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Series2016–20216 seasonsCrime

Lucifer

44
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A witty, glossy crime drama in which the Devil helps a detective solve murders, with constant innuendo, regular violence and a reimagined God. Its sympathetic Satan and mockery of Christian belief will weigh heavily for many families.

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Watch guide

What's in it?

LanguageModerate swearing

Mild and moderate swearing runs through the series, with occasional stronger words from Season 4. The f-word is used rarely, first in the back half of Season 5.

BlasphemyFrequent mockery of God

God's name is used as an exclamation, and Lucifer scorns his Father and calls God's rules arbitrary throughout. God appears as a fallible, weary father in Season 5 (S5E9–S5E14).

Sex and nudityConstant innuendo

Sexual innuendo is near constant, with scantily dressed nightclub crowds and Lucifer often shirtless. Brief nudity appears in S1E4 and brief rear nudity at a nudist colony in S4E6; Lucifer and Chloe's first night together (S5E6–S5E7) is implied, not explicit.

RelationshipsCasual sex, affairs

Lucifer has many casual partners, including an early sexual arrangement with his psychiatrist, and affairs drive several murder cases. His romance with Chloe grows slowly across the seasons into marriage.

ViolenceShootings and bloody deaths

Each episode centres on a murder, with shootings, stabbings, fights and bodies shown. Strongest moments include a man impaling his head on a chair leg (S4E3), a throat-cutting (S2E12), Lucifer crippling a killer (S4E6) and the torture of a captive (S3E10).

Frightening scenesDevil face, Hell visions

Lucifer's burning red-eyed devil face terrifies characters throughout. Visions of souls tormented in Hell (S2E13, S5E1) and demons taking over bodies (S4E9–S4E10) are unsettling.

Drugs and alcoholHeavy drinking, some drugs

Drinking is constant at Lucifer's nightclub and characters get very drunk. Drug dealing features in cases, cannabis is sold for laughs (S3E4) and Ella takes drugs with Eve and cocaine to defuse a bomb (S4E5), played as comedy.

AttitudesCharming, unrepentant Devil

Lucifer's vanity, lust and vengeance are played as charming, and he and Maze use threats and torture on suspects. Lying between partners is common, though the show does weigh guilt and responsibility.

OccultDevil and demons as heroes

Satan, demons and angels are presented as real, with the Devil as the likeable hero and demons as friends. A Satanist cult features in S1E12 and demonic summoning and possession in S4E9–S4E10.

  • To know
  • Skip for kids
  • Discuss
  1. Early

    Violence and fright

    S1E1: A pop star is shot dead in the street, and Lucifer later reveals his burning devil face to a terrified criminal.

  2. Early

    Nudity

    S1E4: Lucifer and Chloe are briefly seen naked, with his scarred back shown, and Chloe shoots him in the leg to test his invulnerability.

  3. Early

    Occult

    S1E12: A murder case centres on devil-worshipping Satanists, with pentagrams and rituals shown, and Lucifer threatens a suspect with torture.

  4. Mid

    SuicideSkip if under 16

    S2E12: A professor cuts his own throat on screen, and the act is spoken of as his own choice.

  5. Mid

    Self-sacrifice and Hell

    S2E13: Lucifer stops his own heart to enter Hell, framed as a courageous sacrifice, and sees souls in torment.

  6. Mid

    TortureSkip if under 16

    S3E10: Maze torments a tied-up captive for a long while, and Lucifer considers finishing him off.

  7. Mid

    Suicide and goreSkip if under 16

    S4E3: A killer who wants to be punished impales his head on a broken chair leg, clearly shown.

  8. Late

    Portrayal of God

    S5E9: God arrives for a family dinner as a fallible father, and the angels' view of God is played for comedy across S5E9–S5E14.

  9. Late

    Bittersweet ending

    The series closes with long, emotional farewells and a peaceful death, a tearful but hopeful ending that may move sensitive viewers.

Episodes

Episode by episode

93 episodes analysed, scoring 38–68. The series score is that of its harder episodes, not the average.

Episodes to know about

Season 12016 · 13 episodes38–57
Season 22016 · 18 episodes40–60
Season 32017 · 26 episodes42–68
Season 42019 · 10 episodes39–50
Season 52020 · 16 episodes47–60
Season 62021 · 10 episodes50–61

Faith & story

What does it say?

