Yes! And I loved it. Incidentally, Dame Joan was at the Vanity Fair party and was asked by reporters if she'd seen Empire. She said, yes, she'd seen every episode, yes, she loves Cookie and that Taraji created the character like she did with Alexis as she was confident neither character was "on the page."

Brian Grazer was on same red carpet and told reporters he was anxious to talk to Dame Joan about what she thought of the show. Dame Joan as Rhonda's grandmother?

That would be amazing!!!!! I know this is daring, but can she be her mother?

First Look! SPOILERS.

I will not watch that! I will not watch that! I will not watch that! I will not watch that. I WILL NOT WATCH THAT!

Yes! And I loved it. Incidentally, Dame Joan was at the Vanity Fair party and was asked by reporters if she'd seen Empire. She said, yes, she'd seen every episode, yes, she loves Cookie and that Taraji created the character like she did with Alexis as she was confident neither character was "on the page."

Brian Grazer was on same red carpet and told reporters he was anxious to talk to Dame Joan about what she thought of the show. Dame Joan as Rhonda's grandmother?

Rhonda's Gran or as Elle's Mother? In either case, a good smack to the face is a MUST!

Grace Gealy did a marvelous job in the first scene. She was so good, but Trai OWNED the eppy. He was marvelous, and I can't wait for this to play out.

ITA. Trai impressed me the most, he's been like a sleeping giant and he unleashed. It's not just the fury but the fact that it's been building from when he was still on his meds. Even though I agree that the pacing it playing too fast and loose, he has been giving platinum performances, especially this latest episode-- that elevator scene was heartbreaking. Come Emmy time, I hope he gets remembered. I already expect Taraji to be on that list.

That scene in the park with Judd Nelson pointing a piece gave me New Jack City flashblacks for some bizarre reason.

Hopefully, in Season 2 we'll see a bit of modification to the pacing and characters without losing what makes the show so entertaining.

House of Cards has made some modifications in their storytelling in this new season.

Still, highly entertaining.

For me, Lucious is the best male villain to come along in a very long time, but there are lots of truths to this character! I just love him

I guess he is a villain, but it's hard for me to even see him that way. It must be the charm. I really just seem him as one more hard headed soap patriarch. I can still sympathize with him on some level because I don't think he goes out of his way to be malicious and tear people down. It happens, but I never feel like it's calculated. And, if he happens to have a few murders under his belt, well, who doesn't? (j/k)

Marceline:

Another moment I like was the way Hakeem played Anika. He's become a much more layered character than I thought he'd be at the beginning. I'd like to believe that what he told her about thinking of her as family was at least a little true.

Serious thumbs down to Cookie walking up in Lucious' house and evicting Anika. Throwing her things out on the street? Taking her phone? Just no. That wasn't her place. You've got your own home Cookie. Go to it. Maybe call your sister about that man you had murdered.

You could see that Hakeem and Anika really do care about each other. Hakeem just had to make a choice and it couldn't be Anika. I believed him when he said he was sorry his father didn't do right by her.

I had mixed feelings about Cookie throwing Anika out. I felt bad about the clothes, but I thought Portia was right to take the phone.

I was also glad to see Portia was loyal to Cookie.

How long were Lucious and Bougie together?

This show was a mess. I guess I will be the odd one out and say I didn't like the Andre portion of the story. While he has a legitimate claim to the Empire thrown, probably the most out of any of the three brothers it's hard to argue with Luscious that Andre is not a stable person to leave everything to. For that reason alone Andre can't be his successor, he is too much of a wild card. But it's sad to see how Luscious has damaged virtually everyone around him. This episode really tore down Andre for me, because I really don't know what his role in the show is now. He's been such a peripheral figure for so long it's hard to see where he really fits in. He's been in the background for so long and now he is defined by his illness, and that's so sad because we don't know much about who he is as a person/character. Disappointed in the story, but the performance was notable. It's not enough to leverage his character problems though.

Andre deserves this damn company. He worked that well.

He does, he had me when he said he worked from 8 am in the morning until 10 pm at night, every night for decades while the other kids got to enjoy their childhood. But with this outburst, he's not stable enough to lead this company. This is just another way Luscious has failed his sons.

When the two brother find out about Andre condition. I hope to see them support him.

I hope they will to, but I didn't feel Hakeem was all that supportive. It's clear Jamal is the one who works the best in the mediator role. I think having Hakeem so close to his father is ruining his characterization. He's becoming unlikable to me to the point where I really just don't want to see his face or his little punk outfits.

Cookie - they need to pull back on her just a bit. She is coming off as too much of a hood rat and less of a combination of a tough street chick and the great diva we were introduced to.

Cookie's always been portrayed this way, which was one reason why I was hesitant to start watching the series. But the other characters have that kind of sophistication to level her out, so as long as that is there I am fine with it, more or less. The hood rat and coonery can exist as long as it's done sparingly.

He's become a much more layered character than I thought he'd be at the beginning.

Serious thumbs down to Cookie walking up in Lucious' house and evicting Anika. Throwing her things out on the street? Taking her phone? Just no. That wasn't her place. You've got your own home Cookie. Go to it. Maybe call your sister about that man you had murdered.

Still not feeling Hakeem in the slightest.

I actually agreed with Cookie regarding Anika, she needed to protect Empire's assets, and that meant taking her phone, giving her zero reasons to come back to Luscious mansion and procure confidential information and just in general revoke her access to all thing Empire. Anika compromised a lot of confidential information and was privy to a lot of things business-wise. Cookie was protecting her assets.

Edited March 5, 201510 yr by Skin

How long were Lucious and Bougie together?

I think we are to assume a few years.

Coonery?

I'm making this EMPIRE Thursday

Saw episode 7.... Love that Hakeem and Jamal keep going back and forth between loving and hating each other. