This is a list of fictional characters in the British psychological crime drama television series Luther.
Contents |
| John Luther | |
|---|---|
| Luther character | |
| First appearance | Season 1, Episode 1 |
| Created by | Neil Cross |
| Portrayed by | Idris Elba |
| Information | |
| Nickname(s) | Luther |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Police officer |
| Title | Detective Chief Inspector |
| Spouse(s) | Zoe Luther |
Idris Elba portrays Detective Chief Inspector John Luther.[1] Luther works in law enforcement for London's SCU (Serious Crime Unit). After dealing with a traumatic case involving a child killer named Henry Madsen, Luther suffers a mental breakdown which put his marriage to Zoe at risk. Luther is extremely dedicated to his job - a trait that is both a blessing and a curse. Luther has begun to feel like he has lost his direction in Series 2 without his job and following the death of his wife, to the point that he decides to play russian roulette, although he survives.
Idris Elba said of his character, "You know when you watch the news and someone has killed their children? And your instinct is to be like, 'Oh, if I got my hands on them'? Well, his instinct is to do that but he's a police officer. And when he does get his hands on them, he doesn't necessarily follow procedure. He will be as vindictive as the criminal".[2]
| Alice Morgan | |
|---|---|
| Luther character | |
| First appearance | Season 1, Episode 1 |
| Created by | Neil Cross |
| Portrayed by | Ruth Wilson |
| Information | |
| Gender | Female |
| Occupation | Research scientist |
Alice Morgan is played by Ruth Wilson.[3] Alice is a research scientist and psychopath who killed her parents in a calculated fashion that not even Luther is able to prove despite knowing she did it. Her core belief, that nothing ultimately matters, comes into direct conflict with Luther's and thus she frequently insinuates herself into his business and personal life as a result. At the beginning of Series 2 she is in a mental institute following the events of Series 1. Luther goes to visit her and it is revealed she has tried to kill herself by cutting her wrists, although she survived and had tried many times beforehand. As Luther leaves he throws an apple over the wall of the gardens of the mental institute in which Alice is walking. When she picks the apple up it is revealed that Luther has stolen a swipe card and given it to Alice to help her escape. She visits him one last time, asking him to come away with her, but he refuses, as he cannot shake his dedication to being a police officer.
| Justin Ripley | |
|---|---|
| Luther character | |
| First appearance | Season 1, Episode 1 |
| Created by | Neil Cross |
| Portrayed by | Warren Brown |
| Information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Police officer |
| Title | Detective Sergeant |
Warren Brown plays Detective Sergeant Justin Ripley,[4] a young policeman. He is at first eager to be partnered with a detective like Luther, but doesn't quite realise what doing so would entail. Ripley is arrested at the end of Series 1 after saving a fugitive Luther's life from a police marksman. For this action he was put back in uniform but kept his rank of sergeant. He becomes a detective again when Luther puts him back on his team despite being told he will be uniform for at least two years. DS Gray also remarks how DS Ripley was a rising star but has now tarnished his career. At the end of Series 2 episode 1, Ripley is kidnapped by Mr. Punch, who tortures him throughout the next episode before he manages to escape and aid in Punch's arrest.
| Mark North | |
|---|---|
| Luther character | |
| First appearance | Season 1, Episode 1 |
| Created by | Neil Cross |
| Portrayed by | Paul McGann |
| Information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Significant other(s) | Zoe Luther |
Paul McGann as Mark North,[5] a human rights lawyer and "the polar opposite of Luther". Mark fell in love with Zoe and believed she would be much happier with him than with her husband, which causes considerable friction with Luther. Alice Morgan frequently harasses Mark and on one occasion has him beaten up in an attempt to get Zoe and Luther back together, before Luther insists that she stop. This only fuels Mark's dislike for Luther, and he becomes increasingly desperate to extract Zoe from the situation. However, after her death and learning her killer's true identity, Mark played a part in Ian Reed's death. By the beginning of Series 2 Luther and Mark are now friends and Luther trusts Mark to the extent that he uses his house as a safehouse for Jenny Jones.
