Too HARD SUN

Article first published as TV Review: HARD SUN on Seat42F.

Hulu premiered all six episodes of a new drama called HARD SUN last week. A co-production with the BBC, HARD SUN follows two cops in a pre-apocalyptic world. Yes, pre-, not post-. An event known only as “hard sun” (hence the title of the show) is being kept secret by the government, even though it predicts an extinction-level event in a mere five years time. As more people begin to find out about it and react, our heroes not only have to continue to do their jobs keeping the peace, but they also get drawn into the conspiracy coverup.

HARD SUN sounds like a really neat idea. After all, so much time has been spent examining how people would deal with the aftermath of a big event. It’s cool to finally get into the psychology of how they would react when the disaster is looming, but has not yet arrived. Painting it as a secret that leaks out and is, at first, only believed by conspiracy nuts makes it all the more intriguing because the series can take its time getting around to various types of people reacting differently to the news.

The problem is, HARD SUN doesn’t really delve into the psychiatry so much as uses it as a distraction from the main story. Several of the six hours are mostly made up of our leads trying to catch a bad guy doing something horrible because he (always he) believes the world is ending. This could be very interesting if the focus wasn’t just on catching him, or if there were more variation in the execution. But despite some good guest star turns here, these stories are mostly unsatisfying and seem to just be in the way of getting back to the plot most viewers will care more about. This is the way a 22-episode network season would stretch things out; it doesn’t work for a six-episode short season.

The through line story is pretty good, but HARD SUN spends too much time ignoring it. DCI Charlie Hicks (Jim Sturgess, Feed the Beast) is a complicated man. He cares deeply for people and wants to protect them, and has done some pretty bad things while pursuing that goal. His new partner, DI Elaine Renko (Agyness Deyn, Hail, Caesar!), is put in place specifically to catch him, until she bonds with him during their duties. She also has her own issues, with a violent son she loves, despite the fact that he tried to kill her. This baggage is pretty inconvenient when Hicks and Renko have to spend so much time avoiding would-be assassins from MI5, in particular Grace Morrigan (Nikki Amuka-Bird, Luther).

That is a LOT of story just for our two leads, so having to watch them do their jobs around it is too much. HARD SUN should have just focused on the complex set of circumstances they built, and if we saw Hicks and Renko working at all, keep it to routine duties or a single case, not extra-complicated serial killers.

I admit, I was caught up in HARD SUN, watching all six hours before sitting down to write this review. Part of the reason I waited was to see if the end paid off the time spent slogging through the middle hours. It does, with bright promise for a second season, should one be ordered. But that doesn’t change the criticism above, which still stands upon completion. I expected a bit more from writer Neil Cross, who is best known for his excellent British crime series, Luther.

Also, HARD SUN is very graphically violent. If that bothers you, you might want to skip it.

HARD SUN season one is available now on Hulu.

LUTHER 3 Review

Article first published as LUTHER 3 Review on TheTVKing.

The BBC's Luther recently returned for a third (and final) series on BBC America and on DVD. The show follows a cop with dubious morals named Luther (Idris Elba), the killer he couldn't catch whom he now has a strange bond with, Alice (Ruth Wilson), and the various cases Luther is assigned to. Series 3 adds a fetishist murderer, a vigilante, and even the betrayal of members of Luther's own team to the mix.

The main draw of Luther always has been and always will be Luther himself. Elba captures the nuances of a man on the edge who can never find happiness brilliantly. Luther is tempted by many bad things, often at the hands of Alice, yet he always manages to come out ahead, even if only marginally so. He throws himself into his work more so than just about any detective on TV (and that's saying something!), which keeps him apart from any long-term romantic entanglements, though he does make a go this year with Mary Day (Sienna Guillory). And he's always near the brink of madness, seen in Elba's eyes, and other subtle bits Elba does so well, from time to time.

This personality is reflected in the tone of the show. It verges into the horror genre at times, bloody and scary. A man like Luther exists in a violent world, and Luther does not shy away from that, making Series 3 perhaps more intense than the first two. Dread is Luther's closest companion, as much a part of the show as the characters themselves.

Luther is sort of an anti-hero. While he is a cop, and so on the right side of the law, he often skirts over the line. His tormented personality keeps him from being noble sometimes, and he succumbs to his weaknesses far more than one in his position is expected to. He isn't anyone's role model, and perhaps deserves to be locked up himself, after all he's done and whom he associates with.  That outcome might be a good deal better for him than living with his darkness any longer, though that would leave the streets less safe for everyone else. It's this edge that makes the character unique and interesting.

