Luther: Season 1

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 11 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 289 Ratings

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7.2

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7.2	Your Score
7.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 289 Ratings

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Luther

Now Playing: Luther

Season Details & Credits

BBC-1 | BBC | BBC America | BBC One | Season Premiere Date: May 4, 2010

Starring: David O'Hara, Paul McGann, Darren Boyd

Summary: DCI John Luther (Idris Elba) returns to work after being suspended in another case, but soon finds his personal and professional lives becoming precarious yet again.

Genre(s): Drama, Suspense

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Season 1 Episodes

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S1:E6. Episode Six
Air Date: June 8, 2010
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S1:E5. Episode Five
Air Date: June 1, 2010
tbd
S1:E4. Episode Four
Air Date: May 25, 2010

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Metascore

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Mixed:

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Critic Reviews

100

TV Guide Magazine Matt Roush

This bold British import is among the best TV I've seen in a mediocre (on network TV, anyway) fall season. Fast-paced, constantly surprising and darkly entertaining, Luther is about as far as you can get from a cookie-cutter procedural. Read full review

100

Jonathan Storm

With the tormented Luther, it's sometimes tough even to identify who is the cat and who is the mouse. Writing and acting come together to produce characters, more than stories, who are powerful, surprising, ambiguous, and all that other stuff. Read full review

Keith Staskiewicz

Luther avoids some genre cliches--we know the killer's identity from the get-go, which sidesteps the time-stamp predictability of a Law & Order episode--but plunges headfirst into others. Read full review

Lesley Smith

Summon your patience and settle in for the long haul. By its end, the series' exploration of how ordinary human fallibility is transformed into shocking human depravity is compellingly inventive. Read full review

Brian Lowry

There's also a procedural element in the middle hours, with Luther focusing on individual cases in each installment, that doesn't hold up quite as well. Even those installments, however, have their chilling moments, before the final two episodes take off and regain the premiere's momentum. Read full review

Maureen Ryan

Luther, the story of an impulsive, very intelligent London cop, manages to be an excellent showcase for Idris Elba (The Wire) and an increasingly impressive character drama that goes to some dark and absorbing places. Read full review

Alan Sepinwall

So long as Elba's on the screen, I'm interested, and even more when he and Wilson are sharing it. But ultimately, Luther turned out to be more average than I thought at first, regardless of its country of origin. Read full review

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User Score

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7.2

User Reviews

MarcDoyle

Oct 25, 2010

Fantastic show. Idris Elba is obviously fantastic, as usual, but the writing is top-notch, and the sense of urgency in each episode is palpable. It's good to know that it's a "min-series" and not an open-ended serial.

5 of 5 users found this helpful50

paulgemini

Apr 12, 2011

This show is quite frankly one of the top three most suspenseful shows of all time along with the Shield and Breaking Bad. And like those shoes (and Deadwood), it flips the idea of good and evil, right or wrong, and black and white on it's head. Every episode was heart pumping. Idris Ilba isThis show is quite frankly one of the top three most suspenseful shows of all time along with the Shield and Breaking Bad. And like those shoes (and Deadwood), it flips the idea of good and evil, right or wrong, and black and white on it's head. Every episode was heart pumping. Idris Ilba is a badass.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

joeyperez

Jul 19, 2013

one of the best individual seasons of television, i think ive ever seen. its not a wire type show, its more of a dexter meets the killing type show. the backdrop is the city of london, and the realisation is incredible.

the season starts pretty episodic, but rolls into an insaneone of the best individual seasons of television, i think ive ever seen. its not a wire type show, its more of a dexter meets the killing type show. the backdrop is the city of london, and the realisation is incredible.

the season starts pretty episodic, but rolls into an insane conclusion.

this show has had some criticism with regards to plausibility and cliches, but the thing is a painting of depravity on a backdrop of londons neverending cultural lava lamp. its not so much about good v evil, as it is about the thirst to understand vs the need to kill whatever gets in your way.

