The BBC’s Sherlock is one of the most popular and successful detective shows in recent years, and this other British detective show is a great watch after Sherlock‘s season 4. In 2010, Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat brought Sherlock Holmes and company to the modern day in the TV series Sherlock.
Sherlock followed Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Watson (Martin Freeman) as they solved different cases in modern-day London. Sherlock had four seasons of three episodes each, along with a mini-episode and a special episode titled “The Abominable Bride.” Although Sherlock had a strong start, its quality declined in its third and fourth seasons.
Sherlock had a very disappointing final season and an even worse finale, which left more plot holes and questions than answers. Because of this, fans have expressed their desire for a fifth season, which Gatiss, Moffat, and the cast have teased for years, but as it most likely won’t happen, there’s another British detective TV show worth checking out.
Luther Is The Perfect Detective Show For Sherlock Fans
Luther Ran From 2010 To 2019
Just a couple of months before Sherlock’s debut, Luther was released. Created by Neil Cross, Luther is a psychological crime thriller that follows Detective Chief Inspector John Luther (Idris Elba). Luther begins with the title character returning to active duty after a nervous breakdown caused by an incident with a murderer that forced him to take some time off.
Luther’s first case is a double homicide, with the daughter of the murdered couple, Alice Morgan (Ruth Wilson), as the prime suspect. Alice turns out to be a genius, but one who uses her intelligence for various criminal activities. Alice becomes Luther’s antagonist, but they eventually develop a partnership, as Alice aids Luther whenever he needs her.
During its first season, Luther told one crime story in each episode (with a two-part finale), and subsequent seasons consisted of two two-part stories, except season 4, with one two-part story, and season 5, with a single story over four episodes. Luther has been praised by critics for its tone, writing, and the performances of Elba and Wilson.
Luther is a lot darker than Sherlock, and it has some pretty heavy emotional moments, as well.
Luther and Sherlock are both detective shows, but with different tones. Luther is a lot darker than Sherlock, and it has some pretty heavy emotional moments, as well. Luther not only focuses on the cases he’s assigned to, but also on Luther’s life, as he struggles with a lot in his personal life.
How Idris Elba’s Luther Is Different From Sherlock Holmes
Detectives With Very Different Styles
Despite both being detectives, there are key differences between Sherlock Holmes and John Luther. Holmes is best known for his unbelievable deduction skills, memory, and extensive knowledge of many topics. Holmes is a rational man and doesn’t let his emotions get in the way, which also leads to his very blunt way of expressing himself (which is often seen as rude).
Luther doesn’t always follow protocol and has unorthodox, sometimes illegal ways of investigating his cases.
John Luther is also intelligent and analytical, but the horrors he has witnessed, along with personal demons, often bring conflict between him and his colleagues. In addition to that, Luther doesn’t always follow protocol and has unorthodox, sometimes illegal ways of investigating his cases. Luther also has a temper and tends to have fits of anger.
Sherlock Holmes’ deduction skills and intellect are what make his stories so engaging and entertaining, and in Luther’s case, the hook is in the emotional complexity and moral ambiguity of not only the character himself but also the cases he’s assigned to.
What Is Next For Luther After The Fallen Sun Movie
Luther Got His Own Movie In 2023
Luther ended in 2019 with its fifth season, but the detective returned for one more story in the 2023 movie The Fallen Sun. The movie got mixed reactions from critics and viewers, who found that it failed to capture what made the TV show so good and engaging. The Fallen Sun was released in select cinemas and later on Netflix.
At the time of writing, there are no plans for a sequel to The Fallen Sun or a sixth season of Luther, more so as Elba has moved on to other projects. However, this doesn’t change that Luther is the perfect watch after Sherlock, and it was a lot more consistent than Holmes’ series.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
