HeartGuard score
How suitable a title is for Christian viewers, from 0 to 100. It weighs the content meters and the worldview.
- 80–100Recommended
- 60–79Watch with care
- 35–59Think it throughThis episode
- 15–34Strong caution
- 0–14Not recommended
HeartGuard score
How suitable a title is for Christian viewers, from 0 to 100. It weighs the content meters and the worldview.
- 80–100Recommended
- 60–79Watch with care
- 35–59Think it throughThis episode
- 15–34Strong caution
- 0–14Not recommended
Worldview score
What the story celebrates or condemns.
Why −1 for this episode
The episode values facing grief honestly and catching wrongdoers, but it presents the Devil as a misunderstood hero and recasts God and Heaven as a family quarrel, which leaves its outlook ambivalent.
- +2Affirms faithPresents faith in God positively and as true
- +1Positive valuesHonesty, sacrifice and family win out
- 0Mixed or neutralNo clear stance
- −1AmbivalentThis episodeShows sin without judging it either way
- −2Glamorises sinMakes sin look attractive and rewarding
Age guide
How suitable this episode is for each age group.
Why 15+ for this episode
Steady sexual innuendo, an affair as a murder motive, and a light-hearted but irreverent treatment of God, angels and Heaven set the age. The show's recasting of Scripture is the main concern.
- Under 8No
- Ages 8–12Wait
- Ages 13–15Check first
- Ages 16–17Check first
- AdultsCheck first
A light police procedural wrapped in the show's reimagining of the Devil, angels and Heaven. Expect innuendo, an affair as a murder motive, and irreverent talk about God.
Watch guide
What's in it?
LanguageOccasional mild swearing
Expect occasional mild swearing typical of the show's network seasons, without f-words.
BlasphemyIrreverent God talk
Lucifer speaks of God dismissively and sarcastically, and God's name is likely used as an exclamation a few times.
Sex and nudityInnuendo
Sexual innuendo and banter run through the episode, and the murder hinges on a teacher's affair. For comic effect, Chloe and Maze pretend to be husband and wife.
RelationshipsAffair drives the crime
A teacher's affair, discovered by the victim, is the motive for murder. Lucifer's feelings for Chloe remain unresolved.
ViolenceMurder victim, a scuffle
An admissions officer is found dead, and Maze physically subdues the killer. Little graphic violence is shown.
Frightening scenesMild tension
A crime scene and a glowing angelic sword, with little that is frightening.
Drugs and alcoholSocial drinking
Drinking appears in social settings, including Lucifer's usual drinks.
AttitudesDeceit and embezzlement
An assistant dean is found embezzling and the investigators use undercover deception. Lucifer's self-centred manner is played for humour.
OccultReimagined angels, Devil
The Devil is the sympathetic hero, and his mother, a goddess-like figure, seeks to return to Heaven via the Flaming Sword of Eden. Biblical figures are recast in a fantasy mythology at odds with Scripture.
- To knowContent to know about
- DiscussWorth discussing
- Early
Murder
When a staff member who handles admissions at an elite school turns up dead, Chloe and Dan start looking into the killing.
- Early
Angels and Heaven reimagined
Lucifer gets hold of a weapon that turns out to be the fiery sword which once stood guard over Eden, and it is described as able to unlock the gates of Heaven.
- Mid
Irreverent talk of God
Lucifer tries and fails to ignite the sword, and the dialogue treats Heaven, God and the Devil's role as a family matter with a dismissive tone towards God.
- Mid
Sexual innuendo
At a party, Chloe and Maze play the part of a married pair, trading playful, suggestive remarks.
- Late
Affair and violence
It emerges that a teacher whose secret relationship had been uncovered by the victim is the murderer, and Maze overpowers them by force.
- Late
Facing painful emotions
Linda helps Lucifer see that he buries his pain, and he briefly ignites the sword by channelling grief rather than anger.