| Martin Schenk | |
|---|---|
| Luther character | |
| First appearance | Season 1, Episode 3 |
| Created by | Neil Cross |
| Portrayed by | Dermot Crowley |
| Information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Police officer |
| Title | Detective Superintendent Prev. Detective Chief Inspector |
Dermot Crowley as 'Detective Superintendent Martin Schenk.[6] Schenk works for Police Complaints and is universally feared for his steel-trap mind. A highly intuitive and observant individual, who appears unassuming, Schenk is determined to rid the force of corrupt officers which, despite Schenk's high regard for Luther's abilities, may include Luther himself. Schenk appeared from episode 3 through to episode 6 in series 1 and returned in Series 2 to head up the new Serious and Serial Crime Unit, replacing Rose Teller as DCI Luther's boss.
| Erin Gray | |
|---|---|
| Luther character | |
| First appearance | Season 2, Episode 1 |
| Created by | Neil Cross |
| Portrayed by | Nikki Amuka-Bird |
| Information | |
| Gender | Female |
| Occupation | Police officer |
| Title | Detective Sergeant |
Nikki Amuka-Bird as DS Erin Gray a new member of the team in Series 2. She is highly intelligent and ambitious but is also young and naive, having come from a sheltered background. She makes it clear in episode 1 she doesn't want her name tarnished like Ripley, and keeps her distance from Luther. Luther keeps her on because she is newly qualified and good at her job.
| Ian Reed | |
|---|---|
| Luther character | |
| First appearance | Season 1, Episode 1 |
| Last appearance | Season 1, Episode 6 |
| Created by | Neil Cross |
| Portrayed by | Steven Mackintosh |
| Information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Police officer |
| Title | Detective Chief Inspector |
Steven Mackintosh as Detective Chief Inspector Ian Reed,[7] Luther's closest and best friend. Reed lives his life by his own strict code, which he ultimately compromised by taking bribes. That deviation ends up haunting him when the operation he is part of blows up in his face and he must cover his tracks by killing off everyone who knows the truth, including Luther. At the end of series 1 he is shot and killed by Alice Morgan.
| Zoe Luther | |
|---|---|
| Luther character | |
| First appearance | Season 1, Episode 1 |
| Last appearance | Season 1, Episode 6 |
| Created by | Neil Cross |
| Portrayed by | Indira Varma |
| Information | |
| Gender | Female |
| Spouse(s) | John Luther |
| Significant other(s) | Mark North |
Indira Varma as Zoe Luther,[8] John Luther's wife. Struggling to cope with her crumbling marriage, she has fallen in love with Mark North and finally feels happy with her life. Luther is extremely distraught that she has met someone else, to the point that he is wound up into violent rages. Through various events she is sorely tempted to return to Luther, but realises that things would only go back to the way they were and leaves him. Zoe is killed by Ian Reed in the penultimate episode of Series 1 when he holds her at gunpoint and she tries to defend herself with a kitchen knife.
| Rose Teller | |
|---|---|
| Luther character | |
| First appearance | Season 1, Episode 1 |
| Last appearance | Season 1, Episode 6 |
| Created by | Neil Cross |
| Portrayed by | Saskia Reeves |
| Information | |
| Gender | Female |
| Occupation | Police officer |
| Title | Detective Superintendent |
Saskia Reeves as Detective Superintendent Rose Teller,[9] Luther's boss in the Serious Crimes Unit during Series 1. Having stuck her neck out in order to get Luther reinstated following his mental breakdown, she realises it may be hard to play modern-day police politics whilst supporting Luther's unique style of policing, which frequently puts her at odds with Martin Schenk. DSI Teller does not return in Series 2 and it is implied by Schenk that she took the fall for Ian Reed's actions.