WATCH: New clip from Luther season 5 promises yet more intense trouble

The man himself is nearly back

And he's in some pretty ugly trouble, if the latest look at the brand new season of Luther is anything to go by. Fans of the Idris Elba-led series will be well accustomed to some seriously vicious and over-the-top violent encounters by now, and frankly it's something of a miracle that DCI John Luther is still alive and kicking. That's the power of the man, though, that and his ability to wear two coats at the same time and manage to look ice cool while doing so. That one is probably more down to the actor than the character, mind. Anyway, you're not here for fashion critiques, you're here because you're positively salivating over the prospect of more Luther. And so it's with thanks to the folk over at the BBC and their "early Christmas present" that we have two new minutes to share. Not a lot, but we'll take what we can get, hey. As you'll see below, it's yet another life or death showdown for the dogged detective... https://www.facebook.com/LutherBBC/videos/1734970983281158/ Messy business, as ever. The official synopsis for season five - still no official release date, sorry - looks like this: "The moonless shadows of London give birth to a new nightmare. DCI John Luther must once again confront the depths of human depravity. As a series of monstrous killings becomes ever more audacious, Luther and new recruit D.S. Catherine Halliday are confounded by a tangle of leads and misdirection that seems designed to protect an unspeakable horror.

"But even as the case brings him closer than ever to the nature of true evil, a reluctant Luther must also face the ghosts of his own past. Striding back into the line of fire, he must choose who to protect… and who to sacrifice. Whatever his next move, it will have devastating consequences for those around him - and will change John Luther forever."

And if that's not enough to whet your appetite, know that a spin-off show has already been discussed...