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Andre is being horrifically ignored by both parents, and Cookie is the worst when it comes to parenting. She is worse than Luc. Luc is about business. Cookie is about Jamal and using him against Luc. Meanwhile, to make things happen, Andre has gone off his meds [because he probably feels stifled by them] so that he can win this contest and run that company.

My heart goes out to him.

Me too. I feel bad for Andre as well. The audience thinks that Jamal is the one being mistreated. He is. But so is Andre. it seems that no matter how successful he is, he doesn't get respect and is of little worth to his parents because he has no musical talent. That's sad.

The girl said she watch the show twice. Andre stare at Lucious like your're not going to do nothing. Then once things got messy. He goes in the corner, like he's a scare child. Or he's literally trying to restrain himself from actually from doing something.

She mention that he seems detach maybe because his bipolar. The first child will kill for his mother. He condition himself because where he at, to not react off basic instinct.

Ah...I noticed that death stare too along with how he was gripping the railing. At the time I chalked it up to his mania. But I wouldn't be surprised if he goes off the rails and Cookie shows him the same compassion that she has always shown Jamal, thereby, strengthening the bond he has for his mother. And yeah, he might just kill someone before the show ends.

I don't think she'll lose her spunk though. I think she'll just be more cautious and slicker. I don't see Cookie as being one who'll lose her spunk. Just selective when she chooses her battles. Taraji somewhat implied that Cookie becoming refined is her way to appeal to Lucious and stick to Anika.

But I am wondering if this change will backfire and result in her losing Lucious because he seems to prefer her the way she is.

Yes, I figured this was going to be about appealing to Luscious. He seems to feel he needs to put forward a certain public persona and needs a woman by his side that carries herself the same way and understands the need for it. I can't say that it is not the wisest choice as a businessman. However, it's not about who you really are, moreso, it is about the face that you show the world. When Cookie starts using some of her smarts to figure out how to cultivate the right perception in the media whether she has changed or not, Luscious will see her as an asset. I don't think it will backfire at all.

I'm guessing with Cookie saying the f-word that rhymes with maggot. But Shonda failed to realize that Cookie is supposed to be politically incorrect as she has been incarcerated for 17 years. Times changed from when Cookie was last out. Taraji said on Wendy Williams that a part of Cookie's arc is for her to become refined.

Sometimes I get the impression that Shonda does want to be #1. She does not feel threatened by Tyler b/c his material is pure garbage and everyone knows that Tyler relies heavily on tropes and he can't tell a proper story beat to save his life. Plus, Shonda knows that Tyler will destroy himself overtime, which he is doing now. Go and look on his Facebook for Have and Have Nots and you'll see that 90% of the comments are of people saying they are over the show. Shonda knows that with Lee, who has an academy award under his belt, she is going to get a run for her money.

Furthermore, Lee is already appealing to people because he acknowledges his show is a soap. Shonda, on the other hand, can't. She refuses to acknowledge that because she views soaps as being low brow entertainment. Sad because without soaps, there would be no ABC. Hell, GH singlehandedly funded ABC all throughout the 80s.

I agree it was the gay slurs. But my points was that she had no problem with Cookie referring to herself as a B.

I didn't know that this was going to be one of Cookie's story arcs. I should have known since Luscious made a comments about how she behaves. Hmmm. I see why they would go this route but I am kinda sad too because changing her kinda implies that there is something wrong with her. I think she's flawless as is! I wonder if code switching will come into play here.

And I also think that Shonda might be a little threatened. Lee's show is good and has brought in great ratings. And he has something that she doesn't and I don't know whether she is uninterested in having it or the network won't allow it....A majority black cast.

Shonda questioned some of the dialogue on twitter. I am sure it was the gay slurs ONLY that she cared about.

I wondered what point Shonda was making by complaining about the dialogue on twitter. Why do that?

MoTheGreat...the battle is about who will lead the company. I suppose that the person who has the biggest star will take the reins.

I think Anika is supposed to be the stuck up ice queen to Cookie's warm down to earth mother. I think the actress does fine. I am only minimally interested in her just because I don't think she is a worthy adversary. If she was the mother of one of Luscious children and they were married then I would feel differently. But as things stands, she is just a warm body waiting to be removed

I love Hakeem referring to his mother as Satan's kid. That was hilarious.

Not sure why folks are slobbering over Jamal. He's quite dull and the actor has very little presence. What's so complex-he's gay? Hakeem is more complex. He has no clue who he is and is trying to live up to what his father wants him to be. His anger with his mother seems to be the only thing of value he truly has.

