Empire: Discussion Thread

[ChitHappens]

I don't know what that means. If you have time to elaborate, that would be appareciated

[Eric83]

It means 8.8% of American households were tuned into Empire.

[marceline]

Tika would be AMAZING. Plus she can actually sing without being autotuned into oblivion. (I'm looking at you, Tiana.)

[Juliajms]

That is so impressive, but I get it. Something about this show just makes me ridiculously happy that it's Wednesday. I haven't been this excited about a show since season 1 of Game of Thrones.

Edited February 20, 2015 by Juliajms

[ReddFoxx]

I'd like to see Millie Jackson as Cookie's mother, because that would fun.

[Skin]

I want to watch this, but the shows premise, central idea and tone scares me. I am allergic to shows that glamorize, ghetto and hood rat like behavior in urban characters and settings. I think things like that just promote further ignorance and produce bad stereotypes that are harmful to our culture. It bothers me and I have no time for it. But, I have a feeling with names like Cookie, Rashad and Raheem they will be playing up to these stereotypes for the most penultimate amount of filth available to the viewing audience and to appeal to the lowest common denominator for the largest amount of mess possible (similar to those messy Love & Hip Hop shows that swallowed VH1). All of this is something of which, I just can't deal with.

Edited February 20, 2015 by Skin

[Juliajms]

I don't think the show does this at all. Cookie spent 17 years in prison for selling drugs. Nothing glamorous about it.

[DramatistDreamer]

It's really up to you Skin. Watch or don't watch.

Not every show will be everyone's cup of tea, no matter how great the acting or how great the script.

The Sopranos, for instance was highly lauded for its writing and acting and was wildly popular but I knew Italian Americans who refused to watch because they thought it presented a bad image of Italian Americans.

The Godfather movies inspired this same level of criticism from many Italian Americans. Oddly enough, I saw a documentary claiming that Italians in Italy loved the Godfather films because they looked at it as a work of pure fiction having no reflection or resemblance to actual Italian society. Go figure.

If you feel strongly, it's not my job or anyone else's to convince you otherwise. I would say, for myself, I always like to watch one or two episodes before making a judgement. I watched the first two episodes of Scandal and knew it was not for me but I know others enjoy it and I don't judge anyone for it because everyone's preferences or P.O.V. will not be the same.

Edited February 21, 2015 by DramatistDreamer

[ReddFoxx]

There is no one named "Rashad" or "Raheem" on this show.

[Eric83]

The show is not like this at all.

What's wrong with the names "Rashad" and "Raheem"? I think you are referring to Jamal and Hakeem.

Edited February 21, 2015 by Eric83

[All My Shadows]

Completely off base. Nobody on the show is "ghetto" or exhibits "ghetto behavior." Some of the characters come from unfortunate backgrounds, but they've risen above that. The central family is filthy rich and the money was legitimately earned through a legitimate industry that relies on artistry and business acumen. Nothing "ghetto" about that.

I don't get what's wrong with the name Cookie (or Rashad or Raheem, but there's no one on the show with those names...). I know of three women named Cookie, and they're all elderly white women. Is this a name most commonly associated with "ghetto" people? Please inform.

Don't you watch Shameless? A show centered on a self-proclaimed "ghetto girl" who prides herself in the fact.

[marceline]

Apparently Skin's account has been hacked by Alphanguy.

[MoTheGreat]

I don't understand how people can judge something before watching. & those ghetto names you name are Muslim names. the main family has Muslim background.

I also saw two episodes of Scandal & didn't like it. Nobody can say I didn't give the show a chance.

Edited February 21, 2015 by MoTheGreat

[Eric83]

Yeah a lot of names that are considered "ghetto" are actually names of Arabic origin. Even if they are "stereotypical" names nothing is wrong with them. Just because there are racists that want to make anything associated with black culture automatically inferior doesn't make it so. Naming the characters George or Edward doesn't make them better.

[DramatistDreamer]

ITA.

I'd love to see a plethora of stories about Black families on network TV but that's an issue to take up with the networks, not the Empire series itself. Empire is a very specific story about a very specific family and their milieu, the same way Dallas was a very specific story about a very specific family and their milieu. I don't remember White families from the South being too worried that people would think they all behaved like the Ewings.

In some way, I hope Empire's success can open the doors for a diversity of TV shows featuring Black families of all kinds. I do think that is desperately needed. It would be very interesting if Empire ends up being the catalyst for this.

Edited February 21, 2015 by DramatistDreamer