Josh Hendrickson
Well crap. I just binged an entire series. And I loved every minute of it. I couldn’t stop myself; every episode left me wanting another. And now that the whole thing is over, I want more. Thank goodness another season is on the way (someday). I should hate this series. No, I should loathe it. But I can’t help myself, I love Netflix’s Lucifer, and I bet you will too.
At first glance, Lucifer really isn’t anything special. It starts as your typical “straight-laced detective paired with an outsider partner who breaks all the rules” setup made famous by Castle. You’ve got Chloe (played by Lauren German), the no-nonsense by-the-book detective. And her civilian consultant partner, Lucifer Morningstar (played by Tom Ellis)—literally the Devil. Wait, what?
Yes, the show makes it clear in the first episode that Lucifer isn’t a crazy, delusional man, or someone acting in the persona for “cool points,” he is actually the Devil, ruler of Hell. And that’s why I should hate this series.
Full disclosure, when I’m not writing tech news or awesome LEGO reviews for Review Geek, I’m a minister. Now don’t run away, I’m not going to preach at you, I promise. I’m telling you this for context. I’ve spent a long time studying the Good Book, and so every time Lucifer deviates from the scriptures to fulfill its narrative, I’m painfully aware.
And naturally, because of my faith and position, I generally steer clear of shows filled with sex, booze, and drugs. Lucifer partakes in all three, often at the same time, usually with multiple people, in nearly every episode.
But that isn’t the main reason I should hate but love Lucifer. No, the real crux of the issue is Lucifer Morningstar’s growth. Lucifer has a therapist. Seriously. And thanks in part to that therapy and his growing relationships with humans, he’s changing into someone more angelic. He’s becoming something better.
Throughout the series, he’ll have his stumbles and pitfalls, but he’s on a trend upward into, dare I say it, a good man. In this show, Lucifer is an anti-hero working his way towards being a hero. I found myself rooting for the guy, hoping he’d make the right choice, sighing when he reverted to old bad habits, and cheering when he recognized faults in himself.
Eventually, I realized with a shock that I cared about FREAKING SATAN and wanted him to succeed. I understood his anger with God and why Lucifer hated Him. I sympathized with THE DEVIL. And if that’s not enough, the show got me to care for an actual demon too (wonderfully portrayed by Lesley-Ann Brandt)! It feels so wrong, and yet I can’t help myself, and I can’t stop watching.
Like any good Cop and Partner show, nearly every episode centers on solving the murder of the day, while navigating a prim and proper personality versus devilish bad boy (literally for once). But each season features an overarching storyline—a bigger mystery.
The first mystery starts right away. Lucifer, like all angels, has an extraordinary power given to him by God. Whereas his older brother Amenadiel (played by D. B. Woodside) can stop time, Lucifer can draw out any person’s innermost desires.
It proves to be a useful trick in interrogation, but strangely Chloe is entirely immune to Lucifer’s charms (in every sense of the word). Oh, and her proximity makes him vulnerable. Not in the “developing feelings” way, but in the “he gets shot and bleeds” way. No other human has that effect on Lucifer.
Every season fires off a new mystery and brings in new formidable characters. Wait until you meet the Goddess (played by Tricia Helfer of Battlestar Galactica fame), God’s Wife and mother of all Angels, who helped create the universe. I missed that part in Genesis, but you don’t want to miss her in the series.
But it’s details and moments like that which should make me want to shut off the show and never watch it again. Yet, I binged the entire series (four seasons currently) in a couple of weeks, and I’m on pins and needles waiting for the fifth and final season. I’m hoping that, like season four, which was also supposed to be the last season, Netflix changes its mind and gives us season six.
I do want to give one note of warning. The first three seasons originally aired on Fox, and thus followed the sensibilities that you’d expect for a broadcast network. Fox canceled Lucifer after season three, and Netflix picked the show up, which changed the game. In season four, prepare yourself to see a lot of Tom Ellis’s derriere.
But you won’t deal with heavy cursing or other forms of nudity, and on Netflix, that’s not always a given. It’s not bad, per se, but after three seasons without butts on the screen, you might find YOUR cheeks red from the sudden surprise. Just not Luficfer’s (either set), the guy has no modesty.
Every actor nails their part in Lucifer, especially Tom Ellis who manages to pull off charm and crazy eyes at the same time. His rendition of Creep in Season 4 (seen above) is second only to Justin Crum’s take. Every twist and turn leaves you wanting a little more and every season cliffhanger will leave you mashing the next episode button. It won’t be long before you realize that you’re rooting for the ruler of Hell to succeed. I may hate myself for loving it, but hey, we all indulge a little carnal desire once in a while.
