Lucifer - S3E5 - Welcome Back, Charlotte Richards

Previously on Lucifer, “What Would Lucifer Do?”

The Other Woman

Last season, Lucifer’s mother inhabited the body of Charlotte Richards. When Charlotte died and her soul went to hell The Mother slipped into her body and escaped hell. When Lucifer kicked dear old mom into another dimension, Charlotte’s soul returned to her body and when we last left her, she didn’t remember anything that had happened. For most shows, that would have been the end of Charlotte’s story, but Lucifer has decided to continue Charlotte’s story and give us more of the amazing Tricia Helfer.

We’re essentially meeting a new character, but Charlotte already has deep relationships with everyone … she just doesn’t remember any of them. Since she woke up on that boardwalk with Lucifer, she’s coming to terms with the fact that a version of her was out there living life and forming relationships. One of those relationships was with Dan, who has been trying to reach out to Charlotte even though she doesn’t remember him. It’s rather sad because before she left, The Mother and Dan had made a real connection. She also feels a strong connection to Lucifer that she doesn’t understand which leads to an ill-timed but comedic kiss.

Dear Mother, No I’m Not Afraid

The biggest problem Charlotte is having is that she remembers hell. She knows she died and she knows she went to the bad place , so she’s trying to regain lost time while also grappling with the knowledge that when her time is up, she’s headed for fire and brimstone. When Chloe and Lucifer are investigating a case where it looks like all three of Charlotte’s clients maybe the killer, she realizes she’s in the wrong line of business if she wants to end up at the pearly gates.

As usual, this is also a lesson for Lucifer who is learning about accountability this week. Although Charlotte is now learning to be accountable for her actions, Lucifer also realizes he is accountable for Charlotte. His mother took over her body and her life and Lucifer spent so much time hating his mother, he never thought about the woman she’d stolen that life from. While Charlotte reckons with what her life might be moving forward, Lucifer is going to get to know who Charlotte really is and how he can help her so she doesn’t end up back in hell someday. Moving forward, it should be great to see how Charlotte interacts with our cast.

The Devil Is Laughing

Cluster duck. Mother flunker. Sock sucker. Go to shell. – just a list of phrases Trixie came up with so she can curse without getting into trouble.

This is a brilliant way to keep Tricia Helfer around. We spent so much time with The Mother last season that I almost never called her Charlotte, so having Charlotte return feels like an introduction to a new character. What is especially intriguing is where she will land with Dan and Lucifer. Romantically, The Mother and Dan had reached a good place and Lucifer now has to grapple with her as a person and divorce her from his hangups about his mother. In general, Lucifer really needs learn how to let go of his obsession with his father. It’s part of what drives every episode, but it can also be annoying when he starts every episode by saying that he’s over his father and then spends the rest of the episode assuming everything is a test or manipulation by God. Maybe he’s not as involved in your life as you think, Luci.