And Luther might just be taken down. In Series 3, an out-of-retirement investigator named George Stark (David O'Hara, The Departed) gets on Luther's case, working tirelessly to bring Luther to justice. With everything else Luther must contend with, keeping an eye out behind him is not convenient. But it does add some more delicious tension to the installments.

The bond between Luther and Alice is a strange one, but highly satisfying for the viewer. We know Alice is wicked, we know she has committed some serious crimes. Yet, it's hard to root for her to get caught because that would limit her interaction with Luther, one of the strongest elements of the show. I don't know that I want them together romantically, if only because that just might destroy the last of Luther's soul, rather than save him. But I do enjoy seeing them in the games they play, which we unfortunately get less of in Series 3 than in the past.

The other characters in Luther are great, too, but none of them get all that much to do. This is solidly Luther's show, and so while we see some amazing glimpses of Justin Ripley (Warren Brown), Martin Schenk (Dermot Crowley), Benny Silver (Michael Smiley), Erin Grey (Nikki Amuka-Bird), and others, none of them get their own serious subplots.

Series 3 more or less picks up where Series 2 left off, with implications from those events echoing into this new batch of episodes. Characters are shuffled and replaced in different positions, and a couple of loose ends are tied up. Yet, I still wished for just a hair more of a serial nature to this drama, as it does get a little repetitive as it goes on, like American cop procedurals are wont to do. It also skirts realism a bit, but the performances are more than enough to make up for these drawbacks and keep the show worth watching.

Sadly, this two-disc DVD release has only a single extra, a Making Of featurette. One would love to get into the heads of the star and the creator, but sadly, this is not to be, at least not here.

Luther Series 3 is available now.

Luther 2 takes things to the next level

BBC's Luther ends its first series on an incredibly dark note, with Detective John Luther (Idris Elba, The Wire, The Office) having been betrayed by his best friend and devastated by the murder of his wife, Zoe.

As series two, which consists of four hours split into two stories, begins, Luther has been wasting away working cold cases. He is given the chance to come back to investigate current crimes, but with his old unit gone, he will now serve under Martin Schenk (Dermot Crowley, Raw, Bleak House), a former police complaints officer who, with good reason, isn't sure that Luther should be a cop at all. Working with the ambitious Detective Erin Gray (Nikki Amuka-Bird, The Omen, Bad Girls), Luther also recruits his former partner, Justin Ripley (Warren Brown, Savage, Dead Set) to assist. The two, with their very different opinions on the titular detective, provide a nice counterbalance to each other.

Other familiar faces return, too. Mark North (Paul McGann), Zoe's guy at the time of her death, is now a good friend of Luther's. He even helps during a case. This is a strange reversal, as the two are so at odds previously, but it's nice that Luther retains McGann's talents in any fashion.

There is only a little bit of Alice (Ruth Wilson) in series 2, as she is in jail. One misses her presence, and it changes the tone of the series to have her out of the game. While it may be a relief to have a cold killer like her off the streets in real life, Luther needs her involvement to be the best show it can be. Hopefully, she will be freed be the time series 3 begins.

Luther, himself, is quite a bit different. He is still in a depressing place, occasionally contemplating suicide, but he no longer contributes to the darkness. In fact, he would like redemption for his wrongs. His conscience continues to bother him, but he's working to balance the scales in his favor. He may still be grieving, but he is finally moving on from the events of the first episode, and that's a good sign.

Luckily, Luther doesn't get much chance to dwell in his sadness, because there are two strings of killings that must be stopped in Luther 2. The first is done by a serial murderer who thrives on causing fear. He is played by the wonderful Lee Ingleby (White Heat, Inspector George Gently). The second villain is more elusive, and less showy. It takes all of Luther's considerable skill to take on these two criminals.

Elba is the heart of the series, and always will be. He shines brilliantly in this second batch of episodes, taking a character he already soars with, and adding new layers and depths. The accolades continue to pour in for his performance, and every one of them is deserved.

The sole fault with this release is the lack of extras. At least the first series boasted one, while Luther 2 has none. It is a great show, one that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. But it would be nice if some behind the scenes information was given, letting fans take a peek into how the show is made. Instead, the episodes are expected to stand alone.

