Zipper

Enjoyed this episode overall. Tricia Helfer did some strong work with the "real" Charlotte, and I appreciate not having her fate hanging out there as an unknown. Agree with those who saw a toned down Ella-- slapping the pudding from Dan's hand made me LOL. A bit dramatic, sure, but he had been going through those cups pretty quick. One nit pick on the crime story, and it ruined that aspect of the ep for me. If the competing companies (Plus and Heavenly) were going to merge, which agreement had been on the table for several weeks, there is literally ZERO reason for the chemist/maker to sell the recipe to Heavenly's owner. Under a merger, regardless of which corporate entity survives, the recipe would serve (or harm) the interests of any/all owners. Maybe I missed something, but if the motive-alibi for Heavenly's owner was that she wanted to buy the recipe, that's BS (and likely a massive breach of the merger contract). Liked the ultimate reveal that the chemist was blowing the whistle, but that sure was a grisly way to go. I'm okay with a big cast, as long as the writers have enough story to keep them all engaged. It's the 1, 2,3 (Maze, Linda, Amenadude) gap that made this ep seem thin on the favorites. Maybe one of the problematic things is that LAB's pregnancy, beyond absenting Maze, makes Linda harder to get on the show. They have two primary points of connection for Linda-- as Luci's therapist and as Maze's buddy. So if Luci isn't in therapy in any given week, and Maze is gone, then bringing Linda around requires sitting her in the bar or something more creative (i.e., having enough story). And we're not seeing a constant commitment to that level of creativity for purposes of the second/third tier characters. So far this season I see the show as having as three tiers of characters: Luci/Chloe; Maze/Amen/Linda; Dan/Ella/Trixie/Charlotte/LT. The second tier is key, because they all know about the supernatural-- so they help keep that narrative supported in the context of the show's structure (quasi procedural). When no second tier characters are there, it feels like a huge loss. Yes, we're seeing a lot more of Ella than my placement of her importance would indicate, and I get that from the crime scene aspect-- but if she's not going to be in on the supernatural, they need to be limiting her time. Like her a lot, but right now she's not central to anything other than advancing the investigations. Same is going to be true for the new LT-- if he is the one with the hanging file folders, he's going to work himself up in the order of importance, but right now he's just a drag for me, and I was happy to see him absent. Dan is harder-- a very good actor, pairs well with everyone in the show, and he has a multi-level connection to Chloe (cop/ex/Trixie-daddy). So he works both in the procedural and to keep Chloe humanized, but again, having him standing around eating pudding with no Maze, Amen, or Linda feels thin.

Understood, and that's totally fair. But I don't necessarily believe that God's appearance incognito leads to better understanding of his/her intent, plan, etc. I really want this show to keep a solid foot in the supernatural, and if we're going to go another 3, 4, 22 episodes without Chloe learning who Lucy is, we're gonna need something. Might as well be a mysterious entity, assistant, or influence experienced by the main characters without providing the angels any further insight into "His/Her" plan.

Might be cool if God appeared, but differently to each mortal and only the angels figure out later that it was God.

Hmmm. I would much prefer Timothy Omundson return as God Johnson.

