LUCIFER SEASON 2: THE FULL COLLECTION, EPISODES 1-18
Lucifer - 2x01 "Everything's Coming Up Lucifer" (premiere episode)
"Lucifer's search for his mother becomes complicated by the murder of a young girl which he believes was committed to send him a message. While he tries to discover whose body his mother has inhabited since escaping from Hell, Amenadiel tries to discredit Lucifer's claims of being the Devil and Maze returns from her sabbatical to a cold reception."
Season 2's premiere is more about where our characters are starting off now than anything else, as the murder-of-the-week becomes more like today's side plot. Lucifer believes his mum, without her original body, is inhabiting the bodies of the recently deceased returned to life (which I found to be a very clever way to begin the series) and his and Amenadiel's search becomes the driving force of the episode. But when the murder itself throws Lucifer even deeper into this rabbit hole he resorts to scrabbling for allies: Chloe to believe he is actually the Devil and Maze, after she returns and convinces him she didn't help his mum escape from Hell, to provide actual answers (which she can't). In the final scene, Lucifer's search concludes as his mum, who has sought him out herself, falls into his arms holding a bloody screwdriver and begging for help.
Meanwhile, Amenadiel convinces Chloe that Lucifer is lying about being the Devil in order to prevent humanity learning of the existence of divinity with a smartly-constructed set of lies, and Detective "Douche" Dan arrives at the crime scene to help investigate, having been released from remand and reinstated with a demotion because the police would rather not have the embarrassment of him cop to charges of improper evidence handling (after the corruption scandal of Detective Graham at the end of season one). Dan's airtime was limited today, but he'll get more of a look in as the season develops.
VIEWERS: 4.41m (Same-day ratings bolstered from the end of season 2 with a solid start)
DEMOGRAPHIC SHARE: 1.3 (Roughly matches half of season 1's weekly share - season 2 is doing its job)
VERDICT: The murder was interesting enough for all of its shortness, Aimee Garcia as new forensic examiner Ella Lopez looks set to add an intriguing alternative religious standpoint and the new police set was a welcome aesthetic pleasure. But all in all this was a simple episode which positioned all the characters for their upcoming arcs - and did so with no problems at all. 7.5/10
Lucifer - 2x02 "Liar, Liar, Slutty Dress On Fire"
"Lucifer distrusts his mother despite her attempts to reconcile. However, the dead body she chose to inhabit was supposed to have been at the latest crime scene."
A great, funny episode, and an improvement on the premiere; Tricia Helfer is already looking like a great addition to the cast. Lucifer's mother arrived on Earth with no understanding of how owning a physical form worked, so for now she's a great source of punchlines and sexiness. However, the hatred Mazikeen has for her, and the fact that despite their reconciliation Lucifer will eventually be forced to follow through his promise to God to bring her back to Hell, will provide a lot of the conflict in later episodes.
Unfortunately, while "Liar, Liar, Slutty Dress On Fire" was an improvement on Lucifer's season two premiere, it was actually a rather disjointed episode. Detective Chloe Decker didn't even make an appearance until a quarter of an hour had passed because Lucifer's mum monopolised the screen time. That's only natural given her character's build-up, but it was a risk on the part of the writers to accentuate Lucifer's egotistical padding around town investigating his own insecurities rather than focus on the murder. I think they just about pulled it off, however.
The murder plot itself centred around the recently murdered head of a law firm, whose death by screwdriver to the neck matched the MO of a cartel dealer. Lucifer's mum, searching for a physical form to occupy, brought the woman's body back to life and caused havoc as she got to grips with the Earth, leaving Chloe to presume she simply survived the attack. Meanwhile, the bodies of a man and chambermaid at the hotel meant there were still two murders to investigate, and the discovery that the dealer was long-dead led police back to the law firm, and a lawyer who chose the cartel dealer's MO to avoid suspicion. A simple but challenging enough murder slotted around the chaos caused by Lucifer's mum in her centric introductory episode.
VIEWERS: 3.67m (Quite a long way below its premiere episode, but that won't be a worry for now.)
DEMOGRAPHIC SHARE: 1.1 (Likewise, a couple of points dropped from premiere to second episode won't be troubling unless the trend continues)
VERDICT: The whole premise of Lucifer - that he helps LAPD investigate murders - was pushed to the side to introduce Mummy dearest. It worked for now, but the writers will need to strike a better balance in the future. 8/10
Lucifer - 2x03 "Sin-Eater"
"An executive of a social networking site named Wobble is burnt alive and the video is posted on his website. But when more bodies drop, the possibility of a serial killer arises. Meanwhile, Lucifer tries to decide what he will do with his Mother and Amenadiel finally learns she's back."
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| Lucifer and Detective Chloe Decker arrive at the crime scene |
Meanwhile, Lucifer's mother continues to misunderstand human mannerisms and desires, and as such her experimentation with human sexuality mortifies Lucifer and entertains the audience. She searches out Amenadiel (D.B. Woodstock who portrays him fell down in his failure to display shock) and tries to make amends. And though she does, Lucifer works out how he will punish her: she will remain on Earth, in the body of the lawyer, among the humans she "despises". She is horrified and feels powerless, until the final scene where somebody tries to mug her and in accidentally killing him she realises all her power is not yet lost. Pardon the pun, but she will be back to do some hellraising.
Trixie (Chloe and Dan's daughter) made a hilarious cameo and needs more time, but Chloe and Dan's talk of divorcing is going to limit that - although it will provide Chloe and Dan a storyline that they desperately need.
VIEWERS: 3.67m (Stable ratings, but low ratings for an 8pm slot. Although stability will still help)
DEMOGRAPHIC SHARE: 1.0 (Even this is stabilising. Ratings are looking decent.)
VERDICT: Did exactly what it needed to do and did it efficiently; the guest stars were top draw and the humour superb. 8.5/10
A series of murders of young women traced back to a secret club where the rich could hire escorts, the victims being two women who weren't previously aware that they were there to work as escorts. The murders were simple and pulled Chloe and Dan together after Dan's announcement that they should divorce: Chloe's response was to throw herself into work, until Lucifer engineered a girls' night out with her, Maze, Dr Martin and new forensic analyst Ella. That was probably the highlight of the episode: the girls revealing secrets about themselves - which Maze failed ("I was forged in the bowels of hell to torture the guilty for all of eternity").
Elsewhere, Lucifer's mum took a backseat as she struggled to adjust to human life. It's not necessary for her to be heavily involved at the moment and her character is rightly in the background. Also, Amenadiel's depression worsened as his powers continued to fade: he now struggles even to get his wings to work. Amenadiel isn't an uninteresting character, but he's been on the periphery for most of season 2 and his lonely spiral isn't working: he needs to come back into the foray more. At least at the end he was able to remind Lucifer that he hadn't fulfilled his promise to God by shackling their mum in human form - and if God wanted revenge he could un-spare Chloe's life. This leads to the cliffhanger ending as Chloe's car is hit by a truck. She won't die, of course, but if it isn't a shocking reminder of the power of the characters in play in this show I don't know what is.
