THE SHOW: Luther
THE PAIRING: John Luther (Idris Elba) and Alice Morgan (Ruth Wilson)
THE EPISODE: Series 3, episode 4.
THE MOMENT: Luther and Alice walk off into the sunset…
WRITER: Neil Cross
I love romantic comedies. In fact, I embrace them wholeheartedly. You know, as long as the leading man isn’t some buffoon (I won’t name names). Men get the bond girls, so why can’t I have the romantic comedies (which I argue is just an extension of a fairy tale anyway so, therefore, doesn’t need to be realistic)?
Personal rant aside, romantic comedies follow a formula. Sure, a writer can be innovative and find a new way to approach said formula, but I guarantee it’s still there.
RELATED: Romantic Moment of the Week: Linden and Holder Have an Old Hollywood Moment
Typically, there’s some kind of ‘meet-cute,’ a romantic pursuit, a separation, a grand gesture, and, of course, the happily ever after ending where the romantic pairing walks off into the sunset together.
LUTHER AND ALICE
So what does any of this have to do with Luther, a dark and gritty detective series? If you’re unfamiliar with the BBC series (season 3 just aired on BBC America), it tells the story of DCI John Luther, the impassioned detective verging on self-destructive Byronic tendencies and his burgeoning relationship with questionably sociopathic Alice Morgan.
The relationship between Luther and Alice is at the heart of the series. From the beginning, the audience wonders if Luther will act on his obvious attraction to this woman with a genius intellect yet a psychotic bent. She is Irene Adler to his Sherlock Holmes.
If Edgar Allen Poe ever decided to write a romantic comedy, it might have turned out a little bit like this.
So, in a dark, almost warped contrast to romantic comedies, Neil Cross ends series three with his version of happily ever after. If Edgar Allen Poe ever decided to write a romantic comedy, it might have turned out a little bit like this.
Cross takes this familiar formula of the romantic comedy and twists it to his own end. And he does it with just a touch of mad genius. How did he successfully convince the audience to root for the hero to be with a killer?
I won’t focus on every formulaic point of a romantic comedy and compare it to Luther. Obviously, an episodic dark series is not a romantic comedy. But I am going to focus on a few in a comparative way.
First of all, let’s take a look at the meet-cute. This screenwriting term refers to the moment two characters are brought together in some crazy way. The movie The Holiday describes it best when aging screenwriter Eli explains the term to Kate Winslet’s character:
“It’s how two characters meet in a movie. Say a man and a woman both need something to sleep in, and they both go to the same men’s pajama department. And the man says to the salesman: ‘I just need bottoms.’ The woman says: ‘I just need a top.’ They look at each other…and that’s the meet cute.”
LUTHER AND ALICE MEET-CUTE
What, then, is Luther’s version of this? In episode 1, Luther is given a violent murder case, which, on the surface, looks like a home invasion of a suburban couple. This leads him to the person who discovered their bodies…Alice Morgan (It’s her parents who were killed). The two meet in the exact opposite of a romantic setting. There’s no department store, no taxicab, no coffee house, nothing cute whatsoever. Instead, they meet in an interrogation room.
Cross’s take of the meet-cute is the intellectual meeting of minds. Luther knows she did it. Alice is intrigued that he knows she did it. And she, for the first time, has met someone who matches her own genius.
Most people wouldn’t have been suspicious of the doting daughter so quickly. But because he understands her, she is enthralled. After being interrogated, she even makes the simple statement as if they had just met and chatted in a café: “Well I enjoyed our chat. You’re very interesting.”
After that, their relationship evolves and deepens. Alice quickly falls in love with Luther, which is surprising even since she previously lacked empathy toward any other human being. Luther doesn’t really hold the fact that she’s a killer against her. Why? He understands her motives, and he develops feelings for her against his better judgment.
RELATED: Romantic Moment of the Week: Luke and Jocelyn
Not only that, they become kindred spirits in a dark way with a deep understanding of each other’s souls. Later in the series, she even becomes his accomplice to prove his innocence when he’s been framed for murder. It’s a typical part of their relationship. She rescues him, and he breaks her out of prison. I guess it’s their thing.
There’s also always this question hanging in the air every time they’re in a scene together: Will he throw his moral compass out the window and choose to be with this woman he’s clearly attracted to? For the most part, he can resist Alice even though he wants to give in to temptation. But one day, he’s going to choose to be with her…, right?
That brings me to my next point…the grand gesture. If a normal romantic comedy will present the grand gesture (or declaration of love) with an engagement ring at a train station, a field of flowers or even a boombox outside the girl’s window, what then does Luther do?
