DeeeDee

I actually wanted the guy from the studio. He's sexy!!!

I like him too but I don't want them in a relationship (but as BFF's).

Here's the article Mo was talking about

Alden understood Katherine & Jill's relationship.

Katherine was no saint during her tenure (she rarely initiated fights by that point but she also wouldn't back down from them).

22 episodes is ridiculous.

Most shows (no matter how good) stumble trying to meet unnecessarily high episode orders.

Less is more.

22 episodes is too much for this show.

Lee wants to keep next season's order at 12 episodes (which is a wise idea).

That we know that Trai can sing, there is always a possibility that Andre not being an artist can change. I suspect that it will. Or I hope it does because it would make the battle for successor more interesting. It's not very right now because the choice is obvious.

Trai's said in several interviews he doesn't think the show is going to incorporate his ability to sing into the story.

He feels it makes Andre a stronger, more interesting character (though I'm not inclined to agree).

I think if the Lucious (and by extension the show) weren't so set on having a "celebrity" be the next CEO, I'd feel less bothered by Jamal's arc.

Because Empire's a soap Hakeem will inevitably grow into a mature businessman to challenge Jamal's position as the next head of the company but as Andre said Lucious will never value him because he isn't musically inclined which means the highest he can ever rise is his current position as Empire's CFO.

After factoring in Lucious feelings about Rhonda & Dre's mental illness (which the show has devoted much less time to making sympathetic than Jamal's sexuality) as ajsp's already said Andre's journey (in terms of running Empire) is done before it's even begun.

As happy as I am about the writing for Jamal, I don't think the writers will invest the same effort into Andre.

With Hakeem I can understand the writers relative lack of focus because Yazz isn't as strong an actor as Trai & Jussie (nor is Hakeem a credible choice to run Empire) but Trai has proven he's as strong (if not stronger) an actor as Jussie & he deserves better than to be a supporting player in Jamal's journey to become the next CEO of Empire.

That kind of ignorance does exist in the world and from people that I'm sure most of us love. You can love a person and not agree with their antiquated ideas. Lucious and his relationships with everyone around him are very realistic. His sons love him because, while he's a disaster, he also loves them and we have seen it shown in many ways. He's toxic but that doesn't mean they shouldn't love him. Who hasn't or doesn't love a toxic person? So what you may see as Lucious apologizers might simply be empathy from people who've lived the life of those around him.

+1.

Coonery?

Why should Cookie be stressing over the hit? When only people who knows about the killing is her sister & the guy who was hired to do the hit.

I believe that Cookie going to be stressing over the guy she was testifying against.

+1.

Mo'Nique said she was Lee Daniels first choice to play Cookie.

You are so thirsty.

Who thinks that?

Nobody.

It was a pathetic attempt at "shade".

It's Raven Symone

I must say that I'm somewhat offended by the phrase "sound well educated". I won't get into why because I am not in the mood to have a discussion about dialect and race today. And yes, I'm southern.

+1.

Not speaking "The Queen's English" doesn't make one "uneducated".

Hakeem is a classic underachiever who isn't motivated because he doesn't have to be which (a trait he & Jamal shared until very recently).

The reason he speaks different than his brothers (but not unlike his parents & Uncle Vernon) is because they're in situations where they are expected to code switch & he isn't.

Ta'Rhonda Jones is keeper.

Moving Black-ish makes sense.

It minimizes potential audience overlap with Empire & gives Black-ish an opportunity to anchor a potential comedy block on another night.

Moving Black-ish & Fresh Off The Boat to Friday with Cristela & Last Man Standing as a reboot of TGIF would solve everything.

50 Cent would probably be less than thrilled if Debbi began moonlighting on Empire.

It's not racism unless it's concrete.

Ryan died because Scott wanted to leave.

Yet Apatow is silent about Woody Allen.

Wonder why?

Gabourey is a good actress but her hair has to go.

Lucious should have very clear relationships with his children but the majority of the background the audience has about how he feels about them is mainly plot dependent.

From the moment Cookie interacts with all three of their sons there's heavy subtext there (largely because of Taraji's acting).

If someone were asked to describe Lucious feelings about Andre they'd have to read from a plot summary because the brief scene they had at the gym revealed nothing of their relationship.

Contrast that to Andre's brief scene with Cookie who is clearly proud of her son's achievements, amusingly frank about his wife & hesitant because she isn't sure if he resents her for not being there.