The elevator scene still has me reeling. When Fofo opened his mouth, Lucious turned to him and said nothing. Just the look! Terrence knocked my sox off!

I, too, was scared for FoFo in that moment. I knew he was a goner. And FoFo looked very unsure under that gaze.

Folks love Jamal because Jussie is adorable and Jamal's daddy put him in a garbage can when he was a little boy. That sealed it.

But you never know Hakeem can be very childish (based on the past two episodes) and it may reach a point where he reaches for the one thing he knows can hurt/weaken Jamal in his father's eyes and in the world of music...his sexuality. And while Hakeem personally may not care about that, the fact that he's willing to use it or may use it could severely damage their relationship.

True. Damaged relationships and betrayal are the thing of soaps. Here for it all. Loving their relationship now will make me care that much more when it is severed.

I know what you said. All I'm saying is, it didn't come off that way at all, which is why the theory was ignored. All I saw was a man excited to be getting a blowjob. What man (especially one in the beginnings of a manic phase) wouldn't be excited about that? Granted, that Rhonda chick hasn't exactly put herself on the track for an Emmy yet... but still... I just don't see how fear or S&M factors into this at all.

Okay...maybe my eye is jaded. LOL

Thanks!!

Hey Mo./..here are the symptoms of a manic phase

Manic phase of bipolar disorder

Signs and symptoms of the manic or hypomanic phase of bipolar disorder can include:

• Euphoria
• Inflated self-esteem
• Poor judgment
• Rapid speech
• Racing thoughts
• Aggressive behavior
• Agitation or irritation
• Increased physical activity
• Risky behavior
• Spending sprees or unwise financial choices
• Increased drive to perform or achieve goals
• Increased sex drive
• Decreased need for sleep
• Easily distracted
• Careless or dangerous use of drugs or alcohol
• Frequent absences from work or school
• Delusions or a break from reality (psychosis)
• Poor performance at work or school

Got this link to read more if you are interested. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bipolar-disorder/basics/symptoms/con-20027544

Not yet, but I dont trust that they wont have Hakeem throw his sexuality back at him in a heated moment to hurt him, especially if he has Lucious in his ear hyping him up

Of course he will. Just as Cookie called him a stupid sissy. That's what you do when you are angry at someone and want to hurt them. You use the weak spot. You hit them where you know it will hurt. But just because he does that doesn't mean that he cares that Hakeem is gay. It obviously doesn't. No more than than it bothers Cookie.

Why do the two have to be related? It seemed to me she was using sex to convince him and later took harsher actions! LOL

Because as I said, it didn't come off as sex as manipulation. It seemed more fear of her doing. That could just be the acting choices though.

Back on Rhonda and Andre. An idea I threw out that no one picked up.

That thing with the bib and whatnot and the way he quickly gave in when she unzipped his pants. And her squeezing his testicles at the club along with people saying they were going to the bathroom to have sex and are always having sex. I wonder if sex isn't her way of torturing him when he does wrong and not just manipulation. Who thinks that they might be have an S&M relationship? I just think all their interactions are...odd (forgive my use of the word. It's no insult to those who engage in that lifestyle. I just couldn't think of another word to describe what was going on). It's a power struggle going on with them. My spidey senses are tingling.

It would be so easy to have him belittle and not care for Jamal bc he's gay but I love how accepting and loving he is of his brother. Sadly, I think that will change especially with their parents pitting them against each other

But it won't be because he is gay. And that makes all the difference. I like how they are going to show their relationship break. And I don't mind siblings fighting and feuding. This is a soap and that is a soap's bread and butter. They will fight over business. That's alright in my book

At times Hakeem pisses me off, but then I remember that he never really knew his mother, so it's no wonder he is rude to her. Lucious raised him and he was the baby of the family, so it's no wonder he seems like the favorite. The other kids were also poor for awhile, but Hakeem didn't experience that, which is why he comes off as a bit spoiled and entitled. You can see that he loves his father and brother though, so that makes him more likable to me.

Hakeem's love of Jamal makes me love him. He isn't just one note. I like that about him.

During the first episode, I was SURE that I would hate Hakeem. From the way he spoke to the way he dressed and everything about him screamed stereotypical. They changed all that in the second episode. So I think that we do agree. You didn't say much differently that what I said. At least I didn't think that you did.

Oh okay. Thanks. The screen likes her as she kept catching my eye.

Hakeem is no better than FoFo. They are like the worst stereotype of rappers I have ever seen. But at least they softened Hakeem by showing that he can be funny, insecure, and cares about his father's respect.

