In my mind I imagine the Lucifer show was developed into a series from a fever dream full of fantastical dialogue and impossible situations. Watching the show its impossible not to wonder what inspired the wonderful genius of the series. Here is a character we all believe we know but he (Lucifer) is depicted in a completely different way. And that difference is what makes this show such an original and dynamic depiction of the Devil.
The audience never knows what will happen next. And funny enough neither does the character of Lucifer, in fact he appears to be just as confused as any of us and this makes him so relatable and magnetic. There are few shows that have a lead character so bewildered by his everyday existence as much as Lucifer. As a fan, I must admit I love this character and the way Tom Ellis plays him but it’s in his relationship with Det. Chloe Decker that he shines the most. There is something so dynamic about the plucky but stoic cop and the literal Prince of Darkness that feel like it was meant to be…..
When the pilot aired on January 2016 Mark Perigard of the Boston Herald said, ” Lucifer poses some Theology-class-worthy questions about the nature of redemption, domination and duty.” And he further asked, “Will viewers stick around? God only knows.”
Well now we all know with 6 seasons completed, a wild move from network television to Netflix after one of the largest fan campaigns of all time. The viewers did stick around and the #SaveLucifer campaign will go down in history.
Fan love aside as the oracle says in the Matrix, “Everything that has a beginning has an end.” And that’s exactly where we are at the end. As we fast approach the end of an era with the very last season on Lucifer on Sept. 10 I thought we should go back to where it all began when the show premiered so here is a list of my favorite episodes from the First Season…..
The Pilot Episode
The first thing we discover about Lucifer’s character is that he’s irreverent and sarcastic. But the most important thing that is revealed in the pilot is that Lucifer is incredibly honest, in fact he’s completely against lying to the point that he tells literally Everyone exactly who he is….the Devil. This of course intrigues the detective who shows up to question him about a drive by shooting. In the course of trying to solve the murder both Chloe (Detective) and Lucifer draw closer and closer to one another and the spark of the series is lit from there on. The true secret sauce of the show lies in the banter and engagement between the two leads.
2nd Episode: Lucifer Stay, Good Devil
On the next episode we get to know three new cast members, Amenadiel, Maze and Dr. Linda. While the other characters were amazing in their own right it was Dr. Linda who is really interesting in my opinion she ends up being Lucifer’s therapist and from this unlikely pairing we get some of the best insights into the innerworkings of this Satan’s mind. It’s a genius idea and both Tom Ellis (Lucifer) and Rachael Harris (Dr. Linda Martin) play it to perfection.
3rd Episode: Would Be Prince of Darkness
This episode begins with Lucifer tempting somebody to sin which is what we expect from Mr. Morningstar. What’s unexpected is how guilty he feels about causing someone to go against their “better nature” considering that the world believes that the job of Satan is to lead humanity astray it comes as a surprise to see Lucifer so upset by it. This moment adds a complexity to the character that is later explored throughout the series.
The next episode that had an impact on me was #7 titled Wingman in it Amenadiel convinces his brother Lucifer to go after his stolen angel wings. In this episode we see what could happen when mere mortals are exposed to celestial beings and we get an insight into what makes Detective Chloe such a great partner for Morningstar, she is a fellow outcast due to the infamous Palmetto Case.
And now we’ve come to what could be my favorite Lucifer episode of all time. A Priest Walks Into a Bar is a full course in great writing but even greater characters. If there was a single episode, I would recommend for a non-fan to watch, it’s this one. Full of deep conversations and crucial dramatic moments the emotions and acting that is crammed into this one episode is impressive. Everyone in the cast shines in this one and to be honest I believe this is when Tom Ellis really captures the uniqueness of his portrayal of the world’s first Rebel.
And the finale of finales is here, episode 13 Take Me Back to Hell is just the way you want a season to end. A season’s worth of storylines all converging to give you plot, action and enough drama to keep the audience hooked till the next season. The world of LA, Heaven and Hell all mix and mingle to create sure chaos and we finally get a conclusion to the Palmetto case teased earlier in the season. A truly lovely bit of acting when Lucifer is praying to God to save the “detective” and a real genuine sense that he and Chloe’s destinies are intertwined. This season ending episode pulls at our heartstrings and suggests an intriguing premise, can the devil himself be the most important part of God’s plan….
A couple of days from now the fixed & final season of Lucifer will air on Netflix on Sept 10. The series will go down as a clever, witty, self-aware fantasy show of Biblical proportions. A fan favorite and a blueprint for comic book based series of the future. And finally, after 6 seasons and all the ups and downs of broadcast television what have we learned?
We learned that we all have our hurts, trauma, personal disappointment and betrayal, we all have scars but we also have our angel wings. And if we find the humor in almost any situation and the divinity in our humanity there’s a good chance that one day, we will ascend to Paradise…..
