Can you guess who’s hard to kill? The Devil. Luci-fans, Luci-stans, but never Luci-furries, we welcome you back to Season 5b of Lucifer! He’s been to hell and back (literally), and that doesn’t include a Fox cancellation and Netflix resurrection, as nothing can keep our neighbor to the deep deep south down. With character adaptation so on point some are led to believe he may be ol’ Scratch himself, Tom Ellis leads the charge into the penultimate season of Lucifer. To get you in the mood for satanic worship, Ashley & RJ are here to give you a rundown on their favorite episodes if you’re a newbie, and when to catch the irresistible Lucifer Morningstar and his detective for the season finale.
If you’re new to the show, we think starting at the beginning is going to give you the best introduction to Lucifer and the people that inhabit his world. Lucifer, the tv show, is an adaptation of a DC comic. The character, created by Neil Gaiman, first showed up in The Sandman #4. Due to his overwhelming popularity, he found himself starring in his own comic. It was formally adapted and transitioned into a FOX program, premiering in January of 2016. In the Pilot episode, Lucifer has a chance meeting with LAPD Detective Chloe Decker when a friend of his is murdered. Lucifer comes with his own set of devilish talents that aid Detective Decker in solving the case, and this episode is the framework for the rest of the series. Lucifer signs on to use his talent of persuading suspects to admit their deepest desires to assist Chloe with her cases. For our newbies, we’d like to issue a clear SPOILER WARNING: anything going forward may give away important plot points!
Season 1
RJ – Episode 1: Pilot / A Priest Walks into the Bar
Tough decision out the gate, as I was truly torn between this episode and a later episode entitled “A Priest Walks into a Bar”, but I think this pilot truly mastered the art of purposeful immersion for the audience. Tom Ellis, Lucifer, rolling up to his private nightclub Lux, with this effortless swagger and charm, hell, even I thought he WAS the devil. Exploring his ‘daddy-issues’ from day one, introducing his catchphrase ‘What is it you truly desire?’, and most importantly, establishing a believable connection to his partner (double entendre intended) Chloe Decker. This episode turned me from Luci-skeptic to Luci-fan and I would come back for Luci-more (okay I’m done.)
Ashley – Episode 1: Pilot / A Priest Walks into the Bar
I LOVE PILOT EPISODES. Doesn’t matter what it is, I always go back and rewatch pilots, and Lucifer is no exception. There’s something special about knowing where a show eventually goes, and then returning to its humble beginnings. This episode introduces us to all the major players like Chole, Mazikeen, Dr. Linda, Amenadiel, and Detective Douche (sorry Dan). Chloe and Lucifer meet and work together to find the killer of a fading pop star. This episode is pretty low stakes, but it does a stellar job showing us what the future holds.
Season 2
RJ – Episode 13 / A Good Day to Die
Chloe Decker is poisoned and Lucifer must return to hell to learn the antidote from “The Professor”, who had subsequently poisoned Chloe in the previous episode before his own demise. Now, just imagining Lucifer travelling back to the home he had fled, only to return to it as a means to torture The Professor’s damned soul, all in the hopes of saving his detective, I mean, that’s enough right there. But, like Loren Allred says it’s “Never Enough, Never Never”, as this episode approaches an emotion we all know too well, guilt. For it is guilt, like cement shoes, that ground us and prevent some of us from moving on, and in this case, almost prevent Lucifer himself from returning to the land of the living and saving his partner. Won’t spoil much more, but damn, this onion of an episode has layers.
Ashley – Episode 6 / Monster
If there’s anything I love more than a pilot, it’s a holiday episode! This Halloween special opens with a zombie themed wedding turned deadly. Lucifer’s on the prowl after everything that went down with Uriel (who was played by the fantastic Michael Imperioli) and Chloe is doing her best to keep him on task to solve the murder. Highlights include Mazikeen trying to take Chloe’s daughter, Trixie, trick-or-treating. Who doesn’t want a demon being their candy guide?
Season 3
RJ – Episode 13 / Til Death Do Us Part
Lucifer and Marcus Pierce, AKA Cain (the biblical one), AKA Smallville’s Superman himself Tom Welling, are forced to live undercover as husband and husband in a cul de sac suburbia to get to the bottom of their current case. Aside from the two of them being just an amazingly handsome couple, Welling and Ellis do a SUPERB job as their acting chemistry carry this entire episode. Even if you watch it solely for their fake wedding photo in the tropics, I may also instruct you to listen carefully as Lucifer mentions he intends on figuring out Pierce’s Kryptonite, which, I mean, c’mon, somebody save me.