Which isn't necessarily a terrible thing. After all, Luther is one of BBC America's most popular programs for a reason. It has complex, intelligent characters and stories, and is populated with some great actors delivering some truly impressive work. So if any gritty crime drama wants to stand alone, with no bonus features to support it, then Luther is the one to do so.

Buy Luther 2, on DVD now.

MORE: If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!  Article first published as DVD Review: Luther 2 on Blogcritics.

Luther is a complex crime drama

For those who like gritty crime drama, the BBC's award-winning Luther, available on DVD, is a must have. Luther is the title on the case for the first series, which consists of six hour-long episodes. The show follows Detective John Luther (Idris Elba, The Wire, The Office), a cop with a tormented soul. Luther may be a genius, but he's also extremely self-destructive and impulsive. This man is both a catcher of dangerous men, and also, a dangerous man himself. It's a duality that makes him good at his job, if he can stay sane long enough to complete it.

The first episode of Luther begins with the titular character facing a child killer. The bad guy dangles from a ledge. Luther stands over him, demanding to know where the latest victim is kept. The criminal gives up the information, but Luther lets him fall, resulting in the man ending up in a coma. Luther is cleared of any wrongdoing months later, and returns to work.

This scene sets up everything else that will come. In this moment, the character of Luther is defined as both heroic and having questionable morality. Who wouldn't want to see a guy who kills kids hurt or dead? But who among us would be willing to stand by and let it happen? What Luther dispenses may be justice, of a sort, but it's not something most people would approve of.

Nor is Luther proud of his inaction. The results of what he does, or doesn't do, rather, cause him much torment, and lead to him doubting many things about himself. Throughout the six hours, as Luther hunts (and usually catches) other serial killers, that night haunts him. He is a changed man because of it. Did he do the right thing? Maybe not. Were his actions excusable? Well, that's a matter of opinion.

Luther is joined on this quest of the soul by Alice (Ruth Wilson, The Prisoner, Suburban Shootout). Alice is introduced in the first episode as a killer herself, brutally murdering her parents and dog. Luther knows she did it, but has no way to prove it, since she has committed the perfect crime, leaving no evidence behind. Luther fails to build a case against her.

But that's for the best, as Alice becomes a pivotal figure in Luther's life. Attracted to his complexity and intelligence, which she shares, she becomes obsessed with Luther. She is able to figure out the cause of his torment pretty easily, and intrudes into his life to gather more details. Is Luther an object worthy of study for Alice, or a kindred spirit she'd like to be around?

Not that Luther is always happy with the attention. Some of the things he sees in Alice are the things that he cannot stand in himself. As he questions his own sense of right and wrong, Alice feels like a dark temptation that could lead him down the wrong path. It makes for an exciting and juicy partnership, one that will keep viewers locked to the screen.

There are other characters in Luther, too, of course. Most notable is Luther's ex, Zoe (Indira Varma, Human Target, Rome). She leaves her husband, not because of what he does in the pilot, which is not a secret to her, even though Luther doesn't admit to it, but rather, she feels undervalued and unhappy. She cares about him, but doesn't want to be with him. Luther struggles mightily to win her back, but it's too little, too late, as she has already moved on with Mark (Paul McGann, Doctor Who, Collision).

Luther's co-workers certainly appreciate the job that he does, but aren't always sure about his methods. Luther's boss, Rose (Saskia Reeves), risks her own reputation to reinstate Luther, and may come to regret it. Luther's best friend, Ian Reed (Steven Mackintosh, Underworld), would like to be supportive, but it's not like Luther lets him in more than anyone else. So the working relationship in the unit is tenuous, at best.

Critical reviews for this first series are mixed, but few criticize Elba's performance. As the title character, he is the meat of the series, and carries it extremely well. For his gifted, nuanced part in Luther, Elba has deservedly won several awards, including an Emmy and a Golden Globe. Whether one believes the story of Luther is enticing or not (it is), Elba alone is enough to warrant a viewing. The rest of the cast is excellent, too, though they have not been recognized for it like Elba has.

Unfortunately, the BBC-released DVD comes with one sole extra, a half hour behind the scenes piece. It's interesting, as the series creator, Neil Cross, and members of the cast discuss the show. But it's too bad there isn't more.

Luther is still more than worth the price. With series two also out and a third ordered, it's time to catch up for those who haven't seen it yet. Pick up a copy today. You can get your copy and save on others using this Amazon coupon code.

MORE: If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! To buy this and other DVDs go to amazon.com. Article first published as DVD Review: Luther on Blogcritics.