We got to sit down with the cast and crew of Lucifer at Comic-Con to discuss the pilot and what’s coming in season 1 of the new Fox show.
In attendance at the press room were executive producers Jonathan Littman, Ildy Modrovich and Joe Henderson, as well as Tom Ellis (Lucifer), DB Woodside (Amenadiel), Laura German (Chloe Dance) and Lesley-Ann Brandt (Maze). Check out our highlights from the press room below.
Jonathan Littman (Executive Producer)
When asked what we can expect from season 1 of Lucifer, Littman responded “Hijinks will ensue.” Having seen the pilot ourselves, and the trouble that Lucifer tangles himself up in, we were glad to hear that his “devilish behavior” would continue. Littman went on to outline the overriding part of the series, which is Lucifer’s rebellion against his father. “He’s like a 13-year-old, he doesn’t want to go back, and while he’s here he starts to do things that are good,” Littman told our table. “Which completely confounds him because he doesn’t understand.”
But while Lucifer’s journey and struggle with his compassion will be the main backdrop to the show, he won’t be alone. Joining him on that journey will be Chloe Dance, who remains the only woman completely resistant to his charms. We got an interesting tid-bit about Amenadiel’s motivations for wanting Lucifer back in Hell when Littman said, “He’s terrified that he will become […] that he’ll be sent to Hell by Dad, because he’s the ‘good’ angel.”
Related: Our spoiler-free Lucifer pilot review: ‘The Devil’s in the details’
Could Amenadiel be next in line to the ‘throne’? That would provide a very interesting dynamic to their already antagonistic brotherly interactions.
For those worried that Lucifer would turn out to be a traditional procedural, as the trailer might have suggested, Littman laid those concerns to rest. “There’ll be mysteries throughout the season, but it’s not a procedural.”
When we asked which characters might also join Lucifer from the comics, Littman admitted that while he would love to see Sandman join his universe, the ball is firmly in DC’s court. Lucifer himself has been a supporting character in other DC properties, such as The Spectre — who we saw appear recently in NBC’s Constantine. It would be interesting to see some of the more occult DC universe show up in Lucifer, should they be able to work out the rights. Especially as the demons in Hell currently remain unchecked.
As for why Lucifer will stand apart from other stories that tackle the angel and devil dynamic, he had a refreshingly simple answer. “It doesn’t take itself seriously. It is not trying to be a heavy genre show. It is truly funny and accessible. My wife watches it.”
Ildy Modrovich (Executive Producer)
Modrovich supported Littman’s statements about Lucifer’s more comedic tone, going so far as to call it irreverent. Lucifer will get to do what many of us wish that we could in our day-to-day life, which is to be completely honest — no matter the consequences. He won’t be hiding himself in the shadows, like Batman and other heroes do, though Modrovich was quick to assure us that Lucifer is not a hero, but will be truly and unashamedly himself.
We asked Modrovich about the underlying ruthlessness of Lucifer’s character, that cut through some of the more comedic aspects, and whether we’d see that more. While she told us that they do ensure that aspect is there, by going through something called a “horror pass,” the most important thing for them is that they’re having fun with the show.
She also spoke to the theme of redemption in the show, saying that “If the biggest, baddest guy of all time can be forgiven, then that’s divine.” But, more than that, she said that Lucifer is about truth. “He’s about embracing your dark side,” Modrovich said. “And that’s like […] the hypocritical thing about our society. We’re terrified of our broken parts, we’re terrified of our ugly parts.”
Of course, taking on Lucifer as a property didn’t come without its share of controversy. When asked how they reacted to the petitioning by One Million Moms, Modrovich admitted that they loved it. But went on to explain to us exactly why. “You know, you wanna affect people in some way,” she said. “I also want them to watch it. Because, y’know, to judge something just on the title when really, there’s no diss about God in this show. It’s a father-son story is what it is. He was the perfect son, and he fell. And he’s upset, and he feels abandoned. He wishes— he wants Dad’s love. But that’s what it’s about.”
Joe Henderson (Executive Producer)
Henderson, much like the other Executive Producers, spoke highly of Tom Ellis in their titular role. He said that while the script allowed for the pilot to go to a place that could’ve been too evil, or broad, or saccharine, that Ellis skilfully grounded it into something more human. “He’s our lodestar,” Henderson said. Which, we’ll admit, is a wonderful characteristic to have in your leading man.
We asked Henderson how they prevented the show from becoming to gimmicky, and struck the right balance with the tone. Henderson told us that what it essentially boils down two is two people — Lucifer and Chloe. He likened Lucifer himself to the eternal teenager, rebelling against his father, and that setting that against Chloe, the girl who needed to grow up too fast gave them an interesting dynamic to play with.
But while those characters appear, on the surface, to be polar opposites, Henderson said that they want every dynamic between them to speak to the fact that they may be more alike than they’re willing to admit.
As for Chloe herself, we will certainly be seeing the reasons for her immunity to Lucifer’s particular charms unravel in season 1. But, while Henderson admitted that they plan to dig into that early on, they may thread it out a little. They can’t make everything easy for us, after all.
Henderson also spoke to the Lucifer’s proclivity for telling the truth. “Lucifer, the king of lies, is ill named,” he told us. “Because he speaks the truth. When you tell a lie, you demean yourself. And the devil would never demean himself. Because, c’mon. The devil wouldn’t do that.”
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