This is a list of fictional characters in the British psychological crime drama television series Luther, its international remakes and film continuation.

Detective Chief Inspector John Luther, portrayed by Idris Elba,[1] works for the Metropolitan Police Service, in the Serious Crime Unit.

Because of this, he constantly breaches protocol and uses unorthodox (and sometimes illegal) methods, such as breaking into properties without warrants to find clues or violently threatening suspects or witnesses.

[2] Luther returns from leave to investigate the double murder of Alice Morgan's parents, and quickly realises that she committed the crime.

Events transpire during which Alice kills Reed during a confrontation between him, on one side, and her, Luther, and Zoe's boyfriend Mark on the other, at a deserted Waterloo station.

After providing proof that Reed murdered Zoe, Luther is allowed to return to the service, where he has now been assigned to the reorganised Serious and Serial Crime Unit, headed by DSU Schenck.

When Luther tracks down Jenny and rescues her from a pornography shoot, the production's backers, Toby Kent and his grandmother, "Baba", violently pressure the inspector to hand her back.

She frequently insinuates herself into Luther's professional and personal life, both as an enemy and ally, with behaviours ranging from stalking him and those close to him, to helping him avoid criminal prosecution.

She returns in the Series 3 season finale, when Luther is wrongly accused of arranging for DS Ripley's murder by a killer vigilante.

Luther attempts to protect her and himself from Alice's robbery of crime boss George Cornelius, but eventually their relationship reaches its inevitable destruction when Morgan murders DS Catherine Halliday.

In Series 3, Ripley is questioned by DSU George Stark and DCI Erin Gray, who are attempting to bring down Luther.

Detective Superintendent Martin Schenk, played by Dermot Crowley,[6] initially works for Police Complaints and is universally feared for his steel-trap mind.

DS Benny "Deadhead" Silver, played by Michael Smiley,[7] was first introduced in Series 1, when Luther needed some technological expertise.

She is highly intelligent, capable and ambitious, She makes it clear in episode 1 she doesn't want her name tarnished like Ripley's, and she keeps her distance from Luther.

Detective Chief Inspector Ian Reed, played by Steven Mackintosh,[8] is Luther's peer and closest friend.

That deviation ends up haunting him when an operation he is part of blows up in his face, and he must cover his tracks by killing off everyone who knows the truth, including Luther.

Through various events, including a one-time post-breakup sexual encounter with Luther, Zoe is sorely tempted to return to her marriage, but she realises things would only go back to the way they were and she ultimately leaves him.

While being held at gunpoint, she tries to defend herself with a kitchen knife, simultaneously talking to Luther on the telephone, who hears the murder take place.

Detective Superintendent Rose Teller, played by Saskia Reeves,[10] is Luther's boss in the Serious Crimes Unit during Series 1.

Mark North, played by Paul McGann,[11] is a human rights lawyer and, Zoe says: "the polar opposite of Luther".