"In the beginning, the angel Lucifer was cast out of heaven and condemned to rule hell for all eternity. Until he decided to take a vacation..." begins episodes of a new Fox-TV series entitled "Lucifer." The show premieres Monday, Jan. 25, at 8 p.m. CST, and is based on a character created by Neil Gaiman and later developed by Mike Carey for comic book publisher DC Comics' Vertigo imprint.

Antihero Lucifer Morningstar (played by Tom Ellis), who is bored with hell, abdicates his throne and flees to Los Angeles, where he opens an upscale nightclub, Lux. Through a series of unhappy events, he's introduced to Los Angeles Police Department homicide detective Chloe Decker (played by Lauren German), and ends up serving as her crime-fighting sidekick.

This series encourages viewers to reconsider the character of the devil. On the show's Facebook page, it even states Lucifer "is ready to punish the wicked." In Christian theology, Lucifer falls from his angelic post in heaven, and is cast down to hell to torment the souls who are condemned to his eternity. However, in the mythology of this TV series, Lucifer is more like a charming high school friend who knows how to read minds and convince people to give into wicked impulses.

"I have the ability to draw out people's secret desires," Lucifer promises.

The story plot takes a turn when a beautiful, female pop star is brutally murdered outside of Lux, and for the first time in roughly 10 billion years, Lucifer feels something similar to compassion or sympathy awaken deep within him as a result. The thought of his reaction disturbs him, as well as his best friend and confidante, Mazikeen (played by Lesley-Ann Brandt), a fierce demon in the form of a beautiful young woman.

Accusations from other characters on the show are about Lucifer becoming soft:  "Humans are rubbing off on you. Stop caring. You're the devil."

The murder of the pop star attracts the attention of Decker (German), who initially is dismissive of Lucifer. But she becomes intrigued by his talent for drawing out people's secrets and his desire to dispense justice, doling out punishment to those who deserve it. As they work together to solve the pop star's murder, Lucifer is struck by Decker's inherent goodness. Accustomed to dealing with the absolute worst of humanity, Lucifer is intrigued by Decker's apparent purity and begins to wonder if there's hope for his own soul yet.

Actor Ellis' version of Satan also says things, such as "The devil isn't that interested in your soul," and "God has nothing to do with your mess."

At the same time, God's emissary, the angel Amenadiel (played by D.B. Woodside), has been sent to Los Angeles to convince Lucifer to return to the underworld.

Lucifer is produced by Warner Bros. Television, in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Aggressive Mediocrity.