Well, I've been away for a bit w/o the ability to comment, so this might get a little broad. Delighted with Linda so far this season, and Hawt Yoga with Dr. Linda is a thing I would totally watch. I've put Maze in a box in my head (last week helped with that-- I have her currently recovering from the chills of Canada by crashing Hawt Yoga), so I don't miss her too much. Trixie though... that is a hole in the show (only time I've ever said that about a child actor in prime time). Ella in the first two episodes was a LOT. Today she seemed a little toned down, and I did laugh out loud when she fanned her privates. Totally childish, but it was a hoot. For that, however, they should have taken away at least one line in which Ella talks about how cool the new Lt is or how "into" Chloe he is. Reduce her fangirl by 1/2, bring back her faith, and let the actress figure out the rest. Please. The new Lt is a tough read for me. I'm not familiar with Welling's other work, and I don't have any sense of how he fits into either a larger supernatural or police arc, so I'm just left with kind of a bland feeling. I was interested in the precise wording he used to describe Lucifer's attachment to Chloe, but other than that, he's leaving me totally flat. But even his delivery of that line had an air of: Pay Attention To The Words I Am Using. We're only 4 episodes in, and I'm really hoping the writers left themselves some maneuvering space in case Welling isn't up to the task of being a wrench /ally in the works (romantic, procedural, angelic, etc.). Totally on board with the hatred for his abuse of Dan. While I thought Dan's punishment at the time was a little soft, I have no desire for New Guy to ladle out additional BS. Dan's come a long way, and I'm rooting for him. I'm not prepared to conclude that Lucifer's loss of devil face and regenerating wings have anything to do with his getting redemption. His frustration with these developments might be part of the point, to unseat him from the confidence he ended S2 with. To keep him guessing. In the dark. No idea who/what sanctioned the wings, but I have hope that it's not as basic as it might appear. Like many of you, I have no desire for any kind of traditional redemptive arc for Lucy. And lordy, I know he gets tunnel vision, but the number of times they wrote "can't change evil" in some version into this script challenged even Ellis's acting chops. And, unless I've really missed something, Lucy's beating the ever-loving shit out of the bad guy IS punishment and NOT evil in this show. So I'm a little frustrated with Amenadude's comment on the boat dock and Lucy taking it as a revelatory truth. Speaking of Amenadude, I'm glad he's figuring out what his role is, but again, I'm not sure he's right. He's had such a hard time since he lost his wings/way, then having his mom screw with his head for her own ends. I want him to gain some traction on his quest to earn back his wings/father's love. Just a little-- I can't be freaked out about him and Dan at the same time. Great scenes together for both actors, and DB's final scene was Ellis was fantastic. Ellis in the last scene was such a painful joy to watch. His frustrated unraveling is as good as it gets for raw emotion. But again, I'm asking myself: for what? Because he wasn't there for Chloe? Because he doesn't want Amenadude to be his angel? Because he's not sure how his evolution might effect him in the long run? Because he rejects the idea of his evolution at all? Some of the above? None of the above? It's possible that the stand-alone threw me off a little week, but I'm getting a little nervous about the continuity of the season's broader theme. Again, I've crammed these in, so could easily be me and not the show. I think I'll feel better when I have a handle on Welling's place. He seems like such a wildcard now, and he's touching a lot of the show. I do not buy him and Chloe together for a second; so far he's been a total dick to her, which she has identified. As johntfs noted above, this is an easy fix but it needs a fix quick. I don't ship Lucy/Chloe. I would be perfectly happy if the sex having on this show is left to Maze, Dr. Linda, Dan, Amen, and unnamed randos. But that look Lauren German gave him in the hospital room (maybe just gratefulness), but it felt a lot like the beginning of something deeper. That is going to requires some acting-up and some writing-up ASAP for me to get invested. All in all, I didn't dislike this episode. I'm interested in how they are setting the board up. But I'm also tense about some of the details. ETA: Oh geez, I forgot Lucy with chocolate sauce on his lip... whew. That was, devilish.

Yes, it does feel a bit precious, but I don't think it was an accident or an oversight because this isn't the first time Chloe was shown to be affected by the time-slow. In the episode with the paparazzi guys and the car accident where Maze/Luci gave the paps guns to "right" the wrong had Chloe in the the time-slow scene, and she knew something weird happened because Luci or Maze had moved. I've come to trust this team quite a bit (not totally, FOX), and it would bum me out if there isn't some reasonable answer. If we are to believe Luci, this kind of contrivance is just what we can expect from Dad.

I don't know the answer, so this is pure guess: what if Dad's intent in blessing Chloe's mom via Amenadiel necessarily resulted in her Lucifer-centric immunity because Dad planned for Chloe to serve a role in Luci's time on earth? I'm not saying that it was necessarily a romantic intent, but instead Dad wanted a person who Luci could not charm so that he couldn't use his tricks on her? That limited purpose blessing would still leave her in subject to other acts of divinity. Whether that means Dad knew Luci would be on earth or foresaw the potential is up for grabs, maybe he was just hedging his bet that Luci's ultimate rebellion would allow him the chance to learn about humans in a way that would help him understand why we're Dad's favorite toys, but in order to do that he needs someone immune to his powers.

Right-- that's why I was excited about her as Mum, but something seems to have held her back in Lucifer. Maybe it's the direction, maybe it's something else. For me, she never really delivered in this series like she did there, where I was in regular awe of her. For example, she had a moment, albeit a short one, on the beach to give some indication that Charlotte is again human. But I heard similar tone and inflection, instead of a slight variation. I know this is totally picky, but she's surrounded by a really strong team and maybe I'm judging her too harshly in comparison.

