Lucifer Season 5.2--Good to have the Devil back

 

TV Review: Lucifer Season 5.2—The Devil is Still Alive and Kicking

 The aging process of a TV show is hard to anticipate.  Some shows come out strong after a long crafting period, but then have no where to go but down (Twin Peaks, Heroes).  Some start weak and then find their legs after growing pains (Parks & Recreation, Legend of Tomorrow).  Shows showing continued growth and creativity in their fifth season are unusual.

Lucifer started off with some problems.  The first season took time to establish the relationship between The Devil AKA Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis) and LA Police Detective Chloe Decker, whose main characteristic was the repeated statement that she had starred in a raunchy sex comedy when she was a teenager.  The season revolved around a police scandal summed up by the word “Palmetto” and if you played a drinking game and took a swig of something alcoholic when ever that word was uttered, you’d be blitzed before the end of any episode.

The show got more creative in season 2 when they introduced Tricia Helfer as the Earthly body inhabited by the Goddess of All Creation (God’s wife and Lucifer’s mother).  The creators said they checked with the Bible and found no mention of Lucifer’s mother and decided the character was free to be utilized.  The cases of the week, the murders assigned to Detective Decker and her ex-husband Dan (Kevin Alejandro) faded into the background and the philosophical issues of the Devil living on Earth took more prominence.  The rest of the cast (DB Woodside as Lucifer’s brother Amenadiel, Lesley-Ann Brandt as his assistant Mazikeen, Rachel Harris as Lucifer’s psychiatrist Linda) was fleshed out and the storytelling got more confident.  Season 3 introduced Biblical character Caine, and Season 4 added Eve to the mix.  Season 5 introduced Lucifer’s twin brother Michael (Ellis doing a passable American accent) and the first half of the season ended with the appearance of Lucifer’s father, better known as God.

If you make The Almighty Divine Creator of the Universe a character in your TV show, you’d better find an actor who can carry the role.  Lucifer nails the casting with Dennis Haysbert, now known for his insurance commercial but once cast as the President of the United States in the series 24.  He was credible as the President even though he was African American and this was pre-Obama (some have speculated that Obama’s election owed some thanks to Haysbert for making a Black president seem credible; at the time a critic said that if Haysbert changed his name to David Palmer [his character’s name on 24] and ran for President he’d probably win).  There was also an issue with cast-member Woodside, who reportedly lobbied for an African American actor in the role as his father since a Caucasian actress had played his mother.

Haysbert is perfect.  He has a deep, commanding voice that invites obedience, but a genial manner that bespeaks the softer side of God.  He fits right in with the family dynamics established by the show, intimidating mortals like Chloe and Linda, puzzling his son Amenadiel, and infuriating Lucifer. 

I have watched the first two episodes of season 5.2, and I am pleased to report that the creativity Lucifer’s writers have displayed in the past is in full force.  The first episode milks the family dynamics to the max, with God summoning a thunderstorm to quell the squabbling.  Linda keeps poking God to assure his existence and tries to duck out on family dinner, Amenadiel becomes depressed when he is told his son with Linda is human, not angelic, and a murder at a mini-golf course is solved (yawn).

Episode 2 is the long teased, long awaited musical episode.  Musical episodes are tricky; except for Buffy the Vampire Slayer few series attempting one have cleared the bar.  The one, titled Bloody Celestial Karaoke Jam, isn’t quite up to the Buffy musical but it is the closest I’ve seen since the Scrubs musical episode My Musical.  It starts with a great cover of Wicked Game by Ellis, followed by a rousing group sing of Queen’s another One Bites the Dust at the murder scene.  The musical numbers get a little less on the nose as the episode progresses (Linda singing “Just the Two of Us” to her baby is somewhat generic; I half expected her to break into "What if God Was One of Us" at one point) but the cast steps up, especially Alejandro who continues to show comedic chops undreamt of in season 1 (Dan is worried because he slept with the woman whose body was inhabited by God’s ex-wife, and he is not reassured by Amenadiel when he tells Dan that his father is probably not happy with that fact and that God is sort of vengeful). 

Lucifer has been a tad erratic over its run, but shows that push creative boundaries often are (again, see Legends of Tomorrow).  Since moving from Fox to Netflix the show has embraced shedding the broadcast shackles (not to mention clothes), and coming up with some innovative fight scenes.  This freedom seems to have invigorated the writing staff, and Lucifer continues to be one of the most surprising shows being produced.

If you have been a fan of Lucifer, catch season 5.2.  If not, take my advice and watch the pilot then skip to season 1 episode 1 and go from there.  You’ll have a Devil of a good time (sorry, the Devil made me do it.)

Tim Tebow: Tight End--it makes sense

 I have rarely seen such unanimity about a decision by a coach or manager among the intelligentsia on ESPN.  Usually there is always a debate, a difference of opinion, because controversy and clash help ratings.  But almost everyone on ESPN was in agreement—Urban Meyer is an idiot for signing Tim Tebow as a tight end. 

“Oh,” they wailed, “He’s too old!  He hasn’t played football in years!  He’s never played tight end!  There is no way he can be successful!”  One person on ESPN opined that this was just another example of Tim Tebow’s privileged position.

To that last comment I have to ask, “Really?  Privileged?”  This was a guy who was an incredible athlete, who won a Heisman Award and two national championships.  He was such an inspirational leader, his school engraved one of his locker room speeches on one of its walls (although not everyone loved it).  You keep hearing how bad he was at quarterback, so I guess every defensive back in the SEC must have been horribly incompetent to explain his two national championships.

Yet despite being one of the most successful college quarterbacks in history, he wasn’t chosen in the draft until the 25^th pick by the Denver Broncos.  After a year as backup, Tebow took over as the Bronco’s starter in 2011 when the team was 1-3.  All Tebow did was take them to the playoffs, and then win the first game in the playoffs. 

How was Tebow thanked?  Did they throw him a parade?  Did they build a statue to him?  No, the next year they traded him to the New York Jets for two low-round draft picks.  He bounced around the league but never was a full-time starter anywhere else and was washed up after only 3 seasons in the NFL.

He was then privileged to join the New York Mets’ farm system and try and make it to the Majors in baseball.  His “privilege” was to bounce between A ball, AA ball and AAA ball for four seasons, never making it to “The Show” despite the fact that jersey sales possibly would have paid his rookie salary.  Four years of minor league baseball is no one’s idea of “privilege.”

But are the haters right?  Does Tebow have any business signing as a tight end in the NFL?  Let me ask a few questions:

Did the Jacksonville Jaguars just draft Trevor Lawrence, the most heavily hype QB prospect since Y.A. Tittle strapped on a helmet?

Do you think Tim Tebow could tell Lawrence something about The Gospel According to Urban Meyer, Tebow’s coach in college and now the coach of the Jaguars?

Do you think Tebow has any wisdom to share about making the transition from highly successful college player to being a tackling dummy for Aaron Darnold and JJ Watt in the NFL?

Do you think having Tebow in the Jaguars’ training camp will take a little of the spotlight off of Lawrence as he learns a pro-style offence?

The answer to all of these questions is, “Duh!”  Tim Tebow will be an asset to Urban Meyer and Trevor Lawrence even if he never plays a down at tight end in a regular season game.  If nothing else, he can be a cautionary tale to a young man who has also won a Heisman Trophy and now dreams of NFL glory. 

I doubt Tim Tebow will make it to the Pro Bowl as a tight end.  I doubt he will be on the Jaguars’ opening day roster.  I do not doubt his leadership, or that he can help Trevor Lawrence get something Tim Tebow never got in the NFL—respect.