Lucifer‘s season premiere, “Everything’s Coming Up Lucifer,” picks up just days after the end of season one. The dapper Mr Morningstar is still obsessed with himself (of course), but he has a new problem: The whereabouts of his mother, who has recently escaped from Hell, and is likely mad as her former prison to boot.
Lucifer (Tom Ellis) in his bar in the season two premiere. All images: Michael Courtney/FOX ©2016 Fox Broadcasting Co.
The premiere doesn’t reveal exactly how she’ll fit into the storyline, but mum issues will obviously be a big season two focus, as mother (played by Battlestar Galactica‘s Tricia Helfer, a nifty casting choice) and son have a long and troubled history. Season one’s big conflict, which was Amenadiel and Maze’s plot to get Lucifer back to Hell, has been resolved — so there’s acres of room for mama-drama.
The decision to stay in Los Angeles has also created some new problems for the supporting characters. Amenadiel is apparently losing some of his angelic powers, and Maze — with the help of Lucifer’s oft-exasperated therapist, Linda — is trying to figure out what a demon can do on Earth, rather than just be a bartender/torturer-on-call for the Lord of Darkness.
Chloe (Lauren German) and Lucifer question a suspect.
As for Chloe, she still finds Lucifer both fascinating and irritating, and she can’t quite bring herself to believe he’s actually THE Lucifer. Chloe and Lucifer may never actually hook up — I hope they don’t — but they do make a good, if unconventional, detective team. Since Chloe’s police-corruption subplot was resolved last season, one of Lucifer‘s biggest challenges will be giving her something more interesting to do than act disgusted with her ex — who is still lurking around, despite his role in said scandal — and have the occasional cutesy scene with her daughter. Otherwise, she’s just going to be flashing her badge and reacting to Lucifer’s antics.
Fortunately, Lucifer seems to be beefing up its procedural angle, which bodes well for Chloe. Other than Lucifer’s mother, the other big new character is forensic scientist Ella Lopez (played by Aimee Garcia), who wears a cross pendant but has some refreshingly complex ideas about faith — and she brings some much-needed energy to the crime-investigation scenes.
Ella (Aimee Garcia) on a crime scene. Lucifer notices her necklace right away, of course.
Lucifer is obviously going to stay true to its fantasy elements — this is a show about the Devil on Earth, after all — but the key to keeping it entertaining will be effectively balancing the elements that make it unique. There are dozens of cop shows on TV; many even have supernatural themes. But only one is about Satan bopping around the edges of Hollywood, helping to solve the weirdest murders in town, and gaining a sense of self despite his delight in being a total wisearse at every opportunity.
Star Tom Ellis is obviously carrying most of the weight here, and he does it rather well (though, please: No more musical numbers involving piano-ballad versions of rock songs). More humour, in the form of Ella, and fresh intrigue, via Ma Satan, are both well-chosen season two additions. They won’t alter Lucifer‘s winning formula too much — but they should help the show expand on its first-year success.
Season two of Lucifer premieres November 9 on FX.