S03.E03: Mr. and Mrs. Mazikeen Smith

[tennisgurl]

I love Dan and his snowballs and running off to help Maz. Also, the guy is, like, the best ex husband ever. I love how he and Chloe have gotten to the point where they can actually be friends and colleagues, with only minimal awkwardness. 

I am actually pretty interested in who has all those folders, and apparently knows EVERYTHING. And Maz has a full name: Mazikeen of the Lilim. Which is both a cool name, and means that she is a Daughter of Lilith, like in the comics. Interesting...

[sharifa70]

On 10/16/2017 at 1:24 PM, johntfs said:

Technically she already spends time in Canada.  Doesn't Lucifer film in both Los Angeles and Vancouver?

Besides, not only do we have doughnuts in the USA, we have Voodoo Doughnuts.

Eh, Voodoo Doughnuts are fancy looks and grocery store flavor, alas.

Count me among the group that was excited to see Maze and Trixie again. I never thought I'd like Trixie when we met her in season 1, but her relationship with Maze is one of my favorite things about this show.

I loved seeing Maze's family rally 'round her.

[Jacks-Son]

11 hours ago, Loandbehold said:

But, the worst thing was the criminal under use of Erica Cerra. I liked when Chloe gave Luci the green light to use his powers to get her to confess, but, when I saw her name in the opening credits, I thought she would have a bigger part.

Exactly, it WAS criminal. You don't waste a talent like Erica Cerra on a 5 minute bit part.  That's insane.  They better bring her back as someone's lawyer or I'll be pissed.  Yes, Chloe gave the nod to Lucifer to go ahead and do his thing. 

[Delphi]

19 hours ago, CheshireCat said:

 

I hadn't heard that it was at German's request but usually actors request it because they want to be closer to their family. I hope it doesn't hurt the show though, as I've heard that filming in Canada is cheaper.

I definitely don't have any solid proof that is was solely her idea, but when the news broke earlier in the year I believe it that local paps said that it was what she wanted,  and I think it was debated one the board that she wanted it.   Presumably to be closer to friends and family,  but I think she also doesn't enjoy the cold.  Plus,  moving to L.A. wouldn't get Ellis  closer to his family.

Edited October 18, 2017 by Delphi

[johntfs]

1 hour ago, Delphi said:

Plus,  moving to L.A. wouldn't get Ellis  closer to his family.

But since he's from Great Britain, it's not like it would take him all that much further away.  Also, Scarlet Estevez is from Los Angeles and the show is overall set in LA.  Figure there's several good reasons to go ahead and move production fully to LA instead of splitting time between there and Vancouver.

[johntfs]

6 hours ago, icemiser69 said:

The best episode of the season, and it isn't close.  I am not sure I like the idea of some (big bad) going after Maze.  I am sure she will be okay, but I get tired of mystery villains that seem to  pop up on so many series.  It gets exhausting.

I'm kind of okay with that.  Figure whatever Big Bad it is will adopt the usual tactic of going after those close to Maze, which means they'll go after Trixie.  At which point Russell Crowe's line from Gladiator, "At my signal, unleash Hell." will get a special (and literal) interpretation.  Maybe Lucifer will put those wings to use to fly up to Heaven and borrow the Shithammer of God just to use said hammer to pound the aforementioned Big Bad into a puddle of shit for daring to attempt to endanger Trixie.

Edited October 19, 2017 by johntfs

[Jacks-Son]

43 minutes ago, johntfs said:

I'm kind of okay with that.  Figure whatever Big Bad it is will adopt the usual tactic of going after those close to Maze, which means they'll go after Trixie.  At which point Russell Crowe's line from Gladiator, "At my signal, unleash Hell." will get a special (and literal) interpretation.  Maybe Lucifer will put those wings to use to fly up to Heaven and borrow the Shithammer of God just to use said hammer to pound the aforementioned Big Bad into a puddle of shit far daring to attempt to endanger Trixie.

Love this post. Both Luci and Maze will fiercely protect Trixie. (Only Lucifer won't admit his affection for the "Little Human") Maze has damn near openly admitted it. Notice that she looked at Chloe for permission to have Trixie tag along with her to Canada. When Chloe said "No", Maze admitted that she needed Trixie to look after Chloe. I REALLY think that Maze is so confident, that she would have had Trixie tag along. The show and the actors have done a good job of showing the bond that everyone has developed. They have truly become a family; even Amenedude, Dan, and Linda have signed on.

