Oh Devil, You God! Lucifer's Fifth Season Second Half Goes from Sublime to Ridiculous

When Lucifer went on hiatus in the middle of its fifth season on Netflix, I had the distinct sense that I heard Fonzie revving up his motorcycle in the distance while a crew of marine biologists wheeled back the cover on a tank of sharks. And with the drop of the second half of the fifth season, I can't say I was wrong.

There's a lot to take in here. Lucifer's twin, Michael (a dual role played by Tom Ellis), has concocted a plan to succeed where his brother failed. But rather than use outright rebellion, his tactic is gaslighting to convince God (Dennis Haysbert) that he's lost a few steps in his old age. And since we have learned that the angels are self-actualizing beings -- self-actualizing meaning that "if you believe it about yourself, it manifests" -- God Himself begins to self-actualize foibles, such as causing people to randomly break out in song and dance routines, or exploding (and reconstituting) human bodies. I wouldn't have suspected such a plan would work against someone with omniscience, but then the joke needs must have exceptions to the rules for it to play out.

Another weird take is that of Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside), who learns from God that his infant son, Charlie, is indeed fully human -- which means one day he is going to die. Unable to cope with that knowledge, Amenadiel pleads to switch places, so that he might die as a mortal and Charlie could live forever as an angel. This is odd, because Amenadiel has flown many a soul to Heaven already, so he knows that death is merely a doorway to immortality on a higher plane, so why he would have such concerns is simply out of character.

That's not to say the show doesn't have its memorable and fun moments. The entire musical episode gave almost the entire cast an opportunity to show off musical talents, including Trixie (Scarlet Estevez) and Dan (Kevin Alejandro). Dan being introduced to God shakes him even more than when he learned Lucifer was the literal Devil -- moreso when Dan recalls that he slept with God's wife.

But the overarching story casts a shadow over all that: because God is going to retire, and someone is going to have to take his place as God. Will it be Michael? Amenadiel? Or does God have another plan for His replacement? It all comes down to another battle between the angels and demons -- and there are surprisingly few of them -- after which a new omnipotent being is crowned king of all creation.

I'll admit it makes me want to see where they go with the sixth and final season. But at the same time, it also makes me glad that the sixth is the final season.