Lucifer - 2x04 "Lady Parts"
"A young woman is murdered with a triangular stamp on her wrist. Meanwhile, Chloe struggles with the fallout from her upcoming divorce, Lucifer's mum faces issues living a human life and Amenadiel continues to spiral as his powers deplete."
A series of murders of young women traced back to a secret club where the rich could hire escorts, the victims being two women who weren't previously aware that they were there to work as escorts. The murders were simple and pulled Chloe and Dan together after Dan's announcement that they should divorce: Chloe's response was to throw herself into work, until Lucifer engineered a girls' night out with her, Maze, Dr Martin and new forensic analyst Ella. That was probably the highlight of the episode: the girls revealing secrets about themselves - which Maze failed ("I was forged in the bowels of hell to torture the guilty for all of eternity").
Elsewhere, Lucifer's mum took a backseat as she struggled to adjust to human life. It's not necessary for her to be heavily involved at the moment and her character is rightly in the background. Also, Amenadiel's depression worsened as his powers continued to fade: he now struggles even to get his wings to work. Amenadiel isn't an uninteresting character, but he's been on the periphery for most of season 2 and his lonely spiral isn't working: he needs to come back into the foray more. At least at the end he was able to remind Lucifer that he hadn't fulfilled his promise to God by shackling their mum in human form - and if God wanted revenge he could un-spare Chloe's life. This leads to the cliffhanger ending as Chloe's car is hit by a truck. She won't die, of course, but if it isn't a shocking reminder of the power of the characters in play in this show I don't know what is.
VIEWERS: 3.66m (Stable nearly to the ten-thousands)
DEMOGRAPHIC SHARE: 1.1 (Lower than average, but not bad for a Monday)
VERDICT: A good episode infused with lots of humour, hilarious revelations about some of our characters and a shocking cliffhanger. 8/10
I want to get the murder plot out of the way first before we talk about the juicy stuff. Mark Dacascos and Charisma Carpenter guest starred as suspects: Charisma's character used to be married to the victim and had since married Dacascos's character Kimo, before making off with their money manager and helping to kill the victim, Wesley Cabbutt. There was nothing wrong with the murder itself, but where season 1 went too heavy on murder plots and police, season 2 might be going a little heavy on the Lucifer arc. The murder wasn't very complex or difficult to solve as a viewer, and was over by the 30-odd minute mark. That's extremely early in a cop procedural episode for the conclusion to occur - but it needed to fit in the good Lucifer/Mum stuff.
And that plot was all centred around Lucifer trying to find a way to keep his mum on Earth and not incur God's wrath for breaking his promise. Problem was, one of his other siblings, Uriel, turned up to try and force Lucifer's hand. Uriel was an amazing character: his penchant for patterns and the butterfly effect over two attempts at taking Chloe's life and a fight with Amenadiel was instrumental in leading to the final showdown, where he and Lucifer fought. Uriel promised that if he touched just one key on an old piano, a butterfly effect would change events enough to lead to Chloe's death in two days' time. But on top of that Uriel revealed he wasn't here on God's orders, but was making a power play by using Azriel's blade to wipe their mum out of existence completely.
Unfortunately, the writers made a huge error by having Maze step in and fight Uriel long enough for Lucifer to grab Azriel's blade and wipe Uriel out of existence instead. Uriel's quirks were a brilliant addition to the predictable format of the show, adding an extra dimension. There's no doubting that Tom Ellis can play heartbroken and guilty, but the move of having his Lucifer wipe Uriel out of existence seems a bad call given the potential of the character. I was really disappointed by that decision, and it tainted an otherwise fabulous episode.
VIEWERS: 3.55m (Stable)
VERDICT: Uriel's surprise appearance made an already intriguing arc suddenly gripping. It's a shame that he was written out, since I dropped the episode rating a whole point to 8/10 because of it.
Meltdowns are always fun traumas to put characters through - they often show a darker, more intense side of said character - but like the rest of Lucifer his meltdown following his killing of brother Uriel it's just a bit understated. He's the Devil: he could surely do a little more than the typical drinking and shagging away his sorrows, even if his attempts at the latter horrifyingly (and entertainingly) occur at crime scenes on grieving bridesmaids.
Lucifer spends most of the episode searching for a way to cope with his guilt, while showing up and destabilising Chloe and Dan's investigation into the murder of a bride at her zombie-themed wedding - and later the husband of a food truck vendor. It transpires that these two victims had links to a double-blind medical study, and the murdering ex-army sniper's wife had died because she was given the placebo. Lucifer showed up and begged the sniper to kill him, but when he couldn't realised they were both searching for punishment. Lucifer finally went back to Dr. Martin, but when she finally cracked and told him she couldn't handle his lies about being the Devil, he finally revealed his true self to her. Somebody to believe Lucifer (beyond his family) is what this show needed, but before then we have to wonder just how Dr. Martin is going to react in the next episode.
Elsewhere, Chloe and Maze's cohabiting hit early snags when Maze tried to set up a sex swing in their living room, but ended nicely when Maze took Chloe's daughter Trixie trick-or-treating, even showing half of her demon face (which Trixie found hilarious) and passing it off as a Hallowe'en costume. I think pitting Chloe and Maze together in the same house will add another dimension to both characters, and I already love Maze and Trixie's love/hate relationship.
VIEWERS: 3.44m (Stable)
Lucifer - 2x05 "Weaponiser"
"The latest victim is an action movie star killed with one of his numerous awards. Meanwhile, Lucifer's concern that God might take Chloe's life in revenge for him not delivering their mum back to him becomes a real threat when his brother Uriel arrives to force his hand."
I want to get the murder plot out of the way first before we talk about the juicy stuff. Mark Dacascos and Charisma Carpenter guest starred as suspects: Charisma's character used to be married to the victim and had since married Dacascos's character Kimo, before making off with their money manager and helping to kill the victim, Wesley Cabbutt. There was nothing wrong with the murder itself, but where season 1 went too heavy on murder plots and police, season 2 might be going a little heavy on the Lucifer arc. The murder wasn't very complex or difficult to solve as a viewer, and was over by the 30-odd minute mark. That's extremely early in a cop procedural episode for the conclusion to occur - but it needed to fit in the good Lucifer/Mum stuff.
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| Uriel |
Unfortunately, the writers made a huge error by having Maze step in and fight Uriel long enough for Lucifer to grab Azriel's blade and wipe Uriel out of existence instead. Uriel's quirks were a brilliant addition to the predictable format of the show, adding an extra dimension. There's no doubting that Tom Ellis can play heartbroken and guilty, but the move of having his Lucifer wipe Uriel out of existence seems a bad call given the potential of the character. I was really disappointed by that decision, and it tainted an otherwise fabulous episode.
VIEWERS: 3.55m (Stable)
DEMOGRAPHIC SHARE: 1.0 (Hanging around here and will continue to. Not bad)
Lucifer - 2x06 "Monster"
"Lucifer struggles deal with killing Uriel. Amenadiel turns to his mum for comfort. While Chloe and Dan solve two identical murders with seemingly no connection, Maze babysits Trixie on Hallowe'en."
