"Luther"
By: Erin Huang-Schaffer
I love quirky detective shows. I love Monk, Columbo, Sherlock, Pushing Daisies, you name it. There's something so cool about a protagonist who's a hero with a quirk or a superpower. Something that distinguishes them from everyone else in their fictional little world.
So I imagine it was curiosity that made me give Luther a try. Or perhaps the similarity between it and Sherlock, also a British crime drama. But this is nothing like Sherlock, or any of the shows previously mentioned. And I like it.
Luther follows Detective Chief Inspector John Luther (played by Idris Elba) of London's Metropolitan Police Service. While considered a legendary figure in the police force, he does not possess any unusual phobias that force him to pay attention to detail (Monk), nor does he have the power to bring murder victims back to life (Pushing Daisies), or trick the emotionally on-edge criminal into underestimating him (Columbo), thus letting him easily catch the bad guys.
He's just a normal person with personal issues, and the exact skills you would hope anyone in his line of work would possess. Does he save the day every episode? That's not the point. This show tackles psychological issues much deeper than that.
Elba gives a complex performance that shows all the flaws and all the genius. He gives off the demeanor of someone who is well-respected, someone who is macho but is not without sensitivity. He feels, and we feel with him. There is an intensity in his performance, when at one point watching an episode with my family, we all went dead quiet while he expressed passionate anger and betrayal.
One interesting thing I noticed was the notable difference between the criminals on Luther and the criminals from quirkier, more comedic detective shows.
Ever notice how shows with world-renowned detectives often face less threatening villains? Why give those protagonists milder villains to face if they can "do anything"? DCI Luther faces the sickest, most frightening psychopaths you could imagine, people who make Moriarty or Trudy's killer seem like your very flawed best friend. And he's just a normal person! With his distracting personal issues and occasionally unjust judgement, he still manages to successfully deal with crazy criminals (most of the time).
You can expect a gritty, suspenseful psychological crime drama with an incredibly talented lead actor from Luther. For those with weaker stomachs, you might want to look away during the scenes that show dead people (and a pet on one account). This show is very fast-paced, and effectively left me with a sense of unease ("Did I lock all the doors?"). Though that might attribute to the fact that it's almost Halloween.
If you're like me, try something new and watch Luther. And maybe you're already into that type of format, and I have now sparked your interest in yet another show full of psychological suspense. Have fun.
November 6 Update: I had written this article in a rush after seeing only two episodes (I know…), wanting to get all my thoughts written down before I forgot them. Well, I watched a third episode, and… I hope it's not too late to take back my glowing recommendation, and replace it with a lukewarm one.
What I found watching the third episode was something closely related to the horror genre. As if what I saw previously was just a buildup to what the show is really be about. The things the bad guy in the episode did are very intense to watch, and I do not recommend that anyone pick up this show, unless you're comfortable with Silence of the Lambs–type stuff. To be perfectly honest, I could not even finish the episode.
That's not to say Elba's acting power and characterization was diminished in any way. I still think that as a show, Luther is very well done. And I am also someone who watches a lot of shows and movies that can get pretty intense, but rarely are they done as realistically as it is done on Luther.
It might also be that sometimes the buildup is more frightening than seeing the actual crime. So, to repeat myself, if this seems like a show you can watch, go ahead. But know when to press the pause button.
So I imagine it was curiosity that made me give Luther a try. Or perhaps the similarity between it and Sherlock, also a British crime drama. But this is nothing like Sherlock, or any of the shows previously mentioned. And I like it.
Luther follows Detective Chief Inspector John Luther (played by Idris Elba) of London's Metropolitan Police Service. While considered a legendary figure in the police force, he does not possess any unusual phobias that force him to pay attention to detail (Monk), nor does he have the power to bring murder victims back to life (Pushing Daisies), or trick the emotionally on-edge criminal into underestimating him (Columbo), thus letting him easily catch the bad guys.
He's just a normal person with personal issues, and the exact skills you would hope anyone in his line of work would possess. Does he save the day every episode? That's not the point. This show tackles psychological issues much deeper than that.
Elba gives a complex performance that shows all the flaws and all the genius. He gives off the demeanor of someone who is well-respected, someone who is macho but is not without sensitivity. He feels, and we feel with him. There is an intensity in his performance, when at one point watching an episode with my family, we all went dead quiet while he expressed passionate anger and betrayal.
One interesting thing I noticed was the notable difference between the criminals on Luther and the criminals from quirkier, more comedic detective shows.
Ever notice how shows with world-renowned detectives often face less threatening villains? Why give those protagonists milder villains to face if they can "do anything"? DCI Luther faces the sickest, most frightening psychopaths you could imagine, people who make Moriarty or Trudy's killer seem like your very flawed best friend. And he's just a normal person! With his distracting personal issues and occasionally unjust judgement, he still manages to successfully deal with crazy criminals (most of the time).
You can expect a gritty, suspenseful psychological crime drama with an incredibly talented lead actor from Luther. For those with weaker stomachs, you might want to look away during the scenes that show dead people (and a pet on one account). This show is very fast-paced, and effectively left me with a sense of unease ("Did I lock all the doors?"). Though that might attribute to the fact that it's almost Halloween.
If you're like me, try something new and watch Luther. And maybe you're already into that type of format, and I have now sparked your interest in yet another show full of psychological suspense. Have fun.
November 6 Update: I had written this article in a rush after seeing only two episodes (I know…), wanting to get all my thoughts written down before I forgot them. Well, I watched a third episode, and… I hope it's not too late to take back my glowing recommendation, and replace it with a lukewarm one.
What I found watching the third episode was something closely related to the horror genre. As if what I saw previously was just a buildup to what the show is really be about. The things the bad guy in the episode did are very intense to watch, and I do not recommend that anyone pick up this show, unless you're comfortable with Silence of the Lambs–type stuff. To be perfectly honest, I could not even finish the episode.
That's not to say Elba's acting power and characterization was diminished in any way. I still think that as a show, Luther is very well done. And I am also someone who watches a lot of shows and movies that can get pretty intense, but rarely are they done as realistically as it is done on Luther.
It might also be that sometimes the buildup is more frightening than seeing the actual crime. So, to repeat myself, if this seems like a show you can watch, go ahead. But know when to press the pause button.