The Lucifer writers definitely know how to leave a lasting image and impression with their season finales, and “A Chance At A Happy Ending” is no different in that regard.
Graphic: John P. Fleenor/Netflix
As the penultimate episode of this season and originally, the penultimate episode of the entire series “Is This Really How It’s Going To End?!” sets things up just right for an epic finale and an even greater status quo shift. The odds are stacked against our heroes, they’ve lost one of their own, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Much like in the penultimate episode of the first half of
Lucifer season five, “Our Mojo,” there’s a huge tonal shift in this episode that changes everything. The difference is, here, that tonal shift comes from something much more personal to the characters and the audience: Dan’s death.
“Can’t you… stay and annoy me for a bit longer?”
I suppose that since God/Dad’s tenure on
Lucifer officially began with a family dinner, it only makes sense that it ends with a family reunion. Or, a few family reunions, actually. Dad’s retirement barbecue at the park, Dad and Mom’s second act, even the double Decker date (featuring a returning Rebecca de Mornay as Chloe’s mother, Penelope). You could even say that Maze’s plans for Hell are technically plans for another family reunion. But ultimately, the family reunion that matters most is the one that means Dennis Haysbert’s time on
When Lucifer was on network television, it did that thing that a lot of episodic series and procedurals (even those that fuck, such as it is) do: Because of episode orders, it would reiterate things that were seemingly already dealt with and backtrack to maintain a certain status quo. The most glaring examples would come in the form of Lucifer’s therapy sessions with Dr. Linda and Lucifer’s relationship with Chloe. In the case of the latter, one step forward, two steps back. (She’s a gift from God! Lucifer got kidnapped and dumped in the desert. with his wings!) And with the former, yes, the bit about Lucifer taking the absolute wrong thing from therapy every single time (only to eventually get it) is a good one; but it’s also very much a story structure tool that can get frustrating after a while. While Lucifer still paints the Lucifer/Chloe beats with the same brush and it works because of the amount of baggage that just Lucifer alone has, even past Chloe accepting his Devil