Lucifer is more than just an escapist TV show. Join sisters Tracie and Emily, as we unmask the unique allure of this series. Based on Neil Gaiman's comic book, Lucifer offers captivating storytelling, a blend of humor and gravitas, and an intriguing mix of celestial beings and everyday humans.
In this teaser episode, learn how each of us fell head-over-heels for this show, from the irresistible charm of Tom Ellis to the irreverent and fascinating interpretations of biblical characters and stories. We'll also dissect how mental health issues are subtly and sensitively portrayed in the series.
We're going to dive deep the whole series, two episodes at a time. Join us in a rewatch. Lightbringers is more than fan-girling; we're on a deep exploration of storytelling, symbolism, societal norms, and television as a medium. Whether you're a die-hard Lucifer fan or simply a TV buff who appreciates great storytelling, join our geek-out.
Full episodes launch on Tuesdays for patrons and Thursdays to the public, beginning July 25, 2023.
Warning: this podcast will contain spoilers!
Our theme song is "Feral Angel Waltz" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
To learn more about Tracie and Emily, including our other projects, join the Guy Girls' family by visiting us on Patreon.
Lucifer is more than just an escapist TV show. Join sisters Tracie and Emily, as we unmask the unique allure of this series. Based on Neil Gaiman's comic book, Lucifer offers captivating storytelling, a blend of humor and gravitas, and an intriguing mix of celestial beings and everyday humans.
In this teaser episode, learn how each of us fell head-over-heels for this show, from the irresistible charm of Tom Ellis to the irreverent and fascinating interpretations of biblical characters and stories. We'll also dissect how mental health issues are subtly and sensitively portrayed in the series.
We're going to dive deep the whole series, two episodes at a time. Join us in a rewatch. Lightbringers is more than fan-girling; we're on a deep exploration of storytelling, symbolism, societal norms, and television as a medium. Whether you're a die-hard Lucifer fan or simply a TV buff who appreciates great storytelling, join our geek-out.
Full episodes launch on Tuesdays for patrons and Thursdays to the public, beginning July 25, 2023.
Warning: this podcast will contain spoilers!
Our theme song is "Feral Angel Waltz" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
To learn more about Tracie and Emily, including our other projects, join the Guy Girls' family by visiting us on Patreon.
Narrator:
Tracie and Emily are smart, lovable sisters who really love Lucifer for the plot Yeah, the plot which they overthink.
Emily Guy Birken:
Hi there. I'm here with my sister, Tracie Guy- Decker, and she does use a hyphen.
Tracie Guy-Decker:
Yeah, and I am here with my sister, Emily Guy Birken.
Emily Guy Birken:
She does not use a hyphen That is true, and we would like to talk to you about the TV show Lucifer that appeared on Fox and then was picked up by Netflix.
Tracie Guy-Decker:
Yeah, And I know how I got into Lucifer because you told me about it. but how did you find it And how did you know it was going to be a keeper?
Emily Guy Birken:
So I started watching it in 2019. My husband was on a business trip and kids were in bed and I wanted to have put something on TV while I was folding laundry. And so, of course, I'm scrolling through Netflix and I see the teaser where it is Tom Ellis emerging out of a pool of water And he is a tall drink of water himself And I said I don't care what that is, I must watch because damn So. I watched, I think, the first two episodes that night and it had so many of the things that I love. I mean, for one thing, handsome men, and not just Tom Ellis. There's DB Woodside, there's Kevin Alejandro And then there's also, you know, all the good looking women. There's Leslie Anne Brandt, there's Rachel Harris, there's Lauren German.
Emily Guy Birken:
But it was also very funny but also had some serious like, took on some serious topics. It. I loved the idea of how celestials would mix in with humanity in Los Angeles, even if it felt a little shoehorn sometimes for it to be a crime solving devil TV show. But after, I think, about three or four episodes, I put my life on hold and binged the whole thing. So why don't you tell me about your Lucifer origin story?
Tracie Guy-Decker:
Yeah, it must have been after the first couple. No, you must have watched a lot of it, because you quoted me from later seasons. But you, you called me up and you were like Trace, you got to watch this show And you were like I know it sounds crazy, but and you even like, sang the little song, crime solving devil, it makes sense, don't over think it. And I was like, okay, Emily has gone, bye, bye. But then you told me it was based on a Neil Gaiman comic book a spin off from Sandman And I was like, well, why don't you lead with that? Because Neil Gaiman is, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest storytellers of our generation. I mean, the guy just gets story. He really understands what a reader, a viewer, a consumer of story wants and needs to feel satisfied. So that was enough.
Tracie Guy-Decker:
I was, you know it was a little skeptical because of your little singing moment, But Neil Gaiman was enough for me to give it a shot. And then, like you, i was. I was pretty hooked, pretty quick. I did not put my whole life on hold, but I definitely made Lucifer a part of my life, so much so that when I was leaving a job. My coworkers, as a parting gift, bought me a six foot tall cardboard cut out of Tom Ellis as Lucifer, as a goodbye, and we love you present. Thank you, guys. I still have it and it's up in the laundry room.