[Lugal]

10 hours ago, Delphi said:

I hadn't heard that it was at German's request but usually actors request it because they want to be closer to their family. I hope it doesn't hurt the show though, as I've heard that filming in Canada is cheaper.

I think California passed a bunch of tax breaks to bring productions back to the state.

[statsgirl]

That was a really fun episode.  I liked it being about Maze, it's a nice change from the usual show.

I thought Rivers was charming, not because his looks are so amazing but because it seemed like he could connect to the women and what they really felt so well.

Speaking of sexy, I caught Tom Ellis on an episode of Miranda where he played a really nice who was the lead's love interest if she could only get her act together. I never could understand why Lucifer was sexy but I found Ellis very attractive in that role.

On 10/16/2017 at 11:09 AM, jewel21 said:

I am, however, annoyed by these stupid and unrealistic Canadian accents that are always portrayed on American  TV shows.

Yeah, it was super caricatures there.  Only down side of the episode for me.

On 10/17/2017 at 11:36 AM, Delphi said:

Well, this episode was filmed in Vancouver.   But any new episodes will be shot in L.A. since production moved back to the U.S. at the request of Lauren German.

 

On 10/17/2017 at 7:24 PM, jewel21 said:

Why? Does she hate Canada? Sorry, I'm protective of my country, lol.

I didn't know German had that much power since I think she's the weakest actor on the show.

It's cheaper to shoot in Canada but a lot of actors find it difficult to be away from their friends and family.  That's the reason Jennifer Morrison gave for not re-signing for OUaT, because she said she'd taken hundreds of plane trips a year going back and forth.

[thuganomics85]

Definitely more of a standalone episode and I could tell this was likely one of the ones film last season and held over, but I still enjoyed it.  It was nice to see a Maze-centric episode and I thought Lesley Ann-Brandt shined in it.  The guest cast was pretty good, although the guy playing Ben wasn't exactly the charismatic powerhouse they were hyping him to be (granted, when Tom Ellis is your lead, anyone else is going to be at a disadvantage.)  But I totally loved that the corrupt lieutenant was Miguel from SeaQuest: DSV, and the brief appearance of Erica Cerra as the lawyer.  Really could use more of her.  Maybe it will be revealed she works as the same firm Charlotte does.

Poor Dan missing out on his vacation!  He really is a good guy, despite Lucifer's complaints.  Plus, we got to see more Maze/Dan, which continues to be a fun duo. And it's a good thing he knows how to throw a snowball!

Trixie is back too!  Always great to see her, and her interactions with Maze continue to be the best.  I love that Chloe is pretty much at the acceptance stage now, where she isn't even all that worked up whenever something inappropriate happens.  As long as Trixie doesn't go all torture happy, it should be fine!

I guess the final scene is either going to connect to the Sinnerman or perhaps Pierce.

At least the country of Canada survived Maze's wrath!  Although Norm's over-the-top accent might have done more harm than anything she did.  It felt like he stepped off the set of Fargo or something.

[CheshireCat]

On ‎18‎.‎10‎.‎2017 at 8:07 PM, Jacks-Son said:

Love this post. Both Luci and Maze will fiercely protect Trixie. (Only Lucifer won't admit his affection for the "Little Human") Maze has damn near openly admitted it. Notice that she looked at Chloe for permission to have Trixie tag along with her to Canada. When Chloe said "No", Maze admitted that she needed Trixie to look after Chloe. I REALLY think that Maze is so confident, that she would have had Trixie tag along. The show and the actors have done a good job of showing the bond that everyone has developed. They have truly become a family; even Amenedude, Dan, and Linda have signed on.

Maze certainly is confident but she also isn't aware of danger because she's a demon. Kind of like Lucifer at the beginning/when Chloe isn't around. I don't think it has been addressed yet but I'm assuming Maze is also immortal/cannot be killed by humans, and they were the Lord of Hell and his protector/right hand demon, so, there's no real reason for either Lucifer and Maze to be afraid and they both seem to have difficulties grasping the concept of danger as they haven't really faced any up until now.

