Luther 2 (2011/BBC DVD)

 

Picture: B-     Sound: C+     Extras: D     Episodes: B+

 

 

After last season (SPOILER: death of his wife) betrayal and murder of his best friend, it is a wonder that John Luther (Idris Elba) is still on the police force, but even with his name cleared, his old unit is gone and disbanded, Luthor now works with the Serious and Serial unit with cold cases.  His new unit is headed by his former tormentor and filled with rookies; can he still do things by the book when his style is to do things off the books in order to solve the cases?

 

He still has every reason to quit the force, with his loses, a relationship with a psycho killer girl and his methods being questioned and watched by his peers, but for every rule he bends or break, there is a reason and in the end his cleverness proves him correct/right in solving the case.  Unfortunately for him in his new unit, there is certain rookie social ladder climber would rather turn him in than catch the criminal.

 

This season included a masked murderer who wants to become the next Jack the Ripper and a pair of twins who murder for fun and game by the role of the dice.  Luthor not only solves the cases, but must deal with his own relationships, including freeing a psycho girlfriend (who's in love with him, or so she thinks) and helping a young prostitute to get off the streets. 

 

This is another great BBC detective murder mystery series.  The main character is the underdogs of underdogs; used by various criminals he is unafraid to work/walk where policeman fear to tread, scorned by his superiors and peers, his record proves him above reproach.  He is more often on the opposite end of the law than up holding it, proving why the law fails and it's loop holes... the only way to beat these loop holes is to use them against each other.

 

For more on the show, go to this link for the debut season:

 

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/10611/Dragnet+1969+(Shout!+Factory+DVD

 

 

-   Ricky Chiang