Every good season of a show has a turning point; that moment when everything we know or have been shown is turned on its head. ‘Et tu, Doctor’, is that turning point for ‘Lucifer.’
Beginning with the first and, admittedly, least important in the scheme of things is no more “In the beginning…” intro text. Of course, it’s apropos, since Lucifer is having a “re-birthday party” in celebration of the burning of his wings. He’s quite happy when Chloe joins the party, though not so much when he catches sight of Detective Douche, aka Dan, in tow. The stirrings of jealousy is strong in this one (Lucifer, that is) but Chloe and Dan head out pretty quickly to join their fellow cops in a ‘Welcome Back, Malcolm’ party.
While Chloe and Dan are rubbing elbows with their peers, Lucifer pays a visit to Dr. Linda, in part to apologize for his prior outburst, one the doctor saw as a tremendous breakthrough. Of course, the emotions Lucifer displayed are ones he wants to put back in the box because they “are bloody inconvenient” and he even taps the doctor to fix whatever’s wrong with Chloe. “That’s not how therapy works,” she tells him. “We deal with your issues, not someone else’s.” If it were only that easy, Luc.
Soon after his one-on-one, we’re at the scene of the crime. The victim is Dr. Bernie Shaw, another therapist though his particular angle is pretty unique. A Cheater therapist, Dr. Shaw concentrated on saving relationships by encouraging significant others to, well, cheat. It’s not a stretch to realize everyone’s probably not a fan of his approach but in order to sniff out the potential culprit, they’ll need a judge-appointed therapist to page through Shaw’s files. It just so happens that Lucifer has the perfect candidate in Dr. Linda. Chloe’s not keen on it, remembering their first case together and the doctor’s hankering for a bit of the Morningstar. Still, Luc works his magic to get Dr. Linda on the case. It’s also where Chloe discovers that Luc’s actually in therapy with Dr. Linda, despite him being “the least reflective person” she knows. Still, Dr. Linda gives them their first lead: Richard Kester, whose wife took Shaw’s advice but fell in love with the other guy and left Richard. He threatened the doc soon after and when Chloe and Luc arrive to find him threatening to jump, it seems they have their man. But Richard’s upset because Dr. Shaw was there for him through the aftermath of it all. Lucifer talks him down, so to speak and afterwards, Richard mentions bumping into Sandy, Shaw’s wife, despite her alibi for being out of town until that morning. Suspect number two is all lined up…
Back at Lux, Dr. Linda waits for Chloe and Luc to arrive. She has her first meet and greet with Maze, who remarks that the good doctor’s relationship won’t end well. “I find people who are rude usually feel powerless in their own lives,” Dr. Linda strikes back, “terrified of not being in control.” The barb earns Maze’s respect and then the unlikely duo arrives. The three put their heads together and ascertain that Sandy was stalking one of Dr. Shaw’s patients. When confronted, Sandy admits it, saying that her hubby fell in love with Tiffany. But how did she find out? Turns out, Dr. Medina ‘let slip’ about Dr. Shaw’s indiscretions but was of course there to comfort Sandy in her loss and…
Okay, let’s kill the suspense. Dr. Medina was the culprit, sharing his desires for Sandy when Lucifer compels him. This particular case is not truly interesting but everything around it is, particularly Malcolm luring Chloe into a discrete meeting where he offers his own theories on Palmetto Street, particularly the fact that a cop was the one that shot him. But who could that cop be? Well, after the Medina confession, Lucifer and Chloe share a moment that turns back to the Palmetto case. When Lucifer asks how Chloe knew how to find Malcolm, she mentions the GPS partners have to track one another down. Thus, Tony Paolucci would’ve known Malcolm’s location. They track Paolucci down, only to find he’s swallowed a shotgun. The accompanying suicide note seems to close the case as to the identity of Malcolm’s shooter.
Not so fast, my friends.
Call it my experience with drama or thinking about what would make for the most scandalous story line, but something was clamoring for an axis shift in the Palmetto case, especially when Malcolm was revived (with an assist from Amenadiel). This shift came moments after Chloe and Dan share their own personal moment. As he’s about to leave—after sharing a lip lock with his wife—Dan gets an alarming text. He meets up with Malcolm, who admits to writing Paolucci’s suicide note but the kicker comes when he talks about the truth: Dan was the one who shot him. Dan leaves after Malcolm tells him “I got big plans for you”, adding to the intrigue of what happens next.
But leaving is the order of the day when Dr. Linda, after admitting to Chloe, and in part to herself, that she’s starting to feel more than lusty feelings for Lucifer. She tells him they need to keep things professional and he agrees…but then asks her a few questions on this new Dr. Cannan and when he gets confirmation on the new doctor’s identity, Lucifer confronts Mazikeen about it. “You betrayed me,” he tells her and though she tries to explain, Lucifer brokers no argument and tells his bodyguard/trusted servant/lover, that they are well and truly through.
D for Desire, Doctors, and the Devil
- Where to start? Well, first, how about Dan shooting Malcolm. Sure, at the start of the year, it would’ve been a jaw-dropper but, as the season has progressed, it’s less of a shocker and more of a juicy reveal. Though Dan did the deed, something about it seems as if it was something he was forced into. What trouble is Dan in and who is pulling his strings? It’s only a matter of time before Lucifer finds the truth of it and, when it happens, he’ll have a choice to make on what to tell Chloe.
- Speaking of choices, as mentioned, both Dr. Linda and Lucifer came to their own conclusions. Linda is cutting physical ties with her patient while Mr. Morningstar has severed his relationship with Mazikeen. He mentions how this time on earth isn’t just affecting him and Maze’s feelings for her boss go far beyond loyalty for the King of Hell and her commitment to keep him safe. It was quite interesting her comment to Dr. Linda on recognizing the look of someone pining for Lucifer when, in fact, she and the good doctor are in the same boat.
- So where does that leave our series star? Without his trusted lieutenant at his side, will Lucifer be able to keep himself out of danger? He is somewhat mortal now. And, while not a part of this episode, how will the single feather Mazikeen possesses from Lucifer’s immolated wings factor in?