Meltdowns are always fun traumas to put characters through - they often show a darker, more intense side of said character - but like the rest of Lucifer his meltdown following his killing of brother Uriel it's just a bit understated. He's the Devil: he could surely do a little more than the typical drinking and shagging away his sorrows, even if his attempts at the latter horrifyingly (and entertainingly) occur at crime scenes on grieving bridesmaids.
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| Lucifer's real form |
Elsewhere, Chloe and Maze's cohabiting hit early snags when Maze tried to set up a sex swing in their living room, but ended nicely when Maze took Chloe's daughter Trixie trick-or-treating, even showing half of her demon face (which Trixie found hilarious) and passing it off as a Hallowe'en costume. I think pitting Chloe and Maze together in the same house will add another dimension to both characters, and I already love Maze and Trixie's love/hate relationship.
VIEWERS: 3.44m (Stable)
DEMOGRAPHIC SHARE: 0.9 (Series low and fractional, but not by much)
VERDICT: Funny and full of substance, but Lucifer's meltdown was underplayed and the murder wasn't overly gripping 7.5/10
Lucifer - 2x07 "My Little Monkey"
"The man who killed Chloe's father is released on day leave to go to his granddaughter's christening, but along the way is himself killed. Meanwhile, Lucifer tries to learn more about human nature by shadowing Dan, and Maze tries to reconnect with a terrified Dr. Martin."
In a clever juxtaposition of plot points, the fallout from Lucifer revealing his true self to Dr. Linda Martin sees Linda struggle to come to terms with the truth of divinity while Maze struggles to come to terms with the truth of life on Earth. In the end, they reconcile after Maze gets a job as a bounty hunter (and what could be more suitable?) and Linda agrees to go out and celebrate with her. Maze's relationships, especially with Linda and little Trixie, are an important part of the show, and as they both grow Maze becomes ever more central a character.
But most of the episode centred around the discovery that Chloe's father's murderer, Jon Fields, killed during his day leave, didn't actually kill her father but was hired to be a patsy. It was a raw, emotional episode, and while I generally hate reveals that uproot a main character's family mythology (see Castle's father on Castle transpiring to be a CIA agent, or McGarrett's mum on Hawaii Five-0 being alive and a CIA agent, or Chuck's mum on Chuck being alive and a CIA agent) - this just worked for the show. Not because changing the mythology of John Decker's death was necessary, but because Chloe's reaction in pushing Lucifer away gave Lucifer a chance to understand more about humanity and brought Dan and Lucifer closer, which will provide an important (almost) reset on their antagonistic relationship. And that was necessary.
This frank focus on Chloe and Dan left Amenadiel and Lucifer's mum in the cold, and while that is still the better and more intense plotline of the series, there's much more happening now that will fill the rest of the first half of this season - and Lucifer's back nine order set to air next year after A.P.B.
VIEWERS: 3.52m
In a clever juxtaposition of plot points, the fallout from Lucifer revealing his true self to Dr. Linda Martin sees Linda struggle to come to terms with the truth of divinity while Maze struggles to come to terms with the truth of life on Earth. In the end, they reconcile after Maze gets a job as a bounty hunter (and what could be more suitable?) and Linda agrees to go out and celebrate with her. Maze's relationships, especially with Linda and little Trixie, are an important part of the show, and as they both grow Maze becomes ever more central a character.
But most of the episode centred around the discovery that Chloe's father's murderer, Jon Fields, killed during his day leave, didn't actually kill her father but was hired to be a patsy. It was a raw, emotional episode, and while I generally hate reveals that uproot a main character's family mythology (see Castle's father on Castle transpiring to be a CIA agent, or McGarrett's mum on Hawaii Five-0 being alive and a CIA agent, or Chuck's mum on Chuck being alive and a CIA agent) - this just worked for the show. Not because changing the mythology of John Decker's death was necessary, but because Chloe's reaction in pushing Lucifer away gave Lucifer a chance to understand more about humanity and brought Dan and Lucifer closer, which will provide an important (almost) reset on their antagonistic relationship. And that was necessary.This frank focus on Chloe and Dan left Amenadiel and Lucifer's mum in the cold, and while that is still the better and more intense plotline of the series, there's much more happening now that will fill the rest of the first half of this season - and Lucifer's back nine order set to air next year after A.P.B.
VIEWERS: 3.52m
DEMOGRAPHIC SHARE: 1.0
(Both slightly up from last week)
(Both slightly up from last week)
VERDICT: A generic plot idea was executed better than I expected, and addressed different character relationships. Very, very good. 8.5/10
A more focused and better-developed season of Lucifer has finally shown where it's taking the last 5 episodes of the 13 that will air before midseason: a battle of wits over those who wish to go back to heaven (Lucifer's mum and Amenadiel) and those who wish to stay on Earth (Lucifer), and the episode built to the promise of this future battle.
Azrael's blade's whereabouts were known by only Lucifer, Amenadiel and their mum (who for ease I will now call "Charlotte", the name of the human whose body she inhabited). When "Charlotte" has humans - who will be incited to murder by the very nature of the knife - dig up Uriel's grave to cause a killing spree that will pull God's attention, Lucifer and Chloe are cleverly separated in theory: Chloe profiles the overkilling of the victims as a crime of passion, while Lucifer knows whoever possesses the blade will kill for even the simplest of things, and this disconnect followed their investigation. It was a clever way to twist a set-in-stone understanding of the logic of murders - topped off by the blade eventually finding its way into Dan's hands. Who better to wield a knife that could wipe Lucifer out of existence than the one person he's spend truly tormenting?
Meanwhile, Lucifer grew closer to Ella while she unwittingly helped with his search for the celestial blade in return for him coming to confession with her (oh the irony), and "Charlotte's" attempts to adjust to human life, while much improved, are still producing hilarious moments as she fails to recognise a mum should not brag about her sexual exploits to her son. Amenadiel and Maze becoming cat burglars was a funny sideplot as well, although no Trixie today.
VIEWERS: 3.89m
Lucifer - 2x08 "Trip to Stabby Town"
"Uriel's grave is dug up and Azrael's blade is used to commit a string of murders at a yoga studio."
A more focused and better-developed season of Lucifer has finally shown where it's taking the last 5 episodes of the 13 that will air before midseason: a battle of wits over those who wish to go back to heaven (Lucifer's mum and Amenadiel) and those who wish to stay on Earth (Lucifer), and the episode built to the promise of this future battle.
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| Ella demonstrating how one of the murders was perpetrated in an unwittingly sexual manner |
Meanwhile, Lucifer grew closer to Ella while she unwittingly helped with his search for the celestial blade in return for him coming to confession with her (oh the irony), and "Charlotte's" attempts to adjust to human life, while much improved, are still producing hilarious moments as she fails to recognise a mum should not brag about her sexual exploits to her son. Amenadiel and Maze becoming cat burglars was a funny sideplot as well, although no Trixie today.