Series three introduced vintage clothing shopgirl Mary Day into the story, creating a love triangle. Alice is on the run and away and Luther is at home taking on difficult cases while he’s dealing with a secretive inquiry into his detective work. Mary is the exact opposite of Alice. She’s kind, sweet and loving. Wholesome even.
By the end of the season, when Alice makes her triumphant return, Luther has to choose between the two vastly different women. Alice points out to Luther that Mary is who he wants to want, not who he actually wants. What, then, does Luther want? And what choice does he make?
THE BUILD-UP
In a disturbing, suspenseful scene, Luther is given a literal choice. The vigilante killer Marwood has a gun to the heads of both Alice and Mary. He wants Luther to choose between them. Which one will he choose to live?
In that key moment, Luther makes his grand gesture. “Have you chosen?” Marwood asks.
“Yes,” Luther replies after a long, tense scene.
“Then say it. Say her name. Say it now!”
“Alice.”
At this point, the moment becomes ambiguous. Has he chosen Alice to live or to die? Of course, the subtext of the scene reveals that Alice is the one he chooses on a romantic level. Alice understands him and smiles, looking almost happy even if she’s about to die. He has made his version of a grand gesture.
“Say it again?” the killer questions. He seems as surprised by the answer as the audience. But then Luther clarifies:
“Shoot Alice. ALICE!”
In his choice, Alice cleverly gets the time she needs to stab Marwood, so neither girl is killed. All of this leads me to the romantic moment of the week, which happens to be the final scene of the episode (and, in turn, could be the final scene of the entire series).
THE ROMANTIC MOMENT
After Marwood is captured and Alice escapes, Luther and Mary officially break up. She allows him to go to Alice, and that’s exactly what he does. Most romantic comedies will end with the hero or heroine running through the streets to return to their love before it’s too late. They then kiss and walk happily into the sunset.
Luther does the same, only with Neil Cross’s stamp on it. Luther makes his way through the city, limping because of a shot leg, all the way to a place special to them both. The bridge. The place where they both threatened to kill each other.
“Go on. Kiss me. Kill me. Do something,” Alice once said. That line describes the fine line between the two of them. They take the sparring relationship to a new level.
The scene is not without its irony, however. As Luther begins his “romantic” walk across the city, a song plays in the background: “Never Gonna Give You Up” by The Black Keys.
The song makes the ending all the more poignant (and even satirically funny) as the passionate tune plays in the background with lyrics such as, “Never gonna give you up no matter how you treat me. Never gonna give you up so don’t you think of leaving” and “I’ve made up my mind. You know, I’m here to stay.”
The first time we hear the lyric “Never gonna give you up,” the camera on a static shot reveals Alice in front of the bridge, alone, looking out at the water. The audience now knows for certain Luther is making his way to Alice. And she’s waiting.
Luther finally reaches Alice, who turns to look at him, approaching with a knowing smile (she knew he would come for her).
This brings me to my last point about the hero’s character growth in the romantic comedy formula. Michael Hauge says it best in his article “Writing Romantic Comedies” about the ending:
“…it is only by standing up for who he truly is that the hero can achieve real fulfillment and self-worth, and connect with the love of his life. The romance character is TRULY the hero’s destiny; she’s the reward for finding the courage to grow and change.”
Luther can end up with Alice because he decides to change.
In a symbolic moment, as the two of them stand on the bridge, Alice tells him, “You really do need to lose the coat.”
The coat represented his past life, his past self. (And honestly, it wasn’t all that great. Everyone he loved continued to die around him). He takes his coat off and throws it off the bridge into the water below.
“Love is supposed to dignify us, exalt us. How can it be love John? If all it does is make you lonely and corrupt?”
On this same bridge in episode one, Alice declared to Luther: “Love is supposed to dignify us, exalt us. How can it be love John? If all it does is make you lonely and corrupt?” By deciding to be with Alice, Luther will no longer be lonely. Their relationship has come full circle.
“So…now what?” Alice questions.
Luther smiles, and the two walk away from the bridge and down the city streets together, with an ambiguous ending. But it’s not hard to figure out. Luther chooses to walk off into the sunset with his beloved sociopath.
So, is the story of Alice and Luther romantic, then? Comedic? Depends on your point of view.
What did you think of the Luther finale? Did you find it romantic or too disturbing? Do you agree this was the most romantic moment of the week? Or did something else stand out to you? Let us know!
I’ve loved this show since episode one and, despite my better judgment, always semi rooted for Luther to be with Alice. Sort of like Luther in that respect I suppose so I quite enjoyed the way this series ended. I’m thinking this is the end of the series full stop but if we do get another cycle I know I’ll be watching!
Great article.