And isn't there a transgender person in his crew. I kept trying to figure it out because that actor is gorgeous.

In Andre's defense again, he was so manic that he probably can't tell whether what is happening is real or something that he is hallucinating.

At least there is meaning to his madness. lol

I am not mad at Jamal one bit about not coming out because he needs his father's assistance to live. That is realistic and a battle that Jamal need to fight onscreen. Had he immediately decided to not give into his father's threats, we wouldn't see the stakes build or what went into Jamal's choice. We need to see the struggle. Plus, Jamal is human. What human being wouldn't consider how they would maintain their lifestyle. People put up with crap everyday at job's because they WANT to eat well, as opposed to just eating. Money matters!

Is CookieLu the ship name? I flove it!

I agree that Terrence Howard showed a lot of nuances and depth in his acting last night.

I could see the FBI or somebody hiring a guy to be her boyfriend, with Cookie knowledge though. Something like Mr. Cryer did to Hannah but Empire would do it much better.

What if that they want her to testify against is the guy that Bunky owed the money too.

I think that she's threatened by Cookie too. I have a feeling she's going to be instigating many of her confrontations with Cookie. I think that Cookie will be checking/warning her at times, but I could see Anika saying and doing things to try and get underneath Cookie's skin. I loved that Cookie seems unaffected by Anika, even when she was walking around the house in her underwear. Cookie seemed more upset about seeing how far Lucious as come as an artist, like the sad expression she had when she saw the house, than she does about Anika.

I think that Cookie understands Lucious very well, better than Anika does. I am really enjoying the way they interact with each other. I think he definitely still cares for her. I liked how they interacted as parents at the end of the show. I thought he seemed proud when he told her that she was right that Jamal and Hakeem fit well together on the stage. I also liked how she chastized his parenting of Hakeem, and he said he didn't want to argue with her about that. They definitely seemed like parents/two people who were married to each other.

I'm looking forward to a "Cookie gets a new man" storyline, even though I think that may not happen this season. I could see that happening in another season. I think it will be fun to watch Lucious deal with her getting a new man. I think that will bother him worse than it bothers Cookie to see Anika parading around in her underwear.

Cookie has Luscious feeling some type of way. She knows what drives him. She knows him. I have no doubt that he still loves her. Anika will probably scheme and try to set Cookie up in some way to keep her and Luscious apart.

Oh yeah. Luscious won't deal well at all with Cookie getting a new man. When it happens, I hope it is a longtime rival of Luscious. Just cause that type of stuff always makes it sweeter. I wouldn't even mind if he had his own record company and Cookie left Empire to work for him.

I don't think Andre was capable of defending anyway. He seemed to be in his own world. We know he was having a manic type episode. But Luscious was disappointing me. Glad he made it right.

"The Luscious Lyon I used to know would have told those people that the streets ain't for everybody. That's why they made sidewalks."

"Yeah, you right kitty. I liked you better when you was was a thug."

Cookie's hat. That music. The hard stop on Luscious' shamed face. I LIIIIIIVE!!!!

Poor Jamal. If he comes out daddy with cut him off. I like that they played this beat. It's realistic and needs to be dealt with.

Bunky was Cookie's favorite cousin? What?! Luscious is cold bastard.

And is it just me but was Andre's wife about to torture him with fellatio. It didn't come across as manipulation with sex to me. Especially since she squeezed his testicles at that club. Odd!

I guess Anikka is threatened by Cookie. What woman comes out to show their assets in such a manner. I guess she and Luscious are not married considering the way that the kiddies referred to her as Hakeem's "dad's woman." I am waiting on that subject to come up. And are they really trying to sell her as younger and hotter than Cookie. LMBO! Please stop.

Kinda disappointed that the singer didn't make Hakeem work for it. She's a gorgeous girl, the by the way.

I am loving Cookie's assistant. She is hilarious. "Look like they having a meeting to me".

More importantly, I really appreciate the dialogue about rap music. It may not be my thing at this stage in my life, but I do feel like rappers and rap music are often vilified. Luscious' explaination was perfect

Sellout was the theme. When Jamal sang that everyone has their own closet. That is true. Luscious definitely is. His personal face and his private persona are totally different. He cut himself off when he was talking about Trayvon Martin. That was very sad. But looming death and the return of Queen Cookie has him questioning himself and his choices. I love how she gets in his head.

All in all, Still loving it!

The way that Cookie is constantly overdressed or always the best dressed in every scene is fab! Keep it that way!

Are we really comparing characters on Empire to Adam's Y&R as if he was some legendary character in the annals of soap opera history. *side eye*