A show about a troubled yet brilliant urban detective? Isn't that kind of character ready for the Entertainment Cliche Hall of Fame?

Judging by the pallid crop of cops that the American broadcast networks have been serving up lately, you'd think that there wasn't much life left in the old "Damn it, detective, you're out of line!" scenario.

Yet 'Luther' (10PM ET Sunday, BBC America), the story of an impulsive, very intelligent London cop, manages to be an excellent showcase for Idris Elba ('The Wire') and an increasingly impressive character drama that goes to some dark and absorbing places.

Especially in the second half of 'Luther's' 6-episode season, 'Luther' begins to feel like a well-paced crime novel, one that's less about finding the bad guys and more concerned with exploring what motivates the darker impulses of criminals -- and cops. 'Luther' needs some time to build up a head of steam, but by the last couple of episodes, its intensity and relentless knottiness are impressive indeed.

The first few episodes of 'Luther' are certainly competent, but the cases of the week are mostly self-contained, and though the show's supporting cast is extremely good, the main reason to tune in is to see Elba's magnetic performance. Luther is a legend in the London police force, but his treatment of one infamous criminal got him put on leave; when 'Luther' begins, he's just returned from that enforced absence. Nobody knows if he can contain his temper, least of all him.

There's an ongoing thread about Luther's ex-wife, Zoe (Indira Varma) and her new boyfriend (Paul McGann) that isn't very interesting at first, but as is the case with another thread about a complicated woman that Luther keeps encountering, that story ends up meriting the time devoted to it.

Ruth Wilson plays Alice, whom Luther encounters early in the season; I found both the character and the performance too arch and mannered for my taste. But as the show explored the connection between those characters -- one calculating and cold, one calculating yet reckless -- Alice's scenes became less melodramatic and forced.


The crime stories in 'Luther' are interesting and well-executed, which is a must, given that run-of-the-mill serial-killer procedurals leave me cold. But in several 'Luther' episodes, the audience learns who the killer is in the opening minutes. Because the show is more about the why than the how, and good at depicting the inventive methods that Luther and his team to catch killers, there's no loss of suspense or tension. And as all good cop shows must, 'Luther' features some excellent interrogation scenes that amply display Elba's chops -- Luther can go from laid-back to incisive without missing a beat.

Thanks to its atmosphere of melancholy menace, 'Luther' not only recalls the crime novels of writers like Ian Rankin, Denise Mina and Laura Lippman (not surprising, given that novelist and 'MI-5' writer Neil Cross created the show), it also harkens back to classic British cop shows like 'Cracker' and 'Prime Suspect.' Those dramas were certainly star vehicles but they were also gritty, thoughtful character studies about people who who couldn't separate themselves from the job. 'Luther' may not be a classic on a level with the best of 'Prime Suspect,' but the last couple of episodes of 'Luther's' first season were so twisty and twisted that I found myself more drawn in than I am by much more expensive feature films.

There are a few twists and turns that 'Luther' doesn't quite earn along the way: A longer season might have ensured that one character's surprising story line got a better setup. All in all, however, 'Luther's' increasing density and darkness becomes addictive, and it almost does the impossible -- it takes that old TV cliche about the detective who may think too much like a criminal and makes it feel fresh again.

One thing's for certain: With 'Luther,' 'Law and Order: UK' and 'Ashes to Ashes,' the British Isles are cranking out some excellent character-driven cop shows featuring memorable, subtle performances. Remember when we used to make those here in the colonies?

One final note: Each episode of 'Luther' is 50 minutes or more, and I'm happy to report that BBC America is not cutting the episodes to fit into an hourlong slot. The network is airing each episode uncut in a 75-minute slot, followed by a 15-minute "making of" featurette.


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