Season 2 Episode 3
‘Sin-Eater’ did not quite reach the heights of the previous episode, but it is another solid entry into the second season that smoothly meshed the case of the week with the overarching story.
Lucifer had a problem that he chose to hide from his brother Amenadiel. Lucifer always honoured his deals, and there was no more important deal than one made with his Father. In exchange for Chloe’s life, he promised to do as his Father bid. That bidding came in the form of his mother, who escaped hell and now inhabited the body of defence lawyer Charlotte Richards. Lucifer meant to honour the deal, as he always did, but with his mother in front of him, talking to him and explaining a couple thousand years of misunderstandings, it was not so easy to simply call his brother and have her flown back to hell.
For her part, Lucifer’s mother could not understand why her precious son was spending his time working with mortals. Put aside the fact that Mummy was once responsible for plagues to humanity, there was also the niggling thought that Lucifer may still be trying to please his Father. After all, it was not Lucifer’s idea to become a punisher in hell. That was a role forced upon him. With Lucifer chasing criminals on earth, it was almost as though he was simply continuing the work he claimed to loathe.
After dealing with a serial killer who claimed to punish those who deserved it, however, Lucifer realised that he continued his quest for punishing the guilty because he was good at it. He liked it. He came up with what he thought was a fair middle ground between keeping his deal with his Father and keeping his mother around for him and Amenadiel; he decreed that Mum was to live on earth as Charlotte Richards, human with a job, a husband, and a child. Mum was none too thrilled with this punishment, until a mugger made her realise that she did not have Charlotte’s human frailties after all. At the very least, Mum had her super strength.
Lucifer’s resolution must have been a relief to Amenadiel, not only because he did not have to endure flying his mother to hell a second time (he was the one who delivered her to hell after she was sentenced there by his Father), but also because he got to keep his secret one more day. Amenadiel was still losing his powers. With his wings disintegrating, it was likely that he could not even fly his mother to hell if he wanted to.
The second season of Lucifer feels like it is bursting with creative energy. I spent a few days away from writing Lucifer recaps. Whilst working on other projects was fun, the moment I started watching this episode, it was almost as though there was this sense of relief within me. I am back to recapping a fun show that also happens to be building its mythology one clever episode after another.
Strays
♕ Case of the week: Two people were murdered; their deaths mirrored the 'sins' for which they appeared to be 'punished'. The one common link was the popular website Wobble, where the videos meant to embarrass where posted by the murder victims. The murderer was a guy from HR at Wobble.
♕ Mummy wanted to see Amenadiel, but Lucifer did not think that was a good idea, at least, not until he figured out a resolution to his dilemma. Amenadiel found out that Mummy was around when he went to Lucifer's penthouse at the behest of Maze.
♕ Dan has been having a hard time being everyone's helper, and trying to get back in the good graces of Chloe. After Lucifer chided her for continuing to punish Dan, Chloe decided to go on a family camping trip with Dan and Trixie. Just as she told him about her decision, however, Dan confessed that he had come to a different realisation -- that it was time for him and Chloe to get a divorce.
♕ There were the usual contingent of juvenile jokes that I feel are now part of Lucifer the show's charm.
♕ Lucifer included people who put their seats back on airplanes as amongst the really terrible people and I agree. Why won't airlines just modify seats so they can't be reclined? They can leave a handful of recline-able seats for those who need them for medical reasons.
♕ Maze and Linda continue to hang.
Director: Mairzee Almas
Writer: Alex Katsnelson
Original Air Date: 10 October 2016