Critical reception
Series one was met with positive reviews, according to aggregate review site Rotten Tomatoes, where it holds a 91% approval rating, based on 23 reviews. The site's consensus reads: "Gritty and ambiguous, Luther is a captivating drama bolstered by a powerhouse performance from Idris Elba in the title role." It holds a Metacritic score of 82 out of 100, based on 11 collected reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". However, The Guardian's Stuart Heritage was initially critical of the show, and compared it to the American series FlashForward, in that both series arrived with a large amount of hype but delivered an anticlimactic end product. However, by the fifth episode, Heritage had changed his views and called it Idris Elba's best work since The Wire.
The show's second series was met with equally positive reviews and holds a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 13 reviews. The site's consensus reads: "Luther delves into darker territory in its second series, and Idris Elba's outstanding performance makes this a police procedural of uncommon weight and heft." It holds a Metacritic score of 78 out of 100, based on 9 collected reviews, indicating "Generally favorable reviews". Variety and The Hollywood Reporter admiringly highlighted the darker tone, Elba's performance, and the production. In the third quarter of 2011, the top-rated shows on BBC America were Doctor Who, Top Gear, and Luther, which together gained the network its highest quarterly ratings ever.
Series three was again met with positive reviews and holds an 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 25 reviews. The site's consensus reads: "Idris Elba shines in the title role of Luther despite familiar circumstances that benefit from the shortened season." It holds a Metacritic score of 76 out of 100, based on 19 collected reviews, indicating "Generally favorable reviews".
Series four received positive reviews, with a 79% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 14 reviews. The site's consensus reads: "Idris Elba remains the best thing about Luther in an all-too-brief season which packs a lot of plot into a short time frame." It holds a Metacritic score of 68 out of 100, based on 11 reviews, indicating "Generally favorable reviews".
After a four-year hiatus, the Series five broadcast in 2019 met with positive reviews, garnering an 85% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 40 reviews. The site's consensus reads: "Luther returns in fine form from its extended exodus with a grisly mystery and the welcome reappearance of Ruth Wilson's psychotic villain, Alice Morgan."
