Empire, the series on Fox- Page 3

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 2/12/15 at 3:28pm

^The sooner they get rid of him the better. He's the one boring thing in the show.

[javero]

Posted: 2/13/15 at 6:37am

"He's the one boring thing in the show."

Perhaps it's because his character is the least developed. Six episodes in and we're just discovering what the young man does for a living.

I really wanted more Cookie-Courtney cray-cray. The mini-intervention that Cookie staged in the motel room felt rushed.

But, can we talk about poor Jamal and the pact he made with the devil to advance his career. It was made all the more tangible by the brief appearance of Raven-Symoné as his...

It's some shaite that's fixin' to go down!




SPOILER ALERT: WTF is Raven-Symoné up to on Empire?

Updated On: 2/13/15 at 06:37 AM

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 2/13/15 at 9:12am

Yup. I agree that's why he's boring. His character was never developed. And I think that's why he came off as so whiny and pathetic in this last episode. I was rooting for Jamal to dump him. Fire Island will be there next weekend!
I think the one problem the show has is that sometimes it tends to rush through story lines. On the other hand, that's what makes it such off the rails fun to watch.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/13/15 at 9:35am

^I was going to say, things seem to move very quickly on this show! I still like it though.

[javero]

Posted: 2/20/15 at 8:20pm

Just watched S1.E7 "Our Dancing Days". It didn't seem to suffer the hyper-pacing of its predecessors. I mean the scene transitions didn't leave me with whip lash. However, I didn't like what Anika did to Elle Dallas (Courtney Love) one bit. It seemed out of character for her. But, karma is a bish named Cookie

The previews of next week's episode were EPIC!

Updated On: 2/20/15 at 08:20 PM

[javero]

Posted: 2/26/15 at 9:00pm

* EP 8 SPOILER ALERT *

Please tell me that I'm not the only one here who witnessed the greatness that was Ep 8 "The Lyons Roar".

To me it was the best episode of the season. The writing, pacing, and acting all came together.

I'm going to call the tete-a-tete between Cookie and Camilla a draw. Cookie completely overreacted as if Hakeem were still a minor...consenting adults. Nevertheless, I suspect that in real life Camilla (Naomi Campbell) would have gotten a grade A beat-down after trying to go toe-to-toe with Momma Bear Cookie like that. She did not have the home-court advantage.

And Boo Boo Kitty tried it as well. Anika is simply out of her depth dealing with Lyon family patriarch and Cookie. Her lil' stunt with Luscious' nemesis Barreti is going to come back and bite her in that debutante fanny. Beware Anika, beware!

With respect to the writing, the creative team pulled it off expertly. They exposed Luscious for the master puppeteer & pathological creature that he really is in the present. Flashbacks are fine and a lil' exposition is ok he was in full-on piece-of-... mode. What he did to son Andre was heartbreaking and he will rue to day he tried to play Cookie and her nookie. When that episode ended he was arguably the most reviled member of the Lyon family. They even miraculously managed to give Hakeem's character some sort of redemptive value. Honestly, I had never warmed to Hakeem but was impressed by his sudden growth.

Finally, I should have seen Jamal's big reveal coming a mile away but was completely surprised. As my cousin BayBay would say "he twirled for the Gods" right in Poppa Bear's face.

Updated On: 2/26/15 at 09:00 PM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/26/15 at 9:40pm

Last night's episode was the best! I thought Jamal's scene with his daughter was sweet.

[javero]

Posted: 2/26/15 at 10:02pm

I really enjoyed seeing Jamal interact with his daughter as well. However, that arc is problematic to me. I ask myself repeatedly why did the child's mom abandon her. Right now, neither the daughter nor the abandonment seem germane to Jamal's arc in any way.

What effect has parenthood had on him as a fledgling recording artist?

What efforts have been made by anyone to find the little girl's mom?

Cookie of all people knows the effects of a parent's lengthy absence on his/her young children. Given her history, seems most natural that she'd dote on her first grandchild.

That in a nutshell is why I think the Jamal-daughter arc is the least developed and the most problematic of the series.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 2/26/15 at 10:23pm

"I'm going to call the tete-a-tete between Cookie and Camilla a draw. Cookie completely overreacted as if Hakeem were still a minor...consenting adults. Nevertheless, I suspect that in real life Camilla (Naomi Campbell) would have gotten a grade A beat-down after trying to go toe-to-toe with Momma Bear Cookie like that. She did not have the home-court advantage. "

Sooo good. I just wish that Cookie's line (I don't have it quite right but something like "And what will you do, Yoko? Play tambourine") had not been shown several times in the previews, because I think it's my fave Cookie-ism, yet.

