10 Brilliant Short-Running TV Shows That Proved Less Is More

4. Luther

Many of the short-running TV shows will revolve around a detective and a mystery to solve. Why? That is a mystery by itself. But it is no mystery that when looking for the best detectives shows around this days, most of the people point to Luther. John Luther (Played by Idris Elba) is a Detective Chief Inspector working for the Serious Crime Unit. As a dedicated police officer, Luther is obsessive, possessed and sometimes dangerous in the violence of his fixations. However, he's paid a heavy price for his dedication in the form of mental hospitalization and the lost of his marriage. As we meet him, in the first episode, he is unable to arrest Alice Morgan, a woman who murdered both her parents, and for the rest of the first series she becomes his confidante, giving him an insight into the motivations of other criminals. According to Rotten Tomatoes, "Luther is a captivating drama bolstered by a powerhouse performance from Idris Elba in the title role". And this is the main reason for watching this series. Sure, the writing is good, the plots are interesting, but the acting is phenomenal. Is there any wonder Elda won a Golden Globe?