Luther

We watched Luther, because of Idris Elba. This actor, through his work as Stringer Bell on The Wire, is on my radar screen of actors whose work I want to see.

In this BBC series, Idris Elba plays Detective John Luther, a brilliant investigator who has a tendency to go outside the law to make things right. He has a temper. He often acts impulsively. His first insinct often seems to be to break a rule.  I found all of this unfortunate. Why couldn't the show have been about an incredibly intelligent detective doing his job? Why do writers seem to feel the need to add drama, the desire to make the character an outlaw or a tragic hero? Why can't they trust that we will find this man fascinating without that baggage?

The stories were often frustrating, because laws had to be broken, and so characters took chances that often to me seemed reckless and absurd. But the killers in the show were genuinely chilling. The actors were brilliant. I believe that Idris Elba should be one of our top movie stars. He is that smart. He is that charismatic.

Season 1 was six episodes. Someone commented on Netflix that you should only watch this show if you could watch all six episodes in one sitting. We had a different experience. It seemed to me to be the type of show where i could only watch one episode, and then I wanted to follow it up with comedy, because the show was so intense. After we briefly discussed whether we wanted to even watch the final episode, because the show was so dark, we watched the finale and then said that when Season 2 came out, we would want to see it. It's a show that grows on you. Despite its maddening insistence to try and shock and dismay, there's a heart and soul to this venture that stays with you.

Comments

[Suzanna]

I get why you are frustrated with the way writers/producers go for characters like this one. I don't know why they do it but it's why I was so disappointed with the final season of THE WIRE, one of my all time favorite shows. McNulty's character's choices were so implausible and ridiculous during the final season I couldn't buy any of it. Sad way to end such a great show. By the way I'm sure you know Dominic whatever his name is from THE WIRE also has a new show. Have you seen that?

[Wendy Ledger]

Suzanna, I haven't seen Dominic West's new show. I had heard something about something and just looked it up. It looks like it's called "The Hour," and it might have just started airing. Much vagueness. i don't know much about it at all.

John Luther's actions reminded me very much of Jimmy McNulty's actions in the last season. It was maddening to see such great characters have to go through such plot contortions. Our final judgment on Luther was it was worth it for the acting and the mood and the music of this enterprise, but it was a close call.