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shapinglight) wrote2019-05-23 04:57 pm
shapinglight) wrote2019-05-23 04:57 pm
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Lucifer season 4 Review
I've finished Lucifer season 4 now.
Spoilery review behind cut.
I loved it, in case you were wondering. In fact, I've already started a re-watch.
This probably comes as no surprise to anyone who has read anything I've had to say about this show in the past, as it's well known that my critical faculties (such as they are) take a break when I watch it.
The shorter, tighter format has done the show a world of good, as has the removal of ridiculous network-based injunctions to dial back on the supernatural element of it as much as possible (which still begs the question - why, Fox TV, commission a show based on such a dark, packed-to-the-gills-with-supernatural-references comic book, if all you want from it is a light-hearted procedural? Just how stupid are you?).
Because of this, it felt in many ways like the show had finally come into its own- more like what it should have been all along, even if it was still saddled with the case-of-the-week/episode procedural element. That element was, however, even more perfunctory than it has been in previous seasons - only there to highlight the dramas and dilemmas of the main cast.
The (very much) shorter episode count also meant that the plot was much more focussed, and no longer felt full of padding. That does have its downside too, of course (see? I can be critical when it's called for), in that there was no room for wacky off-at-a-tangent episodes, like Lucifer and Ella in Vegas from season 3, also that stories for the second tier characters had to be squeezed in somewhere alongside a whole heap of character development for Lucifer and Chloe. Mostly, it worked out okay. Dan, Amenadiel and Linda all got decent storylines, IMO. I do think Ella was rather shortchanged, though, and Trixie was barely in it (though two of her three appearances were pretty memorable). Also, I'm not sure about Maze's storyline yet. Maybe I'll feel differently after the re-watch, but at the moment I'm thinking more could have been done with her too.
As for Lucifer and Chloe, both got a lot of character development. Chloe worked through the initial fear and revulsion caused by her sight of Lucifer's true face (or the face he appears to think is the true one, I'm not convinced), not to mention the sheer stupefaction of learning he was telling the truth all along, and - more importantly if this ends up being the final season, which I hope not, but it could be - Lucifer worked through a lot of his self-hatred and came out the other side. He also very definitively did an unselfish thing to protect baby Charlie, when he returned to hell to stop Earth being overrun by demons, and to make sure those demons never try to take Charlie again. The final scene in the series, of Lucifer sitting on his throne in hell was very powerful - certainly a lot better end for the show than the season 3 ending, if that's how it turns out.
Another thing that season 4 got right that season 3 didn't was in the quality of the guest actors. Both Inbar Lavi as Eve and Graham McTavish as Father Kinley/Dromos were superb. If there is a season 5, I'd be happy to see either of them again.
All the above said, I do have a few nitpicks, one of which is that this is the first season of Lucifer where the title character's pansexuality never even got mentioned (unless you count the fact that some of the participants in the mid-season orgy were male), which is ironic given that it's on Netflix now, where presumably showing diverse sexuality is less of a problem than on network TV. Also, I don't know why Amenadiel's and Linda's child had to be a boy, given that there's a perfectly good half-angel character in the comics - Elaine Belloc. Why couldn't the baby have been the show's version of her?
Finally, the biggest disappointment for me in the entire season was Remiel. I thought for sure she was lying when she said she would leave Linda and the baby alone after Amenadiel beat her in a fight, but all she did was say okay, you won, and go home. It all seemed a bit pointless.
Not that I was expecting her character to be anything like Remiel in the comics, though if there's a season 5 and she returns, that might be one way of getting Lucifer back out of hell - Remiel and Duma take over for him like they do in the comics. Another way would be to introduce a show version of Christopher Rudd and have him take over. We'll see, I suppose.
Well anyway, long and short of it, it was great. I loved it.
Spoilery review behind cut.
I loved it, in case you were wondering. In fact, I've already started a re-watch.
This probably comes as no surprise to anyone who has read anything I've had to say about this show in the past, as it's well known that my critical faculties (such as they are) take a break when I watch it.
The shorter, tighter format has done the show a world of good, as has the removal of ridiculous network-based injunctions to dial back on the supernatural element of it as much as possible (which still begs the question - why, Fox TV, commission a show based on such a dark, packed-to-the-gills-with-supernatural-references comic book, if all you want from it is a light-hearted procedural? Just how stupid are you?).
Because of this, it felt in many ways like the show had finally come into its own- more like what it should have been all along, even if it was still saddled with the case-of-the-week/episode procedural element. That element was, however, even more perfunctory than it has been in previous seasons - only there to highlight the dramas and dilemmas of the main cast.
The (very much) shorter episode count also meant that the plot was much more focussed, and no longer felt full of padding. That does have its downside too, of course (see? I can be critical when it's called for), in that there was no room for wacky off-at-a-tangent episodes, like Lucifer and Ella in Vegas from season 3, also that stories for the second tier characters had to be squeezed in somewhere alongside a whole heap of character development for Lucifer and Chloe. Mostly, it worked out okay. Dan, Amenadiel and Linda all got decent storylines, IMO. I do think Ella was rather shortchanged, though, and Trixie was barely in it (though two of her three appearances were pretty memorable). Also, I'm not sure about Maze's storyline yet. Maybe I'll feel differently after the re-watch, but at the moment I'm thinking more could have been done with her too.
