LUTHER
by Cara Winter
10 things that went through my mind upon watching the pilot episode of the UK’s LUTHER
- “Nice, Idris Elba. He must be the aforementioned “Luther”. Good day to you, sir. Looking fit.”
- “Hmm. He’s kinda angry.”
- “Woah, wait, he’s the good guy? He just let that guy die! Or, maybe even caused that guy to die! But I thought this was a show about a cop!”
- “Oh, he is a cop. Woah…”
- “He’s so angry. What’s he so angry about?”
- “Dang, he just kicked in that door.”
- “And his estranged wife is standing right there, watching him kick in her door. I’m a little afraid for her.”
- “Maybe she should call the cops – oh, wait.”
- “Okay, he didn’t hurt her. He can stay. He’s fierce. I like him. This is awesome.”
- “Wow. This show could never get made in the U.S.”
So, imagine my surprise to hear that LUTHER is going to be remade, here, in the US.
If you haven’t seen it, the original LUTHER is an interesting show. The formidable and god-like Idris Elba portrays the title character, a complicated detective who is consumed by his work. He’s ruthless, obsessive, and more interested in results than in doing things ‘the right way.’ When he gets angry, it’s visceral, and you feel afraid for those around him (or excited that some bad guy’s about to get it!). And when he softens, and his vulnerability is laid bare… you feel afraid for him.
