Episode #5.1

We've watched this show from the beginning through cast and crew changes but this is awful. It all falls on the shoulders of the cinematographer. It'd be nice to see the performances, to know what (and who) are in a scene. Dreadful dark and dreary looking. Shame.

Not sure if I liked this one or not because it was literally too dark to see what the hell was going on. I could hear the words but without actually seeing the action I was left guessing through most of it and then eventually gave up and lost interest. Even the scenes in the police station were too dark to see anything. Confusing as hell. Also confused as to why and when the 600 character rule started for IMDB REVIEWS, but since I can't leave one without writing more I'll just ramble. This show is usually good but I've seen a few episodes where it has dropped the ball, especially this one. Turn the Damn lights on!

I love the Luther series as a whole, especially the first 3 seasons -- they comprise some of the most exciting, jaw-dropping hours television I have ever seen. But over time the show has fallen into a formula, one which this season 5 premiere proudly flaunts: drawn-out scenes of an animal-like serial killer with paraphiliac urges stalking their innocent prey; Luther finding himself caught up in the London underworld or with shadowy figures he's dealt with in the past; very little actual detective work that often boils down to Luther or another character using broad stereotypes/armchair psychoanalysis or general wisdom that anyone could've come up with to track down the bad guy (or simply saying "I have a hunch").

A lot of people watch Luther FOR this formula, though I was hoping the show would have evolved a bit by 2019. Here in episode 5x1 we have dapper gangster George Cornelius (Patrick Malahide) returning from season 4 to involve DCI Luther (Idris Elba) in the recovery of his kidnapped son. Cornelius serves the same role Baba (Pam Ferris) did in series 2: an underworld figure meant to involve Luther in the dark side so as to complicate his law enforcement career. There's also a creepy serial killer running around sticking various sharp objects into people, reminding us that this is, above, all, a horror TV show more so than a cop drama.

I found a lot of the events in this episode to be quite contrived and cliché-ridden, though I still enjoyed watching it. Some of these include: yet another new, naive partner to act as a foil for Luther (played this time by Wunmi Mosaku); some gangsters un-ironically strapping a bomb to someone as punishment; a weird psychiatrist (played by Hermione Norris) who clearly knows more than she's letting on.

Still, this is Luther: the acting is brilliant (with exception of Michael Obiora as Errol, who hams it up way too much), the editing and direction are on point, and the thudding, pulsing music will keep you glued to your seat. If you've watched Luther from the beginning, you'll see the ending twist coming a mile away; it's still good TV, just not really "must-see TV" anymore.

What I like about Luther is that it is just plain bonkers gruesome fun. More mad and bad, the better it gets.

Where else would you get a series where a cop has his own stalker who herself is a serial killer.

The opening episode of the fifth series had the bonus of a killer in a clown mask with led lights so cctv cameras could not catch him properly. This clown faced killer brutally kills people and his psychiatrist comes forward and tells Luther who he might be.

I was surprised Luther did not arrest her for doing such a bad job on treating her patient!

Crime boss George Cornelius also has a run in with Luther when his son goes missing and he thinks Luther might be involved somehow.

Tense, thrilling and unnerving with a few twists. Three more parts to follow.

Opening episode that ticked all the boxes you expected then turns the page and adds a whole lot more. Great little touches of using past characters and introducing new ones. Gripping from start to finish still the best show British TV has produced in years