pension333: Luther recap: series three, episode two

This felt a little flat after the shocks of last week's opener - but let's hope Stark's investigation makes a mess of it for everyone

"Shut up Mr Ripley. You might just spoil my good mood" ? John Luther

While it's true that I'd rather watch an episode of Luther than any other scripted British drama at the moment, I'll also be the first to admit that it has a nasty habit of fumbling conclusions. Tonight's episode, for example, felt a little flat compared with the unrelenting knicker-filling terror of last week. Nobody slithered out from underneath anyone's bed. Nobody hid under plastic sheeting in an attic. Nobody ? thank God ? shoved their own hand into a blender. Instead, we simply watched Luther find the killer; a Scooby-Doo unmasking stretched out across an hour. Not that Luther did very much to actually bring the killer to justice. He found him, yes, but the climactic showdown essentially consisted of Luther waggling a mop around and watching the murderer fling himself through a window. This was probably for the best ? Paul Ellis was so creepy, so otherworldly, that to hear him explain his rationale (or even to hear him talk at all) would have diluted his impact immeasurably.

Instead, we were introduced to his mentor, serial killer William Carney. Heavily emphysemic and apparently residing in a convalescent home for insanely hammy actors, Carney explained that Paul only turned to murder because he was Dextered (verb; watching your mother get killed) as a tot. Also, Paul lived above a branch of Greggs. Proof, if proof is needed, that nothing will make a man turn to murder faster than the omnipresent stench of pastry.

But it's fine. Carney got his in the end. Officer Kill List called him a "dickhead" in the back of a van. Yeah, take that, murderer.

"I tell you what, George, you're a big man. But I'm tired" ? John Luther

More interesting, at least initially, was the continuing investigation into Luther's ostensibly crooked ways. George Stark's grot-cave ? the backroom of an abandoned Turkish restaurant in Haggerston ? now appears to be his primary residence. He sleeps on the floor. He pokes at that photo of Luther with such demented ferocity that he's probably given himself a nasty case of repetitive strain injury by now. Even his right-hand woman Erin Gray seems to be questioning his obsession at this stage.

There's clearly more to Stark than meets the eye. He may have lost the battle, but he'll still be plugging away at Luther next week. And good thing too, because tonight's episode would have made for an extraordinarily unsatisfactory conclusion. Tense as it was, the scene where Luther strolled into Stark's lair, swiped his file and then strolled out again seemed a bit too neat. Combined with Ripley's recorded testimony, which basically consisted of him telling Stark what a ruddy good egg Luther was, and you began to worry that the episode would end with Luther walking into the sunset with a cartoon starling trilling on his shoulder. Pat endings don't suit this series, so I'm praying that Stark makes even more of a mess for everyone before the end of the run.

Finally, well done to Ripley for solving the case of the dead troll all by himself. Sure, he had to dig around in a bag of obliterated medical waste to do it, but that's what makes Ripley Ripley.

Observations

? We should probably talk about Mary Day. She didn't have much to do tonight, but turning up at Luther's house and shouting "What time do you call this?" seemed like a deeply odd thing to do. Either she really is as socially impaired as she makes out ? which is weird enough in itself ? or there's something more sinister going on. Personally, I'll be disappointed if she doesn't turn out to be Alice in an Ed Gein-style flesh suit.

? The star of the show was undoubtedly Kevin Fuller, who played Paul Ellis. Not many actors can give you chills just by sitting on a bus, but Fuller managed it. His IMDb page is especially sparse ? and I am lazy. Can any of you fill in the blanks?

? We also got our first glimpse at Luther's wardrobe tonight. Whatever you think of the man, you have to commend his dedication at sticking with a look.

? Between Paul tonight and Victor from The Returned, I've worked out that the best way to look creepy is to not move your arms very much when you walk. Why not try it out on a loved one tonight?

? Horrible, terrible dialogue in the nurses' house: "Jamal doesn't look like Paul Daniels. Jamal's fit." Your one shot at passing the Bechdel Test, Luther, and you blew it.

? I'd like to see Luther solve all his crimes by spinning around in an office chair, please. And then, if possible, carrying a tray of drinks through an obstacle course.

Stuart Heritage

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2013/jul/09/luther-recap-series-three-episode-two

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