this season is mentally ill, deranged, poetic, and beautiful.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

tehjuju

Jan 28, 2014

From the opening scene I knew that this show would bring something special to the table, and it has. Comprised of some of the best acting I've seen in a long time, with very realistic and believable characters throughout the series, each episode leaves you craving more. As the more dark andFrom the opening scene I knew that this show would bring something special to the table, and it has. Comprised of some of the best acting I've seen in a long time, with very realistic and believable characters throughout the series, each episode leaves you craving more. As the more dark and disturbing plots unfold, it is obvious you know you're in for a very exciting and captivating experience, which is so eloquently dished up to the audience.
Outstanding acting from the entire cast and a beautifully written, down right gritty script isn't the only thing that 'Luther' is comprised of however, the music throughout the series has been something incredible to hear, especially when you're wading through all the drama and demons (metaphorically) Luther has to face. The small things really add to the show also. I know they saying, 'never to judge a book by it's front cover' but when you first hear the song 'Paradise Circus' by Massive Attack you can tell they haven't skimped on the budget at all. Even the presentation of showing you a few clips of next week episode, spliced with the credits at the end of the show with gripping music is so accurately portrayed exquisitely presented.
I found, at least for the first season, there was one main story ark, with two or three sub-plots interwoven into the episodes, which was completely the perfect amount for the 58 minutes (which fly past) you spend watching the show.
Luther really is a hidden gem that people are only just starting to even hear about, especially the more famous Idris Elba, becomes, who is so refreshingly brilliant.

Acting 10/10
Script 10/10
Music 10/10
------------------
Overall 10/10… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

smiles

Oct 24, 2010

OK, so we've only seen the first episode. But it was dynamite. Idris Elba brings the same extraordinary acting talent to Luther that he brought to The Wire, and here his talent is showcased. The plotting is riveting too. Hints of Dexter, hints of the "Nicole Wallace" v. "Bobby Goren"OK, so we've only seen the first episode. But it was dynamite. Idris Elba brings the same extraordinary acting talent to Luther that he brought to The Wire, and here his talent is showcased. The plotting is riveting too. Hints of Dexter, hints of the "Nicole Wallace" v. "Bobby Goren" plotline in Law & Order CI, all of it good. And like The Wire it's awfully hard to wait for the next week's episode.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

SimboTheKing

Mar 22, 2023

I thought it started off being a pretty generic British crime drama but the last two eps really excelled it into something better. Of course Idris and Ruth Wilson are absolutely phenomenal in this but everyone knew that anyway. The storylines feel like they were a lot more restrictedI thought it started off being a pretty generic British crime drama but the last two eps really excelled it into something better. Of course Idris and Ruth Wilson are absolutely phenomenal in this but everyone knew that anyway. The storylines feel like they were a lot more restricted (crime-of-the-week etc.) up until the last eps where it feels like there was more freedom. This absolutely improves the show and is probably why it has endured the test of time that many other in this genre fall prey to.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Bitash

Oct 10, 2016

Horrible series, I love the main actor but boy the writing and director sucked, it's predictable and Hokie and just doesn't work, the main guy just figures everything out and he's always right.....so poorly written, I stopped watching after two of them, can't deal with how bad it was. LotsHorrible series, I love the main actor but boy the writing and director sucked, it's predictable and Hokie and just doesn't work, the main guy just figures everything out and he's always right.....so poorly written, I stopped watching after two of them, can't deal with how bad it was. Lots of holes in the story as well. Just bad… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

SEE ALL 32 REVIEWS

Seasons & Episodes

75

Series Overview
Season 5

64
- Season 5 Overview
  Air Date: June 2, 2019
Season 4

68
- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: December 17, 2015
Season 3

76
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: July 2, 2013
Season 2

78
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: June 14, 2011
Season 1

83
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: May 4, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E6. Episode Six
  Air Date: June 8, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E5. Episode Five
  Air Date: June 1, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E4. Episode Four
  Air Date: May 25, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E3. Episode Three
  Air Date: May 18, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E2. Episode Two
  Air Date: May 11, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E1. Episode One
  Air Date: May 4, 2010