Lucifer's Kevin Alejandro Shares Whether He Believes His Character Deserves That Famous Nickname
"Lucifer" had a remarkably unusual run during its six seasons. The first three seasons ran on Fox before the network surprisingly canceled the supernatural crime show. Premium streaming network Netflix then proceeded to pick the series up for another three seasons, where "Lucifer" proved to be extremely popular. In 2021, "Lucifer" clocked an absurd 18.34 billion viewing minutes, according to Nielsen (per The Hollywood Reporter), which is a higher number than even the megahit "Squid Game." So while its time on network television might have been short-lived, its overall legacy is one of unrivaled popularity.
Perhaps one of the biggest reasons for that level of demand came from the show's varied and unique cast of characters. Obviously, there's the big draw of the series in the eponymous character played by Tom Ellis, but "Lucifer" also had a very capable and memorable stable of supporting stars. This includes Kevin Alejandro's portrayal of Dan, a detective who often serves as something of a foil to Lucifer. Dan initially begins the series as an antagonistic corrupt detective, but slowly develops into a more sympathetic and central part of the series. One thing that never changes, however, is Lucifer's nickname for Dan as "Detective Douche." As for whether or not the character deserves such a nickname, Alejandro has his own thoughts.
Kevin Alejandro can understand why Lucifer believes Dan deserves his nickname
During an interview with Syfy in 2019, on the heels of Season 4 premiering on Netflix, Kevin Alejandro discussed his time as Dan on "Lucifer" and expanded on the character's growth. When asked about his character's "Detective Douche" nickname, Alejandro had a surprisingly measured response. While he believed that Lucifer likely still believed that Dan deserved the nickname, the character had actually developed and changed in meaningful ways that viewers could relate to.
"I think in Lucifer's eyes, Dan definitely deserves the moniker," Alejandro explained. "But I think he's starting to grow on our audience in such a way that they're beginning to understand where Dan comes from. I think they're realizing that all of his emotions come from a place of honesty. He's only human, and he's just trying to figure out life as he goes along."
Alejandro is definitely on to something here, and the show arguably expanded on his development in the final two seasons even more. Dan went from someone who was overly serious and with a bit of an edge to a warm presence who takes improv classes in order to de-stress. In fact, it's arguable that the "Detective Douche" moniker eventually becomes more of a sign of affection from Lucifer in later seasons than a criticism. Either way, it's clear that Alejandro understands his character well, and that really showed in his ever-evolving portrayal of Dan.