“I have walked this earth for thousands of years. I have seen everything, I have done everything. I have watched everything I’ve ever known turn to ash over and over again…”
So, Lucifer and the World’s First Murderer have a drink at the bar…
Despite a new Lucifer hitting the airwaves on New Year’s night, this week’s new episode is what we’d been waiting for. Not only does “All About Her” make up for the horrid January premiere “City of Angels”, we get a direct path to where season three looks to be headed.
Now, that’s not to say “All About Her” isn’t without some serious failings. Like many Lucifer episodes, once again the procedural aspect stumbles around. There are times where the writers seem hamstrung on just how much of the story should be procedural versus the supernatural aspect of things. Still, there were a few decent moments as the team investigated the death of a well-known pro surfer. Dan gets to shine, doing his best to channel Point Break’s Johnny Utah, even possibly finding a fit in a community away from our main cast of characters. In the background of all this is Lucifer once again putting his needs before Chloe and everyone else. It’s in his narcissistic selfishness where Chloe seems to have finally put the breaks on giving him the benefit of the doubt. So when she boots him from their partnership for the day, Lucifer heads over to Dr. Linda where he goes the woe is me route that, let’s be honest, if there’s one thing the writers are rock-solid on is Lucifer’s inability to see things from someone else’s perspective. Despite my annoyance with such a major character flaw, there are times when he performs a genuinely altruistic action that surprises all involved; including himself.
But whereas there are a few threads that range from decent to wholly unnecessary, the strength of “All About Her” is the dynamic between Lucifer and Marcus Pierce—or the man better known as Cain, the World’s First Murderer. One of the stronger parts of Pierce’s time on the show has been how he and Lucifer have butted heads since day one. Not only that, but we also discover that Pierce has been keeping track of celestials for any possible clue into discovering his greatest desire: he wants nothing more than to die. At one point he thinks Chloe is that key as she was able to make Lucifer mortal. Unfortunately, that plan didn’t work and with the Sinnerman—Pierce’s right hand man—going rogue, it hints that there is a deeper layer to this story, one involving another character. But it’s the final deal, struck by Cain and the devil, two of the most infamous entities in the history of the world that makes the episode. Cain has wanted nothing more these thousand years than to find a way to die, all for not. But Lucifer’s confident he can get the job done:
“Well you may have crossed paths with God,” he tells the desperate Pierce, “but you’ve certainly never made a deal with the devil before now, have you?”
And all Marcus Pierce, or Cain, has to lose (if he’s lucky)? Just his life.
Post Script
- So with the title hinting that Chloe would have a much bigger role in Pierce’s search for his true death, I still have to wonder if we still haven’t exhausted that particular avenue. The Miracle Baby aspect of her conception has been lost over the last season or so but that doesn’t mean we won’t see more of this mystical aspect of her character.
- With Pierce’s gruff nature, we knew there’d be casualties. I was never a fan of Chloe’s fan-girl interactions with the LT but Ella’s own fan-girl nature went a bit more with her character. With that said, her broken heart at a superior officer yelling at her weakened the character in my eyes. In fact, the only good to come of it was Charlotte expertly ripping Pierce up one side and down another. This was another story thread that should have been trimmed before going to air.
- Finally, the Maze, Dr. Linda and Amenadiel triangle may have just picked up some steam. We’ll ignore the unnecessary venture of Amenadiel into the world of STD’s—as that was nothing more than a red herring. But the conversation he had with Dr. Linda about the two of them no longer being able to carry on their relationship was a welcome projection of their arc. More to the point though is that, while they may be saying goodbye to one another, Mazikeen anger and rage at seeing their goodbye kiss could offer a bit of much needed spice outside of the Lucifer/Pierce/Chloe arc. There is definitely a need for more substance in that regard; maybe, just maybe the writers are on the right track.
