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Have you ever watched the beginning of a series and wondered what was going on, only to be rewarded in the second half of the season with answers that brought it all together perfectly? That just happened to me.
When I watched the first two episodes of Luther, season 5, I had to consider what to do about putting the show at the top of my unconventional list of binge-worthy shows. To be the #1 show on that list, it needed to be nearly perfect and the first half of season 5 was not. Thankfully, the final two episodes proved why it still belongs at the top of my list… and everyone else’s.
As usual, no spoilers.
Fans of the show have been anticipating this season since it was announced last year. The titular Detective Chief Inspector, played by Idris Elba, has always loved the role even as his star power continues to skyrocket. Rumored as a potential candidate to be the next James Bond despite constant denials, Elba has become in icon on both sides of the pond.
In season 5, Luther faces multiple bad guys ranging from a brilliant surgeon who likes to cut more than his patients to a sociopathic gangster with a grudge, all the while trying to keep his world intact. This proves to be difficult as it seems no matter how hard he tries to do the right thing, consequences follow him like a can tied to a dog’s tail.
It’s hard to describe what makes the story great without spoiling anything, but those who commit the sin of spoiling such a great show should be banned from ever writing reviews again. I personally fell victim to a spoiler that was in a headline, one that almost ruined the whole experience. Thankfully, I was able to pretend like I didn’t see the spoiler even as it grew closer to fulfillment.
Those who have seen previous seasons will appreciate the different pacing in this one. Luther has always been playing on both sides of the law, being the brilliant DCI for the police while also tiptoeing through the underbelly of London to keep his private life separated. This dichotomous existence has always given the show a real sense of turmoil that can only come from a character who believes first and foremost in doing what is right even if that doesn’t necessarily jibe with doing what is lawful.
Throughout the series we’ve seen him handle situations masterfully even when it seems like everything is against him. This is the first season that gives a real sense of threat to his world because the events that are transpiring around him bring him closer to the depths of darkness than any before it. For the first time, there’s a real possibility that he might not be able to think, talk, or punch his way out of his situation. In fact, every move he makes seems to exacerbate his situation.
It’s the most tension-filled season to date, which is saying a lot considering it’s the fifth. Shows are rarely able to maintain a constant state of tension this late in a run, but somehow Luther does just that. It’s hard to say this was the best season because the seasons are so spread apart. I’d have to go back and rewatch it all to know for sure, but I get the feeling that it very well might be.
That wasn’t possible after watching just the first two episodes. They were slower than expected despite the amazing crop of bad guys and a ragtag group of support characters helping Luther along. But the final two episodes were painful to watch… in a good way. The anxiety of knowing things were spiraling out of control and the realization that our leading man might not be able to stop the spiral this time around made for some excellent television.
Even in the disappointments in direction I felt in the final two episodes, I had to admit in retrospect that all of the character arcs pointed to their individual conclusions. What I wanted to happen and what actually happened were shockingly different, and therein lies the real power of Luther as a modern day drama. It doesn’t bow to the will of fans who often want the improbable. It didn’t get corny as so many shows seem to do after so many years. Most importantly, it didn’t pull a Sherlock, which attempted to get too clever in the last season, nor did it pull a House of Cards, which turned the story darker in the last season and a half for the sake of being darker.
Thankfully, Elba isn’t Kevin Spacey and DCI John Luther is neither Sherlock Holmes nor President Francis Underwood. Too often, incredible characters end up becoming parodies of themselves when their stories are forced into strange places. With Luther, the story definitely went into strange places, but it did so naturally and the lead character handled it as fans will find believable.
When Luther season 5 is finally available to see in the United States on BBC America and Netflix, fans will be treated to some incredible storytelling and even better acting. They may even experience some shock and awe in the process. It’s that good.
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