I didn't want to like the TV adaptation of Lucifer. Mostly because they kept saying how the TV series was going to have a procedural vibe, with the titular character thinking that it would be a hoot to help out the LAPD solve crimes.
But given my initial misgivings about Sleepy Hollow (really, it sounded bad on paper) and my eventual love for the series, I decided to give Lucifer a shot since it also calls FOX its network home. Maybe their streak of fun supernatural shows would continue with this one.
Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis) is done with lording over Hell. He decides to move to Los Angeles, opens a nightclub called Lux, and makes people admit and act out their desires. Despite the efforts of his ally Lilim Mazikeen (Lesley-Ann Brandt) and his angel brother Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside) to convince him to return to Hell, he is having far too much fun in his new role as club owner and in interacting with humans. When a former employee turned famous singer is killed in his company, he meets Detective Chloe Decker (Lauren German). Much to his surprise, the detective is immune to his powers. Intrigued, as well as on the hunt to find out who killed his friend, Lucifer tags along during the investigation despite Chloe's protests. Lucifer decides that solving crimes with the good detective would be a good way to alleviate his boredom.
When it comes to my viewing list, I don't mind being wrong about my initial negative assumptions. I maintain hopefulness every time, but if a series turned out to be good after all, I feel like the little viewing time I had wasn't wasted. After watching the first couple of episodes of Lucifer, it was safe to say I didn't waste my time at all.
I only got to read about a couple of volumes of the original graphic novel material, but I don't remember Lucifer being quite as fun-loving as the TV series iteration of the character. Lucifer is all about the fun and about alleviating the boredom that he endured for countless years in Hell. He lives life to the fullest, and encourages the humans around him to do so, making them voice out their desires. This particular talent is a great help when trying to get suspects to confess their crimes or find out the reasons for their criminal actions. It's always fun to watch Lucifer react to those confessions, because they range from finding satisfaction in the answers or having his theories completely blown out of the water.
Tom Ellis is a good fit for the character of Lucifer, running away with the character's eccentricities with aplomb. He sprinkles his portrayal of Lucifer with humor, mischief, and even danger. You can also rely on the man to turn on the charm, because how else can you get people to express their desires even if they're reluctant to do so (although the Hellish powers of angelic origins factor in)?
**Side note... what is up with all these charming English actors named Tom? My list is growing, with Ellis joining Hiddleston, Mison and Riley.
But the character of Lucifer isn't all fun and games. As the series progress, Lucifer becomes more vocal about his reasons for leaving hell. This particular point is driven home every time he encounters Amenadiel. For the humans who think that he's just playing the part of Lucifer, however, they just think he has daddy issues that he can't express realistically.
While the titular character is central to everything, Lucifer is actually an ensemble show. Chloe Decker has her own set of demons to deal with, with her recent divorce from Detective Dan Espinoza (Kevin Alejandro) and her disgrace at work after the fallout of a shooting of a fellow cop. There's an underlying mystery that's touched on time and again, but without any depth given that they have another season to explore it, that focuses on why she's immune to Lucifer's powers and the vulnerability she brings out in him. Psychiatrist Linda Martin (Rachael Harris) might be getting extra benefits as Lucifer's shrink, but she's vital in some of his more important realizations in the series. Mazikeen or Maze is loyal to a fault, making her own set of bad decisions but only wants what's best for Lucifer. Lucifer and Amenadiel have a love-hate relationship going on, but when they do work together or discuss their Father, their exchanges are sincere.
Lucifer also works well as a procedural, as much as I hate to admit it, with a murder or mystery to solve every week. But even with the short thirteen episode run of its freshman season, it offered a pretty good overarching storyline throughout the season. Amanadiel's machinations to get Lucifer to return to hell is a catalyst for an unlikely big bad, but one that isn't easily dismissed. The reasons for leaving Hell is a recurring topic and there are hints as to how his leaving can affect the delicate balance of... well, everything. There is a lot of potential for world and mythology building in the series... potential that I hope they don't waste in their upcoming second season in September. It should be interesting to see how "mum" factors in that mythology (I say mythology, because this obviously deviates from the bible... angels have mothers?), since God has tasked Lucifer to bring her back to Hell instead of chucking him right back to his former domain when there was a chance to do so.
So, in the end I ended up being wrong about not liking Lucifer. If they continue what they have started next season, as well as work on establishing stronger storylines, then I'm well on my way to loving it. I'm nearly there as it is.
Happy viewing!!Labels: Adaptation, Drama, FOX, Lucifer, Must-Watch, Procedural, Supernatural, TV, TV Series
