Following Idris Elba as a driven detective working in London’s Serious Crime Unit (SCU), “Luther” focuses on the escapades of a detective entangled in a series of psychologically difficult cases.
Playing John Luther, Idris’ natural statuesque presence is a good fit. He charms with an undercurrent of steeled resolve. Yet underneath all that protective emotional armor is a man who feels the pain of the crime victims keenly. The burden of tracking down the most depraved people ever to walk the earth and obtain justice for those whose paths crossed with such evil weight on Luther and he nearly irrevocably cracks under the pressure. But Luther’s superior intellect and heightened motivation to ensure that justice wins in the end makes him a formidable foe.
Aiding and perhaps hindering Luther in his quest is Alice Morgan (Ruth Wilson), a self-chosen adversary of Luther’s. Behind every great man is a woman – in this case, she just happens to be a sociopath who plays with Luther in a game of her own.
Then, in Luther’s personal life, Luther’s wife Zoe (Indira Varma) can no longer hold onto their marriage and seeks to escape the unhappy life she is drowning in. When she seeks happiness in the arms of another man, all their lives become much more complicated.
Balancing Luther’s perilous worlds are his comrades in the police force, Rose Teller (Saskia Reeves), Justin Ripley (Warren Brown), and Luther’s best friend Ian Reed (Steven Mackintosh) – each working to help maintain the balance between right and wrong and helping Luther as he copes with his personal trials and tribulations.
“Luther” is an intense look at the personal cost on a detective driven to seek out justice anyway he can.
“Luther” premieres on Sunday, October 17, 2010 on BBC America.
Related link (SLIDESHOW): http://www.examiner.com/museum-of-tv-and-radio-in-los-angeles/the-british-crime-drama-sensation-luther-debuts-sunday-oct-17th-on-bbc-america
