This is a roundtable look at why it is so important to #SaveLucifer. For symbolic reasons, this article is first posting a week to the minute that the series finale episode of
Lucifer aired on FOX following cancellation. It seems appropriate to post this article now to remind everyone what the #SaveLucifer campaign is about, that this show in this time slot was special. In this roundtable, I am joined by fellow
Lucifer reviewer, Bex Wright, as well as #SaveLucifer champion, CJ Allan. We wanted to express why we believe
Lucifer deserves to be saved and why this campaign is important to us. We will be looking back at some of our favorite moments from the past three seasons along with a hopeful look forward at what we'd like to see happen. We want to hear from you, so after you read through our thoughts and opinions on the topic below, please tell us your thoughts. #SaveLucifer means a lot to us here at SpoilerTV and we know how much it means to all the fans of
Lucifer. So join us. Help keep the noise loud so that potential new homes for
Lucifer can't help but hear this collective fandom.
WARNING: If for some reason you have yet to finish this season of Lucifer, be warned that spoilers follow.
When you first discovered the series what were your initial thoughts about it?
Aimee Hicks: I thought that it was something entirely different. The Devil is usually the villain of the story so to see him as the hero was an interesting twist. Little did I know at the time how much I would come to sympathize with this version of the Devil. I was also surprised by the different twist they took on a procedural show and made it something entirely its own.
CJ Allan: I loved the charm of it. Still do. I found all of the characters interesting (which is rare for most shows starting out). The premise of the devil living in LA and helping to solve crimes just seemed to much fun. The show never disappointed.
Bex Wright: I like procedurals with a twist, and I was looking for something to fill the “Forever” hole in my heart left by ABC. This reminded me of Forever. There were many parallels in both shows’ pilot episodes, and it had just the right amount of humor in Lucifer’s behavior to make me fall pretty hard right from the first episode.
What is your opinion on the cliffhanger? Is it a satisfying enough place for the series to end? Or will the cliffhanger forever haunt you with all of its monumental unexplored potential?
AH: It was both satisfying and not. It was satisfying in the way that the one thing fans most wanted to happen finally happened and at the very least we got that. It was unsatisfying because it was the beginning of so many brilliant stories yet to be told. Season Four, could and may one day, still be a truly exceptional season. The story potential after that big reveal is monumental. This show is far from done telling its stories. So, while the finale reveal could in some sad twisted way be okay-ish to leave the series on the wasted story potential in the aftermath of the reveal means that, if this is the true final ending, that it will haunt me with all the what-if’s and maybe’s for where the writers could have taken the story.
CJ: I was surprised that it was Decker who found out his secret, maybe a bit too soon. But it opens possibilities to look at the relationship between Decker and Lucifer. If we do not get any more episodes, the cliffhanger will be frustrating, but at least Decker finally knows the truth and we saw exactly what Lucifer is willing to do/sacrifice to protect her.
BW: It’s not satisfying because it’s not an end. It’s a whole new beginning. So I’m frustrated we might not get to see the fallout and character growth that comes from this.
If Lucifer miraculously finds a new home and is renewed, where do you hope the story will go in the wake of the big cliffhanger reveal?
AH: The show would have to deal with the fallout of the reveal. In all likelihood, the writers would employ a time jump, but I would love to see them jump right back into that moment. It would almost feel like we were being cheated if they don’t show Chloe’s full journey through processing her feelings and dealing with all the chaos of learning the truth. It would be interesting to see how she handles learning that Linda has known for so long and not told her. And it would be incredibly interesting to see how Chloe and Maze’s friendship is dealt with. Chloe loves Lucifer immensely, but she also has a lot of love for her friend and roommate. Granted, its two very different loves, but Chloe, just like Linda had to, will have to reconcile the people she has come to know and love with their true identities. There are also so many stories left to be told with Amenadiel, Dan, Ella, Trixie, Maze, Linda, and perhaps even Charlotte should the writers ever check in with her up in Heaven.
CJ: I think it will start with the fallout of Lucifer and Decker and I think some time will have passed, where Decker has taken time away from the precinct and Lucifer. It will be interesting to see which “Big bad” will be brought into the show, maybe even seeing flashbacks to Lucifer’s days in hell.
BW: Chloe has a lot to work through, much like Linda did. More even, since Chloe’s in love with Lucifer, and Maze babysits her kid. She’s been leaving her child alone with a demon. That’s going to take time to accept. I would definitely need to see Chloe slowly accepting all this with the two moving towards a proper Deckerstar relationship. I’d also love to see Dan let in on the secret. I think that would help give him closure after losing Charlotte.
In your heart, do you believe this is the end of Lucifer or does Tom Ellis’ comments about “talks” happening still give you hope?
AH: Fan campaigns have a notoriously low success rate. Even those with the full support of a cast and creative team struggle. With that said, rarely after a cancellation does a star do as much press as Tom Ellis has. He and his castmates are fighting hard, a sign that some of the “talks” might have at least moderate potential to pull off a miraculous save. We don’t know who these “talks” are with, but at this point, I’d rule out any of the major networks swooping in to save the show. If it does find a new home it’ll likely be one of the multitude of streaming services. DC is about to launch a new online service that will have original programming and that seems like the perfect place for the show to go. Plus, it would be incredible press for the new service to tout that they saved the beloved
Lucifer. So, as long as the cast is actively fighting then I’ll maintain hope because they know more than we do. If they stop actively fighting then that is when I’ll start to have to deal with accepting the finality of the cancellation. It will be a hard fight, but as long as “talks” are happening and the cast is fighting it is worth holding onto some hope for a miracle.
