Idris Elba

Stringer Bell is not from the Baltimore Projects. He's not even American. The actor Idris Elba, also known as DJ Big Driis, who played Bell on the best TV show ever made is from London. Hackney to be exack(nee). I made this stunning discovering when I gave the BBC cop drama mini-series "Luther" a try and there was Stringer. . . Elba, and he was talking all funny.



DCI John Luther is a bit like Mel Gibson from Lethal Weapon, he plays a little loose, his life is kinda falling apart, and he's only really on his game when he's chasing bad guys. But where Gibson was something of a caricature playing Russian roulette in the Lethal Weapon series Elba's Luther struggles with his own troubles in a way that feels intimate on screen. Kind of an Andrew Wyeth to Gibson's guy with an easel at the Farmer's Market. (Maybe I'm being too hard on Mel, I mean, I did enjoy Lethal Weapon.)

Anyway, Elba WAS Stringer Bell to me. The Wire was so gritty, so real, so well written and acted I wouldn't have thought it possible to separate the actor from the character. That's why my reaction to seeing Elba in a different role was shock. It's a testament to Elba's strength as an actor that I was quickly able to get past the connection. Within about 15 minutes it wasn't a distraction at all.

If you enjoy reasonably good writing and strong acting I suggest checking out Luther. It's slightly formulaic, but still pretty inventive and compelling. And you don't have to commit too heavily, season one is only six episodes (it's on Netflix streaming), and I think season two is four. I give it an enthusiastic thumb up.