(Spoilers ahead!) 

Lucifer Review: I wonder if Netflix gave serious thought to Lucifer season 5 or was it more of an afterthought. The way part 1 has been put together, it makes me suspect the streamer was in a hurry to release a new season without paying much heed to what's ending up in the package. Season 5 will be streamed in two halves. The first eight episodes are available for viewing.  ‘Lucifer’ Star Tom Ellis Recovering from Throat Surgery

So the new season picks up from where it left off. Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis) has gone back to claim his throne as the King of Hell to keep the demons from spilling over the earth and harming Amenedial (D.B. Woodside) and Linda's (Rachael Harris) son Charlie. Chloe Decker (Lauren German) meanwhile is fending off the grief of losing Lucifer by diving into work which eventually becomes a hindrance. This time she has Maze (Lesley-Ann Brandt) as her partner in solving crimes but she is no Lucifer of course. Soon enough he returns but it isn't the Devil. He is Michael (Tom Ellis again), Lucifer's archangel twin, who always had a beef against his brother. His distinctive feature is an uneven shoulder, American accent, and 'What do you fear?' instead of  'What do you truly desire?' That and many other subplots form the premises of the first eight episodes of part 1 of Lucifer season 5.

Getting to good things first, episode 1 does start well with Lucifer and Chloe solving the same mystery in two separate universes. Then Michael enters and the proceedings get quite interesting. His motive is to destroy what Lucifer has on earth which gives the first two episodes some credible scenes. Tom Ellis does a good job of being two completely different personas during the duel. There are a few moments that stand out a bit like how Linda is convinced her son is special since he is part-Angel, or Chloe trying to figure what God's gift means, or how Lucifer's vulnerability to Chloe takes a turn. The last two episodes really make you say 'Finally!' which is a perfect precursor for the second part.

But the flaws outweigh the good and that's really disappointing. Especially because Season 4's cliffhanger finish broke hearts. Yet the series fails to make it count. Ever since I have read that God will be included in the mix, I was super kicked but it happens so late that it threatens your patience.

The season also shows some irritatingly lazy writing. Linda's big reveal just comes and goes. If you aren't paying attention, you might not even realise. Maze's Mommy issues are summed up so quickly that you hardly care about it. She continues to be lost in this world like all other seasons. Just to explain one tiny subplot an entire episode has been dedicated to 1946 and black n white effect. The novelty wears off soon and it turns out to be a drag, to put it politely. Also, Michael as Lucifer's imposter shouldn't have been a giveaway in the trailer as it would have kept the interest alive till the last two episodes.

Watch The Trailer Of Lucifer Season 5 Here

The season doesn't even attempt to introduce a different approach or faster pace, which becomes annoying after a while. Michael could have been a worthy villain in the show but after a few episodes, he just vanishes. The season moves back to the oft-seen premise of Chloe and Lucifer trying to figure out their feelings. So they continue with the Will-They-Won't-They narrative. Guess the showrunners didn't want to let go of the show's USP so easily. When they do come around, sparks hardly fly.

The episodes are tediously long. With 16 of them, you would assume the characters will finally get more room to evolve but it falls back to the usual rhythm. Tom Ellis does a swell job of being Michael as it lets him explore a completely new personality. As Lucifer, he is usual, although his jibes are less funnier. Not knowing about the celestial world looked much better on Chloe.  Lauren German has graduated from eye-rolling and grimacing at Lucifer's statements to looking at him gooey-eyed at times which doesn't really flare up their chemistry. The edge is lost. The writer tries to include tidbits of Aimee Garcia as Ella Lopez's life but it's so weakly pieced together that it's forgettable.

Yay!

  • Tom Ellis as Michael

  • Michael Vs Lucifer duel

  • The last two episodes

Nay!

  • Neglectful treatment to the cases

  • Tediously long episodes

  • No character development

Final Thoughts

The last two episodes show promise with an entry of someone highly important, so I can only hope that the remaining eight episodes will be able to redeem this insipid season so far.

Rating:2.0

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 22, 2020 12:48 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).