It is rare for a television show to come around that has the immediate pull that BBC's "Luther" does. From its opening, Idris Elba shines with a unique quality that harkens to television police officers of the olden days. While he's not exactly like Columbo, there is a cool to his Luther that is undeniable, and that is immediately counteracted by the character's flaws. Neil Cross pens a world that isn't fantastical, Luther isn't a great detective because of some superpower but because he's lived in the real world and knows how and why crimes happen, whenever Elba is on screen explaining why a suspect would do this or that there's a plausible reason that feels believable to the audience from the start so that when the cases are all tied up at the end, they feel gratifying and realistic. Set in London, Idris Elba plays detective chief inspector John Luther, whose crumbling marriage, obsessive ability to do his job well, and the echoes of a previous case gone bad start to coalesce into a hard-to-navigate situation for the seasoned veteran of crime. The relationship that immediately plays out in episode one with Luther and his estranged wife Zoe (played to complicated perfection by Indira Varma) shows that Luther is not infallible, in fact, he may be the opposite. A character warns that he is nitroglycerin, and the crux of the show is that that may be the right deduction for Luther.
Couple his explosive anger at the dissolution of his marriage with a chance and somewhat whimsical meeting with a crafty murderer by the name of Alice Morgan, and the show sets itself up so well that it would be near impossible to fail.
Ruth Wilson attacks Alice Morgan with such delicious villainy that she steals every scene she's in. Smart where she needs to be and darkly funny at every turn, Morgan is a character most actors dream to play. Part Heath Ledger's Joker, part Bond girl, and 100% herself, Alice Morgan adds a sense of unpredictability to the show. Her motivations are never too clear, but she's shockingly charming. Much like Luther himself, she's troubled with a knack for getting things done, and her advantage is that she knows this and accepts it.
Saskia Reeves plays Luther's risk-taking boss, Rose Teller, who is warned against bringing Luther back into the fold because of his propensity for violence. Straddling the line of trusting friend and overbearing boss while also playing up Teller's vulnerability by the end of the season when all things come to a head.
Warren Brown brings a slight side-kick vibe to Justin Ripley, who has requested to be put under the command of Luther, a man who plays by the rules and may have his worldview challenged by Luther's embracing of the unorthodox.
Ian Reed, Luther's closest friend and fellow officer played by Steven Mackintosh, gives Luther agency and tethers him to people outside of criminals.
Rounding out the cast are Mark North (Played by Paul McGann), Zoe's new male friend who gets dragged into Luther's world, and Martin Schenk (played by Dermot Crowley), who is brought in to question Luther's actions, provides tension but also a clear head. With the key players in place, "Luther" achieves in six episodes what others can't in twenty. A sprawling drama that uses a killer-of-the-week structure whilst building an overarching story that eventually surpasses any of the murders that happen.
Elba, Wilson, and co. are on at every turn; there isn't a spare moment of drama that isn't milked successfully for the show. Each character grows in such a short time, and the scale of the show and its conflicts manage to grow but become even more personal and character-driven as it goes on.
From family homicides to diamond deals gone bad, "Luther" offers a variety of looks into crime, why they happen, and the personal consequences of those crimes in each and every episode. No one is truly spared the rod of consequence, and the show touches upon many themes typically present in film noirs: everyone is dirty and just trying to survive.
It is no wonder that "Luther" further launched Idris Elba to be a household name. No wonder that he would be seen as the people's popular choice for James Bond. "Luther" has all the qualities that made that franchise so successful and distills into 52-minute episodes, each one feeling like a film of its own.
BBC is known for having great shows, "Sherlock," "Doctor Who," and others are consistently on the public's tongue, and "Luther" is among them in being a masterclass in television, acting, and crisp writing. If ever there was a chance to explore how effectively a show could orient itself in such a short period, "Luther" is that chance.
The show still has higher highs to reach in coming seasons, but season one proves that first impressions are indeed good indicators of quality.
My Verdict: 9/10
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