I am with you about the Jamal/daughter arc being problematic. It seems like something they could have saved for season 2, frankly. There's enough drama with the character right now--and it just feels like they locked the daughter up with a nanny in some room. DID they have a paternity test? The fact that they never mentioned having one makes me worry we'll get a big "surprise" and once they do bond, we'll find out she's not his... I hope not. And why have Raven Simone come and do a 20 second scene? (as I've mentioned before I usually can't standher, but her appearance was oddly perfect.)

At least it doesn't seem to be putting a damper on Jamal's coming out and love life--for a while soaps (primetime, British, and American all,) tended to have a gay character and then often would de-sexualize them and not deal with them having any love or sex based storylines by throwing a child into the mix. I appreciate that Jamal, while trying, is utterly awkward with her.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/26/15 at 10:51pm

OK, I'm going to throw this out there, but could Lucius be the baby's father?

And, yes, that scene with Andre was heartbreaking.

[javero]

Posted: 2/26/15 at 11:12pm

@Dottie...

That thought has crossed my mind several times. And that would set up the scenario for yet another potential heir to Lucious' empire. The child could become a poor little rich girl despised by her siblings, Cookie, and Anika. Oh, that's rich.

I'd like to throw one out there myself...has Anika aka Boo Boo Kitty been poisoning Luscious? Her dad could have given her instructions. Despite his past and reputation, she's hell bent on jumping the broom with him.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/26/15 at 11:14pm

I was wondering about how they're going to handle the ALS thing. The show is the highest rated show almost ever, so they're not going to kill him off. They're going to want to keep him around for as loooooong as possible.

[javero]

Posted: 2/26/15 at 11:23pm

I can't quite wrap my brain around the ratings. The series certainly has its flaws. Until Ep 8, Terrence Howard would not have been my first choice for the part of Luscious. There are still too many characters taking up precious screen time. And has been noted everywhere, the transitions between scenes nearly leave viewers with whiplash. But, I find it really entertaining on several levels.

No series has grabbed my attention like this other than NBC's Dracula which didn't get renewed after the first season.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/26/15 at 11:28pm

It really is the "cultural phenomenon" they're saying it is.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 2/27/15 at 12:00am

I too thought it was maybe the best Empire episode ever, except for the pilot (and I may be a little prejudiced here, having worked on the pilot...) Hit all the right notes and built to a chilling end with Andre in the recording booth and Cookie back in prison, repeating the tune that would be the catalyst for the whole hour. They finally used music like a Broadway musical does -- to reveal character and tell a story. Yay, double yay!

There could be one easy explanation for this week's home run-- turns out this episode was written and directed by co-creator Danny Strong. Way to go, Danny!

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 2/27/15 at 12:20am

Howard is only locked into a two year contract--right? But yeah, I can't see them ditching the show unless it becomes a mess very quickly--which I don't think it will.
He initially only came aboard because They wanted Henson and she said she'd do it if she could work with him again--but I can't imagine he's regretting the decision.

Tree--as soon as I saw Danny Strong's name in the credits I expected a better than average episode. Well done. I know The L Word's Ilene Chaiken is the showrunner but I'm glad that Strong and, I assume, Daniels have stayed active with the show creatively (unlike sometimes when you get fairly big names involved with co-creating and setting up a show and they drop out of the picture after the first two episodes.)

The only subplot I'm a bit confused by--and maybe it's just been dropped--was the one about Cookie informing. I'm sure it will come back up, but it seemed odd to be focused on so heavily for two episodes, and then... (And I admit, I kinda wonder why she doesn't help her sister out a bit more financially....)

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 2/27/15 at 12:16pm

I watched all 7 episodes yesterday since I finally had some time.

This show is EVERYTHING.

