#lucious lyons

Empire Season 2 Ep. 2 “Without A Country”

Building off of “The Devils are Here”, it’s all about set up in this episode. Empire is laying the foundation of the warring factions in the Lyon household. We’ll give it another episode or two, but the pink elephant in the room is the clutter of distracting cameos and slow brew storyline. This could be, however, the set up to an incredibly dramatic face off or plummeting story. We’ll see.

The episode starts off with Lucious still in jail and is the king of the jungle, fresh off his Frank Gathers kill. His medication has been mysteriously misplaced so he’s showing signs of fatigue in this episode. He looked like he was seizing up trying to rhyme in the yard. This week’s major feature was Chris “Ludacris” Bridges and he was doing too much in his first scene as the overbearing Officer McKnight, but came around as the episode went on.

Jamal meets with dear old dad in prison to give him the scoop on what’s happening with the company. The cameos were cool last season because each episode had a new artist guest star, but that was it. This season there are so many cameos I can’t keep up with everyone in their bit roles. However, Andre Royo steps in as Thirsty Rawlings, a shady lawyer who seems to have an interest in being Lucious’s lawyer. Royo seems like a good casting choice and an interesting addition to the drama.

Never the one to roll over, Cookie goes to the old recording studio (you remember the one where they “tried” to kill Jamal) to set up shop. Booboo Kitty is already there trying to mold an artist, but now that the alliance is no longer needed Cookie kicks her out. The studio is meager in comparison to the Empire and is visually setting up the David vs. Goliath companies through the settings of the show.

Jamal is stepping into a zone as the sensitive leader. He still isn’t fit for the throne because he’s too sensitive for the ring, but Jussie Smollet is doing his thing as an actor. He’s molding Jamal into a character that you root for, because his heart is in the right place as an artist and family member. Hakeem still desires the crown and tries to put together a three woman group to prove his A&R abilities, while leaking his album online to shake things up at Empire.

Lucious managed to record another banger for the streets behind bars. Was it just me or did it seem like Lucious was about to get got when he opened that closet door? Maybe I’ve seen too many prison shows. The “Hustle & Flow” reminiscent throwback in the prison was dope though!

Andre is going to go crazy if you don’t let him back in the fold Lucious! After meeting his father at the prison, Andre got the cold shoulder. Honestly, this is all too familiar as Lucious continues to use his son’s blind ambition and desire to please him to do his bidding...which I’m sure will happen next week.

Lyon Dynasty, Cookie’s record label, is a nice wink at the tv series this one happens to be similar to. Here’s to hoping episode 3 shakes things up a bit. As the ratings have slipped slightly, it needs a pick me up!

Cookie Crumbs:

Andre hasn’t shown his crazy yet this season, but I have a feeling it’s coming soon. Lucious’s emotional manipulation of his son’s is starting to age. Hakeem is showing himself to have a mind of his own, which will likely be an advantage for him down the line. Leaking his album to the world was a bold move. Jamal is going to have to step aside once pops gets out. That, or Lucious is going to play puppet master.

Best Empire Tweets This Week:

@Jax_Fab_Life THIS!!!! @leedanielsent @terrencehoward @EmpireFOX #Empire #empirefox pic.twitter.com/wnwTP5jmDN

— Turkesha McIvy, MPA (@Naturalbabydol) October 1, 2015

#EmpireFOX #EmpireSeason2 pic.twitter.com/zHAKAN70f5

— brosia marie (@marie_babygirll) October 2, 2015

#EmpireFOX pic.twitter.com/bQ42NR7yfP

Empire Season 2 Ep. 1 “The Devils Are Here”

“Empire” is back and is steam rolling ahead to continue its’ juggernaut status on prime time television. It’s obvious when a show is doing well, and last night’s episode had too many cameos to count! This show is here to stay!

Three months after Lucious’ arrest Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) throws a Free Lucious (Terrance Howard) concert, not because she wants to but because Cookie is that business woman! Always making moves, Cookie brings on lesbian mogul, Mimi Whiteman (Marisa Tomei), as a potential investor of Empire Entertainment in an attempt to create a hostile takeover. Jamal (Jussie Smollet) is still in control of the company, and Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray), Andre (Trai Byers), and even Anika (Grace Gealey) can come together to see that that changes in this episode.

The show flexed its’ muscles with social commentary; interweaving current events in the real world and the world of “Empire”, the writers know that it has a platform and people are listening. While at the concert, Jamal says“Bill Clinton is out there”  to which Cookie responds “He need to be. If he want his wife to get elected.” Cookie dresses as a guerrilla and is locked in a cage while making statements on the current prison and policing system in a beast mode monologue! I’m interested to see how the influence of this show will manifest in the real world.    

If you remember last season, Cookie snitched on Frank Gathers, the drug kingpin that Cookie and Lucious used to deal for. In perhaps the worst casting ever, Chris Rock showed up as the highly feared man. I’m sorry, but not enough building his character up by everyone else, and big dudes standing around him can make Chris Rock scary. Yet, there he was as Frank Gathers the cannibal.

Once Frank found out Cookie snitched, he sent flowers to the house and included the head of her cousin, putting everyone on alert and on lockdown at Lucious’ home. Cookie finally goes to see Lucious in prison to get him to handle Frank. As much as I didn’t like his casting, it was a dope exit for Chris Rock as Lucious turned the tables on him and had him murdered. While Porsha had to booboo, Booboo Kitty had to dance with Mimi and some. As the attempt to takeover the Empire went south, Lucious proved that he still runs things, even from a federal prison. With one visit from Mimi, Lucious talked her into siding with him and kept control of the company.

After Frank’s death, Jamal kicks everyone out of his father’s home. It’s interesting to see Jamal’s loyalty to his father after last season. Cookie slaps the mess out of him twice before leaving. The possibilities for this season’s storylines are endless!

Cookie Crumbs:

Jamal ain’t fit for the thrown! He’s not ruthless, and his heart is divided between music and the business. We’ll see where this goes.

The music is still on point in this show. I’m looking forward to hearing the soundtrack for this season.

If I may geek out for a second. The hero shot of Cookie, Andre, Hakeem, and Anika walking toward the board meeting was dope. Simply because it was the typical set up with the characters turning the corner and walking in slow motion, but the kicker was Hakeem on the scooter! It said so much about his character and the show’s knowledge of bucking the norm at the same time.

It’s obvious Lucious is getting out soon from the previews for next week! Let’s see what happens.

Best Empire Tweets This Week:

Uhm @chrisrock being a gangster on #EmpireFOX is about as believable as #DonaldTrump supporting undocumented Mexicans into the U.S. #BeReal

— Mandela (@MandelaJ) September 24, 2015

RT _LexxKnows: RT DCisChillin: Started from the bottom now we're here #empire #empirefox pic.twitter.com/B2QGstqOIj

— Usp Alfy (@uspalfy) September 24, 2015

My thoughts after watching #Empire last night: Did Boo Boo Kitty really try to twerk? #EmpireSeason2 #EmpireFOX pic.twitter.com/VQz3pDOPGd

— LadyofInspiration (@AlyseLady) September 24, 2015

“ are you done now lady?”#EmpireSeason2 #EmpireFOX #Empire pic.twitter.com/i1z4A8nzxM