As for Lucifer and Chloe, both got a lot of character development. Chloe worked through the initial fear and revulsion caused by her sight of Lucifer's true face (or the face he appears to think is the true one, I'm not convinced), not to mention the sheer stupefaction of learning he was telling the truth all along, and - more importantly if this ends up being the final season, which I hope not, but it could be - Lucifer worked through a lot of his self-hatred and came out the other side. He also very definitively did an unselfish thing to protect baby Charlie, when he returned to hell to stop Earth being overrun by demons, and to make sure those demons never try to take Charlie again. The final scene in the series, of Lucifer sitting on his throne in hell was very powerful - certainly a lot better end for the show than the season 3 ending, if that's how it turns out.
Another thing that season 4 got right that season 3 didn't was in the quality of the guest actors. Both Inbar Lavi as Eve and Graham McTavish as Father Kinley/Dromos were superb. If there is a season 5, I'd be happy to see either of them again.
All the above said, I do have a few nitpicks, one of which is that this is the first season of Lucifer where the title character's pansexuality never even got mentioned (unless you count the fact that some of the participants in the mid-season orgy were male), which is ironic given that it's on Netflix now, where presumably showing diverse sexuality is less of a problem than on network TV. Also, I don't know why Amenadiel's and Linda's child had to be a boy, given that there's a perfectly good half-angel character in the comics - Elaine Belloc. Why couldn't the baby have been the show's version of her?
Finally, the biggest disappointment for me in the entire season was Remiel. I thought for sure she was lying when she said she would leave Linda and the baby alone after Amenadiel beat her in a fight, but all she did was say okay, you won, and go home. It all seemed a bit pointless.
Not that I was expecting her character to be anything like Remiel in the comics, though if there's a season 5 and she returns, that might be one way of getting Lucifer back out of hell - Remiel and Duma take over for him like they do in the comics. Another way would be to introduce a show version of Christopher Rudd and have him take over. We'll see, I suppose.
Well anyway, long and short of it, it was great. I loved it.
no subject
But I want more! I was surprised Remiel wasn't around more, and I agree with you- she could take over Hell. I think she would have the right mindset for it. I could definitely have more of Eve- I want to know who she will be when she finally can develop into herself. And I'd love some more Dromos- I can imagine he wouldn't be particularly pleased with how Lucifer has changed.
no subject
Me too! I really would be very disappointed if this was the end of the series - though less crushed than I was last year when I thought it was going to end at season 3.
Remiel could definitely take over hell. Even with the brief glimpse we got, she strikes me as a troubled character, like Remiel in the comics.
And I'd love some more Dromos- I can imagine he wouldn't be particularly pleased with how Lucifer has changed.
No. I'd also - since he was identified as one of the Lilim - like to see some interaction between him and Maze, seeing as they are brother and sister.
But even if the character does return, the show might decide to ignore that.
no subject
It was a great shot, yes, as was his final one with Chloe across the balcony.
Why couldn't the baby have been the show's version of her?
Sexism, frankly. I mean, in the next season there could be a reason why the child should be specifically male, but they were clearly tying its birth into Amenadiel's mentorship episode. There's really no reason why that episode couldn't have been done with a girl instead, it could have played exactly the same. Granted, male AA boys have it particularly hard in policing/legal matters but AA girls and women have it significantly worse than white women too.
but all she did was say okay, you won, and go home. It all seemed a bit pointless. Not that I was expecting her character to be anything like Remiel in the comics, though if there's a season 5 and she returns, that might be one way of getting Lucifer back out of hell - Remiel and Duma take over for him like they do in the comics.
I agree. Short term I think the only effect was that Amenadiel reacted negatively to the idea that he wouldn't get to make that decision and put the thought into his head that maybe Charlie shouldn't be here. But I was also assuming that she was setting up something further, so hearing about her role in the comics makes me think you're right.
no subject
Yes, that was lovely, with the return of his angel wings.
You're probably right as to the reasons for the baby being a boy. I have certainly noticed that babies nearly always seem to be boys in US TV shows, or that when it's mentioned that the baby is a boy, everyone acts like this is the best news ever. Was so grateful for Maze's muttered, "Better luck next time."
But I was also assuming that she was setting up something further, so hearing about her role in the comics makes me think you're right.
They have actually changed Remiel quite a bit from the comics. He's male in the comics, for a start, and white (though there are female and non-white angels too) When we first see hell (I can't remember exactly when it comes up), Remiel and another angel, Duma, are already ruling over it in Lucifer's place (as stated in the show, a demon can't rule in hell, so when Remiel and Duma are replaced they're actually replaced by Christopher Rudd, a damned human who has sort of worked his way up through the ranks, as it were). Duma is really the one in charge, who holds the keys to hell, but Remiel likes to think it's him, and he's always making the wrong decision. Lucifer completely despises me.
But then Comics Lucifer despises pretty much everyone.
no subject
Given this Remiel's feelings, I could see Lucifer, who feels much more charitable towards humans, might well trick her into staying and assuming his job.
no subject
Also, I meant Comics Lucifer despises him, not despises me - though I expect you guessed that. ;)
Though he probably would despise me if we met, since he despises everyone
no subject
And really, Amenadiel, Maze and Linda just need to kiss already and become a threesome.
no subject
Yes, quite a few. Besides which, I'm just not ready to see it go yet. ;)
Things look fairly hopeful at the moment. Lucifer has been the most-binged show on Netflix for three weeks running now. Also, compared to some of their other shows, I suspect it's relatively cheap for Netflix to make (or rather get Warner Bros to make for them).