VIEWERS: 3.89m
DEMOGRAPHIC SHARE: 1.1
(Both slight ticks upwards)
(Both slight ticks upwards)
VERDICT: Lucifer had a clearly mapped-out 13 episode second season, and it will rise to the occasion after an episode like this. But will that direction be delayed, heightened or altered what with Lucifer's back nine order? 8.5/10
Following on from "Charlotte's" beginning to plot Lucifer's LA downfall, it came as no surprise when the man with whom he had a rather shaky agreement for ownership of the Lux nightclub was found dead, leading to his son taking back the property; what was a surprise was that it was all just a well-timed coincidence. Dean Cooper, who had hired a professional seducer to try and prove his son's fiancée was just a gold digger (she wasn't), was killed by his son's fiancée in revenge, but she and the son both took the fall for the murder. Meanwhile, "Charlotte" piggybacked on her good fortune by continuing to undermine Lucifer and Amenadiel's almost genial relationship, later going so far as to sleep with Dan simply to get information on Lucifer's weakness: Chloe.
Chloe has been in mortal danger before this season, from Uriel, but "Charlotte" certainly represents a step up. She's possibly even more conniving than Uriel was, and certainly a more intense, duplicitous character: Uriel didn't even try to hide his psychopathy. If "Charlotte" is now turning her attentions to Chloe, Lucifer is going to be in an even tighter position than when Lux was taken from underneath him. At least it was nice to see Dan happy for a while, when he knew he was going to get some action with "Charlotte".
There were hilariously appropriate music choices (although I'm afraid I can't remember an example, I simple noted that phrase down for later reference), but the episode, for all its promise of future implosions, lacked a little intensity itself.
Lucifer - 2x09 "Homewrecker"
"Dean Cooper, a property magnate who retains ownership of Lucifer's nightclub Lux, is killed, leading Lucifer to believe his mother is trying to undermine his Los Angeles roots."
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| Amenadiel is disgusted when his mum seduces Dan |
Chloe has been in mortal danger before this season, from Uriel, but "Charlotte" certainly represents a step up. She's possibly even more conniving than Uriel was, and certainly a more intense, duplicitous character: Uriel didn't even try to hide his psychopathy. If "Charlotte" is now turning her attentions to Chloe, Lucifer is going to be in an even tighter position than when Lux was taken from underneath him. At least it was nice to see Dan happy for a while, when he knew he was going to get some action with "Charlotte".
There were hilariously appropriate music choices (although I'm afraid I can't remember an example, I simple noted that phrase down for later reference), but the episode, for all its promise of future implosions, lacked a little intensity itself.
VIEWERS: 3.63m (Slight downtick)
DEMOGRAPHIC SHARE: 1.0 (Slight downtick)
VERDICT: Another well-positioned episode within the season using a smart plot device; "Charlotte" remains one of the best characters of the show right now. 8/10
Lucifer packed a lot of good stuff into a long 44-minute episode. It quickly picked up from the cliffhanger ending of "Charlotte" about to blow up Chloe's car, when Amenadiel came to the rescue. After the landlord of Lucifer's nightclub died the previous episode, another coincidence occurred here in Boris being murdered right before Perry's trial (no way "Charlotte" wasn't involved), and threatens to destabilise Lucifer and Chloe's relationship (therefore paving the way for "Charlotte" to convince Lucifer to return to Hell), but despite the setbacks Chloe refuses to help convict Perry at the expense of her relationship with Lucifer. I think it's a lovely marker of their closeness despite Lucifer's antagonistic and bloated personality, but thankfully justice was served when Dan had the Russians (who don't like their men being killed without permission) take Perry away and presumably kill him in retaliation for Boris's decapitation. This whole episode continued the "shit parent mythology" arc that began a few episodes ago, proving, in the end, just how important it was to the overall storyline.
Lucifer also found out that Dan slept with "Charlotte", which was a hilarious scene, and Maze had a sword fight with a Chinese swordfighting expert - and thanks to her demon skills pulled off an easy win. That was a fun scene too.
Divinity and humanity combining was the ultimate cliffhanger, however, as it was revealed why Chloe has such a special effect on Lucifer: God had sent Amenadiel down to Earth previously to bless an infertile couple and the product of that was - yep, Chloe Decker. The implications are huge (and I should have seen this coming really), especially with Lucifer and Chloe on the edge of a kiss in the final shot.
Also, props to the writers for booking Sharif Atkins (Gallant from ER) in a guest starring role as the prosecutor. God he looks skinny these days.
Lucifer - 2x10 "Quid Pro Ho" (midseason finale)
"The decapitated head of Boris Sokolov, the star witness in the trial against Perry Smith, the corrupt warden who murdered Chloe's father, is mailed to the LAPD. The trial is further complicated when Lucifer's mum defends Perry."
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| Lucifer swears to be truthful in court |
Lucifer also found out that Dan slept with "Charlotte", which was a hilarious scene, and Maze had a sword fight with a Chinese swordfighting expert - and thanks to her demon skills pulled off an easy win. That was a fun scene too.
Divinity and humanity combining was the ultimate cliffhanger, however, as it was revealed why Chloe has such a special effect on Lucifer: God had sent Amenadiel down to Earth previously to bless an infertile couple and the product of that was - yep, Chloe Decker. The implications are huge (and I should have seen this coming really), especially with Lucifer and Chloe on the edge of a kiss in the final shot.
Also, props to the writers for booking Sharif Atkins (Gallant from ER) in a guest starring role as the prosecutor. God he looks skinny these days.
VIEWERS: 4.09m (The midseason finale becomes the only episode bar the s2 premiere to reach above 4m. Excellent)
DEMOGRAPHIC SHARE: 1.1 (Goes up, remains stable)
VERDICT: With three episodes left, Lucifer is getting bigger and more suspenseful by the episode. 8.5/10
Lucifer left some clangers for seven weeks before it returned with "Stewardess Interruptus" and answered at least one of those questions: Chloifer. (There is really no good way to combine Lucifer and Chloe's names to make a catchy ship title.) Their moment was broken when one of Lucifer's previous conquests, flight attendant Jana Lawrence, barged in, stripped a little and expected sex. Chloe, quite naturally, took off, leaving Lucifer, for once in his life, turning down an attractive woman.
Unfortunately that wasn't the end of it, as the next day Jana was found dead. And then so was Raj, both of whom were ex-lovers of Lucifer's. Cue all of Lucifer's innumerable conquests over the past two months being paraded through the precinct and questioned by Chloe (in a hilarious scene where she was freaked out by the odd descriptions of sex acts Lucifer had performed), on the presumption that Lucifer was the link between victims. In the end, the murders took place because Jana was a mule for a drug lord, one who, in silhouette, mysteriously escapes with a mysterious case of vials containing a mysterious liquid, as Lucifer sets up an interesting arc over the next two episodes.
In between this we had Maze's inability to understand that Dan, as a serving police officer, didn't want anyone to know he had shopped Warden Smith (the man who killed Chloe's father) to the Russian mob after he wasn't charged, because, you know, cops aren't supposed to arrange for people to get murdered. Will this come out now or later, who knows? But it will come out.
