Note: Apologies, this is being reposted due to a technical issue.
I am genuinely excited about covering Lucifer for this blog. Unlike other reviewers, I liked Lucifer from the first time it showed Tom Ellis breaking the speed limit in his fancy car with Ain't No Rest For The Wicked by Cage the Elephant blaring on the background. I tend to enjoy police procedurals in general, and the addition of the devil on vacation in Los Angeles and helping out on cases with a beautiful detective immune to his charms was just a nice bonus. The end of the Pilot tried to introduce some doom-esque mythology with Amenadiel warning of a balance that must be maintained, but for most of the episode, Lucifer was a light-hearted froth. I liked it.
Briefly, then -- Lucifer was cast out of heaven and condemned to rule hell for eternity, until he decided to take a vacation in Los Angeles. He now owned a club called Lux, and his right hand was a devil named Mazikeen (Maze, Leslie Ann Brandt). His brother Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside) was an angel in good standing who could slow time and who kept trying to persuade Lucifer to go back to hell. The brothers hated each other.
Lucifer met Detective Chloe Decker (Lauren German) after a former Lux employee turned recording star, Delilah, was murdered in front of him. Lucifer felt mildly responsible for Delilah's tragic end; he was the one who introduced her to key people who owed him favours, who then helped her with her career. Despite Chloe's protestations, Lucifer inserted himself into the investigation. He even proved himself useful because he could get people to confess their deepest, darkest desires -- everyone, except Chloe.
During the course of the investigation, Lucifer met Dr. Linda Martin (Rachael Harris), Delilah's therapist who immediately spotted that Chloe's lack of interest bothered Lucifer. Dr. Linda's overt sexual response was what Lucifer had come to expect from humans; Chloe could barely tolerate Lucifer's presence.
Chloe did eventually warm to Lucifer, if slightly. after they survived Jimmy Barnes's shooting. Jimmy was Delilah's ex lover and record producer who hired a drug dealer to kill her. Barnes needed money. There was a pattern of album sales going through the roof after an artist died. Barnes pulled a gun instead of surrendering. Lucifer casually insisted on his immortality as he confronted the armed Barnes. Of course Chloe did not believe him, and she shot Barnes. While Barnes was down, Lucifer berated Chloe. Lucifer believed Barnes escaped punishment because the one who was supposed to punish him in hell, Lucifer himself, was not there.
Except, Barnes was not dead. While Chloe was distracted by Lucifer's rant, which were nonsensical to her, Barnes managed to fire his gun again. Chloe was shot, but Lucifer used his body to shield her from further harm. He then confronted Barnes with the bullets harmlessly bouncing off his body. He showed his devil face to Barnes through a cracked mirror, to the murderer's horrified screams.
This pilot episode did what pilots are supposed to do, set the scene, introduce the characters, hint at a larger storytelling arc. The case of the week was moderately interesting, and the show presented some genuinely funny scenes, mostly through the superb work of Tom Ellis. Lucifer is a tricky character to pull off. How does consent factor into Lucifer's supernatural sexual effect on humans? We'll see if the show addresses this. Lucifer later offered sex in exchange for therapy sessions with Dr. Linda.
As I write this, Lucifer has already moved from Fox to Netflix, and a fifth and final season has been confirmed. That Lucifer was cancelled before the Netflix deal came through is what pushed me to devote writing time to it. Lucifer is a jewel of a show. Tom Ellis is one of the most phenomenally talented leads currently on TV. I'd like to do my part in spreading the love for Lucifer, even as I'd also like to use this opportunity for a deeper dive on a show I enjoy and watch without thinking much about it. I am excited about this new coverage for Recap Lab and I hope you'll join me on these recaps.
Strays
♕ Lucifer, to the cop who pulled him over for speeding: 'Well, obviously, you felt the need to exercise your limited powers and punish me for ignoring the speed limit. It's okay. I understand. I-I like to punish people, too.'
♕ Chloe was a pariah at the police station because of an incident at Palmetto Street, where another cop was killed. Chloe saw the case differently from the other cops; because of her stance, no one wanted to work with her anymore. ♕ Dan (Kevin Alejandro) was Chloe's ex husband and Trixie their adorable daughter who, like me, liked Lucifer immediately. Lucifer and Dan disliked each other on sight.
♕ Before she became a cop, Chloe was naked in a film called Hot Tub High School.
♕ Lucifer, to Jimmy Barnes and his supermodel bride: 'Has-has anyone else noticed how incredibly, jaw-droppingly, loin-stirringly beautiful this young woman is and how short, sweaty and altogether fugly this homunculus is? I mean, what is this... a wedding or a kidnapping?'
♕ Lucifer casually asked Chloe if his father sent her. Stick a pin on this as the show will touch on this again later on.
♕ Lucifer, to Trixie who hugged him while Chloe was at the hospital: 'Uh, yes. Hello, child. Um, just... Why don't you save some of this unpleasantness for your mother, yeah?'
♕ Trixie: 'What's a hooker?' I would have loved to have seen Dan try to explain that.
♕ The 'start of a beautiful friendship' Casablanca reference made me wonder if there's a list of films and TV shows that reference Casablanca (my film obsession when I was 18).
♕ Lucifer was shown playing with a coin that may be supernatural.
Director: Len Wiseman
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Original Air Date: January 25, 2016