After more than a year, Lucifer is back with the first half of its fifth season to provide the many answers eager Lucifans have been dying to know, with a few new surprising twists to keep things intriguing. However, the series has lost some of the charm it found when it moved from Fox to Netflix in Season 4, instead, falling back into its old ways and -- like Lucifer himself -- is kept from being truly great because of it.
None of that has to do with the fact that the show has inexplicably been toned down once again, although it's worth mentioning. While last season didn't exactly bring sex and violence to the forefront, it did take both of those aspects further, far enough to truly compliment this show about the Devil, demons and murder. Season 5 is notably tamer, which is interesting, as far as creative decisions go, particularly because certain episodes in Part 1 adopt incredibly dark tones and might have benefited from those naughtier qualities, if only to ensure the tonal switches aren't so jarring. However, this is a minor issue at most. The heart of Season 5's issues lies in its extended length.
Season 4 ended with the titular fallen angel (Tom Ellis) returning to his throne in Hell in order to quell a demonic rebellion, save Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside) and Linda's (Rachael Harris) newborn baby, Charlie, and stave off the apocalypse. The stakes were high and the sacrifice great. The newest season begins just two months after that explosive incident and dives right into how Lucifer and Detective Chloe Decker (Lauren German) have been dealing with the loss of their partnership, just when it was on the cusp of something deeper.
The first episode, "Down, Down Under," is able to use that monumental change to introduce a new dynamic to the procedural drama, in which Lucifer and Decker investigate the same case from two different planes. Meanwhile, Amenadiel is running Lucifer's nightclub, Lux, using his new position to try to do some good. To make things even more interesting, the episode also introduces a new celestial to the series: the archangel Michael, Lucifer's twin brother (Ellis again), who's bent on destroying the life Luci has made for himself on Earth.
The season starts off strong, but except for Michael, none of these interesting seeds are allowed to grow. The usual dynamic between Lucifer and Decker, for example, is restored all too quickly, almost unceremoniously. Even though the show briefly teases consequences for Lucifer's return, it's all dealt with in one simple line, robbing it of the weight it should have had throughout the season. Introducing storylines only to dismiss or forget about them is a habit the show has picked up, and it might be because this season is a long one.
Unlike the previous season, Season 5 will have a total of 16 episodes (Part 1 includes eight of them), meaning each character arc has to be stretched, and it's led to none of the interesting plot points brought up in Part 1 ever being fully explored or expanded. Linda's subplot illustrates this perfectly. Season 5 provides viewers with insight into a regret from her past that had the potential to be emotionally gripping and character-defining. However, the revelation is forgotten almost as quickly as it's introduced, and its abrupt conclusion instead progresses Maze's prolonged search for fulfillment in a disappointingly small way.
Make no mistake, Maze's arc has a number of interesting turning points, but her scenes throughout the season are largely comprised of heated outbursts that end in her storming off. There's very little character development, save one bitter moment between her and a figure from her ancient past.
Whereas in Season 4, Lucifer was able to organically connect everyone and everything in one tightly written story, this time around, there seems to be an excessive amount of filler, which ultimately lessens the impact of the gimmick episodes -- cleverly written as they may be -- and holds the series back as a whole. This becomes increasingly frustrating as viewers are forced to sit through more and more of these scenes throughout the season, while the overarching story fails to progress.
What does help this season is the performances of the show's always strong cast, particularly Tom Ellis as both the hero and central antagonist. Playing Michael offers the actor an opportunity to create an entirely new character, and Ellis does not disappoint. It isn't just the different physical mannerisms or accents, Ellis' performance as Michael contains a meekness and menace Lucifer doesn't possess, and he differentiates the two characters well enough that when they have their climactic duel, they seem like two very different people, despite appearances. More importantly, Michael is a character many will look forward to watching, not just because of his role in Lucifer's story, but precisely because of Ellis' performance as the wretched archangel.
Overall, Part 1 of Lucifer Season 5 is filled with the same style the show has always possessed, and those looking for celestial action sequences certainly won't be disappointed. But as fun as the show continues to be, it's marred by character arcs that refuse to go anywhere. None of its flashy musical numbers or talented cast members can save those damnable filler scenes from feeling like a chore.
Lucifer stars Tom Ellis as Lucifer Morningstar, Lauren German as Det. Chloe Decker, D.B. Woodside as Amenadiel, Rachael Harris as Dr. Linda Martin, Kevin Alejandro as Det. Dan Espinoza, Lesley-Ann Brandt as Mazikeen Smith and Aimee Garcia as Ella Lopez. Season 5 arrives on Netflix on Friday, Aug. 21.