I thought this episode had a very different vibe to it than the previous two. They previous ones actually seemed more tame and it wasn't only because Maze was absent. Lucifer was much more fun in this episode as well. It also seemed better written in general/seemed smoother. But I just caught up on episode 2 and I felt rather indifferent afterwards but there are several things that I liked about this episode. Many great one-liners. Dr Linda's, Maze's and Lucifer's interactions were fantastic, both times. Loved Lucifer's devilish side and how he and Maze seem to still be on the same wave-length after all. I like when writers remember when characters have a past and I felt Lucifer's and Maze's shared past was subtly but still very present in this episode.

I kind of wished they'd have gone with whoever was behind Rivers' framing as the new big bad instead of the Sinnerman as it seemed more interesting but maybe they'll connect it or the Sinnerman will get more interesting. I certainly hope that if they do pick this up again (I'm not sure that they will since it was one of four stand-alone episodes), it won't be in just another stand-alone episode in a "let's get this over and done with" fashion. I think the story's too good for that.

[Kaiju Ballet]

I had been looking forward to this ever since LAB talked about it at a DragonCon Panel as one of her favorite episodes. It lived up to the hype! So much fun--LAB really sells the character so it's not one-note, which in the hands of a lesser actor it could be. Loved her clothes too--from the black and white mottled motorcycle jacket to the purloined camo parka.

This Maze-centric episode demonstrates the writing and performances are such that the relationships between the characters have truly become the heart of the show, and not just resting on Tom Ellis's more than capable shoulders. The interaction between Trixie and Maze was EVERYTHING!!!! Is Miss Alien a thing, or was she created for this show? I shared Trixie's glee when it came back bloodstained, lol!

I also liked the casting of Rivers. I'm not familiar with the actor, nor did I find him an obvious challenge to Lucy's role as Mr. Seduction, which allowed for his charisma to unfurl itself through his interactions with Maze. It's great that his charm is (so far) human and not supernatural in origin -- it's a more interesting story as Maze starts realizing how much human individuals mean to her. I'm glad they left the door open for his character to come back.

I like Dan's evolution as a character, and also enjoyed the respite from Pierce and Pierce's treatment of Dan.

[CheshireCat]

9 hours ago, Kaiju Ballet said:

 The interaction between Trixie and Maze was EVERYTHING!!!! Is Miss Alien a thing, or was she created for this show? I shared Trixie's glee when it came back bloodstained, lol!

I thought Trixie's reaction was creepy and Chloe's reaction way too relaxed. It's blood. From a stranger. On her daughter's stuffed animal that she snuggles with. That's gross and unhygienic and not something Trixie should be thrilled about or Chloe should condone her being thrilled about.

And as much as I love Trixie, I felt that she didn't exactly add anything to the story. She used to in the early episodes with Lucifer but now, I just shrug at her appearances because they're not really relevant and feel like they're in the episode because Trixie needs to be in it. (And if Trixie was in the bag with Maze's weapon why did Maze then leave without the bag and presumably her weapons?)

[Jacks-Son]

2 hours ago, CheshireCat said:

And as much as I love Trixie, I felt that she didn't exactly add anything to the story. She used to in the early episodes with Lucifer but now, I just shrug at her appearances because they're not really relevant and feel like they're in the episode because Trixie needs to be in it.

Oh shit, you will now face the wrath of the Trixlodiths.  Good luck, they can be merciless.

[johntfs]

10 hours ago, CheshireCat said:

I thought Trixie's reaction was creepy and Chloe's reaction way too relaxed. It's blood. From a stranger. On her daughter's stuffed animal that she snuggles with. That's gross and unhygienic and not something Trixie should be thrilled about or Chloe should condone her being thrilled about.

I think Chloe understands that her daughter is a bit out there and picks her battles accordingly.  Also, figure that toy is going to get heavily treated with Shout/Oust and then washed several times until the blood is gone.  Also figure Trixie thought blood on her toy was cool because Maze is cool and her toy being there was a bit like her being there.

For my part I'm happy with Trixie showing up because Trixie shows up.  I also appreciate that her absences mean she won't be overused and get tiresome.  It's a bit like Moriarty on Elementary showing up very rarely (sometimes as nothing but a voice-over) making each time she appears something of a major event.

[Loandbehold]

On 10/21/2017 at 3:03 AM, CheshireCat said:

I thought Trixie's reaction was creepy and Chloe's reaction way too relaxed. It's blood. From a stranger. On her daughter's stuffed animal that she snuggles with. That's gross and unhygienic and not something Trixie should be thrilled about or Chloe should condone her being thrilled about.

