Lucifer Review (2016)

Lucifer is a supernatural show based on a comic book of the same name. The show has many strengths, one of them is its characters. Almost every casting choice seems perfect. Lucifer’s seasons 1 and 2 are great but by the end of season 3 the show lost a lot of its charm and it just did not feel right, however, when Fox canceled Lucifer, (after a lengthy fan campaign) Netflix picked it up and renewed it for season 4 and 5. The show got back on its track when it got in the hands of Netflix, so it is definitely worth a watch.

4/5

lucifer-poster

Genres: | |

Director: Len Wiseman

Writers: Tom Kapinos, Joe Henderson

Stars: Tom Ellis, Lauren German, Lesley-Ann Brandt

Duration: 42min/episode

Calibbr Score

lucifer-review-scoreboard

Directing: The directing for the first 3 seasons was good. The show had good pacing (if not great) but the directing really stood out in seasons 4 and 5. It seemed perfect in the last two seasons.

Screenplay: Lucifer is presented as a police procedural show, so it has many elements of thriller and mystery. The show’s screenplay is written in such a manner that it never becomes boring. It is safe to say the screenplay of Lucifer is good.

Cinematography: The show does not look ugly, in fact, it looks great but the cinematography is not groundbreaking or anything.

Acting: The acting of this show is where it shines. The star-studded cast does not disappoint. It is very good.

Visual Effects: The show – even on a not so immense budget – managed to have some amazing visual effects.

Sound | Music: The music used within the show fits the settings and situations perfectly. Overall the music is very good.

Production Design: The production design of Lucifer is good.


General Review

Lucifer is a well-made adaptation of DC’s graphic novel of the same name.

In simpler words the plot of the series follows the story of Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis), the Devil, who flees Hell for Los Angeles, where he manages his own nightclub called Lux and works as an adviser for the LAPD, mainly a detective named Chloe Decker (Lauren German).

The show gets better and better with each season. From the beginning the show makes its premise and tone clear. It sets an expectation for the viewers. The dialogue and writing is brilliant. An episode rarely feels like a drag (with some exceptions). The casting is perfect, especially the casting of Tom Ellis as Lucifer but more on that later. Each main cast member has an infectious chemistry.

The show creators have created an amazing world surrounding the characters, the story is multi-layered having many elements of mystery and suspense. Each episode ends on a cliff-hanger and will keep you on the edge of your seat. Also, the soundtrack and music used for each occasion hits different. It fits perfectly within situations. There are a lot of neat touches in the production. Lighter tones are used in the visuals, giving it a more cinematic sense than most programs, most likely to reflect the larger-than-life characters.

The show is not perfect, in the third season you may feel a little lost and wonder where the show is heading from here. It loses some of its momentum in some episodes. Some side characters in the earlier seasons have choppy acting.

However, none of these elements is a deal breaker because the writing and the main cast’s acting is enough to keep you glued to the screen. I would highly recommend giving the show a try and at least finishing Season 1 before deciding whether you want to finish the series or not.

Now, let’s discuss what makes this show worth your time, a bit more in detail.


Pilot

It will be impossible to discuss Lucifer without mentioning the pilot of the show. The pilot episode of Lucifer was absolutely perfect. It does a great job of setting up the characters and the tone of the show. The introduction of Tom Ellis as Lucifer Morningstar is just brilliant. He proves himself as the perfect casting choice from the very first scene along with Lauren German who plays the female protagonist named Chloe Decker. With that said, the first season is not without flaws. It has some examples of choppy acting but the main cast’s performances overshadow these problems. The writing is brilliant, the show deals with elements of mystery in such a way that the viewers are on the edge of their seats till the very last scene. All in all, it was a great way to kick things off.


The Star: Tom Ellis

tom-ellis-lucifer

Tom Ellis plays the main protagonist of the show—Lucifer Morningstar. He has done a phenomenal job of bringing that character to life with his quirky dialogue delivery and witty mannerism. It is hard to imagine anyone playing the role except him. His performance is one of the reasons why fans are hooked to the show. He has nailed down the role to perfection.    His devilish smile is really infectious. Just like his powers in the show, his looks and quirky acting are irresistible.

A little fun fact that Tom Ellis revealed himself —despite him playing the character of Devil, his father is actually a pastor but nonetheless he is very supportive of Tom’s acting. It is just irony at its best.


The Storyline

The show’s central idea is that the Devil escapes hell and travels to Los Angeles for a vacation. He then meets an investigator named Chloe. Lucifer notices something unusual about her right away: she’s impervious to his charms and begins assisting her in the investigation of murders while juggling his own celestial family problems. Not to mention, he tries throughout the show to reconnect with his human side and shed the devil’s terrible reputation. This show will open your eyes to a whole new way of thinking about hell, heaven, angels, and even the devil.

Of course, the story isn’t entirely original, as it’s based on a 1989 comic book written by Neil Gaiman. It is, nevertheless, a one-of-a-kind and incredibly intriguing storyline. The writers do a decent job to keep the storyline fresh. Except for some episodes of season 2 and 3, each episode is fun to watch, interesting and expands the show’s universe.


Attention to Detail

There are many hidden easter eggs within the show which goes to show how much attention to detail the creative team behind the show has put in. Let us discuss a few of these easter eggs.

With the help of a trailer portraying Lucifer emerging from a pool clad in only swim trunks, his ring, and a “666” tattoo, Netflix announced the release date of Lucifer’s fourth season exactly 666 hours before the season finally dropped on May 8. This was not the only “666” reference in the show. In a bit more obvious way, during the Arrowverse crossover event called “Crisis on Infinite Earths”, Tom Ellis appeared as Lucifer Morningstar and in that episode it was revealed that Lucifer takes place on Earth-666 in the DC’s Multiverse. Another great detail is that the only significant holiday depicted in the entire series is Halloween. There are no Christmas episodes, which is unusual for a major network series.

All these little details do not provide much in terms of the storyline but they just go to show how passionately the creators have invested their time and talent in this show.


Conclusion

To conclude, Lucifer is an extremely binge-worthy show. It is fresh and exciting. It can be called a breath of fresh air among usual superhero centric comic book tv shows. The whole experience is worthwhile and it will keep you hooked for many days. It has a total of 5 seasons currently with an expected sixth season which will be the last one as announced by Netflix. Fans are eagerly waiting for the conclusion of this amazing show. One thing is certain that the final season will not disappoint, it will fulfill all fan expectations and the production value will be top-notch as expected from Netflix.


Similar Shows

While you wait for the sixth season of here are some similar shows you can watch:

Preacher | Supernatural | American Gods | Constantine | Grimm | iZombie | Angel