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@JamesEpplerTo my eyes, TV cop/detective dramas have gone stale. There are now more "Law & Order," "CSI," and "NCIS," than I care to count, each of them copies of one another.
But people are watching, so there's definitely a craving for good murder mysteries.
Instead, consider "Luther," a solid BBC series that returns this week for a second season. Its first 6-episode season aired last year, and I only found out about it because my dad happens to have impeccable taste. (I caught up on DVD, but it's also streaming on Netflix).
It's both a procedural and serialized drama with a different mystery every week. But the real draw is the story of detective John Luther, played by a stoic and explosive Idris Elba. American audiences probably know him best as Stringer Bell in "The Wire," or as the mean corporate executive that replaced Steve Carell's Michael Scott for a while on "The Office" when Scott quit.
Elba is a dynamic actor - digging deep into the role here of a brilliant detective with dark and self-destructive tendencies. Luther isn't just your typical "loose-cannon" investigator who follows his own rules. He's nearly as ruthless as the criminals he pursues - driven by what he knows is right.
In the first episode, we see him let a probable child murderer fall to his death. It haunts Luther, even causing him to be institutionalized for a while, which costs him his wife.
In that same episode, he comes face to face with a young murder suspect he believes killed her parents, and may even be a brilliant serial killer in her own right. She's played by Ruth Wilson - eerie and dangerous. The two develop an interesting and tenuous friendship that becomes a key factor throughout the series.
The final episodes of the first season found Luther experiencing a horrible tragedy, which I won't spoil here. But it will certainly play a role in this new season.
I'm thrilled for the return of this series. And I know - you don't have time for a new show. But the great thing about these BBC series is that they have pretty short runs. No time for filler. Newbies should be able to jump on board without much catching-up because of the serialized nature of the series, but I'd strongly recommend watching those first six episodes.
9p.m. Wednesdays. BBC America