What's it about?The plot, without the ending

Lucifer Morningstar, the Devil, has grown bored of ruling Hell and moved to Los Angeles, where he runs the nightclub Lux. After a killing takes place right by his club, he starts advising the police and partners with detective Chloe Decker, who appears unaffected by his allure. As the cases pile up, Lucifer's angelic brother, his demon friend Maze and his therapist Linda are drawn into his world. Lucifer must face questions about guilt, love and who he really is, as heavenly family politics close in. Each case brings crime, comedy and Lucifer's irreverent view of God, Heaven and Hell.

Through a faith lensHow it connects to the Bible

Lucifer casts Satan as a witty, wounded hero and God as a distant, flawed father whose rules are arbitrary. The Bible describes the devil as a liar and a murderer from the beginning. It also warns that he disguises himself as an angel of light, which is much like the charm this show gives him. The series' complaint that God is unfair echoes the serpent's whisper in Eden, which made God's good command sound like a restriction. Its picture of a Father who needs to be forgiven by his children runs against Scripture's God, who is just and merciful together. The show does hold some real themes: guilt, sacrifice, and the chance to change. The parable of the prodigal son speaks to a rebel's longing to come home, but there the Father's welcome comes first. Families can enjoy the humour and still weigh what the story teaches about sin, hell and grace, and Scripture says to test everything and hold on to what is good.

Fruit of the SpiritWhich fruit does it show?

5 out of 9 fruits ripe in this series

Ripe grapes are shown in the series, buds are missing

  • Joy
  • Peace
  • Patience
  • Gentleness
Works of the flesh shown

Love and faithfulness show most clearly in Chloe and Lucifer, whose bond grows through risk and sacrifice, and in Lucifer's willingness to give himself for those he cares about. Kindness and goodness appear in Amenadiel's care for his family and Dan's protectiveness of his daughter. Self-control shows in Chloe, who keeps her temper and her judgement steady while chaos surrounds her at work. Against this, the works of the flesh fill the screen: sexual immorality and sensuality in Lucifer's casual partners and the nightclub, drunkenness and revelries at Lux and its parties, jealousy in love triangles and rivalries, and fits of anger and hatred in revenge, such as Lucifer's brutal retaliation in S4E6 and the torture of a captive in S3E10.

The charactersExamples to follow or avoid
  • Tom Ellis
    Lucifer Morningstar
    Tom Ellis

    The Devil, a charming and vain nightclub owner who helps the police. He is sympathetic, often self-indulgent, and slowly learns about guilt, love and responsibility.

  • Lauren German
    Chloe Decker
    Lauren German

    A principled LAPD detective and single mother. She is Lucifer's partner in solving crimes, and the one person whose goodness challenges him.

  • D. B. Woodside
    Amenadiel
    D. B. Woodside

    Lucifer's angel brother, who comes to Earth to take him back to Hell. He is dutiful and proud at first, then grows more human and questions God's plans.

  • Lesley-Ann Brandt
    Mazikeen 'Maze'
    Lesley-Ann Brandt

    A loyal demon who is Lucifer's bodyguard and friend. She is fierce and sometimes cruel, and searches for a purpose and a sense of belonging.

  • Rachael Harris
    Linda Martin
    Rachael Harris

    Lucifer's psychiatrist, who first treats his claims as delusion and is later drawn into his world. She offers him honest advice.

How Christians are portrayed

Christians and the church are mostly absent or used as foils. Priests and religious figures are often hypocrites, schemers or villains, as in S4E3 and S4E9, though a kind priest in S1E9 is treated with real respect. Faith itself is replaced by a fantasy mythology of angels, demons and a fallible God, so the Bible's teaching is reworked rather than engaged.

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Details

Series details

Cast
Tom Ellis, Lauren German, Kevin Alejandro, D. B. Woodside
Created by
Tom Kapinos
Networks
FOX, Netflix
Genre
Crime, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Episode length
45m
Age rating
US TV-14 · UK 15

How we analysed this

We analysed every episode from its summary, its reception and facts that independent sources agree on, and rated each content area against our rubric and worldview scale, using AI models calibrated on reference titles. Each content meter shows the series' typical high point across its episodes, and the score is that of its harder episodes. Not yet reviewed by our team. Confidence: medium.

Series score = the score of its harder episodes, not their average: the hardest tenth of its 93 episodes (S2E13 scores 44). The content meters show the series' high points.

This is a guide to help families choose with wisdom, not a verdict on anyone's conscience ().

Updated 2026-10-14

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