LUTHER (BBC1) was last seen in 2013 – yes, it has been that long and we last saw our favourite detective standing on Southwark Bridge and contemplating an uncertain future, throwing his distinguishable tweed coat over the side. At this point, we never really knew if the series would return and we always hoped it would – but on Tuesday night, the BBC series did make a welcome return and Idris Elba’s Luther was back…
With Idris Elba being a man in high demand and with his great success from his movie, BEASTS OF NO NATION, it was always unclear as to whether he would continue with the show, which would not be the same without him, but that is no longer a problem – he is back!
The TV series has kept with its dark, gloomy theme, which sees the aftermath of John Luther’s choice to take up a leave of absence from the force after the murder of his wife and best friend. Now, we see Luther living dangerously close to a crumbling cliff in seclusion and solitude in a rundown shack perpetually threatened by coastal erosion.
That is just what we would expect from him – living close to the edge, which is symbolic of his life and things certainly have not changed in that department in series four. However, for the start of the episode, Luther was missed; he was relegated to the background. The main plot focussed on a new murderer who is on the loose – and he’s not just your average, hungry murderer, his sense of famish is of the very different variety – he likes to eat his victims. Yes, the HANNIBAL-themed episode consisted of a cannibal who was proving to be a bit of a handful for Darren Boyd’s DCI Theo Bloom, who turns to Luther for help with the investigation – but after being blown up by the perpetrator, Luther steps up to take over the case and waves goodbye to his leave of absence.
With the new case in his hand, Luther has other things on his mind, his old pal, Alice Morgan. She was the likeable, crazy fruitcake that was so entertaining in the show played brilliantly by Ruth Wilson. Unfortunately for the new series, she has not made an appearance, as she is apparently dead. All the viewers see is a blurry photo of her – or part of her, or part of someone that looks a bit like her if you look early carefully – face-down in a river. Is it totally convincing that it is her and she is dead? No. We still live in hope that there has been a terrible mistake and she will spring up once more to help her Luther in a wondrous, psychopathic whirlwind because the the episode really felt her absence and it so desperately needs her. Wilson, who plays Alice, is currently busy working on her hit US TV show, THE AFFAIR, so her work commitments have been elsewhere – but could she have squeezed in a few scenes? Fingers crossed. Everything crossed.
We’ve waited two years for more LUTHER, and we’re only getting a two-part special this time, but it felt like the show didn’t quite go full throttle. Yes, there was tension, new characters were added in the form of GAME OF THRONES’s Rose Leslie (who doesn’t exactly bring a whole bunch of excitement) and there was a plot that could (hopefully) be really ignited in next week’s conclusion.
Despite the lack of fear-enducing action, Idris Elba was in his usual top form and even though he has been committed to other projects outside of his role in the TV series, he has definitely given more than 100% with LUTHER – and we wouldn’t expect anything less. He is able to bring a slightly lacklustre episode to life and fill it with just the right sprinkle of sullen, soulful recklessness that makes his character quite so popular.
Hopefully in the concluding episode next week, the script will blow us aways as much as Elba does.
LUTHER will return for its concluding episode on Tuesday 22nd, December on BBC One at 9pm.
Verdict
