Luther

Season #1 Episode #1

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1 EXT. KTR MEDICO WAREHOUSE - NIGHT 1 - 00.00 1

A DECAYED, POST-INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURE. Wasteland.

2 INT. KTR MEDICO WAREHOUSE, MAIN AREA - NIGHT 1 - 00.01 2

HENRY MADSEN - a handsome man in suit and tie - stands alone in

this VAST FORSAKEN SPACE. Breathing exerted, afraid. Thinking

hard. Scanning the DARK CORNERS for what predators may lurk

there -

He SPINS, looks behind him. Sees NOTHING. Just darkness and

silence. Sound of DRIPPING WATER. His harsh breathing. And a

sense of TERRIBLE THREAT in the LOOMING SHADOWS.

And now

A FOOTSTEP. Somewhere out there - in the shadows.

He takes a SINGLE RETREATING STEP. And another. And a third faster

now, moving backwards - as the ECHOING FOOTSTEPS in the

vastness of this terrible place grow CLOSER and CLOSER.

And now he’s running - headlong through this awful place - away

- just away -

3 EXT. MADSEN HOUSE - NIGHT 1 - 00.02 3

A MASSIVE POLICE OPERATION outside an ORDINARY SUBURBAN HOUSE.

A UNIFORMED OFFICER emerges, mud covered. Approaches DETECTIVE

SUPERINTENDANT ROSE TELLER - who’s looking at a PHOTOGRAPH OF A

YOUNG GIRL.

TELLER:

Nothing?

The UNIFORMED OFFICER shakes his head.

Teller exchanges a pained, anxious look with DETECTIVE

INSPECTOR IAN REED. Who shrugs.

REED:

John said she’s here, so she’s here.

Keep trying.

UNIFORMED OFFICER nods, exits.

TELLER:

Her oxygen ran out two minutes ago.

4 INT. KTR MEDICO WAREHOUSE, VAT ROOM - NIGHT 1 - 00.03 4

Madsen has no choice but to scramble up a RUSTY LADDER - which

gives on to the VAT ROOM Only

one way out. A STEEL DOOR ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE

CHAMBER.

LUTHER by NEIL CROSS Episode 1 Page 2.

To reach it, he must cross an ANCIENT METAL WALKWAY.

- Which spans a CIRCULAR BLACK CHASM WHICH

DIVES TO INFINITY.

A BLACK HOLE.

He turns from its evil maw. No way. He can’t.

He can’t do that.

Breathing heavily, casting round, looking for a way out - he

HEARS NOISES IN THE SILENCE.

Coming closer. Ever closer.

The ECHOES OF IMPENDING NEMESIS. A long, UNBEARABLE MOMENT

Until

Below, a SHABBY FIGURE appears. Implacable. Eyes that burn with

lunacy and murder.

Incredible as it seems - this is DETECTIVE CHIEF INSPECTOR JOHN

LUTHER.

He reaches the foot of the ladder. He advances on Madsen.

Who sprints across THE WALKWAY He’s

halfway across when SOMETHING FALLS - minor part of the

superstructure - a sheared bolt, maybe. It plunges,

reverberating, into darkness.

Madsen ignores it. Reaches the DOOR on the other side. It’s

metal. Riveted. Solid.

LOCKED.

He casts around. Finds an IRON BAR. Levers at the door.

Frantic, desperate.

But it’s not opening. No way.

He turns. Sees Luther. At the top of the ladder now.

Advancing.

Pausing at the edge of the walkway.

A moment of eye contact.

Madsen gives up on the door. It’s not going to open.

He’s TRAPPED.

LUTHER by NEIL CROSS Episode 1 Page 3.

So he lifts the iron bar as a weapon -

And he and Luther advance on each other - crossing the walkway.

It JOLTS under their weight.

Madsen ready to kill.

Luther grinning. The light of madness in his eyes. Less a man

than a force of nature.

Vengeance personified.

5 SCENE 5 OMITTED 5

6 EXT. MADSEN HOUSE - NIGHT 1 - 00.05 6

Teller glares at her watch. Five minutes past midnight.

7 INT. KTR MEDICO WAREHOUSE, UPPER LEVEL, WALKWAY - NIGHT 1 - 00.06

7

Madsen and Luther advance on each other - converging on the

MOMENT OF VIOLENT CONNECTION When

Madsen stops. Suddenly.

