Lucifer S4E1: “Everything’s OK” recap

Following an outcry from fans so loud you could hear it from the seventh circle of hell, last August Netflix picked up fantasy police procedural Lucifer for a fourth season, set to premiere Wednesday, May 8th.

Swooping in like a guardian angel, the streamer saved the show from a fate worse than death after Fox axed Lucifer in what can only be described as a baffling strategy for its 2018-2019 schedule, having cut Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Ghosted from its slate earlier in the year as well.

It was a major victory for Lucifans, who fought long & hard for their beloved, devilishly entertaining show’s story to be continued. Inspired by Fox’s equally baffling Brooklyn Nine-Nine cancellation, which led to a fandom backlash and a subsequent rescuing from NBC, the Lucifans had launched the #SaveLucifer campaign, which comprised numerous Change.org petitions, including one that drew in over 300,000 signatures.

Lucifans also focused their plea on pitching the show to other networks and streamers. “The weird thing was when the news broke (about the cancellation) – that’s when I started feeling better, because the response has been nothing short of ridiculously overwhelming,” declared the show’s main star, Tom Ellis.

Now that season four has dropped on Netflix, we’ll be recapping the episodes every other day as we bingewatch along with you. Whether you’re a dedicated Lucifan or just a fallen angel fresh from the gates of heaven, here’s everything about Lucifer S4E1 “Everything’s OK”.

Although Lucifer finally lets us in on Chloe Decker’s reaction to S3’s cliffhanger (when she finally began to believe that Lucifer is the devil, as he’s been saying for all these years), we didn’t get to see it in this episode. We’re hoping to see Decker’s reaction in flashback form later in the series.

Decker’s reaction wasn’t what Lucifer hoped for, to say the least. After seeing Lucifer’s devil face in the immediate aftermath of Cain’s death, Decker has taken her daughter Trixie and hotfooted it out of LA as fast as her legs carry her. We find that Decker headed to Rome to do some research on the history of Lucifer Morningstar, the devil himself.

But we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves. In pure fanservice, Lucifer S4 gives us what we want to see as the opener. (Netflix, your algorithm did good.) Lucifer (Tom Ellis) is seated at his piano singing his heart out to Radiohead’s “Creep” (and bumming out his customers). Luci is smarting at Decker’s presumed rejection after seeing his true (devil) face.

Finally, Lucifer’s wailing ceases when a hoodlum holds a gun to his head. Turns out this gunman is the thief Luci left in the desert, and he’s here seeking revenge. Cue more fanservice: the Lord of the Flies bends the gun like it’s a rubber toy, lifts the thief off the floor, and gives him an old flash of his glowing eyes.

We see the thief come to the realization that he probably didn’t imagine Lucifer’s angel wings afterall. When the thief’s cronies start firing at Lucifer, it gives him more room for thought. Did Decker feel the same fear the thief is now feeling when she saw his devil face? With the crisis averted, Lucifer informs his audience – and the fourth wall – that Decker has bailed without a word.

As Lucifer continues to resolve his issues by giving the thief gold bars and wads of cash, we’re treated to the next piece of fanservice of the episode (so much love so soon). Lucifer pulls off his trousers and shows the thief (and us) his marvelous butt.

Maze (Lesley-Ann Brandt) arrives as the thief runs away – cum questions. Is Luci still holding a grudge against her for trying to kill him? Does Lucifer want her to find Decker? The answer is no on all fronts.

Finally looking like the Luci we know & love, the devil reports for work at a crime scene. Detective Douche/Dan (Kevin Alejandro) would rather Lucifer went home, and tells him so – but as Dan has zero authority over the devil, he stays. Ella (Aimee Garcia) suggests Dan’s mood may derive from mourning the loss of Charlotte. Lucifer doesn’t believe Charlotte’s death is his fault and states that he won’t be made a scapegoat.

