Luther returns to hunt criminals and battle demons tonight on BBC One
Luther is an unquestionably gripping, psychological thriller driven by a brilliant and emotionally impulsive detective tormented by the darker side of humanity. John Luther, played brilliantly by Idris Elba, is the near-genius detective struggling to cope with his own demons, might just be as dangerous as the depraved criminals he hunts. This is telly that goes against former FCC chairman Newton Minnow’s definition of television being a vast wasteland. Of course, from a speech in 1961, that reference was directed towards American commercial television and not stellar British telly content that continues to roll-out by the day.
In tonight’s third series premiere on BBC One, Luther returns to investigate a twisted fetishist who is murdering women in a horrific echo of an unsolved case from the 1980s. The team must put all their resources into finding the copycat killer, whose murderous spree has only just begun.
Luther’s focus is divided when a DSU Martin Schenk assigns him to another case involving a malicious internet tormentor who has been found murdered in his home. With so many people wanting the tormentor dead, Luther needs to apply brute force to a key witness for more information, unaware that every move he makes is being watched.
Pulled in every direction, Luther’s patience is wearing thin and a car crash as he rushes to the second crime scene is the last thing he needs, or so he thinks. Enter Mary Day.
But, as has been the case in the first two series, nothing ever comes easily for John Luther. Other forces continue to work against him, in the shape of Erin Gray, now a DCI in anti-corruption, and her boss, DSU Stark. Stark and Gray will stop at nothing to punish those who work outside the perimeters of the law and their furtive plan involves the man who is Luther’s colleague and best friend, DSU Justin Ripley
Luther premieres tonight at 9pm on BBC One and beginning Tuesday, September 3 at 10pET/9pCT on BBC America in the States.