Idris Elba is so charismatic on screen that I couldn’t help but be drawn to the series right away. Plus, I love Neil Cross’s writing and of course Ruth Wilson as Alice. Anyway, yeah I agree. It’s like, why am I rooting for this? Their chemistry was so amazing and the banter so entertaining it was hard not to. So yes, I’ll be watching too if it returns. But I’m quite happy with the ending. Thank you! I had fun writing it.
Elba is a genius. Wilson is too. The writing was awesome. The plots were amazing. The direction and cast selection and the sets were all top notch. The filming was excellent.
I was a bit confused about how a few scenes tied together and wasn’t sure why Mary was suddenly cold towards John at the end of the third season. But, it was gripping, powerful, well done drama of the highest order.
If they don’t make a new batch of these babies, that would be a crime.
i found this very interesting but i never felt that he had broken up with mary. i felt it was left completely ambiguous.
Well it certainly is open to interpretation. But I felt the subtext of the dialogue meant that it was over. Anyway, thanks.
I find that Luther is like many characters in literature and many dark heroes (ala batman) and like you said that she is the Irene to his Sherlock, I think she’s also the Catwoman to his Batman. They both carry this darkness with them always and people like Mary or Zoe eventually grow tired of the dark and want to bask in the light. He needs someone like Alice because she’s not scare of his dark side. In fact, she loves that part of him. I loved this post! Both characters are amazing, I only wish we had more time with them. The ending really was perfect. I don’t think I have ever been so satisfied with a series/season finale before.
Thank you! I’m glad you liked the post. I wanted to discuss the ending in a new way, even though he is a dark hero. Anyway, yes I completely agree. Alice and Luther understand each other and in a strange way they need each other! Though there is something to be said for the angelic figure in stories playing opposite the dark Byronic Hero. That type of story also works just as well. But in Luther, the Catwoman approach does work better for him than the angelic figure. I was very pleased with the finale. It was just fantastic.
Hi Amber, I agreed with every word you wrote. This was a great post! I love the show Luther! I haven’t been this addicted or excited about a show since Breaking Bad. I love the chemistry between Idris Alba and Ruth Wilson. (John Luther & Alice Morgan) I just wish that the series had lasted longer. The series was only 14 episodes. I hope this is not last we’ve seen of Luther.
Hi! Thank you. 🙂 I know I’m like one of the last people out there, but I still haven’t watched Breaking Bad. I’m sure I’ll give it a chance sometime! Anyway, I agree. The chemistry between the two is great! I hope it’s not the last we’ve seen either.
Yummy! The smart bad girl gets the guy. Sorry “pixie.” So satisfying I need a ciggie.
Great article! I would just say that I don’t think Alice was The Woman. I think she was Moriarty. All the more intriguing, their initial clash, then attraction.
It’s not the same bridge. In the first episode it was the Blackfriar’s Bridge, in the last episode it’s the Southwark Bridge. 🙂
i loved your writing and i hope alice and john be a couple at least i would like to see john kisses alice ( they are but i dont know its complicated they kind of are but they kind of not )[ sorry for my bad english ]
Alice is the devil. Don’t forget. She murdered her parents and no matter what chemistry exists between John and her, if he succumbs to her seductive words, he’s joined forces with evil incarnate. Subtly, carefully and over time, she distracts him from focusing on her true identity as a cold blooded killer. She’s also the monster who was prepared to kill his wife of many years. (Interestingly, those commenting seem to have forgotten exactly who this filthy scum bag really is, too! Through time, subtlety and carefully portraying her as someone on John’s lonely side of things, she’s caught you in her web of deceit, too, hasn’t she?)
John’s willingness to use evil means to accomplish a measure of justice for the battered, broken and bruised of this world proves he is a much different kind of person than that thing living in the psyche of “Alice the psychopath”. Granted, John didn’t attempt to intervene in the last split second as a violent piece of virus withheld key information in an investigation, thereby allowing him to drop perilously several stories down. That, my dear ones, was an omission of pure, if infrequent justice, in our modern world of excuse making and sold their souls to the devil defense attorneys. It does not place him on the same level of depravity as Alice.
I was only able to watch the last season of Luther. I have to admit, was truly intrigued by Luther’s relationship with Alice. Zoe, his first true love, wasn’t really able to handle Luther’s dark side; which ironically was the way he was able to bring the criminals to light. If Alice is a true sociopath, she truly will not be able to love Luther in a normal way – so does she really have this diagnosis? If she does, eventually she will break up with Luther – in a most likely violent way. However it plays out, Alice was the most exciting woman in the series. Many of her ideas actions made perfect sense to me..as I delve into my own mental breeding. Anyway, great show. BBC turns out truly quality viewing. Hope more television of this type make it to the airwaves!