A word to the cuteness of Chloe's daughter Trixie, who becomes more brilliant with every episode, before I have to mention the episode's conclusion: after much manipulation from "Charlotte" and Amenadiel to convince Lucifer to get with Chloe, Lucifer tried to push her away, only for Chloe to kiss him - successfully this time! An engineered romance between the Devil and a human whose entire existence is an act of God? Season 2 just gets tastier and tastier.
Lucifer - 2x11 "Stewardess Interruptus"
"Lucifer and Chloe's moment is interrupted by a horny stewardess, but when she and another man is found murdered the next morning the only link is that they both were Lucifer's lovers. "Charlotte" and Amenadiel try to convince Chloe that Lucifer is good for her."
Lucifer left some clangers for seven weeks before it returned with "Stewardess Interruptus" and answered at least one of those questions: Chloifer. (There is really no good way to combine Lucifer and Chloe's names to make a catchy ship title.) Their moment was broken when one of Lucifer's previous conquests, flight attendant Jana Lawrence, barged in, stripped a little and expected sex. Chloe, quite naturally, took off, leaving Lucifer, for once in his life, turning down an attractive woman.
Unfortunately that wasn't the end of it, as the next day Jana was found dead. And then so was Raj, both of whom were ex-lovers of Lucifer's. Cue all of Lucifer's innumerable conquests over the past two months being paraded through the precinct and questioned by Chloe (in a hilarious scene where she was freaked out by the odd descriptions of sex acts Lucifer had performed), on the presumption that Lucifer was the link between victims. In the end, the murders took place because Jana was a mule for a drug lord, one who, in silhouette, mysteriously escapes with a mysterious case of vials containing a mysterious liquid, as Lucifer sets up an interesting arc over the next two episodes.
In between this we had Maze's inability to understand that Dan, as a serving police officer, didn't want anyone to know he had shopped Warden Smith (the man who killed Chloe's father) to the Russian mob after he wasn't charged, because, you know, cops aren't supposed to arrange for people to get murdered. Will this come out now or later, who knows? But it will come out.
A word to the cuteness of Chloe's daughter Trixie, who becomes more brilliant with every episode, before I have to mention the episode's conclusion: after much manipulation from "Charlotte" and Amenadiel to convince Lucifer to get with Chloe, Lucifer tried to push her away, only for Chloe to kiss him - successfully this time! An engineered romance between the Devil and a human whose entire existence is an act of God? Season 2 just gets tastier and tastier.
VIEWERS: 5.99m
DEMOGRAPHIC SHARE: 1.1
(On a level. Solid return)
(On a level. Solid return)
VERDICT: Recent episodes have been high-tempo but "Stewardess Interruptus" wasn't. However, it still hit every note it wanted to, was funny and set up a thrilling mid-conclusion. 8.5/10
Love, revenge, money and to cover up a crime: the four staples of what drives people to commit crimes. But for Dr. Jason Carlisle, the serial killer who stole the poisons at the end of the previous episode, his motive a superb break from those staples: he's killing to prove to everyone that he is human. After having his life ruined by the media because he chose to retrieve his laptop from the car crash he was in rather than save the other person, he decides to prove everyone else would make the same choice by poisoning people and threatening someone to maim themselves or that person will die. It's a powerful message, and an incredibly out-there concept that worked.
Along the way to solving the murders, Chloe's infatuation with Lucifer leads her to act a little more like him in the hopes he will find it funny (ie making sex references at a crime scene), after Maze advises her to let loose. Early on she decides this was a poor choice and rightly so: seeing Chloe so far down the Lucifer rabbithole was cringeworthy. Once they settled back into their usual roles things normalised, and when Chloe chased Dr Carlisle to apprehend him Lucifer was able to save the final victims - by being immune to a poison gas since he is the Devil. Finally, the fact that he is the Devil played into an Earth-bound episodic plot.
Also finally, the shitstorm that has been brewing in when will Lucifer find out that Chloe was a miracle sent by God hit us all when "Charlotte" finally found an ally to help reveal all to Lucifer: Maze. He was naturally broken, his ideals of a normal relationship with Chloe ripped apart by the revelation, but as he went to confront her the cliffhanger reveal showed us what we all might have expected: Chloe has also been poisoned. And with one episode left to go before Lucifer's next hiatus, what will be the moral dilemma that Lucifer will have to face?
VIEWERS: 4.17m
Lucifer - 2x12 "Love Handles"
"A serial killer appears in LA with an unusual motive; Maze advises Chloe to act more spontaneously, but her actions confuse Lucifer; "Charlotte" searches for allies to help her reveal to Lucifer the truth about Chloe."
Love, revenge, money and to cover up a crime: the four staples of what drives people to commit crimes. But for Dr. Jason Carlisle, the serial killer who stole the poisons at the end of the previous episode, his motive a superb break from those staples: he's killing to prove to everyone that he is human. After having his life ruined by the media because he chose to retrieve his laptop from the car crash he was in rather than save the other person, he decides to prove everyone else would make the same choice by poisoning people and threatening someone to maim themselves or that person will die. It's a powerful message, and an incredibly out-there concept that worked.
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| The email Chloe rashly sends Dr Carlisle to draw him out |
Also finally, the shitstorm that has been brewing in when will Lucifer find out that Chloe was a miracle sent by God hit us all when "Charlotte" finally found an ally to help reveal all to Lucifer: Maze. He was naturally broken, his ideals of a normal relationship with Chloe ripped apart by the revelation, but as he went to confront her the cliffhanger reveal showed us what we all might have expected: Chloe has also been poisoned. And with one episode left to go before Lucifer's next hiatus, what will be the moral dilemma that Lucifer will have to face?
VIEWERS: 4.17m
DEMOGRAPHIC SHARE: 1.2
(The second highest ratings Lucifer has achieved all season)
(The second highest ratings Lucifer has achieved all season)
VERDICT: An out-there concept surrounded by ticking time-bombs in Lucifer's world that built towards the second midseason finale. An absolutely sublime episode, although the cliffhanger was a little predictable. 8.5/10
If there's one thing Lucifer doesn't have, it's any problems building to a finale point. But a finale itself (midseason or season, whichever) always presents a particular problem for it. And while "A Good Day to Die" stuck the landing, it wasn't a smooth one.
After all, someone being sick and everyone rushing to find the antidote isn't a new plot device, but Lucifer generally has enough quality to improve on the topic, incorporating both of its main elements: the police search for the criminals who can provide the ingredients for the antidote - and Lucifer going down to Hell to speak to Dr. Carlisle who was the only one to know the formula.
Hell itself was incredibly clever. We're all expecting hellfire and flames and physical torture - but what we get is Dr. Carlisle repeating the moment he fled from the car crash while a crowd insult him. That seems a weak way of describing it, but Carlisle's whole motivation for his murders was to prove that this decision was a human one - it's fitting that his Hell is being publicly humiliated on a loop. And thus he gives the formula up without a second thought, hoping Lucifer can help himself escape. Very clever.
