‘Lucifer’ Gets Honest in the Very Entertaining Musical Episode (RECAP)
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Lucifer Season 5, Episode 10 “Bloody Celestial Karaoke Jam.”]
The highly-anticipated musical episode of Lucifer is as enjoyable, emotional and extraordinary as we expected, and it ends with a shock, for both fans and Lucifer (Tom Ellis).
Perhaps most importantly, the set-up for everyone singing and dancing works. It’s simple: God (Dennis Haysbert) is making it happen with his powers. He’s sticking around on Earth, trying to spend time with his son and, especially fun, meeting Det. Dan Espinoza (Kevin Alejandro). Their mutual…connection, we’ll call it, with Charlotte/the Goddess (Tricia Helfer) makes for quite the introduction.
What did you think of the music? Read on for what happened, then vote in our poll below.
“Wicked Game”
After Lucifer’s heartbreaking talk with Det. Chloe Decker (Lauren German) about love, the devil sings a song to match the mood: “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak. It’s gut-wrenching, and he looks awful, really. (Chloe’s not doing any better.)
God applauds his son’s performance (“I forgot what a wonderful voice you were blessed with”) and tells him he’s staying and sent Michael (also Ellis) back to heaven. “Sent him to his room, did you?” Lucifer quips. But he’s not exactly eager for the father-son bonding experience God wants. “How about when hell freezes over?” Lucifer suggests. Ouch.
“Another One Bites the Dust”
To Chloe’s pleasant surprise, Lucifer joins her at the crime scene. But she’s certain they’ll make it past their current issue and that he is capable of love. As they turn their focus to work, forensic scientist Ella Lopez (Aimee Garcia), Dan, Chloe, Lucifer, bystanders and even the victim (a referee) launch into a fun dance number for “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen.
When Lucifer spots his dad on the sidelines, he realizes why. Don’t worry, God assures him, Lucifer won’t notice he’s here…as there’s more dancing going on behind him. “Oh God,” Lucifer says.
After Lucifer tells Chloe who God is, she walks over, introduces herself (though she knows he knows who she is) and tells him, “Respectfully, sir, you are a terrible father. I am sure you had your hands full with creating the Earth, the sun, the universe, whatever, but I know what it’s like to be a working parent, and my two cents, again respectfully, when it comes to Lucifer, you screwed up. Big time. Your kid acts up and you kick them out of the house and go radio silent for thousands of years? That’s just mean. Respectfully.” God likes her. Lucifer quickly pulls her away when she brings up being a “gift” for him.
Meanwhile, Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside) tells Dr. Linda Martin (Rachael Harris) that their baby is just a normal human. While she’s glad she doesn’t have to worry about Charlie’s powers manifesting, she also realizes Amenadiel is disappointed he’s not an angel like him. Yes, angels are better than humans, the celestial being says, offending her.
“Every Breath You Take”
While Lucifer and Chloe interrogate a student who threatened the victim, his mom begins singing The Police’s “Every Breath You Take.” Lucifer joins in as God observes. It turns out the kid’s mom sent the threats, but the teen does give them a lead: He saw the victim arguing with a guy.
When Chloe suggests it’s better to work through issues with a parent, drawing a parallel between the case and Lucifer, the devil decides to move God into his penthouse. If they can work on their relationship, maybe Lucifer can have a relationship, too.
Cue Lucifer showing God around work and introducing him to Dan. (“He has a desk. Maybe if you work hard enough you might one day rise to this man’s level,” God says.) Upon realizing who’s standing before him, Dan becomes flustered, kneels, then hugs him. “I know who you are, actually,” God informs him. “I believe you met my wife. … Be seeing you later. Or not.” Awkward.
“Bad to the Bone”/”No Scrubs”
When the demon Maze (Lesley-Ann Brandt) brings a bounty to the station, she attempts to leave him with Ella. After all, he’s a bad guy with a motorcycle. Ella tries to resist while also telling Maze she thinks trying to torture her is just an act. That leads to a mash-up of the two singing and dancing—Maze to George Thorogood & The Destroyers’ “Bad to the Bone” and Ella to TLC’s “No Scrubs.” It’s the most entertaining number of the episode.
When Chloe refuses to get in the middle of an argument between Lucifer and God about the quality of the station’s coffee, the devil brings his dad (and the mug) to Linda. Lucifer says God made them all imperfect and then criticizes them for not measuring up to his high standards. God denies being angry about anything, even when Lucifer brings up banishing him to hell. And sure, he has people singing and dancing, but God reminds his son that he’s been participating. Linda’s a bit too distracted with her own problems, namely Amenadiel’s feelings about their son not being an angel, but God decides he’s going to support Lucifer (a bit too much).
For example, Lucifer doesn’t need a cheering section (“Look at you, all firm and authoritative, solving crimes like a real detective”) while he and Chloe question the man who had been arguing with the victim.
“Hell”
Upon running into each other at Lux, Amenadiel offers to give Dan some space as he comes to terms with his divinity. But Dan has bigger concerns, namely Charlotte being God’s wife. “Was the goddess ever inhabiting Charlotte’s body while I was inhabiting Charlotte’s body?” Dan asks. Maybe? And is Amenadiel’s father a jealous God or is he above things like “murderous revenge-driven rage?” Not necessarily. Since he slept with God’s wife, Dan deduces he’s definitely going to “Hell,” leading to him singing the Squirrel Nut Zippers song…as God delights in watching the performance in the club.
“Just the Two of Us”
Lucifer can only take his dad being around so long, and after God brings him breakfast (he’s seen Lucifer’s naked body everywhere in the penthouse, so it’s no big deal), he sends him off to harass—or rather visit— his other kids.
And so God watches as Linda and Amenadiel burst into a very sweet rendition of “Just the Two of Us” as they walk Charlie in the park.
Meanwhile, Lucifer and Chloe wrap the case. The referee wasn’t killed due to a call he made during a game, but by his wife, who knew nothing about their life together would change. But can God change? Chloe thinks it hasn’t been long enough for Lucifer to judge, but he’s not so sure.
“Smile”
Chloe puts her daughter, Trixie (Scarlett Estevez), to bed before taking time to think about her life with Lucifer (so far). Unbeknownst to her, Trixie peeks her head out of her room and sings Nat King Cole’s “Smile.” God, outside Chloe’s house, raises his hand to knock but walks away instead.
“I Dreamed a Dream”
God then goes to see his son, who has finally had enough. “It was bad enough rejecting me, forcing me down to hell, but I had a life here, I had a good thing!” Lucifer tells him. “The detective, she made me vulnerable, but it was terrifying but it was also amazing because for the first time in my long, hopeless life, I felt something. And then you just turn up and you ruin it, you throw it all away. Why?”
That leads to them singing Les Misérables‘ “I Dreamed a Dream,” the most raw, honest song of the episode. “My son, the light bringer, so full of light, it blinds even you sometimes,” God says. He can’t fix him, so Lucifer wants him to at least stop controlling him, like with the singing. “I don’t think that’s possible,” God admits. “My powers, son, I think I’m losing control of them.” “Dad?” Lucifer asks, sounding almost like a little boy.
But…God losing control of his powers? Uh-oh.
Which song was your favorite? Vote below.
Lucifer, Season 5B, Streaming Now, Netflix