upfront than the project.
My Verdict: 10/10
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