How to play
- 1. Draw a cardOne person reads the question out loud.
- 2. Everyone answersThere are no wrong answers. Listen before you reply.
- 3. Pass it onThe next person draws, until the deck is done.
Faith & story
What does it say?
What's it about?The plot, without the ending
Lucifer has a mysterious blade that may be the key to sending Charlotte home, but it will only ignite if he can master his own emotions. Meanwhile Chloe and Dan investigate the death of an admissions officer at an elite elementary school, where secrets among staff and parents begin to surface.
Through a faith lensHow it connects to the Bible
This episode turns on a question Scripture also asks: what do we do with pain we would rather bury? Lucifer cannot kindle the sword until he stops covering his heartbreak with anger, which echoes the psalmist, who brought lament honestly before God instead of hiding it. The flaming sword at Eden's gate is a borrowed image from Genesis, where it guarded the way back to the tree of life after the Fall. The show reshapes that story into a family drama, with God as an absent father and Heaven as a place to get back into. The Bible presents God as a Father who runs to meet his children and does not shut them out, and Jesus is the way back. The murder plot shows a hidden affair leading to deceit and then to killing, as with David's concealed sin. The school embezzlement shows secrets and greed spreading harm, and the show treats both as wrong. Families can enjoy the story while noticing where it departs from Scripture.
Fruit of the SpiritWhich fruit does it show?
3 out of 9 fruits ripe in this episode
Ripe grapes are shown in the episode, buds are missing
- Joy
- Peace
- Patience
- Goodness
Love and kindness show in Linda, who gently helps Lucifer face the grief he has been suppressing, and in Chloe's care for the people around her. Faithfulness appears in Chloe and Dan's steady commitment to the case and in Charlotte's determination to get home. The works of the flesh drive the crime: a teacher's affair is sexual immorality, and the fear of it being exposed turns to jealousy and strife that end in murder. Self-control is the quality Lucifer struggles to find, as his emotions run unchecked.
The charactersExamples to follow or avoid
Lucifer MorningstarTom EllisThe Devil, now a nightclub owner and police consultant. He struggles to feel and express painful emotions, which the episode links to his ability to wield the sword.
Chloe DeckerLauren GermanA detective who leads the murder inquiry. She goes undercover as part of a married couple and has feelings of her own she wants to air.
Mazikeen 'Maze'Lesley-Ann BrandtA demon and Lucifer's loyal friend. She joins Chloe undercover and uses her fighting skill to catch the killer.
Linda MartinRachael HarrisLucifer's therapist. She gently points him to the buried pain behind his difficulty with the sword.
Charlotte RichardsTricia HelferA figure from Heaven living in a human body that is weakening. She is anxious to be sent home.
How Christians are portrayed
No Christians or church appear. God and Heaven are treated as part of a fantasy family story, and God is spoken of as a distant, arbitrary father, which departs from the biblical picture. Faith is not mocked by believers, but it is reimagined rather than represented.
Community
What other Christians think
What did you notice?
Strong language (the f-word or similar)?
Is this appropriate for Christians to watch?
Thinking of children? Add the youngest age you'd show it to.
Review
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Given to members whose reviews 25 or more people have marked Helpful.
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Details
Episode details
- Cast
- Tom Ellis, Lauren German, Kevin Alejandro, D. B. Woodside
- First aired
- May 8, 2017
- Created by
- Tom Kapinos
- Networks
- FOX, Netflix
- Genre
- Crime, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
- Episode length
- 42m
- Age rating
- US TV-14 · UK 15
How we analysed this
We gathered the episode's summary, its reception and facts about the series that independent sources agree on, then rated each content area against our rubric and worldview scale, using AI models calibrated on reference titles. Not yet reviewed by our team. Confidence: low.
Score = 100 − 16 × content concern (2.52) + 8 × worldview (−1) = 52
This is a guide to help families choose with wisdom, not a verdict on anyone's conscience ().
Updated 2026-10-14