Lucifer

Episode Reviews

May 28, 2021: “Family Dinner”

Lucifer’s father shows up on earth for an unexpected family reunion, much to his three sons’ discomfort. Meanwhile, Lucifer and Chloe try to solve a murder that may involve some familial tension of its own.

First, the easy procedural stuff: Lucifer, Chloe and others see the charred body of the victim (mostly covered with a forensics sheet) at a mini-golf course owned by his family. The man’s three siblings fall under suspicion, as does the owner of a rival putt-putt establishment. When trying to explain absences during the night of the murder, one brother says that he was making out with his girlfriend. (His brother and sister say that no one would make out with him unless she was paid to do so.) Another admits to smoking marijuana. They discuss the rivalry with the other mini-golf course, which involved rearranging some of the course statuary in suggestive poses. (Lucifer says he also changed the poses of some to suggest homosexual sex.) Characters drink wine and other alcoholic beverages, and Lucifer downs several glasses of whiskey in short order (and seems to be a bit drunk).

Now, the theological issues.

God asks his three children to come for a “nice family dinner.” Lucifer brings a souffle, “risen perfectly, just as you like them.” He accuses God of being a terrible father incapable of love, and Amenadiel (the eldest of God’s sons at the table—Jesus is rarely mentioned and has never made an appearance on Lucifer) agrees that he’ll raise his own son—a mortal he sired with human psychologist named Linda—much differently and more kindly than God raised him. Lucifer also tells God that he and his brothers are all messed up because of God: “If all the apples are bad,” he shouts, “maybe it’s the tree that’s the problem.” During dinner and elsewhere, Lucifer and others question or joke about God’s omniscience and suggest that God has made plenty of mistakes and just refuses to admit to them.

After dinner, Amendiel confirms with God that his son, Charlie, is mortal, and asks to switch places with him, so Charlie would never have to experience sickness or death. “You’d do anything for your son,” God tells him. “If only fatherhood was ever that easy.” He then bans Michael from Earth shortly thereafter. God talks a great deal about his grandson, Charlie. Linda recalls how she met both “Eve and the goddess of all creation (who in Lucifer’s theology, is God’s ex-wife). She offers God both water and wine, saying they’re “all the same to You.” There’s a reference to an “evil priest” who tried to convince Chloe to poison Lucifer. We see crosses on a model of a church on a putt-putt course. God and his three children sit at a table and—purposefully or no—their positions echo a Christian cross, with God at the head and Lucifer (removed from the rest) forming the base.

Characters say the s-word once. We also hear “a–” (with a couple of characters using the word to refer to God), “h—,” “d–n” and the British profanity “bloody.”

Aug. 21, 2020: “Really Sad Devil Guy”

As the newly reinstated king of hell, Lucifer does his duty to torture the souls that reside there. However, after realizing that his still-on-earth friends are assigned to the case of a criminal recently sent to hell, he attempts to solve the man’s murder to help them. A demon temporarily possesses the body of a recently deceased man to give Chloe a message from Lucifer. Lucifer controls a man’s “hell loop,” created from the man’s worst memories on earth as a form of torture. He explains that every person in the hell loop is actually a demon (one of which is faceless). Someone says, “Amen.” The demon Maze and human Chloe pretend to be a lesbian couple while undercover. Maze kisses Chloe after their work is done, which Chloe rejects. Chloe and Lucifer kiss. We see a couple in their underwear as the man kisses the woman on her neck. People in bathing suits dance and drink on a boat. One man adjusts his speedo. A woman wears a revealing dress to a poker game. Some women wear outfits baring cleavage to a nightclub and dance closely together with men and other women. Some women talk crudely about sex. Men hit on women several times. A man gets shot in the chest. When police investigate the corpse, they discover his hand has also been cut off, and we later see the dismembered limb. Chloe and Lucifer get caught in a shootout with several thugs, killing some of them and knocking the rest unconscious. A man runs into the street and gets hit by a car, cutting up his body quite badly and killing him. A woman attempts to hold Maze at gunpoint, but Maze flips and disarms her. Maze beats up several security officers. We hear about several death threats. Someone holds a playing card covered in blood. A woman destroys a piano in anger. A man deals drugs at a nightclub and later reveals they are prescriptions he stole from ill family members. People drink at various social gatherings throughout the episode. People gamble thousands of dollars at high-stakes poker games. We learn about a thief. We hear uses of the s-word, “h—,” “b–ch,” “b–tard,” “d–n” and “a–hole.” God’s name is also misused. A woman is sad that her estranged brother never turned his criminal lifestyle around before he was murdered. Lucifer later discovers the man regrets not visiting her and his parents one last time before their parents died. Two parents are advised that the best way to raise their child is to just be there for him when he needs them.

