LUCIFER: “Chloe Does Lucifer” Roundtable

Welcome back from the long weekend! Lucifer is still on holiday break – the next new episode is Monday, December 4 – but you can get your fix with our roundtable for last week’s episode. We’re still struggling with the characterization this season; what’s your take? Sound off in the comments below.

We’ll get to the murder of the week in a minute, but let’s focus on Dr. Linda and what she’s going through. In this episode she was planning her estranged husband’s (rather elaborate) memorial service in an attempt to avoid dealing with her own feelings about her near-death experience. What did you think about her struggle with mortality now that she knows the truth about Heaven and Hell? How about Amenadiel’s words of wisdom?

Melissa: I’m glad we saw Dr. Linda having an existential crisis now that she has confirmation that Heaven, Hell, angels, demons, etc. are all real. That is a completely legit reaction to everything she’s been through and learned in the past 2 years. And Amenadiel was right – she had questions before, just different ones. I think Dr. Linda can hold onto that and put her analytical brain back to work on these new questions. (Also, did it seem like Amenadiel was about to go in for a kiss when they were laying on the beach? Or was that just me?)

Leah: The almost kiss first – I thought that, too! Also the SECOND Amenadiel heard Linda was going through something he bolted from Lucifer’s place to help her. So that’s something, right? I liked how she reacted and then handled things. It seemed very natural given her last few years.

Karen: What a circle they’ve traveled in… friends, to betrayal, and now back to friends. For a split second I thought they were going to kiss, too. Glad they didn’t, because… just no. They have a good solid friendship, and it needs to stay there, please. I’m glad she realized the effort she was putting into her ex’s service was really about her own brush with death, because she’s the queen of noticing deflection. There’ve been hints that this will be the year we learn a lot more about the good Doctor, and I LOVE that.

Cay: Yeah, I definitely expected a kiss as well, but glad it didn’t happen. Dr Linda doesn’t need the complication of sleeping with both the devil AND an angel, and brothers no less. That will not solve her existential crisis! It was a great scene, though! Dr Linda really is the voice of the viewer so often.

Lisa: I totally thought they were going to make out on that beach. I loved this scene with Amenadiel and Dr. Linda. It was a nice change to see a bit of Dr. Linda’s personal life even though it was a crisis, I feel like we got to know her better.

Another side-story involved Charlotte asking Ella to help her learn to be “good”. What did you think of this storyline? Now that Charlotte is going to be working in the D.A.’s office, she’ll probably be around more. What role does she have on #TeamDeckStar?

Melissa: Ella’s interaction with Charlotte was really strange. I figured she’d jump at the chance to help someone become a better person. Charlotte did prove her value to the team with the (stolen) contract that revealed the true motive behind the murder, so while getting her to the D.A.’s office was a fairly thin plot device, having Charlotte on their side will probably help.

Leah: Meh. I guess it’s a good way to bring Charlotte into the fold now that she is *just* Charlotte, but trying to get Ella to be the one to show you how to be good and coming up with a lie about a forensics shadow program seemed a bit much. Ella being anything but nice to anyone, even Charlotte was not like her and I didn’t love it.

Karen: Weird. Why didn’t they just have her take the job with the D.A. and jump right to it? The whole bit “shadowing” Ella was contrived and unnecessary. It made Tricia Helfer come off as weak and she was just wasted here.

Cay: It just feels awkward trying to shoehorn Charlotte back in. Her “new” character just feels off, so I can’t blame Ella for being weirded out.

Lisa: Lord their dynamic was too much! It was just too weird. I felt bad for Ella and Charlotte just came off like a workplace stalker. I wasn’t a fan of it.

This week’s homicide investigation sent Chloe undercover – again – as a hottie who needed to flirt. We’ve seen this twice already, yet Lucifer continues to assume Chloe can’t pull it off. Discuss.

Melissa: That whole premise rang false to me. Chloe couldn’t pull off flirting with the dudes at the mixer? What? She’s a smart, confident, successful woman. We’ve seen her do this kind of thing before. What happened?

Leah: She started her life as an actress, she can fake it. I have to assume anyway. Not to mention she isn’t dumb, she can smile and string together enough words for a conversation. What is going on?

Karen: I think it’s more that Lucifer instills that doubt by undermining her abilities perhaps? That’s why she starts off slow. Notice that she was fine once she took off without him. Then he shows up again and things go pear-shaped. Chloe is his weakness, why can’t he be hers? But if they were normal people, it’d totally be dumb.

Cay: Ugh, it would be fun to see Chloe go undercover as something other than a floozy, but this seems to be what they like making her do. And I’m with Leah – she’s an actress (although she doesn’t always act like it). Luci really wasn’t very nice to her this episode!

Lisa: Yeah Luci wasn’t very nice. Sometimes I wonder if the writers forget we know she is an actress. She could have totally pulled it off and it was strange that she didn’t. But I will say watching her rub an olive on that guy’s face had me cracking up.

Overall thoughts on this week’s episode?

Melissa: Lucifer and Chloe’s story felt more like a season 1 episode than a season 3 episode. I mean, we had the Monopoly game at the beginning, but the rest of the hour was a whole lot of Lucifer calling Chloe “dull” and “boring”. And Ella hiding from Charlotte – as I said above, I know it was meant to be played for laughs, but it was so UN-Ella-like. People were weird in this episode.

Leah: I don’t like this season and while last night’s episode wasn’t the worst, it definitely didn’t endear me to this show either. Lucifer was making growth, I thought, and now he seems to be back to his previous superficial issues.

Karen: Dr. Linda and Amenadiel, and the whole Trixie/shoe thing saved the episode for me. Otherwise it was NOT a stand-out episode at all.

Cay: Yep, Luci was just obnoxious, as he has been in most episodes this season. Although interesting that Luci took the shoe home…and then proceeded to leave it on his piano while he had a hot night in.

Lisa: Meh. It wasn’t my favorite but I loved the Monopoly game. Never too much Trixie. Never!

MVP?

Melissa: Trixie. Always Trixie.

Leah: Seconded!

Karen: She’s always great, but none of her patented amazing one-liners are steering me towards Dr. Linda and her self-realization breakthrough.

Cay: Dr Linda! Loved that scene on the beach!

Lisa: I love Trixie but I agree with Cay. Dr. Linda and Amenadiel on the beach was a great scene.

Favorite lines/scenes?

Melissa: Trixie negotiating with Lucifer for the top hat was the cherry on a rather delightful scene. I’d like to see more of domesticated Lucifer with Chloe and Trixie.

Leah: I’m just going to say all things Trixie because that was the highlight of the episode for me.

Karen: Dr. Linda and Amenadiel laying in the sand. So touching and sweet. I loved it.

Cay: Yep, Luci with a unicorn on his face was awesome. Kind of surprised that kids these days still play Monopoly, though, and clearly it was an older game because they changed a bunch of the tokens and I am pretty sure the thimble and the shoe, were retired.

Lisa: Monopoly! Trixie was so cute (as always). I also want to see more domesticated Luci! Fun for the whole family.

Lucifer returns Monday, December 4 at 9/8c on FOX.