8 Current TV Shows That Don't Treat Audiences Like Idiots

6. Luther

We all thought the third series of Luther was the end. However between the rumours of a prequel movie and Idris Elba now suggesting that series 4 might be coming, we may be seeing more of Detective John Luther before long. Which is a great thing as Luther remains one of the most intelligent, gripping procedural dramas of recent years. What makes this series so special is that Luther can be as dangerous as the criminals he hunts; the idea that he will throw a child killer over a balcony creates that moral debate with the audience; should he act within the law even if the killer doesn't deserve it? Add to that the moral ambiguity of his connection to Alice; his friend, ally and antagonist. He deduces how and why she murdered her parents from their very first meeting and yet their relationship grows because she is someone who can challenge his way of thinking. He gets who Alice is and what she wants. In a black and white world he would arrest her and throw away the key. But Luther doesn't deal in black and white. It's not always easy viewing. Many of the crimes are deeply psychological in nature, such as the nature of fear in the Penny Dreadful killer of series two. With a grey anti-hero that challenges the conventions of what TV detectives should be, it is a show that pushes its audience every time.