Not to mention how Lucifer then, in his attempts to leave Hell himself, is caught in his own guilt loop where he must repeatedly murder Uriel over and over again. And "the piece/peace is here" is revealed to be what Uriel whispered to Lucifer before he died - but what does it mean? We don't yet know.
In the end, the only way for Lucifer to be dragged from his hell is for "Charlotte" to kill herself and rescue him (which almost goes pear-shaped as well when she gets caught in a guilt loop that Lucifer then has to rescue her from). These were interesting insights into how Hell works - but how do you just find someone else's Hell and enter it? That's a huge problem for the episode which, along with "Charlotte's" sudden attempt at redemption, really needed more focus.
But the whole gang piled in to save Chloe. Dr Martin and Maze killed Lucifer and Chloe and then brought them back to life, and Amenadiel heroically guarded Chloe's hospital room, so that Lucifer wouldn't become invulnerable while dead if she was moved too far from him. I found Amenadiel's heroics the perfect tonic for his character.
Finally, with Lucifer alive he reveals his hatred at having been a pawn in God's game, his manipulation by his mother and his uncertainty towards Chloe's feelings for him - and he runs. Where has Lucifer gone? We'll see in 3 months' time.
VERDICT: Had some huge problems with landing its midseason finale, but it can't be denied the episode was excellent and had some real character moments to make you cheer, 8.5/10
If you listen to "Charlotte" (Lucifer's mum), who is convinced Lucifer is making a plan, you're probably right. But in "Candy Morningstar" she mistakenly assumes Lucifer's plan is more advanced than it really is. For Candy, the wife Lucifer brought back from Vegas after disappearing suddenly, is really a ploy, a dummy: while "Charlotte" attempts to figure out Lucifer's plan by spending time with Candy, Candy is in actuality doing the same for Lucifer. The outcome is "Charlotte" is totally confused whereas Lucifer now knows where his mum's mindset is. And that remains unfalteringly on returning to Heaven.
But now, they have a method. It transpires that the flaming sword capable of destroying God is in fact Azrael's blade - which is in Lucifer's possession. Should he be tempted to join "Charlotte" and Amenadiel in returning to Heaven - even if only to take revenge on God for creating Chloe - then that would be possible. Again, it's unclear if Lucifer truly wants to align himself with his mum for such a venture (while, by his own admission, he's more pissed at God, he remains pissed at her too), but he may be tempted by the thought of revenge.
Meanwhile, Lucifer's use of Candy in discerning Chloe's mindset is a less clever move, but suffice it to say Chloe is extremely furious with him. Of course, she remains unaware that her birth was ordered by God and that that is why Lucifer fled soon after they had admitted their feelings for each other, and thus spends most of the episode refusing to allow him to join the case, a simple one revolving around the murder of a band's lead singer (and don't think I missed the band's name, The Heavy Woolies, an actually real band of which executive producer Ildy Modrovich is the lead vocalist). Of course, the conclusion sees Lucifer granted a return to the LAPD as Chloe's partner, as we knew it would.
Lucifer - 2x13 "A Good Day to Die"
"With Chloe poisoned, Lucifer and the team rush to find the antidote. But they realise there is only one way they can find the formula: Lucifer must go down to Hell."
If there's one thing Lucifer doesn't have, it's any problems building to a finale point. But a finale itself (midseason or season, whichever) always presents a particular problem for it. And while "A Good Day to Die" stuck the landing, it wasn't a smooth one.
After all, someone being sick and everyone rushing to find the antidote isn't a new plot device, but Lucifer generally has enough quality to improve on the topic, incorporating both of its main elements: the police search for the criminals who can provide the ingredients for the antidote - and Lucifer going down to Hell to speak to Dr. Carlisle who was the only one to know the formula.
Hell itself was incredibly clever. We're all expecting hellfire and flames and physical torture - but what we get is Dr. Carlisle repeating the moment he fled from the car crash while a crowd insult him. That seems a weak way of describing it, but Carlisle's whole motivation for his murders was to prove that this decision was a human one - it's fitting that his Hell is being publicly humiliated on a loop. And thus he gives the formula up without a second thought, hoping Lucifer can help himself escape. Very clever.
 |
| Amenadiel and Maze raise their hands when Lucifer asks who wants to help kill him |
In the end, the only way for Lucifer to be dragged from his hell is for "Charlotte" to kill herself and rescue him (which almost goes pear-shaped as well when she gets caught in a guilt loop that Lucifer then has to rescue her from). These were interesting insights into how Hell works - but how do you just find someone else's Hell and enter it? That's a huge problem for the episode which, along with "Charlotte's" sudden attempt at redemption, really needed more focus.
But the whole gang piled in to save Chloe. Dr Martin and Maze killed Lucifer and Chloe and then brought them back to life, and Amenadiel heroically guarded Chloe's hospital room, so that Lucifer wouldn't become invulnerable while dead if she was moved too far from him. I found Amenadiel's heroics the perfect tonic for his character.
Finally, with Lucifer alive he reveals his hatred at having been a pawn in God's game, his manipulation by his mother and his uncertainty towards Chloe's feelings for him - and he runs. Where has Lucifer gone? We'll see in 3 months' time.
VIEWERS: 4.21m
DEMOGRAPHIC SHARE: 1.2
(The midseason finale stays level with that 1.2. Bring on May!)
(The midseason finale stays level with that 1.2. Bring on May!)
Lucifer - 2x14 "Candy Morningstar"
"Lucifer returns to Los Angeles with a glamorous wife in tow, and tries to resume his normal life. But is he plotting something else too?"
If you listen to "Charlotte" (Lucifer's mum), who is convinced Lucifer is making a plan, you're probably right. But in "Candy Morningstar" she mistakenly assumes Lucifer's plan is more advanced than it really is. For Candy, the wife Lucifer brought back from Vegas after disappearing suddenly, is really a ploy, a dummy: while "Charlotte" attempts to figure out Lucifer's plan by spending time with Candy, Candy is in actuality doing the same for Lucifer. The outcome is "Charlotte" is totally confused whereas Lucifer now knows where his mum's mindset is. And that remains unfalteringly on returning to Heaven.
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| Dan, Chloe and Lucifer react to Candy pointing out a significant detail in their murder investigation |
Meanwhile, Lucifer's use of Candy in discerning Chloe's mindset is a less clever move, but suffice it to say Chloe is extremely furious with him. Of course, she remains unaware that her birth was ordered by God and that that is why Lucifer fled soon after they had admitted their feelings for each other, and thus spends most of the episode refusing to allow him to join the case, a simple one revolving around the murder of a band's lead singer (and don't think I missed the band's name, The Heavy Woolies, an actually real band of which executive producer Ildy Modrovich is the lead vocalist). Of course, the conclusion sees Lucifer granted a return to the LAPD as Chloe's partner, as we knew it would.
