The first four episodes of this truly legendary show were amazing especially the second and fourth but the fifth and penultimate episode of series one takes it to another level with the acting out of this world,twists and turns galore and one of the most heartbreaking and emotional conclusions I have ever seen setting up a storming finale.
A rich couple are about to move abroad when a group of thugs break into their home and demand some stolen diamonds back but problem is the wife has swallowed them though luckily the gang don't know this,they order hubby to get them the diamonds by an hour and to prove they are serious they cut the wife's tongue out and kidnap her. DCI John Luther(a just majestic Idris Elba)takes on the case when the hubby informs of it and tries to fool the bad guys by using evidence locker diamonds to give to the hubby for the exchange. All this goes wrong though and Luther soon finds to his horror his mate and colleague DCI Ian Reed(an astonishing Steven Mackintosh)is involved in the kidnapping and covers his tracks by taking out the gang members. But Luther is on to him and after a confrontation in which Reed gets away tragedy strikes as Reed to frame John for everything murders someone very dear to his heart so he can get away,after this things will never be the same again.
This is a quite breathtaking hour of television and takes Luther to another level into classic status with it gripping from first second to heart wrenching final moments and the acting of Elba and Mackintosh deserves award after award and their showdown is fantastic.
As I said before the acting is just stunning with Elba just for once topped by Mackintosh who's Ian Reed turns from smallish role into a top villain and is the definition of a dodgy copper and his constant sweating and lies will have you gripped and we see someone who covers his tracks in any way how including eliminating somebody he probably really liked and not caring for his so called best friend Luther,Mackintosh is simply off the scale brilliant here and deserves to be remembered in the history of this show and for this episode alone.Elba it goes without saying is superb as all the other times before this episode and this episode has one of the best confrontations between Luther and Reed in a hotel room and their meeting will make your hairs stand on end,the final scene too will break your heart and Luther's reaction will make you think of anyone who loses a loved one especially in this way.The actors are all excellent but don't get to have a lot of top moments and for once the wonderful Ruth Wilson's Alice Morgan is sidelined a tad but her scenes still are excellent.Warren Brown(Justin),Paul McGann(Mark)and Saskia Reeves(Rose Tellar)all make their mark along with the husband and wife and the kidnappers.The only other person who comes close to Elba and Mackintosh in acting is Indira Varma who plays Luther's wife Zoe who after small appearances has her chance to shine and she may appear to be a strong willed person but becomes vulnerable as this goes along and despite not being with him she still deeply loves Luther,she is terrific.
This is a rip roaring episode and takes the series to the level it is at now,right from the start it sets up the cliffhanger the episode ends on with the kidnapping setting up Luther getting involved before the exchange goes wrong before Luther finds out Reed is involved before they meet in a showdown at the hotel before finally Reed kills the loved one in a edge of your seat sequence,all of it is like a constant series of twists and turns before it ends in such a upsetting and thrilling style that many shows would never get near it for tension.
I can't really think of a negative apart from Wilson's Alice was underused and the kidnapping plot is slightly forgotten a bit.
At the end of the day this is just stunning and thrilling television with Elba and Mackintosh giving arguably career best performances along with Varma having her moment to shine along with a charged exchange between Luther and Reed and a heartbreaking finale.
Television at its staggering best.
A rich couple are about to move abroad when a group of thugs break into their home and demand some stolen diamonds back but problem is the wife has swallowed them though luckily the gang don't know this,they order hubby to get them the diamonds by an hour and to prove they are serious they cut the wife's tongue out and kidnap her. DCI John Luther(a just majestic Idris Elba)takes on the case when the hubby informs of it and tries to fool the bad guys by using evidence locker diamonds to give to the hubby for the exchange. All this goes wrong though and Luther soon finds to his horror his mate and colleague DCI Ian Reed(an astonishing Steven Mackintosh)is involved in the kidnapping and covers his tracks by taking out the gang members. But Luther is on to him and after a confrontation in which Reed gets away tragedy strikes as Reed to frame John for everything murders someone very dear to his heart so he can get away,after this things will never be the same again.
This is a quite breathtaking hour of television and takes Luther to another level into classic status with it gripping from first second to heart wrenching final moments and the acting of Elba and Mackintosh deserves award after award and their showdown is fantastic.
As I said before the acting is just stunning with Elba just for once topped by Mackintosh who's Ian Reed turns from smallish role into a top villain and is the definition of a dodgy copper and his constant sweating and lies will have you gripped and we see someone who covers his tracks in any way how including eliminating somebody he probably really liked and not caring for his so called best friend Luther,Mackintosh is simply off the scale brilliant here and deserves to be remembered in the history of this show and for this episode alone.Elba it goes without saying is superb as all the other times before this episode and this episode has one of the best confrontations between Luther and Reed in a hotel room and their meeting will make your hairs stand on end,the final scene too will break your heart and Luther's reaction will make you think of anyone who loses a loved one especially in this way.The actors are all excellent but don't get to have a lot of top moments and for once the wonderful Ruth Wilson's Alice Morgan is sidelined a tad but her scenes still are excellent.Warren Brown(Justin),Paul McGann(Mark)and Saskia Reeves(Rose Tellar)all make their mark along with the husband and wife and the kidnappers.The only other person who comes close to Elba and Mackintosh in acting is Indira Varma who plays Luther's wife Zoe who after small appearances has her chance to shine and she may appear to be a strong willed person but becomes vulnerable as this goes along and despite not being with him she still deeply loves Luther,she is terrific.
This is a rip roaring episode and takes the series to the level it is at now,right from the start it sets up the cliffhanger the episode ends on with the kidnapping setting up Luther getting involved before the exchange goes wrong before Luther finds out Reed is involved before they meet in a showdown at the hotel before finally Reed kills the loved one in a edge of your seat sequence,all of it is like a constant series of twists and turns before it ends in such a upsetting and thrilling style that many shows would never get near it for tension.
I can't really think of a negative apart from Wilson's Alice was underused and the kidnapping plot is slightly forgotten a bit.
At the end of the day this is just stunning and thrilling television with Elba and Mackintosh giving arguably career best performances along with Varma having her moment to shine along with a charged exchange between Luther and Reed and a heartbreaking finale.
Television at its staggering best.