Episode #5.3

Season five of "Luther" doesn't pause for breath. Instead, the viewer is strapped into a rollercoaster of nightmares.

With things turning ever bleaker for Luther, the likelihood of a happy ending is looking increasingly distant. With the clock ticking, is there time to put wrongs to right? By the end of this episode, the viewer will feel stunned.

Hermione Norris is chillingly believable as the ice maiden wife of the twisted doctor.

The beautiful Wunmi Mosaku's Halliday is a welcome addition to the team and a ray of hope, bringing optimism and enthusiasm into every scene.

10 out of 10.

There are no other words I can think of, other then wow, truly gripping, tense, edge of the seat viewing. I've loved this fifth series, for me it's had the intensity of the first few series. The story is incredibly dark and twisted, but it's so intensely compelling, that I am gripped.

I said in my review for the first episode that I thought they'd played a blinder by casting Wunmi Mosaku, and that is proving to be a genius casting, she has been fabulous, the only single character in this, who seems, dare I say it normal.

Hermione Norris did a fantastic job as Lady Macbeth, she had some incredible scenes, Michael Smiley was terrific as Benny, all in all the entire cast were terrific.

The next twenty odd hours are going to drag, as I count down to the conclusion. I am hoping this will be the perfect four parter, three out of four so far certainly have been.

LOVE IT 10/10

Wow. That episode was gripping from start to finish. The second half especially made me tell at the tv. Without a doubt the best episode since season 3.

It is Detective Sgt Catherine Halliday who is left to investigate the Lakes. Vivien Lake has not only been protecting her husband but might have been involved in some of the abductions and murders.

Halliday finds out about Jeremy Lake's mental condition and there is an abducted woman in peril.

Luther is busy with Alice in dealing with George Cornelius and saving Benny. Cornelius is distraught that his son is dead and he wants vengeance.

Poor old Mark North. All he ever did was have an affair with Luther's wife, now he always seems to get involved in Luther's plans.

There was a nice scene between Schenk and Cornelius, the calm before the storm.

The episode ends with a cracking last scene. That hitman, he was so nice in Inspector Foyle now Paul McGann might have to regenerate!

This episode has a noticeably slower pace than the previous two, before it charges full-speed into a shock ending that left me clamoring to see the finale.

There is now, hilariously enough, little to no "detecting" going on in this so-called detective show. While DCI John Luther (Idris Elba) is away dealing with arch-rival/sometimes ally Alice Morgan (Ruth Wilson) and vengeful gangster George Cornelius (Patrick Malahide), his new partner DS Halliday (Wunmi Mosaku) basically works the case by herself, which leads to a race against time to save a missing woman (played with convincing terror by Katie Brayben). The crime-solving feels almost like an afterthought at this point.

The other stuff is alright. Luther's longtime colleague DS Benny Silver (Michael Smiley) is in dire straights, so it's up to Luther, Alice, and maybe another old friend or two from the past to help him out. Hitman Palmer (Anthony Howell) is enlisted by Cornelius to finish things once and for all. Those Luther loves are, as per usual, placed in mortal danger because of him.

And then there's Hermione Norris as Dr. Lake, a wicked psychiatrist who has a twisted relationship with her even more twisted surgeon husband Jeremy (Enzo Cilenti). Will they be caught before their sick love affair spills even more blood onto the streets of London?

The last 5 minutes make it all worth it.