CJ: The chances of
Lucifer being renewed are slim. Networks have made their decision which narrows down the field for survival. However, streaming has always been the main savior. I wouldn’t be surprised if a streaming service attempts a six-episode miniseries and then decide where to move forward from there.
BW: I don’t allow myself to get my hopes up about “talks”. I’ve been burned before.
Lucifer certainly has the fanbase and social media love behind it, so it probably has more of a chance than other recently cancelled shows.
To you, what makes/made Lucifer such a special show?
AH: The blend of heart and humor is just not something you see much in genre shows, or even procedurals for that matter. All these shows have brief moments of levity, but the mix of humor and heart was a steadfast hallmark of this show. Plus, it managed to somehow merge a procedural with a genre show and make it work. Sure they went a bit too procedural at times, but when they hit the balance point spot on it as something to watch in awe. And, perhaps most importantly, this cast genuinely enjoys being together and that translated into amazing onscreen chemistry. That sort of full cast chemistry is rarer than most may think.
CJ: Not many shows can have a serious story but uses humour to such good effect. This is mainly down to the cast. You can tell they enjoy their roles and enjoy working together, which makes it easy to love.
BW: Like its characters, the show has a mix of light and dark in its storytelling but it rarely went too deep into one extreme, keeping that balance where it could. There’s a lot of hope it in too. If the devil can help people and fall in love, if redemption is possible even for someone who had previously been to Hell, maybe the rest of us can do better too.
Why do you believe Lucifer deserves to be saved?
AH: There is so much potential in the wake of the big reveal. This show is far from done telling its story. And, perhaps more than that, as Tom Ellis has also noted throughout his press campaign, the outcry from the fandom isn’t limited to the US. In this day and age, people all over the world are able to see shows through various means. Deciding which shows can and can’t continue based off of the very antiquated Nielsen ratings is absurd. FOX might not have seen the US ratings they wanted, but the international potential of this series is off the charts. This could be a gold mine for a streaming service that also allows international viewers to watch it. The storytelling potential combined with the financial potential along with an incredible cast, come together to provide a million reasons why this show deserves to be saved.
CJ: Not many shows have such an interesting premise and a cast who clearly work well together both on and off screen. There are a lot of stories that can be told and I’m interested in where the show can move forward.
BW: Like the series, I like to believe in redemption. Season Three was certainly its weakest in terms of storytelling, but in the final two episodes the characters were getting more forward momentum again, and there was finally a return to the stronger writing of Seasons 1 and 2, that my excitement for a 4th season was reignited. The series can now move on from the love triangle that dragged it down and really dive into some solid stories as Chloe – and perhaps more characters – come to grips with this revelation. There is so much potential here that losing the series now is unacceptable.
Quick rapid-fire questions:
Favorite Season:
AH: Season 1
CJ: Season 1
BW: Season 1
Favorite Episode:
AH: Pilot (1x1)
CJ: A Good Day To Die (2x13)
BW: A Priest Walks Into A Bar (1x9)
Favorite Character:
AH: Maze, there is just something special in the way that Lesley-Ann Brandt played her that made her every scene so much fun to watch.
CJ: Ella, always Ella, she makes every scene amazing.
BW: Lucifer.
Favorite Storyline:
AH: Lucifer and Chloe’s love story. It was complex and wrought with pitfalls, but they always kept coming back to one another.
CJ: Maize and Trixie relationship.
BW: Linda seeing Lucifer’s Devil face, and her journey to acceptance, learning to trust Maze and Lucifer again, and working through this knowledge that Heaven and Hell – and God – exist.
Favorite Scene:
AH: Chloe finally seeing Lucifer’s “real” face at the end of
A Devil Of My Word (3x24), I waited 3 seasons for that and it was brilliant.
CJ: Ending of “A Good Day To Die” or the birthday bullet scene.
BW: Chloe seeing Lucifer’s Devil face at the end of
A Devil Of My Word (3x24)
Best Villain/Big Bad:
AH: Mom.
CJ: Lucifer, he is his own worst villain.
BW: Malcolm.
Most Unexpected Moment:
AH: In terms of the story, Lucifer revealing his face to Linda. The most unexpected real-life moment was when FOX decided to cancel the show.
CJ: Does the Fox cancellation count?
BW: For me it was when he showed Linda his Devil face. I hadn’t expected a reveal to come so early.
This article is our way of paying respect to a show we all loved, and continue to love, while also giving all the reasons that we feel this show still deserves to be saved. I could go into detail on how you can still help contribute to the #SaveLucifer campaign, but CJ Allan has already put together a magnificent
step-by-step guide. Please check that out for what you can do to help keep the campaign surging on. And, also spearheaded by CJ, is a panel that he will be overseeing for Tom Ellis at MCM London. Please
check out the post regarding that so that you can pass your questions along to him. The campaign is still in its infancy and there is still so much each fan of the show can do to help give the production team the evidence they need to take with them to each meeting as they valiantly fight to bring this show back to the fans who have loved and embraced it so dearly. The next big opportunity to make a lot of noise comes in exactly a week when FOX will air two previously
unaired bonus episodes. Prepare yourselves because making #Lucifer, #PickUpLucifer and #SaveLucifer trend during those two hours will be more important than ever.
Finally, the odds are steep and no one knows what the outcome will be, but keep fighting on. Every tweet, social media post, and article helps. Use the power that social media has given to you and no matter where you are in the world speak up. Share every tweet and article that you can so that those in “talks” to potentially swoop in and resurrect this show know how many of us there really are. Use the comments to tell us why you think
Lucifer deserves to be saved. And, for an interesting analysis, tell us what country you are from and how you watch(ed)
Lucifer.
The cast, crew, and even the Devil himself need us, so keep fighting on!
#SaveLucifer