VIEWERS: 3.41m
DEMOGRAPHIC SHARE: 1.0
VERDICT: A return that did everything necessary to head towards a fresh endgame. 8/10
Lucifer - 2x15 "Deceptive Little Parasite"
"Lucifer and Chloe investigate the murder of a Head of Admissions at a prestigious school. "Charlotte's" obsession with returning to Heaven grows stronger and she pressures Lucifer to find a way to get them all there."
Refreshingly, Lucifer is back to normal after the stopgap that was Candy in the previous episode. Here, Lucifer's egocentricity returns to its normal extremes, with Lucifer continually whining about the case, making numerous sex jokes and ignoring Chloe's orders. He's desperate to get "Charlotte" back to heaven and to do so means he needs to ignite Azrael's blade, but that requires Lucifer to control his emotions; thus, a murder based in a school setting itself on that principle made for a way to connect both the murder and Lucifer's singular search for answers.
And, as per usual, he finds them at Dr, Martin's door: that his pain over finding out the truth about Chloe is the suppressed feeling he could use to ignite Azrael's blade. It doesn't quite work, though: Lucifer fails to light the blade for long enough, causing "Charlotte" to take off and reveal to the audience that she is running out of time. Perhaps something to do with her human form? Who knows, but it's put a timer on the return to Heaven.
There are a few other things to note from the episode - other extremes. For example, Maze helping Chloe with the case by pretending to be her lover at a school gathering; and Lucifer letting a teacher (who he didn't realise was the killer) into Chloe's car because if he agrees she will teach him how to control his emotions. That only backfired when she pulled Chloe's gun.
Once again, Dan played a very insignificant part of the story, and there was no sign of Ella at all. They probably won't have much to do in this final run of episodes, but I hope I'm wrong.
VIEWERS: 3.29m
DEMOGRAPHIC SHARE: 0.9
VERDICT: Peak Lucifer, perhaps even beyond that. As whole an episode as there can be. 9/10
This felt like a weaker entry in the second season of Lucifer, though a quite necessary step. The patient, calling himself "God Johnson", was never actually going to be the incarnation of God, so I was waiting simply for the penny to drop: although it did in a clever way (he found a piece of Azrael's blade and wore it as a belt buckle), I'm just not sure about the episode. God Johnson's apology to Lucifer was heartwarming, but also served the story purpose that, once he was revealed not to be God, only strengthened Lucifer's anger since he knew his real Dad would never say those things to him. And of course, the piece of Azrael's blade ("The piece is here", as we remember Uriel's cryptic deathbed message), can push Lucifer towards returning to heaven. So like I say, a necessary step, but not a strong one.
Et tu, the murder case. Often the murders of the week take a backseat to heavenly storylines, but never so much as in "God Johnson". There were never any real suspects to speak of and I knew from the forced manner in which the doctor thanked Nurse Gibson that she was the killer. Right from that moment. Which is unusual for Lucifer.
Overbearing Maze was one of the best things about the episode: her lack of understanding about friendship was hilarious, especially when she kept trying to set up Chloe for a threesome. I remain unsure of Dan's importance though: again, he was shafted aside by a major plot that didn't involve him; although "Charlotte" coming to him for comfort is important for her, it's less so for him and he needs a larger voice.
Refreshingly, Lucifer is back to normal after the stopgap that was Candy in the previous episode. Here, Lucifer's egocentricity returns to its normal extremes, with Lucifer continually whining about the case, making numerous sex jokes and ignoring Chloe's orders. He's desperate to get "Charlotte" back to heaven and to do so means he needs to ignite Azrael's blade, but that requires Lucifer to control his emotions; thus, a murder based in a school setting itself on that principle made for a way to connect both the murder and Lucifer's singular search for answers.
There are a few other things to note from the episode - other extremes. For example, Maze helping Chloe with the case by pretending to be her lover at a school gathering; and Lucifer letting a teacher (who he didn't realise was the killer) into Chloe's car because if he agrees she will teach him how to control his emotions. That only backfired when she pulled Chloe's gun.
Once again, Dan played a very insignificant part of the story, and there was no sign of Ella at all. They probably won't have much to do in this final run of episodes, but I hope I'm wrong.
VIEWERS: 3.29m
DEMOGRAPHIC SHARE: 0.9
VERDICT: Peak Lucifer, perhaps even beyond that. As whole an episode as there can be. 9/10
Lucifer - 2x16 "God Johnson"
"The latest murder case takes Lucifer into an insane asylum - where he suspects one of the patients of being God."
This felt like a weaker entry in the second season of Lucifer, though a quite necessary step. The patient, calling himself "God Johnson", was never actually going to be the incarnation of God, so I was waiting simply for the penny to drop: although it did in a clever way (he found a piece of Azrael's blade and wore it as a belt buckle), I'm just not sure about the episode. God Johnson's apology to Lucifer was heartwarming, but also served the story purpose that, once he was revealed not to be God, only strengthened Lucifer's anger since he knew his real Dad would never say those things to him. And of course, the piece of Azrael's blade ("The piece is here", as we remember Uriel's cryptic deathbed message), can push Lucifer towards returning to heaven. So like I say, a necessary step, but not a strong one.
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| Lucifer and Dr. Martin watch "Charlotte" and God Johnson dance |
Overbearing Maze was one of the best things about the episode: her lack of understanding about friendship was hilarious, especially when she kept trying to set up Chloe for a threesome. I remain unsure of Dan's importance though: again, he was shafted aside by a major plot that didn't involve him; although "Charlotte" coming to him for comfort is important for her, it's less so for him and he needs a larger voice.
VIEWERS: 3.06m
DEMOGRAPHIC SHARE: 0.8
VERDICT: The most highly anticipated episode of the final five and there was just something indescribable missing. 7.5/10
Chloe and "Charlotte" working together on a case couldn't be a funnier premise, and in it those hilarious facets of "Charlotte" that don't understand normal human behaviour shine through: prime examples being her willingness to give a lot of money for a product before receiving any proof at all the person possesses it, or her constant stumblings when talking to crime boss Bianca Ruiz. But Chloe having to work her way around that was hilarious.
Other noteworthy moments: Linda's troubles with the Ethics Committee after helping Lucifer break God Johnson out of a mental asylum creates not only a fun subplot but proves once again Lucifer has no idea about human behaviour - and it was fun seeing Linda mad at him. Dan and Chloe discovering "Charlotte" is Lucifer's "step"-mum and Dan's shock; and of course, Maze and Lucifer's fight after Maze was hurt he planned to return to Heaven. And "Charlotte" accidentally killing her smuggler due to her divine body struggling with its human host. All good, funny stuff.
It's notable, however, that there is distance between Lucifer and Chloe in these back 5 episodes. A significant amount of distance. More of the case work is being pursued by Chloe either alone or with a new partner (Maze and "Charlotte" the most prominent examples), and there's also a number of scenes with her in the precinct that lack Lucifer's presence. This is to be expected given Chloe has little overall plot importance in this back straight, but it almost makes the murder cases feel pointless - and of course it's no fun when you consider the whole Lucifer/Chloe attraction has barely been addressed since 2x14.
