Luther is a UK series that delves deep into the life of DCI (Detective Chief Inspector) John Luther. He polices the evil and dark world of criminals in the metropolitan city of London, UK. This a tale about heinous crimes.
During the course of twenty episodes, John L. (Idris Elba) often finds himself solving barbarous criminal cases involving the sadistic bunch of murderers. In this crime series, the thin line of righteousness separating the police and the criminal gets drawn and redrawn quite frequently. The highly motivated, yet troubled policeman John L. often crosses the thin line separating the criminals from copper/police personnel.
Table of Contents
Luther Series:- synopsis
A brilliant, troubled detective crosses the line between personal and professional as he investigates the darkest crimes in London. It is a dark psychological crime drama starring Idris Elba as Luther, a man struggling with his own terrible demons, who might be as dangerous as the depraved murderers he hunts.
Luther Series:- a brief review
We loved this gritty detective series from the contemporary police world, however, we always felt a sense of uneasiness while watching the violent acts of reprehensible crimes committed by the twisted criminals in this gloomy series. Nevertheless, we admired the credible acting display put forth by both Idris Elba (as John L. – DCI) and Ruth Wilson (as Alice Morgan – the criminal) in this series.
Violence has become an inseparable part of both of their lives with tragic consequences for their families and friends. Sometimes, I wonder how people like John L. maintain sanity amidst so much crime and pain.
This crime series rightly depicts – how the lines of morality between police and criminals often get fuzzy and blurred. So, you all stay safe and don’t forget to watch this engrossing crime drama from the UK.
Also, kindly note that this series has leapt into the world of movies, with its first film Luther: The Fallen Sun released this year in 2023, we have shared our review of the same on our Focus Magazine.
Luther Series:- details
| Genre | Crime, Drama, Mystery |
| Creator | Neil Cross |
| Released | 2010 |
| Age-restrictions | A (18+) |
| Seasons | Five (5) Seasons in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015 & 2019 |
| Episodes | 1st Season – Six (6) Episodes – 2010 2nd Season – Four (4) Episodes – 2011 3rd Season – Four (4) Episodes – 2013 4th Season – Two (2) Episodes – 2015 5th Season – Four (4) Episodes – 2019 |
| Cast | Idris Elba, Dermot Crowley, Michael Smiley, Ruth Wilson, etc. |
| Taglines | What if you were on the Devil’s side without knowing it? |
| Awards | BET Awards 2011 – Best Actor – Idris Elba Crime Thriller Awards, UK 2011 – Best Leading Actor – Idris Elba Awards Circuit Community Awards 2012 – ACCA TV – Best TV Movie or Mini-Series Black Reel Awards 2012 – Outstanding Television or Mini-Series Performance, Male – Idris Elba Golden Globes, USA 2012 – Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television – Idris Elba Critics Choice Television Awards 2016 – Best Actor in a Movie Made for Television or Limited Series – Idris Elba Screen Actors Guild Awards 2016 – Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries – Idris Elba |
Luther Series:- poster
Luther (S1 to S5) Series:- overall ratings
| FM’s rating {overall} | 4.25/5 |
| IMDb rating as of the date {overall} | 8.40/10 |
Luther (S1 to S4) Series:- preview clips
Preview Clip (S1, E1)
Preview Clip (S2, E1)
Preview Clip (S3, E1)
Preview Clip (S4, E1)
Luther Series:- its season-wise ratings break-up
| Seasons | Episodes | FM’s rating | IMDb ratings | Rotten Tomatoes ratings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1/One | 6 | 4.25/5 | 8.36/10 | 91% Tomatometer & 91% Audience Score |
| S2/Two | 4 | 4.35/5 | 8.42/10 | 100% Tomatometer & 92% Audience Score |
| S3/Three | 4 | 4.35/5 | 8.50/10 | 88% Tomatometer & 93% Audience Score |
| S4/Four | 2 | 4.10/5 | 7.90/10 | 79% Tomatometer & 87% Audience Score |
| S5/Five | 4 | 4.20/5 | 8.00/10 | 85% Tomatometer & 74% Audience Score |
Luther (S5/2019) Series:- trailer
Luther Series:- more about the critics’ ratings
| Seasons | Critics’ Consensus on Rotten Tomatoes |
|---|---|
| S1/One | Gritty and ambiguous, it is a captivating drama bolstered by a powerhouse performance from Idris Elba in the title role. |
| S2/Two | It delves into darker territory in its second season, and Idris Elba’s outstanding performance makes this a police procedural of uncommon weight and heft. |
| S3/Three | Idris Elba shines in the title role despite familiar circumstances that benefit from the shortened season. |
| S4/Four | Idris Elba remains the best thing about this show in an all-too-brief season which packs a lot of plot into a short time frame. |
| S5/Five | The show returns in fine form from its extended exodus with a grizzly mystery and the welcome reappearance of Ruth Wilson’s psychotic villain, Alice Morgan. |
Focus:- bonus info. about the Luther series
Back home in India, this UK series has been adapted and remade into an Indian series ‘Rudra – The Edge of Darkness‘. It was also adapted into a French series with the same name.
The creator and the writer Neil Cross has disclosed that DCI John L. is in fact a mixture of two famous detectives – the Sherlock Holmes character created by the Scottish writer Arthur Conan Doyle and the Columbo (1971-2003) TV series character created by Richard Levinson and William Link. So, DCI John L. has taken the combination of – intelligence and the ability to solve crimes from Sherlock Holmes and the introverted detective formula from Columbo. And this is a deadly combination by any given standard.
Featured & Other Images: Luther Series | BBC.