We soon realize Ella’s also not herself. Since we last saw her, she’s fallen out with God and is questioning her faith. Luci says he’s done with his LAPD consulting work just as the woman he’s been wanting to see, Decker (Lauren German), arrives at work like there’s nothing wrong at all.

It’s an awkward scene, Decker chatting with Ella and not talking directly the Luci. We’re quickly thrown into this week’s case. A beekeeper, Bob, has been killed by a honey scraper.

Decker talks to Bob’s wife who claims no one would want to hurt him. Throughout this interview, Luci stares Decker down until she takes a break to speak with her partner.

Decker says her vacay gave her the time she needed to come to terms with Lucifer’s real identity. Honestly Decker, you call yourself a detective . . . the dude told you nothing but the truth for several years . . . but anyway. She appeases Luci: “I think deep down I always knew.” After dropping him a large, fake smile, she motions for them to get back to the task at hand.

After work, Luci drops by Dr. Linda’s (Rachael Harris) office. He tells the doctor that Decker is in denial, as he doesn’t understand her lack of reaction to his face. Linda asks him what he was expecting to happen and Luci becomes defensive. Linda hypothesizes that Lucifer was looking for Decker to reject him, as he is rejecting his own Devil face.

Luci thinks the reemergence of his devil face is related to his slaying of Cain, but Linda reminds him it’s only his father’s rule that he can’t kill humans – not his own. She thinks Luci is punishing himself for enjoying the killing, but also thinks Luci may consider himself evil.

They end the session mutually frustrated with each other. The Doctor asks Luci to consider that Decker might be telling the truth about coming to terms with his real identity.

After some highjinx at the police station (when Lucifer performs his “I am the devil” bit for Ella’s delight) we’re back on the case. We find Bob wasn’t killed by his own scraper and that it was covered in a rival company’s honey. The team works on the assumption this could be a work-related murder.

Decker & Luci make for the local farmers’ market to check out the honey scene. Luci asks the rival honey store what he really wants. (To Decker’s obvious delight, now she’s in on the joke.) The honey merchant admits he wanted Bob to die, not because of their rivalry but because he was absolutely petrified of him. He confesses he destroyed Bob’s beehive – but didn’t kill him. When Bob found out who destroyed his beehive, he beat him silly with a bag of doorknobs and hospitalized him.

As they leave the farmers’ market they realize they’re being tailed by an armed man. Turns out their victim Bob was in witness protection, a reformed mob enforcer nicknamed Bob the Knob.

When Decker gets home, she finds Maze in her house, handcuffed and seated so Decker need not be afraid of her. She tells Decker she’d never hurt her or Trixie, but Maze ruins her moment of good faith by breaking the handcuffs. Decker still looks like she believes her though. Auntie Maze is heartbroken to find that Trixie is at not at home and is even sadder when Decker tells her Trixie is still mad at her.

Luci also finds someone when he gets home. Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside) is there wings and all. They share a drink and talk about Charlotte’s death and flight to heaven. Luci wants to know why Amenadiel came back to heaven when he took Charlotte. Luci chats about Decker knowing the truth, and Amenadiel agrees Decker can’t be fine with it. He offers to stay and help Luci make things right – but Luci refuses, telling his brother to go home.

Decker and Lucifer arrive at a mob party to speak with Frank the Pool Boy. He says it’s just a coincidence he’s in LA and hasn’t seen Bob for years. Luci can tell this is a lie as he spies Bob’s honey brand at the spread. Frank quickly confesses they were in L.A. to warn Bob about an impending attempt on his life. Frank and his crew didn’t dislike Bob, as they all hated the family member whom his evidence put away; someone else wanted Bob dead.

As they’re walking out, Lucifer places his hand on Decker’s shoulder. Her body involuntary jerks away and she omits a scary sound. Luci, hurt by her reaction, asks for an explanation. She says he only startled her.