This was, as many of you have noted, a great season finale. So much good work from all of the actors-- the Dan and Amenadude pairing continues to delight me. I was so freaked out about Dr. Linda, but I had a strong sense that they wouldn't let her die die. Seeing her in agony was rough, but Maze/Amen working to get her saved was so rewarding (particularly the return of his power, at least some of it). Every one of these characters has grown in meaningful ways (other than Chloe, who seems the constant). The Maze/Trixie/Luci scene made me so happy! No lolly for you, wuss. Not sure I like the return of Charlotte Richards idea. It took me a whole season to warm up to Mum enough to enjoy her and I don't know if TH has the range necessary to make CR a whole new character. Even if she does, what's the point, unless it's a revenge theme. Honestly, I would much rather we get away from focusing on human-caused problems and work a little more in the celestial. But that's probably a non-starter, given that we spent much of this season grounded in humanity and this realm even though the premise of the main story arc revolved around the God family dynamic. I thought Lucifer once said he came to earth/this dimension on the beach... or am I confusing that with where he burned his wings? Tom Ellis killed it in this episode, and I'm am so excited about next season!!

I noticed that too, and wondered briefly whether Ms. German is pregnant. I haven't looked to see what was up with that, but it was an odd and continuous gesture.

I so enjoy this show. Just when I'm full ready to be done with Mum, they give me an episode where I actually liked her. Not empathized with or wanted to keep around much longer, but her delivery on the "pajamas" line to Chloe was golden. Also, deflecting that hug from Ella. And her playing charades with Luci to get Chloe interested. Chloe, too, had a really good episode. She's my favorite when she's dorking out over something (while remaining a competent TV cop). And she got to look fine while doing it. Dan and Amenadude, it's like putting the two good, slightly less interesting guys together and getting something awesome. So happy Amenadude got his affirmation of importance, but seriously? You're the age of creation (or older), get over the favorites game. Be a little more godlike in your view and move it along (said with total love for what DB Woodside has done with this character, but GEEZ, he's divine, quit with the petty sibling rivalry). Dr. Linda lecturing Luci, though? Maybe my favorite scene, in large part because of how Maze demonstrates her own humanization. Brava, Maze (really Lesley-Ann Brandt). Two things I'm taking away from this episode: Mum was a tough character to integrate, more so because she's beautiful and young, but it might have been a little more successful earlier if she got a straight man herself; Luci better grow up a little next season because he's been given a lot of lessons in other people's feelings and it's going to piss me off if he doesn't learn a bit. Unless, of course, next season is in the Silver City so that his knowledge about humans isn't so important. Excited for the finale, but also bummed we've reached the end.

YAY! That was a fun episode, and I echo all of the praise heaped on Tim O for his turn as God. When he was standing in front of the mini-blinds with sun radiating around his head, I though "oh boy" here we go with the actual God showdown. But I like what the show did with this pairing, both relief and catalyst. The look on Luci's drugged up face when "God" said he was sorry and that he was proud of Luci. No wonder he's infuriated thinking about the dad he doesn't have. But, this sort of reminds me of an old joke (the one where a flood comes, a man vows to stay in his house saying God will protect him; first a cop comes by, then a guy in a boat, then a helicopter offers rescue; the man declines all three, saying God will save him; he dies; at the pearly gates he says to God, "what gives" and God responds, "I sent you three opportunities for safety, what else did you expect?"). Luci may yet be the man in the flood-- Chloe, Amenadude, Uriel, Dr. Linda. Rachel Harris gives me another ten reasons to adore her-- should have curtsied, indeed. Maze scares me as much as a best friend as a straight up demon. She is gonna take a strip off somebody over this 'return to heaven' plan. Poor Dan. He's such a kind person, Charlotte/Mum played on that so hard.

Did anyone else notice in that first scene in Chloe's kitchen that there's a child's crayon drawing of the Devil? I lost it right there, and was amused for the rest of the episode. I'm so glad we're getting close to a possible end of Mom's story, but Charlotte did entertain me a lot this episode-- including kicking Luci's ass in the "car park." The follow-up to that, Luci chiding Amenadude for omitting the detail that Mom could lift a house got another big laugh. The Chloe/Maze bits were charming, no more so than when Maze leaned in for a kiss and Chloe could not EVEN get there. Then the tackling of the killer-- great Maze moments. Dr. Linda can do no wrong. Her occasional barrage of questions (really, a gate? pearly? etc) is so helpful to me, because I would be a total pain in the butt with my questions. Having someone ask those questions, even without any answers, provides a nice note of reality amid the supernatural. And even though she knows the celestial bits, her advice remains excellent. The actress just kills it.