A moment of EYE CONTACT Then

the WALKWAY GIVES WAY BENEATH HIS FEET - Madsen FALLS -

drops the crowbar - it tumbles into darkness -

he CATCHES HIMSELF - just in time -

- and hangs there - scrabbling, trying to climb -

Can’t. It’s too wet. Too slick.

Luther approaches. Edges as close as he can. Takes a moment of

PURE MALEVOLENT PLEASURE in Madsen’s desperation.

LUTHER:

You’re going to fall.

MADSEN:

Oh, God -

Madsen tries to scrabble up. Can’t.

The walkway protests beneath him. A metallic groan. It jolts -

gives way a few more centimetres. Madsen is jarred - but hangs

on. Just. Over a chasm of darkness.

Luther watches with a kind of glee - a kind of madness.

LUTHER:

Where is she?

Madsen begins to SLIP - regains his hold - for the moment. His

feet scramble, seeking a toehold.

LUTHER by NEIL CROSS Episode 1 Page 4.

MADSEN:

(in agony)

The living room! For God’s sake, the

living room! There’s a - panel -

behind the plasterboard

Luther produces his phone.

LUTHER:

Be exact.

8 EXT. MADSEN HOUSE - NIGHT 1 - 00.08 8

Reed’s phone rings. ANGLE ON THE PHONE: JOHN LUTHER.

REED:

John?

(listens. Runs)

LIVING ROOM!

9 INT. KTR MEDICO WAREHOUSE, UPPER LEVEL, WALKWAY - NIGHT 1 - 00.08

9

Luther waits.

MADSEN:

HEY! HEY!

LUTHER:

Thing is - what if you’re lying?

MADSEN:

I’m not! I’m not lying! Please!

10 INT. MADSEN HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 1 - 00.09 10

Reed enters - he’s got a CROW BAR. He’s followed by Teller.

Then several UNIFORMED OFFICERS, carrying SLEDGE HAMMERS.

Reed hammers and rips at the plasterboard wall, tears down

section after section - throws away the crowbar - uses his

hands -

Teller and a uniformed officer join in. Frantic.

11 INT. KTR MEDICO WAREHOUSE, UPPER LEVEL, WALKWAY - NIGHT 1 - 00.09

11

Madsen struggles like a fly on a pin -

12 INT. MADSEN HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 1 - 00.10 12

Behind the plasterboard, behind a layer of soundproofing, Reed

and Teller find an UPRIGHT, COFFIN-SIZED CONTAINER WRAPPED IN

LAGGING. It has an OXYGEN CYLINDER attached. It’s marked with a

faded KTR MEDICO logo. The gauge reads: EMPTY.

Reed picks up his phone, still connected

LUTHER by NEIL CROSS Episode 1

Page 5.

REED:

(on phone)

It’s here!

13

INT. KTR MEDICO WAREHOUSE, UPPER LEVEL, WALKWAY - NIGHT 1 - 00.10

13

LUTHER:

(on phone, looking into

Madsen’s eye)

She alive?

14

INT. MADSEN HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 1 - 00.10 14

OFFICERS rush to open the coffin. Inside is MIA DALTON

Dead?

REED:

I can’t tell.

Teller hauls Mia from the coffin, lays her out. Listens to her

chest. Sh*t. Turns the girl’s head, clears the vomit from her

airway. Tilts back her head. Pinches her nose. Covers Mia’s

mouth with hers, gently forces air into her lungs.

Mia’s chest rises.

15 INT. KTR MEDICO WAREHOUSE, UPPER LEVEL, WALKWAY - NIGHT 1 - 00.11

15

MADSEN:

I can’t - I can’t - oh God - please!

Luther looks down on him. Frowns.

Grabs the handrail. Edges forward. The walkway groans beneath

him. The weird shriek and pop of support wires giving way.

Luther GRABS THE FRONT OF MADSEN’S SHIRT. Holds him in place.

Madsen screams in terror

16

INT. MADSEN HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 1 - 00.11 16

Teller administers CPR.

Reed keeps the phone to his ear. He can hear DISTANT SCREAMING.

MADSEN (V.O.)

PLEASE! NO!

A moment of discomfort. Then Reed LOWERS THE PHONE. And we INTERCUT

TWO LIVES IN THE BALANCE - Mia and Madsen.

Until Mia takes in a MASSIVE WHOOP OF AIR - SITS UP - LOOKS

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