Back at the station, Decker informs U.S. Marshal Luke Reynolds (assigned to Bob’s case) everything was kosher with Frank the Pool Boy’s alibi. Luke says this murder has all the signs of a mob killing, while Decker wonders if Bob’s wife, Lenore, knew about his dark past. Luke says he’s never met her, but assures Decker Bob was told not to reveal anything about his past to anyone.  

Decker puts two & two together and comes to the conclusion Lenore did know about Bob the Knob’s mob job. Even though Dan & Lucifer are on the outs, Lucifer asks Dan why a woman might recoil at a man’s touch. Dan doesn’t spare any blows with his reply. “It means that they hate you – that they want you as far away from them as possible, because your very touch makes them recoil in disgust.”

In turmoil, Luci goes to Dr. Linda but they reach no conclusions. Linda should get an award for the most patient healthcare professional in TV history ever.

Meanwhile Decker and Dan go to Lenore, who is nowhere to be found, though her door is open. They soon find she left, hurrying with a go-bag. What did Lenore take with her? Ella mentions a wedding album, which everyone agrees would be an odd thing to carry if you killed your hubby.

The farmers’ market CCTV footage shows Frank the Pool Boy visiting the stall, and Marshal Luke Reynolds too. The Marshal can be seen chatting with Lenore, which is not what he said when questioned earlier in the episode.

Elsewhere, Maze needs Dr. Linda’s help reconnecting with Trixie. Linda’s in an odd mood and has lots of energy – she’s spoiling for Maze to spar with her. Amenadiel walks in just as Linda punches Maze in the face. He originally assumes they’re fighting over him, but quickly gets knocked down himself.

Amenadiel is also conflicted and needs a session with the Doctor. He doesn’t understand why he didn’t stay in the Silver City. He said it felt different this time – not like home. Maze astutely realizes that L.A. is now his home.

As Lucifer snacks on honey, Decker and Dan try to trace Luke. Two of the other ex-cons Luke was protecting have also died. It would appear Luke ratted out his ex-cons to their existing enemies. Luke may have killed Bob himself based on the fact that Lenore ran. Perhaps Luke told her she was in danger.

They team finally locates Luke and tracks him to a recreation center. We can see he’s doing a copycat of Frank the Pool Boy’s style to try to frame him, and Lucifer & Decker arrive just as he’s about to shoot Lenore and leave her to drown.

Luke begins spouting excuses: he’s not a bad guy; the criminals he’s meant to protect get exactly what they deserve; Lenore’s not innocent either, as she forgave Bob’s past. Lucifer tells Luke it’s not his job to punish people, it’s his. Luke fires a shot and Luci gets injured (because he’s around Decker).

Luci goes into the parking lot to prevent Luke’s escape, while Decker rescues Lenore. Luci grabs the rear of Luke’s car to stop him from driving off. That parking lot surely smelled a lot of burning rubber. As Decker arrests Luke, Lucifer runs off.

Back at the station as Maze is depositing off a bad guy, we see Trixie. Maze does some awkward apologizing, but Trixie makes it easy for her and rushes in for a hug. Maze realizes it was Decker, not Trixie, that wanted to keep them apart.

Amenadiel also turns up at the station – but he’s looking for Dan. Amenadiel calmly tells Dan, “She’s in heaven.” Dan, griefstricken, asks him not to say that. So Amenadiel commands Dan to look at him. He rests his palm on Dan’s chest and says it again. This time Dan believes him. He looks at peace for the first time since we’ve seen him this episode.

Lucifer returns home, alone and sulking. He’s at his piano when Decker arrives, wanting to explain that his “monster” side is not the only part of him – but he recognizes it’ll take time for her to accept him. Decker takes his hand and replies, “What I saw was my partner.” Lucifer’s happy for the first time this episode. He can’t believe Decker has accepted him.

Perhaps he shouldn’t – at the end of the episode Decker is sobbing in a church pew. The crazy priest she met in Rome, Father Kinley (Graham McTavish), comes to sit with her and asks if she’s ready for the next step.