After 6 seasons and one network change, fans of the TV series Lucifer got the see the story wrap up when Netflix released the final season on September 10, 2021. The show premiered on FOX back in September 2016 and stayed on the network for three seasons, before canceling the series. But, fan support and a campaign from the show’s star (Tom Ellis) helped push for pickup by Netflix. The streaming service then produced 4 seasons of the show before its recent finale.
It’s rare for a show to last 6 seasons and even more uncommon for a show to be canceled by one network and then picked up by another for a successful run. Now that the show is wrapped up, let’s take a look at the series (with limited spoilers) to help you decide if you might want to add it to your Netflix binge-watch list.
The Source Material
The character of Lucifer was created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, and Mike Dringenberg for the DC Comics series, The Sandman. Later, Lucifer was given his own spin-off comic book series, also published by DC Comics.
In The Sandman, Lucifer abdicated his role as ruler over Hell after 10 billion years. He chose to instead retire to Earth. Obviously, there is a lot more to the story in the comics, but this premise sets up the TV series.
What’s the Show About?
The show kicks off by introducing us to Lucifer Morningstar, Los Angeles nightclub owner, playboy, and former ruler of Hell. Basically, he grew bored and disenchanted of ruling Hell and decided to take an extended vacation (or longer) to Earth, leaving Hell to fend for itself. Through various coincidences (or are they?), he meets LAPD homicide detective Chloe Decker and ingratiates himself with the department to become an investigative consultant.
The show then follows a common, mismatched partner dynamic, as Lucifer and Decker work together to solve various cases. It’s also no surprise that their relationship will turn into a ‘will they or won’t they?’ romantic plot across multiple seasons.
At the same time, Lucifer will deal with leaving Hell to its own devices, have interactions with various other celestial beings (angels, demons, God, Caine, Eve, Adam, etc.). Additional human characters include Lucifer’s therapist, Chloe’s ex-husband, Chloe’s young daughter, the LAPD CSI, and various other members of the police department.
The series isn’t overly serious and certainly plays a lot of scenes for laughs, but at its core, it is about topics of redemption, personal growth, and of course the love story between Lucifer and Chloe.
Watch it or Not?
The show has generally received mixed reviews. It was never a hug critic favorite and while it has loyal fans, others never quite got into it. The special effects are fairly pedestrian and the stories are fairly breezy for the most part. All that said, I have watched the entire series and found it mostly entertaining. So, while I wouldn’t suggest you need to set aside a weekend to start binging episodes, it is still a fun, engaging show. So, give it a look.