I don't think you're expecting too much or nit picking. He may not have known or understood the full range of human emotion at the outset, but between his relationship with Chloe (where he's previously had to deal with her negative responses to his behavior and her feelings about their partnership) and his work with Dr. Linda, I think it's reasonable to expect he would get how his disappearance and reappearance with Candy would put Chloe off. On re-watch, I think his initial response to her was just trying to stay in the glib-salesman part, to put a hard stop on any relationship development between them. It's not until she says their partnership is done that we get a glimpse of his maybe realizing that he pushed her a little far. It's a nice bit of work from Ellis, that flash of 'oh shit' in his eye when he thinks he might have screwed the pooch for real. Hence, I think his serenade, to show her he's still as charming as ever. And, I agree with tennisgurl, Luci's jumping to the conclusion that Chloe's feelings are all of dear old dad's making really ignores the idea of humanity's free will. Totally shallow, but did anyone else notice something odd going on with Chloe's lower lip? It seemed oddly immobile at certain moments.

YAY! So much to like about this ep. Luci singing, Maze appreciative, Amenadude, Chloe's wide range of WTF, and Dr. Linda' barely controlled eye rolls. I thought that something was up with Candy. There was something fundamentally too large about her "ditziness" for Lucifer, but at the same time an undercurrent of "good person" that made some sense. I didn't have it figured out, but I was suspicious of the marriage. The only false moment, to me, was when Luci first introduced Candy, and he seemed genuinely surprised that Chloe didn't want him on the case. He cannot be that dense. Her first reaction would be anger-- she was developing more than friend feelings for him, and regardless of his motivation for bringing Candy into the mix, he must have appreciated that Chloe's feelings being hurt might impede his return to their partnership. All came out well, though. I'm sincerely hoping that Mom's story arc is nearly its end. I didn't realize how tedious her "let's barge into heaven and start a war" bit had worn on me. But when she started up with that at the end of the ep, I was the one eye rolling. This show isn't going to attack heaven (at this point in time), so let's move this along.

When I realized it was Monday, May 1st, I gave a little squeal. Can't wait!!

So, the show runners lovingly tendered an 18-episode arc (from the comments given at WonderCon); then Fox jacked them up with an extra 4 eps; then Fox said the extra 4 should be stand-alone eps that could go "anywhere". That sounds like a ridiculous approach. But, based on the Entertainment Weekly article, it sounds like the stand-alone eps will be the ones appearing in S3, and they get to end their original 18-ep order as they wanted to. That's a relief. I can't believe it's still 3+ weeks away.

Thanks for putting it perspective, CheshireCat! I'm guessing I'll be re-watching season 1 episodes before we hit the Ides. Miss this show more than I thought I would.

Is it MAY yet??? Gah.

I twenty-second the MAY?!??! feelings. This show has become one of my favorites. My thought about Luci's aversion to Dad's plan is: yes, the show has given us plenty of lead-in to justify his departure; and, I'm glad he's taking a little walkabout. He needs to sort out his feelings and perceptions independent of the manipulations he has been subjected to via Mum and Amenadude. I said last week that I was tired of the Mum as manipulator, and BOOM, the show gives me a scene where she admits her role and has Luci cut her off because of it. Brilliant, and thank you. She needs to be at a greater distance from him before the final resolution of her time on Earth. The idea that Hell is not just a place where Luci punishes, but where the guilt of the individual drives the punishment was so neat. Mum's own guilt over Uriel's death nearly propelled her to stay put. And the delivery of the 'don't leave me again' line by MI was great to drive home how people put themselves in their own Hell. I'm wondering if maybe the show will put Luci in a place, in MAY, where his exile from Chloe mirrors the guilt dynamic of Hell. I'm not a shipper. If they come up with a way to return Luci and Chloe to professional pals without overwhelming angst/sadness, I'll be okay with that. But I totally, and respectfully, disagree with the poster above who said their is no chemistry between the leads. First, because Ellis has chemistry with a doorknob. Second, because did you see the opening scene from last week? Hot. Ms. German has, as I've said before, won me over. The perfect balance of professional drive, mothering, compassion, and goofiness. So if the show elects to go with some romance, I'm cool with that too. I hate to put too much trust in FOX (still pissed about Sleep Hollow), but so far they've earned it. My favorite giggles: Dr. Linda asking about whether the celestial planning sessions were a regular thing and Maze shocking Mum into Hell without so much as a blink. Solid winter finale, show. Bring it on for the end of the season!!

