LUCIFER Not That Devilish

Article first published as DVD Review: 'Lucifer - The Complete First Season' on Blogcritics.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the DVD I reviewed for this blog post. The opinions I share are my own.

WB’s Lucifer, a weekly show airing on FOX, has now released its freshman season on Blu-ray and DVD. Having premiered in January on FOX, so its first run is short, this set contains all thirteen episodes on the three-disc set, plus bonus features.

Lucifer is a great example of wasted premise. Here, we have a hugely charming protagonist with a rich, complex backstory in Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis, Miranda). So does the series dig deep into the character’s mythology, play with his morality in interesting and challenging ways, and make it one man’s journey towards finding his compass in life? Especially given that the premise has him bored with Hell and looking for some other meaning?

No, it’s just a crime procedural. Don’t get me wrong; it’s an entertaining crime procedural. But why pair up the devil himself with a detective (Lauren German, Chicago Fire) and have him solve cases when there are so many more ripe story possibilities? Why kowtow to the same tired, boring format, essentially cloning its case-of-the-weeks from dozens of other shows just like it, when it could be something so much cooler?

It’s not like Lucifer‘s producers didn’t have source material to draw from. The series is based on a comic book co-created by the wonderful Neil Gaiman (The book, for the record, is not as crime procedural). And it’s not like the cast isn’t up to the challenge. Ellis is terrific, and is joined by wonderful performers like Kevin Alejandro (True Blood), Rachael Harris (Suits), DB Woodside (24), Lesley-Ann Brandt (Spartacus), and Kevin Rankin (Justified). Instead, the production ignores the potential it has and goes the “safe” route of copying what has been successful with other shows in the past. In doing so, they fail.

The fact that Lucifer is enjoyable to watch anyway is probably the most frustrating thing about it. Which isn’t to say it’s a great show; it definitely isn’t, especially in the way Lucifer’s powers are handled. But when I have it on, I do like it. This is a testament to how good so many of the people involved are, which makes me wonder what this cast and crew could do it they truly set out to make an original, deeper series. It’s not too late to change future seasons. They should really consider it.

The extras on this set are sadly not great. The four, really five, character profiles are pretty pointless for anyone who is actually watching the show, as is the “Devilish Duo” video. A gag reel is a gag reel, and while I do see the entertainment value of them, they aren’t something I’m particularly fond of. This is an overall mediocre batch of deleted scenes. And even the Comic-Con panel is truncated and pretty bland. I really, really wish the studios would do a better job of producing these panels and releasing them for home viewing, as I think they could be a very valuable bonus, but so rarely are.

If you’re looking for some mindless entertainment, Lucifer has you covered. If you’re looking for something that will make you think, impress you, and maybe take home some award show gold, then you can skip this one because it’s not destined to be a long-remembered series with a passionate fan base. At least, not unless it changes it’s strategy completely.

Lucifer – The Complete First Season is available now.

LUCIFER: Devil in the Details, But the Format is Hell

Article originally published as LUCIFER Review on Seat42F.

FOX (along with the other broadcast networks) is killing me! Even when they have a premise ripe for serial exploration and complex story-telling, they stuff it into a case-of-the-week procedural box. Sure, they allow a bit of ongoing narrative, but given the formula in episode one, you just know it’s going to be yet another repetitive crime show, even though it is begging not to be!

Let me slow down and tell you what I’m talking about. LUCIFER, a series premiering this week on FOX, stars Tom Ellis (Miranda) as Lucifer Morningstar. That’s right, the devil himself. Bored in hell, Lucifer has come to Earth to run a nightclub and mess with people while finding new purpose. His assistant, Mazikeen (Lesley Ann-Brandt, Spartacus), disapproves, as does God’s representative, Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside, Suits, 24), but Lucifer doesn’t care. Except, he does care, he finds, when the death of a mere mortal upsets him. Sounds pretty good, no?

The problem is, early in the pilot episode, LUCIFER becomes entranced with Chloe Decker (Lauren German, Chicago Fire), an LAPD detective. For some reason, Lucifer’s charms, which usually prompt people to spill their dark desires or, as in the case of psychiatrist Linda (Rachael Harris, Suits), swoon for him, don’t work on Chloe. This would all be well and good, except Lucifer helps Chloe solve a case and now wants to work with her on a regular basis.

Why oh why do the broadcast networks do this? How many television shows do we need where an outsider joins up with a member of law enforcement to solve crimes every week? Aren’t Bones, Sleepy Hollow, iZombie, Castle, Elementary, and oh so many more enough? I understand this often nets the networks viewers in the short-term, but these types of shows have little re-watchability, giving them shorter shelf lives than their lower-rated peers, and have flooded the airwaves.

LUCIFER likes to boast of its credentials. It is based on a comic book by Neil Gaiman, a spin-off of The Sandman. But in the illustrated version, Lucifer doesn’t get involved with a cop. Why the heck does he have to on the show?

What is most frustrating is that I really like LUCIFER. Tom Ellis plays the titular devil with brilliant complexity, and the personal depths of the character are ripe for much juicy exploration. The moral questions it raises and the religious implications are intriguing, and having other supernaturals in the cast teases epic conflicts to come. The first hour is enjoyable, and there isn’t a weak member of the cast, which also includes Kevin Alejandro (True Blood, The Returned) as Dan, Chloe’s ex-husband and co-worker.

And yet, this wonderful premise is watered down by repetitive formula. FOX has rarely been all that kind to genre shows, and without Chloe, LUCIFER is likely to be a genre fantasy. However, without Chloe, or at least without Chloe’s job taking center stage, it also leaves the narrative open to a lot more possibilities and directions. This show may occasionally explore off the beaten path, but it seems likely that most weeks will basically deliver the same thing, with only small bits to serve continuity.

LUCIFER is the perfect example of what is wrong with the Big Four networks and why they are dying. Even when they get a strong concept, they twist it to fit patterns that are outdated and tired. Instead of getting excited about LUCIFER, I plan to give it just a few more episodes to prove to me it can be better than the box it’s being stuffed into. No one will be happier than me if my summation of the situation turns out to be false. But I wouldn’t count on it.

LUCIFER airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on FOX.