Luther

Review

Common Sense Media says

Excellent British cop series with blood and some intimacy.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this excellent British police thriller features deeply flawed heroes and somewhat glamorous villains, providing somewhat mixed messages about right and wrong choices. The violent and sexual content compares to series like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and CSI, and includes some graphic blood and scenes of torture. For these reasons, the series is most appropriate for mature teens and adults.

  • Positive messages3
    The show displays a traditional morality and is built around the activities of flawed but heroic characters attempting to solve crimes and help the innocent.
  • Positive role models1
    The show's protagonists are very good at their jobs, but also display serious character flaws; antagonists are sometimes glamorized even as they are depicted as disturbed killers.
  • Violence4
    Frequent violence between police investigators and their suspects as police attempt to track down and capture criminals. Scenes from violent crimes, with occasionally heavy and graphic blood including dead bodies and, at least in one case, a dead dog. Some briefly terrifying scenes of victims being trapped and/or tortured.
  • Sex3
    Frequent sex-related conversation and banter; occasional moments of physical intimacy; violence in the series is sometimes conflated with sexuality in a disturbing way.
  • Language2
    Occasional use of words such as "damn" and "hell."
  • Consumerism0
    Not applicable.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking3
    Characters frequently depicted drinking in a social environment, occasionally to excess; smoking depicted in a casual social manner.
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What's the story?

The titular character in LUTHER (Idris Elba) is a detective with the London police with a single-minded focus on capturing serial killers and sexual predators. He has a genius-level investigative mind but lacks self-control when it comes to his own relationships and emotional life. His singular focus has damaged most of his personal relationships, and his identity straddles a terrifying line between the light of justice and the darkness of the criminals he pursues.
 

Is it any good?

 

Mature fans of great TV will recognize Idris Elba instantly; he portrayed the calculating, simmering Stringer Bell on HBO's The Wire. Luther is a showcase for Elba's incredible acting ability, offering him a character that's the polar opposite of Stringer -- Luther is emotional where Stringer was methodical; Luther is a flawed hero while Stringer was a villain with redeeming characteristics.

Essentially, Luther enables Elba to unload as an actor in ways that portraying Stringer did not. His performance is explosive, nuanced, brilliant; it's the key to the show's success. Also key is the clever dialogue from series creator and writer Neil Cross. These are definitely cops, but they're the most articulate and funny cops on television, in a natural and organic way. Rather than making the characters unrealistic, it only adds nuance and dimension. Like any violent cop series, Luther is only appropriate for mature teens and adults; unlike most of its contemporaries, Luther transcends its genre and becomes a remarkable portrait of a singular television character.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about the show's violence. How is the violence depicted on this show different from that in U.S. shows? What would the show be like with less graphic violence -- would it still work?

  • What kind of moral questions does this show bring up? How would you handle yourself in similar situations?

This review was written by Matt Springer

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This review was written by Matt Springer
TV rating:TV-14
Network:BBC America
Cast:Idris Elba, Justin Ripley, Ruth Wilson
Genre:Drama
This review was written by Matt Springer
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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