We got to enjoy this year's second most-anticipated return of a TV detective last night, with the reluctant return of John Luther - I say reluctant because he seemed to have procured himself the most delectable beachside do-er up-er this side of the Seven Sisters. What is it with TV sleuths and their ability to be miserable in the most stunning of solitary spots?
We found Luther tucked up, beachside, away from the action - but he didn't stay there for long
However, despite this Allsopp-friendly abode, Luther was soon lured back to London by a few small matters - namely a cannibal murderer on the loose, the apparent drowning in Antwerp (???) of everyone's most seductive psychopath, Alice Morgan, and then the shocking loss of Luther's remaining friend on the force - hadn't anyone told Boyd about the shocking survival rate of Luther coterie in this show? As soon as I spotted that fridge, I knew it was only a matter of minutes before John was reaching for his coat, even if we're only getting him for two short hours this time around, and some of that's going to be spent with South London's most compromised policeman getting himself out of trouble with a gang of hoods led by rent-a-sneer Patrick Malahide.
Sure enough, with all that and the happy vroom vroom of the trusty Volvo, Luther was well and truly back in business. Which was just as well, because so was his prey. That, and a message from the much-missed Alice, not to mention the ethereal presence of Ripley to sit on his shoulder, means there's a lot of ground to cover in the remaining hour Idris and co have allowed us. This series is going to feel like it's over before it's barely begun.