Lucifer: Most Underrated Moments In The Show
If there was ever a show that developed a "ride or die" fandom in record time, it would be "Lucifer." From its debut in 2016 to fans attempting to save the show to its finale in 2021, the show engrossed viewers with its blend of action and humor. The story centered on the titular Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis) who, bored with his life in hell, decides to make Los Angeles his permanent residence. While on earth, he meets LAPD Detective Chloe Decker (Lauren German) with whom he forms a partnership and friendship.
Throughout the series' run,the duo encounter mortal threats, enemies from the underworld, and their feelings for each other. The "Deckerstar" romance had been a pillar of the fandom's online presence for several years, and a key element of the show. With the series full of wonderful characters and fascinating supernatural lore, there are plenty of memorable moments and scenes. These are a few underrated, yet standout moments that we feel deserve more attention and love from the show's fandom.
Chloe's Cinematic Past
Despite season one's darker tone there was still some solid humor to be found, with many solid exchanges and insults. One of the more entertaining moments was a glorious exchange between Lucifer and Chloe in the show's inaugural episode.
Lucifer's extended vacation on earth was interrupted when a famous friend of his was killed in a drive-by shooting. The subsequent police investigation landed him in the crosshairs of Detective Chloe Decker with whom he looks to solve the murder. Their partnership was, at first, very one-sided with Lucifer skirting various legalities to interrogate people, much to Chloe's chagrin — including dangling a rapper out of a window. It's after this near act of murder that one of the rapper's entourage pointed out Chloe's former life as an actress. Lucifer is quick to jump on this and praise Chloe's nudity in a movie titled "Hot Tub High School." She quickly asserted her authority by slapping cuffs on him for his actions — much to Lucifer's sadistic delight.
With the broader comedic set pieces of later seasons, it's fun to look back on simpler exchanges like this one. It's an early taste of the frequently recurring dynamic that would make the devil and cop duo so likable.
Chloe sees Lucifer's scars for the first time
Lucifer's disdain for his father was a key fixture of his character arc throughout the majority of the series. His father, who is literally God and the creator of all things, thwarted Lucifer's rebellion and banished him from heaven. After toiling in hell for over a millennium and culling through tortured souls, Lucifer — as stated in the pilot — took a vacation. Exposure to the wonders of the modern age in the mortal realm inspired Lucifer to stay — by any means necessary. This would lead to Lucifer, with the aid of Maze, cutting off his own wings on the shores of LA.
We are first shown a taste of this backstory in season one when amidst an investigation Chloe sees Lucifer's scars. It's a low-key but very effective moment where Lucifer, as is standard for him, didn't sugarcoat the actual truth, and stated very bluntly that the scars are leftover from where he cut off his wings in defiance of his dad. Chloe, not yet a believer in Lucifer's demonic status, doesn't truly grasp the truth behind his scars. She looked upon them with what appears to be genuine shock and legitimate sympathy — quickly acquiescing when Lucifer asked her not to touch them.
Lucifer & Amenadiel at the auction
The interactions between Lucifer and Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside) were always a persistent source of drama throughout the entire series. Their often strained relationship would grow from a heated rivalry rife with deceptions to a healthy and mature familial bond. During the show's first season we would get a taste of this kinder relationship in the episode "Wingman" where Lucifer's prized possession — his wings — had been stolen and he'd made it his mission to get them back. After determining that a piece of divinity let loose on earth would spell disaster, Amenadiel begrudgingly agreed to help. This led them to an underground auction where the wings were listed as a high price item, amongst other alleged divine relics.
During the bid for the first item, the chains of St. Paul, the brothers would share a brief moment of comradery. They not only pointed them out as fake, but took time to dunk on St. Paul's inability to pass on dessert with the two sharing a laugh before quickly resuming their respectively combative tones. This is undercut later by the revelation that Amedadiel played a role in the wing's theft, but it's a legitimately sweet moment and a precursor to the emotional growth both characters would soon make.
Lucifer and Frank's Piano Duet
Father Frank (Colman Domingo) was a one-shot character who definitely left a major impact on Lucifer and the show's fandom. In the Season 1 episode titled "A Priest Walks Into a Bar" the streetwise priest came to Lucifer for a favor, asking Lucifer to help him with Connor, an orphaned youth who Frank saw fit to take under his wing. Lucifer, being repellent to anyone who serves his father, was initially callous to Frank — even trying to connect him to a recent murder. This would change when Frank, under Lucifer and Chloe's protection, regaled the duo with his backstory as a traveling musician. Frank's life changed after a car accident killed not only Connor's parents, but Frank's daughter as well.
