This summer, I waited eagerly for the release of season five of Netflix’s Lucifer, and after watching I can say that I was definitely not disappointed. The release of the penultimate season of this Netflix favorite came at perfect time, giving me plenty of time to binge the show during quarantine after my move to campus. Only eight, roughly 50 minute, episodes were released due to COVID-19 delaying the production of part two, now to be released in January. Despite being considerably shorter than previous seasons, these episodes were rich in plot and character, with plenty of high stakes and Lucifer’s devilish charm.
After the dramatic ending of season four left us wondering about the future of Lucifer and Chloe, Lucifer makes a typical dramatic return with a new problem to face: his scheming twin brother Michael who mysteriously appears to meddle in Lucifer’s life. The introduction of Michael adds a new level of mystery to the show, keeping us wondering at his true intentions throughout. While the Michael situation appears to come a bit out of left field as he has never appeared before, it made for a great plot. One thing that I loved about this season was watching Tom Ellis act as both Michael and Lucifer, doing an American accent for the former that was both jarring and comedic. Having him act in both roles made me realize just how quintessential Lucifer is as a character, as it was bizarre to hear him speaking without his usual British drawl.
This new season of Lucifer gave focus to other characters while showing the development and struggles of Lucifer and Chloe’s relationship. These new character arcs all converge at the end, spurned on by Michael. Some secondary characters are given more central plotlines, most notably Maze, Ella and Amenadiel.
Specifically, I loved Maze’s character arc. We learn more about her past, see her acting in the role as a friend to Linda and Chloe, and see her confronting her own demon(s) — literally. This really humanizes Maze and makes her a much more compelling and interesting character beyond being just a badass. Thinking back to season one, Maze has really changed a lot: We have seen her become her own person and find her own path, independent of Lucifer, making her so much more of a compelling character.
This season also gave Ella a more central plotline. I have always loved the enthusiastic, quirky and intelligent Ella, yet in previous seasons she never held a large role. Now we see her outside of her job as she attempts to swear off “bad boys” and enter into a new relationship. This new focus on Ella makes me wonder if they are setting it up for her to learn the truth about Lucifer being the devil like Chloe has, which I think would be amazing.
One particularly interesting aspect of this season was the black-and-white episode titled “It Never Ends Well for the Chicken,” which takes place in 1946 and follows the usual cast playing different characters as Lucifer solves a crime. While I was confused at first at how out of place it seemed, I actually really enjoyed this episode. It was hilarious to watch the characters act in other roles, and after a while I was completely invested, unbothered by this deviation from the primary narrative. I liked its ability to balance comedy with character development, providing important context to Maze and Lucifer’s story.
However, what I love most about this season is it’s amazing cliffhanger ending that, in typical Lucifer fashion, leaves me anxiously waiting for more. Don’t worry, I would never dare spoil it, but I will strongly recommend you all to watch this fun season and find out.
Emma Leynse is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at [email protected].