Luther to return for a third season

The award-winning BBC crime series Luther, written by Wellington-based novelist and screenwriter Neil Cross, will return for a third series next year. The psychological crime drama, which polarised critics and fans in its first season (which won the prestigious Edgar Award earlier this year, and Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for its star Idris Elba), revolves around volatile and self-destructive DCI John Luther, who has a talent for understanding criminals matched only by his ability to mess up his own personal life. The second series, which is due to begin screening in the United States this month, received much wider acclaim, and very strong ratings, when it was shown in the UK earlier this year.

I have not yet seen the second series, but I was one of the viewers and critics who found the first series riveting, when I watched it on DVD recently. You can read my review of series one here. As I said then:

"Elba is magnetic as Luther, bringing a gravitas to the role that transfixes even when things veer towards theatrical. Whether he was throwing things through windows or sitting quietly alone, I was mesmerised by his portrayal of a troubled man treading a tightrope between intelligence and insanity. But it’s not a one-man show; there are strong performances across the board, from Morgan’s Alice, to Indira Varma as Zoe, Saskia Reeves as Luther’s boss, and Paul McGann as Zoe’s new lover. Each brings emotion and authenticity to the roles, none are caricatures."

For me, it was one of the best TV shows I've seen in recent years - but I could also see why other viewers and crime fiction fans might not like it.

Recently, LUTHER: THE CALLING (a novel that acts as a prequel to the first episode of the first series, providing an interesting insight into how the (anti)hero came to be where he was then) was also released. I really enjoyed the book, which was also written by Cross, the creator and writer of the TV series. It had all the taut prose, simmering violence, and pacy storylines we've come to expect from Cross, and I would recommend it to all who enjoyed the TV show (and perhaps even to those who didn't).