After this sobering revelation, Lucifer felt intrigued by Frank's claim of being a superior piano player and demanded to see him in action. The duo then engaged in a competitive but friendly piano duet and genuinely seemed content in each other's company. Chloe, upon returning saw the two playing and smiled as she saw Lucifer actually connecting with someone. This newfound friendship would be cut short by Frank's untimely death, something that Lucifer responded to with furious anger. Despite only making one onscreen appearance, Frank played a major role in Lucifer finding his humanity and growing as a person.
Lucifer talks to God successfully
The Season 1 finale for "Lucifer" definitely ended the show's story arc with a fittingly large bang. Malcolm, a recently resurrected dirty cop, looked to reclaim his money by holding Trixie (Scarlett Estevez), Chloe's daughter, hostage. It was a situation made all the more dire because of Lucifer's newfound mortality — something Malcolm (Kevin Rankin) took advantage of. Lucifer attempted to draw on Malcolm's desires, but the latter revealed that his true desire was to see Lucifer die.
With a bullet in his stomach, all seemed lost for the former ruler of hell until, in a moment of desperation, he turned to someone unexpected — his dad. Lucifer made a plea to his father, that he would finally do his bidding if he protected Chloe. His father heard the message and, after showing him a taste of his new mission, restored Lucifer to full strength. It's a wonderfully directed moment, aided in no small part by Tom Ellis, who perfectly sells the pain and desperation. Definitely a smaller scale victory, especially when compared to the larger multi-character battles on display in future finales, but in no way less chaotic. It served as the perfect bookend for Season 1, and set up intriguing plot developments for Season 2.
Lucifer's cover of "All Along the Watchtower"
"Everything's Coming Up Lucifer" — the inaugural episode of Season 2 — had a lot to set up in terms of plot. In addition to temporarily resolving Chloe's suspicions about Lucifer, the episode also kicked off Amenadiel's next character arc. Additionally, it had to cement the still fairly new friendship between Dr. Linda Martin (Rachael Harris) and Mazikeen (Lesley-Ann Brandt). All of these developments were shown off in a beautifully edited montage that closed out the episode.
This montage in question was set to a cover of Jim Hedrix's "All Along the Watchtower" sung by Ellis. Tom Ellis had showcased his impressive singing talents many times throughout the series, to the delight of fans. Many of these musical moments have been hailed as some of the most memorable of the series, but Ellis' vocal abilities were only briefly shown a few times in Season 1. However, those moments were such a highlight that the creators of "Lucifer" decided to close out the Season 2 opener with another song. While not as grand or spectacular as some of Lucifer's other musical renditions, it was still a wonderfully handled moment.
Lucifer's mom kisses Dan
Sometimes a moment is great, less so for what happens, but more for how other characters react to it. Added to the cast in Season 2 was Lucifer's mother who, after escaping hell, would inhabit the body of the recently deceased Charlotte Richards (Tricia Helfer). Upon arriving on Earth, "Charlotte" would begin making things complicated for Lucifer and Chloe, for whom his affections were growing. From nearly blowing Chloe up with a car bomb to almost blasting Linda with her celestial energy — it was rampant insanity.
One moment that shouldn't be forgotten is another devious stunt she pulled on the perpetually gullible Dan Espinoza (Kevin Alejandro). While leaning into her life as Charlotte Richards, the goddess of creation would begin a fling with the hapless detective, which led to a very steamy public kiss in front of several restaurant patrons including Amenadiel — her other son. He reacted about as well as you'd expect, his sorrow punctuated by a giddy Maze taking pictures of his reaction. This moment, as well as their entire love affair, would have repercussions later for Dan — but we'll get back to that.
Trixie's Swear Jar
Trixie was a character who, while never getting much to do much on her own, had wonderful chemistry with others. A sizable amount of Maze's character development had a lot to do with her aunt/niece relationship with Trixie. Many of the most riveting scenes of the show had Trixie somewhere in the crosshairs of that season's danger.