Did this actually occur, or was it Maze's idea of what her return would be like? If the latter, then Chloe's (non-)reaction makes more sense. 

[Ria]

I enjoyed this episode a lot. Maze is made of awesome. And Trixie is always delightful. But it also highlighted for me what a wet rag Chloe is. Most of the other characters, Lucifer, Maze and Linda especially, are strong vibrant personalities. Amenadiel is showing growth and has formed strong bonds with most of the others. Even Ella, when she isn’t ditzy, is a plus. Chloe is just stagnating. I think she drags every scene down. This episode cruises along nicely until Chloe turns up like a dull fog. I think she needs to learn Lucifer’s identity fast because, as is, she adds nothing to the show and seems like an outsider to the best relationships going on. 

[CheshireCat]

3 hours ago, Loandbehold said:

Did this actually occur, or was it Maze's idea of what her return would be like? If the latter, then Chloe's (non-)reaction makes more sense. 

Interesting thought. I assumed it was supposed to be a flash-foward. Would Maze really imagine her homecoming like this, with wine? Not sure if it entirely fits her character.

 

15 minutes ago, Ria said:

This episode cruises along nicely until Chloe turns up like a dull fog. I think she needs to learn Lucifer’s identity fast because, as is, she adds nothing to the show and seems like an outsider to the best relationships going on. 

I think they missed their chance for "fast" when they took away Lucifer's devil face.

But that's an interesting point. Most everyone knows. Dan doesn't but he's developed feelings for Charlotte, so there's a deep emotional investment and he's "only" supporting character, Ella is a believer and then there's Chloe...

[johntfs]

4 hours ago, CheshireCat said:

Ella is a believer

Being a believer is still a little different than knowing for sure that the hot dude consulting with Det. Decker really, truly is the Prince of Darkness.

[Mabinogia]

I'm more interesting in how Ella will react because she is a believer. If she found out she was consorting with the actual devil. Since Chloe barely reacts to anything, I could care less about her reaction but Ella will freak out. But will she fangirl or will she be horrified, because she believes in heaven and hell and the devil and god so strongly, it will be interesting to see how she reacts to knowing it's all real.

[Bruinsfan]

On 10/16/2017 at 10:09 AM, jewel21 said:

I am, however, annoyed by these stupid and unrealistic Canadian accents that are always portrayed on American  TV shows.

How does that even happen? Aren't half the actors in Hollywood Canadian?

On 10/17/2017 at 11:02 AM, johntfs said:

I love how universally excited/exercised we as fans get over the presence/absence of this little girl.  In almost every other show I can think of, a child actor promotes indifference or downright dislike.  In Lucifer Scarlet Estevez has become one of the main draws to the show.

This is one of those rare instances when good writing for a child character and good acting from a child actor come together. The absence of either could have torpedoed Trixie's contributions to the show, and if you want a demonstration of what the absence of both can do, you need look no further than Zach/Max Charles on The Strain.

[johntfs]

Ah, now that was a satisfying 42+ minutes of programming.  Plenty of Maze, at least some Trixie, the characters being recognizable as the characters we knew and loved.  It makes me wonder what has changed between the seasons and wish it would change back.

[jhlipton]

On 10/17/2017 at 9:02 AM, johntfs said:

I love how universally excited/exercised we as fans get over the presence/absence of this little girl.  In almost every other show I can think of, a child actor promotes indifference or downright dislike.  In Lucifer Scarlet Estevez has become one of the main draws to the show.

On 10/17/2017 at 0:35 PM, Humbugged said:

This all day!  Her excited face with the tongue out sells it. 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 10/17/2017 at 10:07 AM, Bobbin said:

The thumb across the throat was priceless! ❤

So, can demons acquire souls? And salvation?

Spike did it, but it was hard!

Edited October 31, 2017 by ItCouldBeWorse

[jhlipton]

On 10/30/2017 at 5:47 AM, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Spike did it, but it was hard!

"He's got a soooooooooouuuuuul!!!!!"
Thanks for that painful reminder...

[Jacks-Son]

On 10/30/2017 at 5:47 AM, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Spike did it, but it was hard!

Hey, both Angel and Spike redeemed themselves. Still love Angel as a puppet. #Not Fade Away