Lucifer’s Revival: How Netflix Saved a Hidden Gem

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Tom Ellis is back on television in the new CBS police drama, CIA. He previously starred in the series Tell Me Lies, created by his wife, Meaghan Oppenheimer, and will appear in the 2025 film The Thursday Murder Club. However, many fans first noticed him in a fantastic fantasy show that he feels never quite got the recognition it deserved.

Though the show was initially a hit with both viewers and critics, the original network canceled it. Luckily, Netflix stepped in to save it! This allowed Lucifer to continue for three more seasons with more creative freedom and a storyline that really improved.

Lucifer’s Revival Proved Some Shows are Worth Saving

Lucifer, which first aired on Fox in 2016, received a somewhat mixed reaction when it premiered. The show stars Tom Ellis as Lucifer Morningstar, the actual devil, who becomes bored with ruling Hell. He decides to take a vacation to Earth and experience life among humans. True to his nature, he opens a nightclub where people can freely indulge in their wildest desires – a place mirroring the temptations that led souls to Hell in the first place. It’s a world of overindulgence and unrestrained behavior.

What really sets Lucifer apart is its sense of humor. The show’s Lucifer isn’t just charismatic—he’s captivating, which you’d expect from the devil living among humans. He’s not the scary, horned monster you might imagine, although he does eventually show his true, demonic form beneath his human disguise.

He’s a captivating, though arrogant and self-important, man who attracts people even though he ignores rules and social norms. This portrayal of a devilish character is effective, and it works well.

Like many episodic crime shows, the first few seasons feature self-contained cases alongside developing romantic relationships. The central story revolves around Lucifer’s encounter with Chloe Decker (Lauren German), who is uniquely unaffected by his usual powers of persuasion. While everyone else instantly reveals their hidden desires when he looks at them, Chloe remains unimpressed and unfazed, leaving Lucifer confused and intrigued.

At the heart of the story is Lucifer’s struggle with losing control and feeling confused, which he attempts to address through regular therapy. The humor comes from his surprisingly open admissions about being the Devil – people just don’t believe him and dismiss him as eccentric, despite his charm and tendency to confront others. He playfully nicknames Detective Dan Espinoza “Detective Douche” as a running joke, despite genuinely liking him.

Let me tell you, this show’s critical reception was a real rollercoaster. The first season landed with a thud, earning a mere 50% on Rotten Tomatoes. But then, something incredible happened – seasons two and three were perfect, achieving a rare 100% score! That’s why Fox’s decision to cancel it felt so bizarre – it was just when the show was finding its footing. Thankfully, the passionate fanbase rallied, and Netflix recognized the show’s dedicated following, ultimately bringing it back from the brink.

Netflix Changed Lucifer for the Better

After moving to Netflix, Lucifer didn’t fundamentally change, but it did evolve in tone. The core concept – Lucifer assisting Chloe in solving crimes by understanding criminals’ motivations – remained the same. However, the streaming platform allowed Lucifer to be bolder, exploring themes, using language, and showing content that wouldn’t have been allowed on traditional television.

Following its initial success, Lucifer shifted towards a more sophisticated and sensual style. The show began incorporating more mature themes and occasional nudity, exemplified by the introduction of characters like Eve (Inbar Lavi). While some viewers missed the earlier, more straightforward feel of the series, the show’s quality and writing noticeably improved.

The show shifted its focus from procedural crime-solving to the personal lives and emotional journeys of its characters. While cases still occurred, Lucifer and Chloe’s own struggles and relationships took center stage.

The show also features compelling new characters like Eve and a puzzling young woman named Aurora, played by Brianna Hildebrand. The storyline explores how Chloe fully accepts the truth about Lucifer – or, more accurately, finally believes it – while Lucifer struggles with an identity crisis, fearing Chloe might not accept his true self.

The fifth and sixth seasons get pretty strange, featuring storylines about Ellis playing his own twin brother, time travel, and a battle for the throne of God. Despite these unusual turns, the show remains enjoyable, mostly because of Ellis’s excellent performance as the main character.

Netflix gave the series Lucifer a truly satisfying conclusion. The ending was emotional, heartfelt, and a little bittersweet, but it felt perfectly right for the story. It brought everything full circle and provided the closure fans deserved – they would have been disappointed if the show hadn’t wrapped up this way.

Netflix Resurrected a Hit With Lucifer

Renewing Lucifer for three additional seasons was a smart decision by Netflix. While the streamer has rescued other shows before, Lucifer is definitely among its biggest successes, joining titles like Manifest, Arrested Development, Longmire, Top Boy, and Designated Survivor in being revived by the platform.

It’s easy to see why the show Lucifer became so popular on Netflix. While some groups, like One Million Moms, objected to the show’s premise – claiming it celebrated Satan by portraying Lucifer as charming, funny, and sophisticated – that was actually the intention. The show deliberately presented Lucifer in an appealing way.

He’s often portrayed as a charming tempter, designed to be likable enough to easily manipulate people. However, the character is surprisingly complex, constantly questioning his role and the eternal punishment of tormenting souls. He isn’t simply a punisher; he’s presented as an agent of God, sent to guide souls towards repentance and ultimately, Heaven.

Throughout its run, the show delved into themes of Heaven and Hell, the battle between good and evil, and offered a fresh perspective on a familiar story. By incorporating characters from the Bible, it distinguished itself from other shows. While Lucifer often followed the typical crime procedural format, it also felt remarkably unique, which probably contributed to Netflix’s decision to renew it.

Netflix has a good track record of recognizing when a cancelled show still has potential. In this case, the series was building towards a major reveal that had been hinted at from the start, so cancelling it before the answer was revealed didn’t make sense. Netflix understood that fans would want to see how the story concluded after waiting so long.

Despite not having massive TV ratings, the show had built a dedicated fan base, making it a worthwhile investment. Its popular cast and easy-to-follow format made it perfect for binge-watching, and that ultimately proved successful.

Lucifer was a popular show that many people enjoyed watching, even after the fourth season finished. It was easy to binge-watch, and according to FlixPatrol, it was the most-watched superhero series on Netflix from January to June 2025. Even though it has ended, Lucifer continues to attract new viewers.

Lucifer is consistently funny, clever, and well-made. Tom Ellis is perfectly cast as Lucifer, and the show proves that streaming services sometimes respond to passionate fans. When they do, it can lead to a better show or, at the very least, a satisfying ending for viewers.

As a big fan of Lucifer, I was thrilled Netflix gave it another season. Honestly, the show had so much more story to explore, and looking back, I’m really glad they decided to keep it going.

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2026-03-04 08:10