You can’t turn on a TV any more without there being a comic book show on it seems. Arrow, The Flash, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, Preacher, The Walking Dead, Marvel’s Daredevil… the list goes on. One of the newer additions to that endless stream is Lucifer, which made its debut on Amazon Prime Video in the UK earlier this year. Based on the DC Comics comic book, Lucifer enjoyed a successful first season run that saw it renewed for a second season.
With season two currently airing on both sides of the Atlantic, the first season has been released on Blu-ray and DVD. Featuring all 13 episodes from the freshman run, Lucifer is a comic book/procedural hybrid that is entertaining to watch but not exactly ground-breaking.
Lucifer (Tom Ellis) is a retired angel of Hell who now runs a nightclub in Los Angeles. After witnessing the murder of a pop star, he finds himself drawn to the investigation led by LAPD homicide detective Chloe Decker (Lauren German). Using his powers of persuasion, Lucifer aids the detective and is surprised when he can’t compel his new partner to do anything. As Lucifer settles into his new role, he is pursued by dark angel Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside) who despises him but is tasked with convincing him to return to Hell.
Within a couple of episodes, Lucifer focuses much more on the procedural aspect than anything else. This is certainly not like the other comic book shows currently ruling the airwaves but that’s not necessarily a good thing. The partnership between Lucifer and Chloe is reminiscent of Ichabod and Abbie from Sleepy Hollow, and there’s definitely a sense of treading over well-trodden ground about the series.
Tom Ellis is the main reason to watch Lucifer. Fans will likely know him for Miranda but he really shines here, despite the trappings of the show’s format. Ellis remains effortlessly charming and he was a good choice to play the duplicitous title character. He has fun with the character and the series really showcases how underrated an actor he is.
Special features on the release include four character profiles, a gag reel, unaired scenes and three behind-the-scenes featurettes.
Lucifer has potential but I’m not sure it’s a show that will be sticking round for a third season. There’s a good show in there somewhere but the trappings of a run-of-the-mill procedural actually does the show a disservice. It’s not quite comic book enough to bring in that fan base but it’s a little unusual for a procedural. The first season is an uneven but entertaining affair that fans of Ellis will love but it will leave you wishing it was better than it is.
Cast: Tom Ellis, Lauren German, D.B. Woodside, Kevin Alejandro Certificate: 15 Duration: 753 minutes Released By: Warner Bros Release Date: 17th October 2016
