This series has been very up and down so far but as it approaches its final episode it seems to have founds it footing, providing a gripping story which sets things up nicely for next week's conclusion. Just as a couple are about to leave the country for a new life abroad a violent group storm into the house and demand the man hands over eighteen high quality diamonds which were stolen from the wrong person, to show they mean business they cuts his wife's tongue out and threaten worse if he doesn't give them what they want in two hours. There is just one problem; she has swallowed them and he is sure they would kill her to get them out. He goes to the police and Luther persuades his boss to let the payment go ahead using diamonds stored in the evidence locker for another case. It looks like the exchange will go according to plan until the man does a runner with the gems. This means Luther must find the kidnapper and persuade him that he can still get what he wants without harming the woman further. Things are somewhat complicated by the fact that unbeknownst to him his colleague DCI Reed was involved in the initial robbery and is running a parallel inquiry to make sure he isn't implicated in any crime. This leads to people dying including somebody very close the Luther.
It is a shame that this series didn't really find its footing until so near to the end but those who stuck with it will be rewarded with this episode which features far less of Alice and spends far less time dealing with the relationships between Luther, his wife and her new boyfriend. Once again Idris Elba puts in a good performance as the eponymous Luther but the real acting credit goes to Steven Mackintosh who plays his friend DCI Reed, a police officer who will do anything to keep his colleagues from finding out what he has done. I won't spoil the ending but will say it came as a real shock and has left me looking forward to next week's concluding episode to see how it is resolved.
It is a shame that this series didn't really find its footing until so near to the end but those who stuck with it will be rewarded with this episode which features far less of Alice and spends far less time dealing with the relationships between Luther, his wife and her new boyfriend. Once again Idris Elba puts in a good performance as the eponymous Luther but the real acting credit goes to Steven Mackintosh who plays his friend DCI Reed, a police officer who will do anything to keep his colleagues from finding out what he has done. I won't spoil the ending but will say it came as a real shock and has left me looking forward to next week's concluding episode to see how it is resolved.