REVIEW: ‘Lucifer’ Season 4

Many fans of FOX’s hit show Lucifer were devastated to find out that it had been canceled last year in May. Very quickly, fans took to social media to do anything possible for the show to be picked up by another network. Using the hashtag #SaveLucifer, fans got the campaign to trend very quickly and after about a month later, Netflix announced that it had picked up the show for another season. This wouldn’t have happened five years ago, once a show was canceled, that was the final decision. However, the amount of support fans gave to the show caught Netflix’s attention, which left me and other fans very excited.

Lucifer season four picks up a month after the events of the season three finale. With the entire main cast returning to reprise their roles, Lucifer (Tom Ellis) hasn’t heard anything from Detective Chloe (Lauren German) since he revealed his true face to her. She returns from her time off and claims that she’s fine with knowing who Lucifer is, even though it’s clear that she isn’t. However, Lucifer is unaware that Chloe is hiding that she was in Rome during her time off, where she met with Father Kinley (Graham McTavish) who has a plan to deal with Lucifer.

Meanwhile, Maze (Lesley-Ann Brandt) moves in with Dr. Linda (Rachael Harris) after getting clear signals from Chloe that she’s uncomfortable with her being near her daughter. Viewers will also see Ella (Aimee Garcia) and Dan (Kevin Alejandro) dealing with Charlotte’s death and Amenadiel’s (D.B. Woodside) relationship with Dr. Linda take an unexpected turn. Also starring is Inbar Lavi, a new cast member who plays Eve, Lucifer’s first love.

Before discussing any specifics about the show itself, it’s important to discuss just how much it improved with only a ten episode season. A shorter season is a difference that’s quite noticeable. Had this been picked up for another season at FOX or any other major television network, it would have at least had anywhere from 16 to 20 episodes. The entire season would have been stretched out to fit the episode count, causing the story to fall apart, and obvious filler to be placed. In fact, that was one of the major issues that I had with season three. But with this 10-episode season, the story moves along smoothly and still delivered strong story arcs.

The relationship between Lucifer and Chloe was definitely put through the wringer this season. All signs pointed to their romance finally blossoming with the kiss they shared during the season three finale. However, she couldn’t handle seeing Lucifer’s true face, which is understandable,  so much of her journey this season focused on her attempting to understand who Lucifer is after finding out the truth. Season four does a fantastic job setting Chloe up as a strong character but isn’t afraid to show her being scared and vulnerable too.

For instance, there’s an episode in which Chloe breaks down in front of Lucifer after admitting that she still doesn’t know what to think about who he really is. Rather than making her out to seem awful for pushing Lucifer away, the show gives the audience an explanation for why she feels the way she does. Her fears make her seek out Father Kinley, which ultimately does more harm than good. The added fears he pours into her add to her uncertainty as to whether she will ever be okay with who Lucifer really is or not.

In terms of her being a strong character, it shows when Eve reunites with Lucifer. Chloe still has feelings for Lucifer, but him being the Devil isn’t something that she can just ignore. She makes the decision that Eve might be the best thing that could’ve come into Lucifer’s life, someone that he needs as a romantic partner.  The show also does a fantastic job with not having her moments of struggle define who she is, she’s still a detective who arrests the criminals.

With Lavi being the newest cast member, I wasn’t quite sure what to think when it was announced that she would play Eve. A part of me just wanted the show to focus on Lucifer and Chloe finally being together. Them being perfect for each other has been built up throughout all three seasons and for them to still not be together will eventually get tiresome. However, after the first episode, she appeared in, it was clear that her portrayal of Eve definitely fit well within the show.

Eve has come to back to Earth with the sole intent of being with the man that she’s always loved, Lucifer. She shows what she’s willing to do for him and has even accepted him for who he is. She’s the complete opposite of Chloe, which makes her addition to the show clear. Eve seeks what she has been missing for her entire life and believes that Lucifer is the one that can truly make her whole. By the end of the season, Eve was an essential part of Lucifer’s arc, helping him figure out who he is and to find a way to forgive himself.

Much like with the character of Eve, Father Kinley was a definite wildcard for the season. It was obvious that he would end up playing the main villain of the season, and McTavish will definitely make audiences hate him. He is meant to represent a force that wants to save the world from damnation but is willing to go to extreme measures to do so. The plan he wants Chloe to carry out will prove to be quite a roadblock that she must find a way to deal with. He’s a master of manipulation, making Chloe believe that she is doing the right thing even though she still cares for Lucifer.

Maze, Linda, and Amenadiel are paired up this season to deal with something I never really thought the show would get to, a pregnancy. Given that Amenadiel is an angel, Linda is afraid of the possibilities that could come from her giving birth to their child. Maze is there to offer support after her friendship with Chloe is tainted from her knowing that Lucifer really is the devil and that Maze is one of his demons. This wasn’t something I’d ever think the show would do, but it does a great job with it not overtaking the story. It does, however, play an important part near the end of the story. It would’ve been disappointing for the show to have done a pregnancy arc with no real impact on the show overall.

Dan and Ella have both been in pain since the death of Charlotte. Dan has taken all of his anger out on Lucifer and blames him for her death. Ella has lost all faith in God and tries to find something else to believe in. Although their arcs may seem minor, they are written with such heart that it makes you want to root for them. Their arcs show two vastly different manners in which the death of a loved one can affect someone. I can appreciate the amount of focus the show has given to this particular subject.

This was a near perfect season, but there was one episode that felt out of place. One of the arcs in episode eight, “Super Bad Boyfriend,” sees Amenadiel mentoring a teen in light of what’s been happening with him and Dr. Linda. The teen has gotten himself mixed up with drug dealers and needed to sell some at his school. Amenadiel found him and took him under his wing, even making sure that he wouldn’t be bothered with anymore. However, during a particular instance, both Amenadiel and the boy were stopped by two police officers who thought the boy was involved in a bigger crime.

It’s always great to see TV shows and film taking a stand by including instances of real-world injustices. These moments being included let audiences know that people care that about the issues that affect communities of color. However, after this arrest happens, it’s very quickly dropped and not mentioned in any future episodes. This makes me wonder why it was even included in the first place. There could have been other ways for Amenadiel to bond with the teen without making the end result seem pointless. While social commentary in shows is welcomed and often needed, Lucifer hasn’t set up a way for it to handle important topics like men of color being stopped by police. In a season that focuses on redemption, loss of faith, and finding ways to move forward, this plot in the episode seemed out of place.

Overall, I really enjoyed Lucifer Season 4. It was a change in the right direction that the show needed to be propelled forward. With Netflix being its new home, the show was able to reach heights in terms of the story and its characters that it had never reached before. The ending set up the possibility for another season, which I’m hoping is green-lit. It would be a bit of a letdown for the show to end the way it did this season. But regardless, I am just glad it was given another chance to tell more stories that will surely have fans of the show overjoyed to see.

Lucifer’s 4 season is available to stream now, only on Netflix.