Emily Guy Birken:
That's why I like your laundry room, because you can dry bras around him and it fits
Tracie Guy-Decker:
And I do. yes, We started talking about it on the regular, right, we were talking about the show on the regular and about different things we were noticing And we decided to rewatch together And if we were going to be getting together talk about it, we might as well record it, And that's how this podcast was born. And you know, and one of the things that's been really cool for me in the rewatch is some of the ways that you have brought your story analysis with your, you know, both like sometimes you'll be like, yeah, when I was teaching English this, you know this was a thing that I would share And and that has been really interesting. And also, especially, your focus on mental health and mental health awareness and internalized shame around mental health issues and the way that the show addresses them directly but through the metaphor of these celestials and the ways in which their self actualization happens. That has been really, really fascinating to me to hear it through your lens. As we've done the rewatching together.
Emily Guy Birken:
Yes, i have a similar experience with rewatching with you Because, with your educational background so you double majored in English and religion for undergraduate and then you have a master's degree in religion but you focused on modern Jewish history So you're able to bring this kind of like breadth of understanding of the. You know original original texts So and I've really loved seeing how you geek out about what this television show is doing to represent some very ancient ideas and stories and the ways that it diverges, the ways that it cleaves to both you know our tradition of Judaism and then the way it might cleave to more of a Christian tradition, and I found that just absolutely fascinating and really interesting. I love it when you geek out about something and are frustrated. Like Eve's name was one in particular. You're like that is not her name And here's why it's a bad translation. I did geek out, i did geek out And that's been fascinating And really one of the things I like about it also is you know, the majority of people who are watching the show if they have any familiarity with, like Bible stories, with you know the kind of ancient texts that are informing Neil Gaiman's comic books that then informed this crime solving double TV show.
Emily Guy Birken:
They'll be coming at it from a Christian point of view And so, even though you know we're both raised Jewish, i did not spend time studying all of this, so I love coming at it from a Jewish point of view, in part because it's very easy to pick up the Christian point of view just through osmosis and in society, whereas this gave me a much clearer view of how the rabbis would have talked about things. What's you know what's in the Talmud, what's you know what's in the Torah, and it's, it's just really fascinating. And I love when pop culture is both high and low at the same time, and that's what this felt like.
Tracie Guy-Decker:
Yeah, i like that too. I like that too. Yeah, some of the other wickets that the show knocks down for me in terms of like satisfying tropes or satisfying elements of storytelling that that I love in addition to, to that sort of high and low at the same time, our, you know, dramatic irony where we as the viewer know something that not all the characters know, i love that. I love redemption arcs, like I, i love nothing better than a good redemption story, chosen family stories about chosen family and people sort of you know, taking care of one another in those sort of chosen groups. All of those are elements of story that are kinds of stories that just really I find deeply satisfying and like sort of warm my heart, like they just resonate for me and Lucifer has all of those over and over and over again.
Tracie Guy-Decker:
And so you know, when I, when I sort of look at it in that way, it's no wonder that it was so appealing. It's not not just. You know the plot, where the plot is, that scene.
Emily Guy Birken:
Tom Ellis is emerging from the water.
Tracie Guy-Decker:
We watch it for the plot.
Emily Guy Birken:
We watch it for the plot. We watch it for the plot, tom just read it. For the articles, i mean it's not just that right It actually.
Tracie Guy-Decker:
It has a lot of really powerful and really satisfying and resonant elements to it that just feel good. And so you know, if you're listening to this and you're like, wow, these two sisters are weird but fun, if you like the show and you want to rewatch with us, like come on.
Emily Guy Birken:
Come on in, you'll get lots more of this overthinking, lots more deep looks into storytelling structure because we both are English majors and storytellers in our own right, or trying to be, anyway A lot of appreciation for the beauty of the cast. You might hear us talk a little bit more about Tom Ellis's eyes and hair and chest hair than is necessarily, you know, politically correct, but Oh, my goodness, that man is gorgeous And we would love to have you admire him along with us as well as the other members of the cast.
Tracie Guy-Decker:
And we don't give it a pass. We don't give it a pass right Because we love it doesn't mean we aren't willing to say like this was a mistake.
Emily Guy Birken:
So, yeah, we want to look at this in how it reflects and is part of the greater culture. That can be problematic, that can be painful or harmful. So please come join us and, and you know, overthink the crime solving devil TV show with us. We would love to have you.
Narrator:
Our theme song is feral angel waltz by Kevin MacLeod from Incompetentcom, licensed under creative commons by attribution 4.0 license. Visit the show notes for the U R L. I am an artificially generated voice powered by Narrakecom. Lucifer is a Warner Brothers production that first aired on Fox and then Netflix. Tracy and Emily are not affiliated with Fox, netflix nor WB. If you like this episode, subscribe to keep overthinking with them and visit the show notes for other ways to connect.