Luther (2010-2013)

Luther is a psychological crime drama television series created by Neil Cross, starring Idris Elba as Detective Chief Inspector John Luther. The show aired from May 2010 to July 2013 on the BBC, winning multiple awards including a Golden Globe.

A dedicated police officer, Luther is possessive, obsessive and often dangerous in the violence of his fixations. Despite his dedication, Luther has never been able to prevent himself from being consumed by the darkness of the crimes with which he deals. For Luther, the job always comes first. His dedication is a curse and a blessing, both for him and those close to him.

Luther is presented as somewhat of an anti-hero, in the sense that he will do bad things with good intentions. On many occasions, he has broken the law to seek justice and prevail in his cases, however all of what he does is for good reason. In the first episode, we see Luther chasing down a paedophile in an attempt to apprehend him and make an arrest, however he is left hanging from a broken walkway and Luther, as a DCI mustn’t let him fall to his death. In an intense first scene, Luther is forced to make a quick decision and I feel that most viewers would’ve expected Luther to pull the man up to safety but Luther let him fall and ultimately left him to die. That very moment set the pace for the entire show, and viewers knew exactly what kind of show they were in for.

John Luther (right) pictured with DS Justin Ripley (left).

Being a British drama, there is a conspicuous difference when comparing it to American dramas. When watching shows like True Detective and Broadwalk Empire, you often notice the highly-glamourized nature of American dramas. The movie-like camera work and the airbrushed actors and actresses make them seem so far from reality, but with British dramas there is a sense of realism, which I believe comes from the raw grittiness of British television. Much unlike anything made in America, British shows see less ‘Hollywood’ and more down to Earth, which decisively establishes a deeper connection with the audience.

In Luther, not only was the show about John Luther’s story, but the supporting cast had a huge part to play in the story. From the police detectives to Luther’s ex-wife and her new partner. Despite the long line of supporting roles, none made as big an impact as Ruth Wilson as ‘Alice Morgan’. When she was first introduced in the first episode, her parents had been brutally murdered in their own home, leaving Alice completely befuddled. With the loss of her parents, Luther began to question her and slowly began to crack the case. He soon discovered that it was actually Alice who had murdered her parents, but he didn’t have substantial evidence to put her away, which led to Alice and John developing a strange relationship. The way in which her character developed was incredible to watch, seeing as she shifted and became more and more twisted and manipulative with each new episode.

When analysing a specific demographic to which the BBC wanted to broadcast to, one could suggest that fans of crime drama would’ve enjoyed the show; the gritty and ambiguous nature of the show, paired with the powerhouse performance from Idris Elba in the title role made for a unique and unmatched viewing experience. The BBC have presented us with shows similar to this in past years with similar if not greater success with Sherlock, which in itself shares many aspects of what makes Luther so ubiquitous.