Is there anything like too much Idris Elba? Following the trailer release of his directorial debut Yardie, a crime thriller based on the novel by Victor Headley, Elba latest endeavor is in the form of a comedy series In the Long Run, which runs on nostalgia fumes for the Luther actor. The series is based loosely on Elba’s childhood, and written by Claire Downes, Ian Jarvis, Stuart Lane and Grace Ofori-Attah and is a co-production between Elba’s Green Door and Sprout Pictures.

A comedy about family and community, In the Long Run is set in 1985 London where the Easmons live amid the tower blocks. Life for Walter (Elba) and Evelyn Easmon is all about quiet routine. They arrived from Sierra Leone 13 years ago and are happy earning enough to pay the bulls with a bit left over to send back home. Walter works hard alongside his mate and neighbour Bagpipes (Bailey) at the local factory while Evelyn patrols the estate selling make-up door-to-door. Their British son Akuna and his best friend Scott hang out in the estate playing football and doing their best to dodge the local thugs.

But when Walter’s brother Valentine (Jimmy Akingbola) arrives to the UK, his energy and lust for life changes everything. He crashes into their lives bringing laughter and chaos and igniting a passion for music in Akuna. In the Long Run will premiere on British cable channel Sky1 on March 29, 10pm, and will be available for streaming on Now TV.

Bernard Dayo

When Bernard Dayo isn’t writing about pop culture, he’s watching horror movies and reading comics and trying to pretend his addiction to Netflix isn’t a serious condition.