Luther

I like it. The first three seasons present a well-rounded story, the investigations are fun, the main character is good, and there is a real sense of danger and brutality.

never particularly respectable but compulsively watchable, at least at first. more apocalyptic and nasty than your average procedural.

boring

It's quite good. Nasty business is that.

[through season 5]

Loved the subversion and over-the-top-ness of the first series, they cheaped-out on what followed so far though.

highly overrated.

Series 1-3

Video review of the show and the novel Luther: The Callling https://youtu.be/TnvjBjknRo0

Probably the bleakest, most brutal and despairing crime procedural I've seen. I'm not sure if I mean that as a compliment or criticism - I guess it could depend on my mood at the time. Idris Elba's charisma does burn off the screen, though, regardless of mood.

First three seasons were 80s-90s. Some great episodes! Season four and five were not so good. The acting was always good, but the story just got rediculous and tedious to watch. I'd give them 50. The movie; 40.

Very good.

worth a watch

S1:80 S2:80 S3:70 S4:70 S5:65

Season 1: 84 Season 2: 85 Season 1: 86

The first two seasons are excellent, season 3 is just bad. Season 4 is average.

The show is unique and perfect in a lot of ways, but in others - it's quite childish and naive for the sake of a happy/easy outcome. What makes the series stand out is one, Luther's special and evolved relationship with Alice and two, the depravity of the criminals. The serial killers here are a match, if not surpassing, the ones in the American Criminal Minds. Definitely above your average British evil doer. Seasons, ranked by preference: 1, 3, 2, 5, 4

Elba is a fun actor, but the writing goes from bad to worse. The d20 killers were surely the low point of the show; just embarassing to watch.