I loved this episode. I've not seen any of the 'Saw' franchise, so the idea of a dilemma to prove the point of the Nutty Professor's undoing was OK with me. Except this: how many damn times does a WOC have to sacrifice herself for a white girl before this trope is over? Loved the actress who played Dr. Scott. I've been holding out for Chloe since the beginning, and this episode brought all her shit together in ways that made me so TV happy. That dream scene with Luci was HOT. And, then she turned into her dorky self. It was so charming-- and I've always thought LG had it in her, I just wasn't sure if the writers had the long game in mind. But, oh boy, did they give her consistency. When she called Luci on his "what is your desire" retread, then had her slap Luci on the ass? I guffawed. Then they followed up with the 'sex with friends line' and I was in love with Chloe. Nice work, writers. I finally buy into the idea that a Luci/Chloe pairing won't wreck the show. Because she's honestly goofy enough to make this not sappy. To that end, inserting Maze as a viewer to Chloe's dream was a perfect "out of that" moment; her glee about Chloe's great dream sex was so cute. For a demon. Dr. Linda is The Best. First, helping Luci understand the stalling is his mistrust; then telling the Mother of Creation to stick it. Charlotte is messing with fire. And I'm glad about that. I don't ship Luci/Chloe, but I want this show to be great for another several seasons. And she is sucking the life out of it for me. I love the actress, but I am DONE with this maternal manipulation BS. It's hard enough watching Luci struggle against the concept of Fate and Destiny vis a vis his father. I do not need a Mom fucking with her own kids for her personal gain. Get the super-celestial some other way, Show. Finally, kudos to Ellis. Lord, can this man show range-- doubt, happiness, fear, glee, rage, doubt, fear, love, machismo, and vulnerability. You, sir, are fantastic!

I've thought this over, and my negative reaction to the episode is not so much about what transpired in it or even the reframing in location, focus, or co-stars. My primary objection is: they took away a full-grown woman, who had analytic, investigative, and intellectual skills; developed senses of compassion, empathy, and trust (with a healthy dose of skepticism); as well as wit, charm, and cunning; and in her capable stead, they gave us a 10-year old child. We spent three years hearing all about the witness bond, the importance of that above all else. How is a parent/child relationship supposed to work in this dynamic? Molly is a cute kid, but unless she has super powers (which would irk the shit out of me), what can she possibly add to the witness duo? She's got mad drawing skills? I get that there may be many reasons, with or without NB's desire to leave the show, to do a reset. Maybe they honestly believe that TM is the center of the show, and they didn't know how to work around the incredible chemistry he had with NB. True, TM would have some chemistry with a broom, but NB was a powerhouse as his partner. So perhaps she took light from him that the Show wanted more focused. I have no idea, and I'm done trying to read between the lines of their ridiculous interviews. But the consequence of this change is a fundamental shift in what made this show so great for me-- a team, facing otherworldly challenges, where success or failure hung on their partnership and the strength they drew from it. I like kids on TV. Some much more than others (Trixie on Lucifer rocks). But I am not the slightest bit interested in any further examination of IC's parental side. The Jeremy story line was interesting, and could have been amazing had the Show not automatically proceeded from there to the disaster that was StruggleWitch and the CFD. But that was certainly enough-- now IC has a partner that likely requires protection from all manner of things, risks that Abbie could handle alone or with her team. We now apparently have a witness that, as an ordinary 10-year old, has a bedtime; should not watch PG-13 movies; and likely has an insufficient exposure to literature, history, or religion to assist in the kind of riddle/logic problem the witnesses routinely confront. Gross, Show.

At the end of last season, a poster predicted that the show would hire an Asian, Indian, or Pakistani woman in a lead role to counter accusations of a lack of diversity. Congrats on the accuracy. I abandoned S3 about 8 episodes in because Pandora and THO bored me to tears. I just watched Ragnarok, and I think the number of months that passed, along with my ability to sit with Abbie's death allowed me to not hate it with a blinding fury. But, this? This is BS. Goodbye, Sleepy Hollow.

Thanks, xtwheeler. That's a really concise summary!

Maybe a mistrial before the verdict came in, but after the verdict, double jeopardy would attach and no second trial. This was one thing that really irked me. Dan has come a long way, both in terms of character development and in terms of being a likeable guy-- and maybe that was a whole redemption arc intention. But, he's apparently still the same shitbag that let his wife believe she was nuts and allowed her to be isolated/vilified within the PD because he was trying to avoid getting himself in trouble. Now he's done it again. For his many good points, this repeated failure to accept the consequences of his own bad behavior bothers me.