YASSSSSS IT IS!!! I'm fvcking OBSESSED WITH THIS SHOW! Now if only Fox would green-light their long-dormant Lee Daniels remake of VALLEY OF THE DOLLS.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/5/15 at 7:08am

I know this show moves fast, but after watching last night's episode, it feels like it skipped an episode between last week and what was shown last night. Last week left off with Anika approaching Lucius's rival company, and last night she was fully involved. There were several instances of the same thing (things being set up in one episode and in full thros in the next). I think last night was the first time any symptoms of Lucius's ALS weren't addressed.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 3/5/15 at 7:56am

I felt the same way Dottie. It felt more rushed than usual. I think they could have played out the Anika/Beretti story line before the big reveal. Trai Beyers' (Andre) meltdowns are epic...but when they started breaking out into song in the elevator they hit cornball territory and I could not help but let out an eye roll ditto the big "we're all a big happy singing family/kumbaya" moment towards the end of the episode.

It would be nice if they slowed down the unfolding of the story lines a bit...it has a tendency to feel a bit rushed in spots. A lot of the new music is good but they need chill out with the auto tune...it's borderline annoying.

Taraji P. Henson's performance as "Cookie" is everything and it's really what keeps me coming back for more. Her strung out seduction scene in the SUV with Derek Luke was so friggin' hilarious! She just does not disappoint.

FYI...anybody read that Malik Yoba inadvertently outed Jussie Smollett and then back pedaled. Smollett has flat out refused to directly answer the question regarding his sexuality stating:

"I am not willing to confirm or deny anything, I live my life…if anyone is looking to put me in a box, then that’s not going to happen. But if you really want to know about me, just watch, because I don’t hide anything. I just don’t choose to talk about my personal life."
'Empire' Actor Jussie Smollett declines to comment on his sexuality after co-star Malik Yoba outs him as gay...

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 3/5/15 at 8:02am

It's weird because if you follow Jessie Smolett on twitter it seems pretty clear he's gay. So I don't know why he would be quiet about it now.
I've found that in some ways this show is like a hip-hop Glee. It kind of throw plot lines at the wall and we have to wait and see what sticks. And as ridiculous as some of the plot lines are it's always entertaining. Even when it makes me roll my eyes.
And Cookie is everything. I miss her every scene she's not in.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/5/15 at 12:56pm

I'm glad others felt like an episode was missed. I'm all for the quick story pace (well, most of the stories,) as long as they don't burn through story too fast--others already mentioned how the daughter storyline probably should have been saved for later. But having Cookie and Porsche find out about Anika and her leaving before the credits even rolled seemed...odd.

[javero]

Posted: 3/5/15 at 6:51pm

Not one of my favorite episodes...the pace was breakneck.

Highs:
1. Jamal channeling a young Prince
2. Every scene with Cookie
3. Anika walking away from Lyon Manor in full on movie starlet mode...the camera loves her!!!
4. Jamal checking Papa Lucius with respect to meeting w/ Delphine/Estelle
5. Hakeem acknowledging his love for his cougar playmate Camilla/Naomi before Tiana
6. V. Bozemen's defection to Barreti's label w/ Anika...to me, V's the anti-Tiana

Lows:
1. I just can't with that elevator scene
2. Everyone basically dissing Jamal's daughter
3. Andre's wife Rhonda getting a microsecond of screen time
4. Too many celebrity guest actors...it worked for Courtney Love as Elle Dallas but I don't want to see a bunch of AI 3rd runner ups on the series
5. Autotune, autotune, and muthafuggin' autotune...enough already!
6. Nearly forget...too many characters polluting my screen and simply too much shaite going on still

Side note: I'm convinced that Anika's sporting a baby bump...perhaps I'm imagining things.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 3/7/15 at 12:52pm

Loved this episode, loved the insane pace, loved the melodrama of the elevator scene. Anything less frenetic might allow us to scrutinize the plot holes too closely. That's why we tune in. All the boring crap about IPO's, government snitches, and frankly even ALS symptoms are way less fun to build stories around than the crazy on display in those 44 minutes.

One can never know someone's sexual identity for certain unless you're the person in question, but having worked on the Empire pilot, I'm quite certain Jussie Smollet is in fact straight. Which also makes him a fantastically good actor. Empire is lucky to have him. And PLEASE let's hear his real voice again, rather than that horrible auto-tuned sound they've got coming out of his mouth now.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 3/7/15 at 2:41pm

Although it's usually rare when a straight actor wants to keep his "private life private."

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 3/8/15 at 7:58am

"but having worked on the Empire pilot, I'm quite certain Jussie Smollet is in fact straight."
So what's with the HRC tattoo on his arm? That was there before the show.