Empire, the series on Fox

Oh it's fantastic! I really think Lee Daniels is at home in this soapy kind of world he and Danny Strong have created. Taraji P. Henson did her strongest work to date in that pilot episode.

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Are you black? How can you possibly relate to this or empathize with the characters, Namo?

Headband, I hope your comment "Are you black?" was meant as utter sarcasm-- this show is a hoot and a half and enjoying it has virtually nothing to do with being black as far as I can tell. (Spoken as a white person).

I've been holding my tongue waiting for someone else to start a thread on EMPIRE (Thankyou Namo). I too hope it maintains the crazy over-the-top WTF-idness that the first 2 episodes are full of. Love the way the gay storyline is handled so far, but don't know how many more episodes they can string us along before Jamal and his boyfriend have to go public with their hot hot love. And who ever expected FOX to introduce the country to the concept of a bib/cum rag on network TV like Rhonda did in last Wednesday's episode? I say keep the boardroom scenes to a minimum -- let all the big plot developments take place in the bedroom (or on the kitchen floor).

I watched the first episode last night and I'm going to watch the second in bit. I'm digging it so far. I love Taraji P Henson in this.

There was an article posted today about them taking on homophobia:

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2015/01/18/lee-daniels-wants-to-expose-homophobia-in-tv-show-empire/

Oh YES! I watched the first two episodes yesterday on Fox ON DEMAND and I was hooked immediately!!! The music is really fantastic. I especially loved the song Jamal sang on the first episode: "Good Enough" so much that I immediately without hesitation downloaded it from iTunes.

So many interesting guest appearances are coming up and after only two aired episodes Fox has renewed it for a second season.

I hope it keeps getting better because so far I am loving it.

Taraji P. Henson rules!!!

Actually, I think it's politically astute and I think this takes the examination of homophobia much deeper than I have ever seen on a TV show before. What Empire and Daniels are saying is that even our supporters with the best of intentions have a LOT of homophobic baggage. I haven't seen this taken to the this level in popular mainstream entertainment before.

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You should start an I Hate Empire thread like I did for Looking!

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Portia, get my shoe!

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Updated On: 1/18/15 at 08:07 PM

Portia reads the papers.

Team Portia here!

The show is my latest guilty pleasure. I was so prepared not to like it but am hooked. If the writers keep up the good work, Danny Strong and Lee Daniels will have a hit on their hands. The series adeptly treats some thorny topics such as colorism, homophobia, female sexuality, criminality, corporate finance (as well as greed), upward mobility, hedonism, social caste, and misogyny in one of the thriving segments of the recording industry.

I'm really pleased that the creative team opted to embrace a few stereotypes laced with some Dynasty-like camp for levity. It's ok that her heels wear her instead of Portia wearing them

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Updated On: 1/18/15 at 10:17 PM

@FindingNamo

I did. It's very subtle on the series, so far, but a topic several individuals and I have discussed outside this forum. Cookie (Taraji Henson) has taken a few digs at Luscious, Wifey #2 Anika, and Halle Berry on the sly. She was moved out by a younger, fairer, and more socially skilled lady. The stage is set for Cookie's three-pronged attack on Anika. I'm confident that this series will be bold enough to go there.

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