Out on home release 21st of August, Neil Gaiman created, Vertigo Published and Fox adapted, “Lucifer” kicks off its second season continuing the crime procedural come supernatural cabaret’d tale of Lucifer Morningstar; Satan on vacation, sick of his responsibilities in hell, living on earth to pass the time. It’s here that he meets Chloe Decker and establishes a crush on her, though he wouldn’t describe it in such twee ways. The first series explored their shared dynamic, her bemusement at his strange behaviour, growing to a gradual understanding of his difference, and his growing emotional maturity, when he comes face to face with something he can’t have; a rarity for him.

At the time of Season 2’s beginning Lucifer has grown into his role a bit more, returning from Hell to help Chloe solve a stint of grizzly murders that seem to be linked to a figure from Lucifer’s past – namely his mother. He’s still hung up about his dear old Dad, and the inclusion of his extended family only goes to put strain on Lucifer just as he seemed settled. And it’s here where most of this seasons drama is situated, with the Chloe/Lucifer relationship being relegated to B-plot.

This season however, there is a broadening of the ‘mythology’ that expands the roster of characters to include more of the Morningstar family. Joining Lucifer and Amenadiel is of course, their mother, Charlotte, or at least the entity inhabiting the body of Charlotte after having escaped from Hell. The crux of this series is the fallout that her presence on earth generates, throwing Lucifer’s life into crisis and threatening the lives of the people he’s come to love and respect. This is a Lucifer we have been waiting to see, his growth in the first season coming full circle here as he is now confronted with inter familial issues that just so happen to be deadly to those involved.

As with Season 1, it’s Tom Ellis’s performance as the titular character that delivers and forms the main draw for viewers of the series. Throwing himself wholeheartedly into the role, he chews scenery, grandstands and plays Lucifer in a wholly camp and theatrical way. Seeing his emotional range over the course of the series is addictive, and it’s in his most furious and unhinged moments that I’ve come to really engage with the material, the reward – being able to see his growth from these moments of crisis. I find myself thinking that it’s not even appropriate to say “If you liked the last series then you’ll love this one”, because this show is broader in it’s appeal than just existing fans, and its a crying shame that the show isn’t perhaps as popular as it deserves. Whilst the procedural element to the show is rather uninventive, it does allow for a brisk pace with which to pin all of the character development on. Though this isn’t a rule the show sticks to towards the end, flowing into the finale with the more fantastical elements taking a mite more precedence, though this is rather apt for a show that brokers such a melding of styles.

If Season 1 was Lucifer’s childhood then Season 2 is Lucifer’s adolescence. The overall arc this season is fraught with a lot of interpersonal drama with both his parents, his coming to terms with his own place in the universe, and his choosing of what sort of person he wants to be. Themes planted in Season 1 which carry over and develop nicely this Season. Ellis’s superb performance, as well as that of his supporting cast, is balanced nicely with the pace of the show and their growing development. And there are plenty of moments here that serve to push the show in interesting directions, especially when examining the growth of Lucifer himself. It’s stuff like this that really makes this world they’ve created feel real, and something you want to care about and invest in, making Lucifer – Season 2 compelling viewing which serves and an antidote to a landscape of shows filled with dour characters that forget a very important thing – to have a little bit of fun along the way.

Features included on the DVD release include, Reinventing Lucifer: In the City of Angels & Lucifer: 2016 Comic-Con Panel, as well as the usual gag reels and unaired scenes.

Lucifer Season 2 is available now from Amazon / iTunes and other good retailers.

Joe Crouch is a crusty mollusc with delusions of grandeur and pretensions of artistic endeavour. His tea is served between two and four. He tweets, infrequently @Grost and Instagrams his food @Sourcrouch.