Lucifer led a rebellion against God. Banished from Heaven, the fallen angel was condemned to rule over Hell. But he got bored… He decided to live amongst humans, and chose, of course, Los Angeles, the city of Angels! Proud owner of a night club -named Lux, as he is the Lightbringer, Lucifer is dizzy with pleasure and debauchery. Until a friend of him, a singer, is killed. He decides to find and punish the murderer. Doing so, he crosses paths with a charming detective, Chloe Decker.
The young woman is quite annoyed by this man who claims to be the devil, but it’s clear that he has a very useful talent: the people he interviews are incapable of lying to him, and reveal their hidden desires -which comes handy in an investigation! Lucifer also claims he never lies, but seriously, the devil? Chloe’s intrigued, and needs a partner anyway since she’s become the black sheep of the precinct. Lucifer is also intrigued : that the first time a woman is immune to both his charm and his mojo, how can it be possible ? So, the devil becomes a consultant to the LAPD. At the very least, it shouldn’t be boring.
The devil you can’t help but like
The series has many assets: its excellent playlist, its colorful style (Lucifer drives a Corvette, wears haute-couture suits and Louboutins), its piquant dialogues, and so on. Based on the DC Vertigo comics’s Lucifer, the series relies on a cast of characters (and a good casting), all of whom are endearing. The whole divine family, right up to Rory (last season), is teeming with atypical personalities. In the end, the celestials (even God himself) prove to be quite human. At the start of the series, Lucifer is a self-absorbed narcissist, Amenadiel is rigorous and vindictive, and their mother, the goddess of all creation, a wounded and vengeful woman. Human characters, Chloe, Dan, Dr Linda, Ella, Trixie, are, well, human, it’s easy to identify with them. In between, the demon Mazikeen is a complex and interesting character.
Lucifer is a (mostly) family series, perfect for relaxing and cheering up. But that’s not all it is. Through the relationships of the angel siblings, and their complicated relationship with God the father, the series questions the existential crises we all go through: did our parents really love us? Who are we, and because of whom or thanks to whom? In Los Angeles, Lucifer discovers psychotherapy. Although the patient is atypical (he misinterprets all advice), over the years he overcomes his ego and becomes (who would have thought?) a better man.
A fresh and morale booster series, more complex and smart than it may seem…
6 seasons, 93 episodes (50 mn), 2016 – 2021, on Fox and Netflix
Created for Warner Bros by Jerry Bruckenheimer, WITH :
- Celestials: Tom Ellis as Lucifer Morningstar (and Michael), D. B. Woodside as Amenadiel, Lesley-Ann Brandt as Mazikeen “Maze“, Tricia Helfer as Mum / Goddess, Dennis Haysbert as Dad / God, Brianna Hildebrand as Aurora, aka Rory
- Humans: Lauren German as Detective Chloe Decker, Kevin Alejandro as Detective Daniel “Dan” Espinoza, Rachael Harris as Dr. Linda Martin, Aimee Garcia as Ella Lopez, Tom Welling as Lieutenant Marcus Pierce / Cain, Inbar Lavi as Eve, Scarlett Estevez as Beatrice “Trixie” Espinoza