But a problem I discover retrospectively is this didn't have the feel of a penultimate episode: in fact, I was rather surprised when I looked up at the title and realised that it was. There wasn't quite the build to the finale that there was midway through the season with Chloe, Dr Carlyle and the Lucifer/Chloe relationship - but the episode did end on a crucial note: that the final piece of the sword - the key - has been found, and Amenadiel had it this whole time.
Lucifer - 2x17 "Sympathy for the Goddess"
"Charlotte continues her search for the final piece of the sword, but a young man smuggling something for her is killed and Chloe is drawn in to solve the crime."
Chloe and "Charlotte" working together on a case couldn't be a funnier premise, and in it those hilarious facets of "Charlotte" that don't understand normal human behaviour shine through: prime examples being her willingness to give a lot of money for a product before receiving any proof at all the person possesses it, or her constant stumblings when talking to crime boss Bianca Ruiz. But Chloe having to work her way around that was hilarious.
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| Maze initiates a fight with Lucifer |
It's notable, however, that there is distance between Lucifer and Chloe in these back 5 episodes. A significant amount of distance. More of the case work is being pursued by Chloe either alone or with a new partner (Maze and "Charlotte" the most prominent examples), and there's also a number of scenes with her in the precinct that lack Lucifer's presence. This is to be expected given Chloe has little overall plot importance in this back straight, but it almost makes the murder cases feel pointless - and of course it's no fun when you consider the whole Lucifer/Chloe attraction has barely been addressed since 2x14.
But a problem I discover retrospectively is this didn't have the feel of a penultimate episode: in fact, I was rather surprised when I looked up at the title and realised that it was. There wasn't quite the build to the finale that there was midway through the season with Chloe, Dr Carlyle and the Lucifer/Chloe relationship - but the episode did end on a crucial note: that the final piece of the sword - the key - has been found, and Amenadiel had it this whole time.
VIEWERS: 3.05m
DEMOGRAPHIC SHARE: 0.8
VERDICT: The decrease in Lucifer and Chloe scenes is becoming impossible to ignore, and it's having a direct influence on the quality of these final few episodes, no matter how good they are. 7.5/10
After an iffy back four episodes, Lucifer did exactly what it needed to with this finale and addressed some of the important issues between its characters. The most important was Chloe and Lucifer's increased separation. I'm all for cases-of-the-week that deal with the overarching plot more than the case-of-the-week (peak Lucifer), but the last few episodes have also been at the expense of the Lucifer and Chloe relationship, soured after Lucifer discovered she was the handiwork of God. Chloe hadn't really spoke up about it and Lucifer hadn't mentioned it, but here they came to a sort of understanding, and perhaps things will soon settle back to normal in season 3.
The other resolution was Amenadiel losing his powers. He was so effective in season 1, but since the beginning of season 2 his powers have left him, and then forgotten about. But with the revelation that God gave Amenadiel the final piece of the Flaming Sword, Amenadiel realised this loss of his powers was a test of faith, one he failed. And once his faith returned, so too did his powers.
Just in time, too, because Amenadiel's ability to stop time bought Maze enough to transport the injured Linda to hospital before she died (an injury received thanks to "Charlotte's" own burgeoning powers). It also saved "Charlotte" from dying in a standoff with the real killer-of-the-week, buying Lucifer time to have her jump off the pier onto the beach, where he then let her go off to create a new world of her own rather than hurt God or back to Hell. A happy ending for "Charlotte", although I'm surprised I hadn't considered what would happen to the host body afterwards. I had expected the body to remain dead, but instead the real Charlotte Richards awoke, with no knowledge of Lucifer or her fling Detective Dan. Clever stuff.
In visiting Linda in hospital, I also found it very cute that Lucifer didn't want to talk about himself for once.
But what, then, was that ending? Just as the complete resolution - Lucifer vowing to finally, and properly, reveal all to Chloe - was about to occur, Lucifer was knocked out and awoke in the desert with his wings. A cliffhanger out of nowhere - but is this even real? Is Lucifer still on Earth or is the desert a version of Hell or Heaven? Who knows. I'm slightly frustrated by this copout, but it will lead us towards a good third season plot, so I can't be too mad.
VIEWERS: 3.31m
Lucifer - 2x18 "The Good, the Bad and the Crispy"
"Lucifer must protect his mother when her burgeoning abilities bring a homicide investigation to Chloe's door."
After an iffy back four episodes, Lucifer did exactly what it needed to with this finale and addressed some of the important issues between its characters. The most important was Chloe and Lucifer's increased separation. I'm all for cases-of-the-week that deal with the overarching plot more than the case-of-the-week (peak Lucifer), but the last few episodes have also been at the expense of the Lucifer and Chloe relationship, soured after Lucifer discovered she was the handiwork of God. Chloe hadn't really spoke up about it and Lucifer hadn't mentioned it, but here they came to a sort of understanding, and perhaps things will soon settle back to normal in season 3.
The other resolution was Amenadiel losing his powers. He was so effective in season 1, but since the beginning of season 2 his powers have left him, and then forgotten about. But with the revelation that God gave Amenadiel the final piece of the Flaming Sword, Amenadiel realised this loss of his powers was a test of faith, one he failed. And once his faith returned, so too did his powers.
Just in time, too, because Amenadiel's ability to stop time bought Maze enough to transport the injured Linda to hospital before she died (an injury received thanks to "Charlotte's" own burgeoning powers). It also saved "Charlotte" from dying in a standoff with the real killer-of-the-week, buying Lucifer time to have her jump off the pier onto the beach, where he then let her go off to create a new world of her own rather than hurt God or back to Hell. A happy ending for "Charlotte", although I'm surprised I hadn't considered what would happen to the host body afterwards. I had expected the body to remain dead, but instead the real Charlotte Richards awoke, with no knowledge of Lucifer or her fling Detective Dan. Clever stuff.
In visiting Linda in hospital, I also found it very cute that Lucifer didn't want to talk about himself for once.
But what, then, was that ending? Just as the complete resolution - Lucifer vowing to finally, and properly, reveal all to Chloe - was about to occur, Lucifer was knocked out and awoke in the desert with his wings. A cliffhanger out of nowhere - but is this even real? Is Lucifer still on Earth or is the desert a version of Hell or Heaven? Who knows. I'm slightly frustrated by this copout, but it will lead us towards a good third season plot, so I can't be too mad.
VIEWERS: 3.31m
DEMOGRAPHIC SHARE: 0.9
VERDICT: Wrapped up almost everything, threw some surprises in as well and had a decent cliffhanger. 9/10
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
WEEK ONE --- Lucifer: "My mum's gonna kill me."
WEEK SIX --- Lucifer (tries to take picture with the victim's body): "For the Insta!"
WEEK EIGHTEEN --- Maze: "Self-worth comes from within, bitches. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to slut up."
WEEK TWENTY --- Dr. Martin (on helping to kill and resurrect Lucifer): "The brain only lasts 3 minutes after death. Or so I read ... just now ... like on the ride over. WHY AM I DOING THIS AGAIN?"
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