Idris Elba. That, in my opinion, is what \u201cLuther\u201d is about — because frankly, the show does not seem to do much else to set it apart from other police procedurals. Rogue police officer? Been there, done that. Cop with personal problems? Call me when you have something new. A man of the law in a duel of wits with a diabolical criminal? Stale, at this point. We can talk all we want about camera angles, or the fact the show reveals the villain within the first 20 minutes of the first episode — but frankly, why bother?<\/p>\n
Yet \u201cLuther\u201d is not a lost cause. Of the two shows we watched Monday, I liked it much more than \u201cBlackpool,\u201d which I absolutely did not expect. I wanted more camp, more fun from \u201cBlackpool,\u201d and the show did not deliver — the songs were few and far between, and the characters seemed like they were made of lead. On the other hand, I am not a cop-show guy. I don\u2019t watch \u201cCSI\u201d or any of the \u201cLaw & Orders\u201d as I want a drawn out story, nothing episodic. \u201cLuther\u201d seemed exactly like the type of show which would bore me, 50-something minutes spent on a criminal case, and then, bam, done. Maybe that is what drew me in to \u201cLuther\u201d upon watching it — the promise of something more, but really, I think it was Idris Elba.<\/p>\n
Star power is sometimes the x-factor in pulling what normally would be an ordinary show out of mediocrity, and some times, actors or actresses put their stamp on a show in such a defining way, you could not imagine anyone else in the role. \u201cLuther\u201d is a perfect example, as the title role is the most important aspect of the show. Whereas a period piece like \u201cDownton Abbey\u201d is predominantly about the costumes and scenery and \u201cSherlock\u201d is more dialogue\/plot-driven, \u201cLuther\u201d is essentially a one-man show — as if the title didn\u2019t give that fact away.<\/p>\n
For this reason, I think of all the shows we have seen this semester, \u201cLuther\u201d could make the transition to American to television with the most ease — but in a way, it would be presented with the biggest hurdle. \u201cBlackpool\u201d did not transition well to American television, and it is hard to imagine something like \u201cDownton Abbey\u201d or \u201cSherlock\u201d doing the same without major changes, because both of those shows are just so British. But \u201cLuther\u201d is not defined by its \u201cBritish-ness,\u201d but its star power. The concept of the show is very American, because it is a textbook procedural. The challenge, unfortunately, would be finding someone who can define the role of Luther as Elba does, which is no small task.<\/p>\n
Therefore, you and I can complain all we want about the fact the show isn\u2019t very innovative — that is not the point. Idris Elba is a force portraying Luther, and you just can\u2019t look away when he is on the screen — which thankfully, is not very often.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Idris Elba. That, in my opinion, is what \u201cLuther\u201d is about — because frankly, the show does not seem to do much else to set it apart from other police procedurals. Rogue police officer? Been there, done that. Cop with … Continue reading