List of Luther characters

This is a list of fictional characters in the British psychological crime drama television series Luther.

Main characters

John Luther

John Luther
Luther character
First appearance	Series 1, Episode 1
Last appearance	Series 3, Episode 4
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

Det. Ch. Insp. John Luther is portrayed by Idris Elba.^[1] Luther is a detective chief inspector for the Metropolitan Police Service, working in the Serious Crime Unit. He is a legendary figure in London's police force both for his dedication and his ingenious approaches to solving cases. However, the horrors of Luther's job have given rise to emotional demons which often put him at odds with colleagues and loved ones. Because of this, he is constantly breaching protocol and using unorthodox (and sometimes illegal) methods to solve his cases, such as breaking into their property to find clues, or violently threatening suspects or witnesses. Nevertheless, he is known to despise firearms, and he refuses to kill, or directly cause the death, of suspects

Luther returns from leave to investigate the double murder of Alice Morgan's parents, quickly realising that she committed the crime. However, Morgan's methodical destruction of evidence keeps Luther from conclusively proving her guilt. A peculiar relationship develops between Luther and Morgan, with Luther approaching her for help on occasion. Morgan insinuates herself in Luther's relationship with Zoe with the intent to help their marriage, yet her means only further complicate Luther's personal problems.

When Zoe is accidentally shot and killed by Luther's best friend, the corrupt Detective Chief Inspector Ian Reed, Luther – known for his violent temper – is blamed for the murder and becomes the focus of a city-wide manhunt. Events transpire to where Reed is killed by Alice during a confrontation with her, Luther, and Mark at a deserted Waterloo station. After Reed's responsibility for Zoe's murder is uncovered, Luther is allowed to return to the Serious Crime Unit, now reorganised as the Serious and Serial Crime Unit.

At the start of the second series, Luther has moved into a dilapidated flat at the Aylesbury Estate and begins to show suicidal tendencies. Luther also expresses his desire to leave the Met. He is approached by Caroline Jones, the wife of one of his former suspects, asking him to locate her delinquent daughter, Jenny. When Luther tracks down Jenny and rescues her from a pornography shoot, the production's backers, Toby Kent and his grandmother, "Baba", violently pressure the inspector into handing her back. When Jenny kills Toby in self-defense, Luther manages to cover-up her role in the killing and threatens Baba with a visit from Alice if she continues to harass Jenny and her mother.

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

Alice Morgan
Luther character
First appearance	Series 1, Episode 1
Last appearance	Series 3, Episode 4
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 highly intelligent 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 in life ultimately matters, comes into direct conflict with Luther's own beliefs and thus she frequently insinuates herself into his business and personal life both as an enemy and ally from stalking him to helping him avoid criminal prosecution. She also provides him with a unique insight into the criminal mind, in a role not unlike that of Hannibal Lecter.

At the beginning of Series 2, she is in a mental institute following the events of Series 1 (she had confessed to killing Ian Reed). 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. After escaping, she visits him one last time, asking him to come away with her to hide out in the countryside or flee overseas; but, he refuses, as he cannot shake his dedication to being a police officer. Alice then leaves him behind. She returned in the season finale of Series 3 when Luther was wrongly accused of arranging for DS Ripley to be murdered by a killer vigilante. After freeing him from police custody, she aided Luther in proving his innocence, and aided in the vigilante's capture. Having made her interest in developing a relationship with Luther clear, after again evading arrest, she met up with Luther, and the episode ended as they debated what to do next.

Justin Ripley

Justin Ripley
Luther character
First appearance	Series 1, Episode 1
Last appearance	Series 3, Episode 4
Created by	Neil Cross
Portrayed by	Warren Brown
Information
Gender	Male
Occupation	Police officer
Title	Detective Sergeant

Warren Brown plays Det. Sgt. 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 Cameron Pell, who tortures him throughout the next episode before he manages to escape and aid in Pell's arrest.

In Series 3, Ripley is questioned by DSU George Stark and DCI Erin Gray, who are attempting to bring down Luther. At first, Ripley seems to be helping them, but he later tells them that he has been honoured to work with Luther. In episode 3, Ripley chases the vigilante killer Tom Marwood into an alleyway and corners him. Despite Marwood's insistence, Ripley refuses to back down, so Marwood shoots him, killing him.

Martin Schenk

Martin Schenk
Luther character
First appearance	Series 1, Episode 3
Last appearance	Series 3, Episode 4
Created by	Neil Cross
Portrayed by	Dermot Crowley
Information
Gender	Male
Occupation	Police officer
Title	Detective Superintendent Prev. Detective Chief Inspector

Dermot Crowley as Det. Supt. Martin Schenk.^[5] 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.

Benny 'Deadhead' Silver

Benny Silver
Luther character
First appearance	Series 1, Episode 3
Last appearance	Series 3, Episode 4
Created by	Neil Cross
Portrayed by	Michael Smiley
Information
Nickname(s)	Deadhead
Gender	Male

Michael Smiley as Benny "Deadhead" Silver.^[6] Benny Silver was first introduced in series 1 when Luther needed some technological expertise. In series 2, he became a full-time employee of the new Serious and Serial Crime Unit. He gets his nickname Benny Deadhead from his laid back nature. In his first appearance as well as the final two episodes of Season 2, he is shown to have an interest in role-playing games as well as World of Warcraft.

Erin Gray

Erin Gray
Luther character
First appearance	Series 2, Episode 1
Last appearance	Series 3, Episode 4
Created by	Neil Cross
Portrayed by	Nikki Amuka-Bird
Information
Gender	Female
Occupation	Police officer
Title	Detective Chief Inspector

Nikki Amuka-Bird as Det. Sgt. 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. Having become convinced that Luther is dirty, she attempted to find evidence of this during Series 2, but Ripley smeared her to protect Luther, forcing her to leave the Serious and Serial Unit in disgrace. Between series she joined a unit investigating police corruption, and was promoted to Detective Chief Inspector. During Series 3 she is working with Detective Superintendent George Stark in an investigation against Luther, and is last seen being taken to hospital following an attack from the vigilante killer Tom Marwood.

Ian Reed

Ian Reed
Luther character
First appearance	Series 1, Episode 1
Last appearance	Series 1, Episode 6
Created by	Neil Cross
Portrayed by	Steven Mackintosh
Information
Gender	Male
Occupation	Police officer
Title	Detective Chief Inspector

Steven Mackintosh as Det. Ch. Insp. 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

Zoe Luther
Luther character
First appearance	Series 1, Episode 1
Last appearance	Series 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 Gillian Luther (née Cornell),^[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

Rose Teller
Luther character
First appearance	Series 1, Episode 1
Last appearance	Series 1, Episode 6
Created by	Neil Cross
Portrayed by	Saskia Reeves
Information
Gender	Female
Occupation	Police officer
Title	Detective Superintendent

Saskia Reeves as Det. Supt. 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.

Mark North

Mark North
Luther character
First appearance	Series 1, Episode 1
Last appearance	Series 2, Episode 2
Created by	Neil Cross
Portrayed by	Paul McGann
Information
Gender	Male
Occupation	Lawyer
Significant other(s)	Zoe Luther

Paul McGann as Mark North,^[10] 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 by a group of female gang members 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.

See also

• Luther

References