May 28, 2018: “Once Upon a Time”

Lucifer has gone back in time to save Chloe’s father (who was shot early in her childhood) and, because of his interference in the past, the present day looks different for almost everyone. Lucifer still owns his nightclub and is looking to expand his business endeavors. Chloe is a famous actress who secretly desires to be an actual detective. When a man is killed in Lucifer’s nightclub, he and Chloe run into one another to solve the mysterious death. Elsewhere, Lucifer’s business partner (the woman that was formerly possessed by his mother) plans to steal from him—but she may have to sell her soul to another evil entity to do so. Characters have sex (noises are heard) and passionately kiss. There’s mention of intercourse, impotence and foreplay. A woman grabs a man’s genitals. A man places money down a woman’s bra. A cop discusses a case involving a naked man. Someone tells a therapist that a woman has cheated on her husband. Men go shirtless and women wear clothing revealing cleavage and stomachs. People are stabbed and shot (we see blood). God is repetitively referred to as harsh and judgmental and we hear mention of punishment for sins. A demon tells a woman to embrace her “deepest, darkest desires.” God’s name is misused once and other profanities include “h—,” “d–mit” and the British profanity “bloody.” Someone is called many crass names. People consume hard liquor and smoke cigarettes.

Mar. 19, 2018: “The Last Heartbreak”

Marcus (actually Cain, the world’s first murderer) is a new lieutenant for the Los Angeles Police Department. He has recently begun a romantic relationship with recently-divorced Chloe and is helping both her and Lucifer chase down the “Broken Hearts Killer,” who was seemingly last active in 1958. Lucifer fears that Dan and Chloe’s relationship will ruin their partnership. Meanwhile, Mazikeen (a demon in woman form and Lucifer’s best friend) is tired of pretending to be a “good” example while living in Trixie, Dan and Chloe’s home. Amenadiel (one of the sons of the celestial being (and the universe’s creator, along with his former wife, Goddess) God and elder brother of Lucifer) finds his mother, Charlotte, but she can’t seem to remember who she is. Turns out, Charlotte was murdered and taken over by Goddess, who was sent to hell and has since then returned to earth. Goddess then vacated Charlotte’s body and has left Charlotte with no memory of her former self. Linda (a human therapist and friend of Amenadiel) gives Charlotte counsel. The apparent Broken Hearts Killer murders people who have been unfaithful toward their spouses. We see dead bodies covered in blood with their chests smashed in and we learn their wedding rings have been shoved down their throats.There is much talk of death and murder. Characters drink liquor and smoke. Some show cleavage while wearing revealing outfits. Someone jokes about having a threesome, grabs their own breast and makes careless jokes about having sex. God’s name is misused four times. We hear the words “h—,” and “stupid” twice and “d—” once. Victims are drugged and an elderly woman is, unknowingly, given “pot brownies” which sends her to the hospital. Drunken men lay on the floor, surrounded by beer cans.

Jan. 25, 2016: “Pilot”

One-time musical star Delilah is encouraged, oddly, by Lucifer to turn her life around—to stop with the alcohol, the drugs and the topless selfies. And when Delilah says, “God, I’m a mess,” Lucifer insists that “God has nothing to do with your mess.” Then Delilah’s gunned down, and her killer is killed in a wicked car crash. (We see both bloodied bodies.) Lucifer threatens a guy by holding him out the window. A shootout leaves two people on the brink of death. Lucifer scares the stuffing out of an elementary school bully and threatens an apparent murderer. Visuals intimate that Lucifer’s assistant/demon/bartender is given oral sex. We hear about other sexual encounters and watch Lucifer seduces a woman. We’re told that Chloe appeared topless in a movie and that Delilah has been quite promiscuous. People discuss affairs. Lucifer talks about “hookers” in front of a kid. Women wear revealing clothes. We see packets of drugs and hear about heroin and “roofies.” Lucifer gets access to a rapper by claiming to be a narcotics dealer. He fiddles with a cigarette. He and others drink alcohol. In addition to talking about the place it represents, characters use “h—“ as a swear six or so times, once paired with “bloody.” People say “d–k,” “b–ch,” “d–n” and “a–“ (one to three times each). “God’s name is misused. An f-word is obscured by a timely horn. Lucifer toys with a coin featuring a demonic pentagram on one side and a crucified Jesus on the other. He insinuates that God just “decided” that he was evil. There’s lots of loose and distorting talk about God, angels, heaven and hell.