Anytime Lucifer would interact with Trixie it was a guaranteed source of charm and hilarity. From traumatizing her schoolyard bully with his devil face to buying her a doll, Lucifer had certainly given her an interesting childhood. This moment, however, is a remarkably simple one, but one that always elicits sizable laughs: the swear jar joke. Lucifer discovers that Trixie must put money in a jar for Chloe every time she uses foul language, and in response to this he tries to give her a crisp 20 dollar bill to spend on ample curse words. Later on, Chloe reprimands him for teaching Trixie several curse word approximations to skirt around the swear jar stipulation. A hilarious moment and another key factor in Lucifer's ever-growing appreciation for humanity showcased throughout the series.
Maze and Ben Say Goodbye
It would take a long time before Maze would finally find a partner that could match her spontaneity and dubious morality. By the end of the final season that partner would reveal themself to be Eve, the first woman, but before Maze was chasing dangerous bounties into the sunlight with Eve, there was a road not taken. In Season 3 she would seek a change of pace to her now very cyclical work-life balance. In order to shake things up, she opts to chase a bounty by the name of Ben Rivers (Chris L. McKenna) to Canada.
However, Ben quickly proves himself to be just as crafty as Maze, making for a very playful chase between them. Ben eventually explained that his status as a serial killer is false and that he had been framed. Maze agreed to help him and, with the help of her friends in Los Angeles, was able to clear his name. Before he went off into the night, Ben offered her the opportunity to come with him. Maze considered it, but ultimately chose her life in L.A. over a future with Ben. Their goodbye was definitely a meaningful moment, but an important part of her growth.
Lucifer & Ella Bare All
When the series moved to Netflix for its fourth year, the creators definitely took advantage of their newfound lack of restrictions. After rekindling his relationship with the free-spirited Eve, Lucifer's regained streak of debauchery leaked into his life at work. One notable moment inspired an episode title after Lucifer wore his "Orgy Pants To Work." For many, one glimpse of Lucifer's rear end would be enough, but the episode saw fit to up the ante.
While on the case of a recent murder victim, Chloe and Lucifer's investigation led them to a nudist colony. In order to enter they must disrobe, a stipulation that Chloe protested, but Lucifer and Ella quickly embraced with gusto. Just the reveal of the duo both being naked, mixed with Chloe's exacerbated reaction, makes for some truly memorable comedy. Season 4 was where the show really started leaning heavily into its comedic elements and this is a prime example of that shift. An underrated, yet hysterical little moment that showcased the show's vibrant and often madcap new creative direction.
God explodes Dan
If "Lucifer" fans were only able to make a gif out of only one moment from the show, we'd like to make a case for this one. When the show's fifth season dropped, the cast was joined by Statefarm spokesman Dennis Haysbert as Lucifer's dad, God himself. God, being all-knowing, already felt familiar with the show's core characters — including poor Dan.
Dan, upon realizing just who he is talking to, quickly began behaving strangely — to humorous effect. The awkwardness didn't end there, as later on Dan apologized to God for sleeping with his wife. God at first seemed very laid back about the situation, but then quickly showcased his true feelings on the matter by exploding Dan into a human smoothie that quickly painted the walls — much to Lucifer's shock. He very quickly reversed the event and put Dan back together, leaving the poor detective frazzled and traumatized. A rare show of anger from God during his tenure as a supporting character, but a morbid and hilarious one.
Lucifer Written by a Bot
It's fair to say that "Lucifer" leaned heavily into its comedic elements since the show switched from FOX to Netflix. Gone was the darker noir aesthetic of the early seasons and in its place was comedy and bright colors. The show's final season definitely doubled down on comedic moments, with one serving as its ultimate crescendo. With things amiss in heaven, Lucifer plans to see what the problem is. Unfortunately, his wings have gone missing. Lucifer also discovers that Linda had been compiling all her data on Lucifer in order to pen a tell-all book. The group decided to cull through this data in order to pinpoint what was going on with Lucifer's wings, and hilarity naturally ensued.
The most gut-busting moment was Linda's very direct interpretation of the gang's day-to-day interactions. It was a sequence that felt like someone made a bot watch every episode of the series, then write a script. Essentially it was a scene run completely on auto-pilot with every character's identifiable or quirky trait maxed out to eleven. Complete with a comically stock back-and-forth between Deckerstar, and Maze cartoonishly slamming a severed head on a desk.
A wonderful moment, and a comical summation of why fans loved these characters — what more could you need?