Ashley – Episode 24 / A Devil of My Word
Dan is reeling from the loss of Charlotte Richards, and everyone finally comes to terms with the identity of the Sinnerman. It’s time to take down Pierce, but it’s pretty hard to do that when he’s constantly lurking at the precinct. Where this episode really shines is the last ten minutes. For three seasons, Lucifer has been open with Chloe about the fact that he’s the devil. He’s never shied away from sharing his truth with her. But true to her nature, she hasn’t been able to accept that a lick of what comes out of his mouth is true. Up until this point, they’ve been at an impasse; Chloe just accepting that Lucifer believes what he says is true. Everything finally comes to a head, just as Chloe and Lucifer walk into a trap set by Pierce. To protect the Detective, Lucifer will do anything. This show of selflessness earns him back his wings, and for fans, this scene is squeal inducing. The takedown of Pierce and his thugs by a bloodied Lucifer donning angel wings is everything, and Chloe finally glimpsing Lucifer’s devil face changes their dynamic forever.
Season 4
RJ – Episode 7 / Devil is as Devil Does
The 4th season was not my favorite, and you’ve stuck with me this long, so I’m not in the business of lying to you. Regardless, there were still great episodes, and this is probably the best. Plot wise, there’s going on, Ameniadiel trying to protect his child, Linda and Maze becoming close, Dan is still adrift at his loss and finds comfort in Ella, but most importantly, Lucifer is starting to look like the Lucifer of old. Lucifer has resorted to his use of strength and anger to get what he needs while investigating this case. Chloe becomes concerned and eventually we see Lucifer wade his way back to doing things by the new book, not the old one. Let me be frank, I was never a fan of the Eve storyline, BUT, symbolically, the idea that Eve has become the snake in the garden, trying to lure Lucifer away from Chole…I see what they did there. Even with all that, my favorite part of this episode resides in the final moments. Lucifer, horrified by his behavior calls on Dr. Linda to find out why the worst has happened, his wings have returned, DEMON WINGS. Watching Tom Ellis convey this overwhelming lunacy the scene required, it’s something you need to watch, like NOW!
Ashley – Episode 10 / Who’s da New King of Hell?
As RJ so eloquently stated above, season 4 was not our favorite. While I love Graham McTavish as an actor, I wasn’t a fan of the Father Kinley storyline and didn’t really vibe with the whole Eve arc either. This season 4 finale was a return to everything I love from this show. We open with a giant dance number to Kenny Loggins’ “I’m Alright” and the Devil is feeling himself. Father Kinley becomes the host of a Demon who escaped hell, determined to get his King to return to the throne of the Underworld. McTavish portraying the demon Dromos inhabiting Kinley’s body was so fun to watch, he is such a talented actor. Dromos wreaks havoc on L.A. and forces Lucifer’s hand. I love this episode because Chloe finally comes to terms with Lucifer’s devil features, learning to appreciate every side of him. However, their declarations of love are bittersweet, because Lucifer must return to hell and keep the demons at bay.
Season 5(A)
RJ – Episode 6 / BluBallz
Let me begin with stating the obvious, Our Mojo, is the better episode by far. However, this episode gives us two moments that are much too important to ignore: Dan finally sees Lucifer’s true face (Devil Face), and CHLOE AND LUCIFER HAVE ADULT TIME UNDER THE COVERS!
Ashley – Episode 7 / Our Mojo
Thats right folks, they FINALLY did it! And afterwards, it appears that Chloe has stolen Lucifer’s mojo! She’s now able to compel him to expose his deepest desires, and Lucifer is rattled. They pay a little visit to Dr. Linda for some couples therapy to get to the heart of their sharing issues. Aside from the emotional drama, there’s a serial killer on the loose and the gang is hard pressed to find who’s responsible before another body turns up. This episode ranks as one of my favorites because we finally make some emotional headway between Chloe and Lucifer. Their dynamic is the driving force behind this show, and it’s far and few between when they’re on the same page emotionally. Leave it to Dan to come in during the last moments of this episode and rain bullets on our joy.
As much fun as this has been to write about, it has unfortunately stirred the two of us to give up on our current spare time activities (Ashley just finished reading People We Meet on Vacation and RJ is starting Six of Crows) and take up binging more than 60 hours of Lucifer! Netflix drops Lucifer Season 5b Friday May 28th and Season 6 is due out sometime late 2021/early 2022. So, don’t be a Detective Douche, put on that adult diaper and grab the snacks because this is what you TRULY DESIRE.
