By Elizabeth Kershteyn
Speaking of the devil…
The Master of Hell decides to drop his full-time job as a torturer and instead finds himself in Los Angeles managing a luxurious nightclub… While this plotline may sound ridiculous, it is actually the setup for the Netflix TV series Lucifer. The show follows the fallen angel who is known by many names but mostly by Lucifer Morningstar (played by Tom Ellis). He enjoys living a life full of privilege, wealth, and doing people favors. His life gets even more exciting when he gets involved with the LAPD homicide detective Chloe Decker (played by Lauren German). After helping her solve a crime, he becomes a civilian consultant for the police department. Chloe and Lucifer’s relationship develops as they go on to solve various crimes together.
Lucifer, however, is not the devil you think he is. You would probably imagine him as an ugly creature with dark wings, horns, and maybe even a goat beard, who works to make people sin. Mr. Morningstar couldn’t be further from this image. He is a gallant, handsome man who is very popular among women. Most importantly, he loves punishing sinners. People often think that they sin because they are influenced by the devil, but Lucifer is always quick to remind them that he is not to blame for their wrongdoings. Working together with the detective, he uses his knowledge of human beings to help solve homicides and ultimately bring justice to criminals he despises so much. To do that, he uses an array of special abilities such as superhuman strength, regeneration, a fast metabolism (no matter how much he drinks, his liver can take it), and, most importantly, manipulation. His main special ability allows him to find out what a person’s deepest desire is just by looking into their eyes. No one can resist being honest and open to the devil. His talents and behavior often shock those around him but eventually everyone seems to be ok with it and just accepts that he is different.
Lucifer doesn’t hide the fact that he is the devil, but no one except his therapist seems to believe him. Yes, the fallen angel goes to a therapist to complain about his life on earth. His main issues are his identity crisis, daddy issues, and self-obsession. Lucifer is angry with his father for making him the ruler of hell, which in turn made Lucifer the most hated celestial being on earth. He seems to enjoy the power that comes with being the devil but also despises the darkness that comes with it. Finally, Lucifer struggles with his father and thinks that all his problems stem from him and seeks revenge. During his therapy sessions, Lucifer also talks about his relationship with the detective. He truly cares about her but often, due to his extreme self-obsession and narcissism, thinks he is the most important person. Throughout the series he learns how to empathise with other people and the importance of kindness and forgiveness. Ultimately, this pair goes through a lot of challenges together that only strengthen their bond and reveal more information about their past.
From the religious Jewish perspective, the show is hilarious at most and silly at least. Angels, who according to Torah are immortal and have no free will, are free to do what they want and can be killed with weapons forged from hell. Apparently, they are also prone to depression and unhealthy coping mechanisms such as alcohol consumption. In addition, the only thing that keeps a person in hell is guilt. If they don’t think they are guilty, they can leave hell.
The showrunners didn’t make a huge emphasis on any one specific religion. The setting looks Christian, but Jesus is never mentioned. Most characters are either completely fictional or just loosely based on the Bible. The makers of the show used the Bible as an intriguing base for their own fascinating humorous and action-filled story in which an angel has free will and struggles with depression, and a human therapist is counselling the wife of god and going out for a drink with a demon. Lucifer makes for a great detective type TV show, perfect to watch and laugh at in the evening with friends. The final season, season 6, is to premiere on September 10, so make sure to catch up before then!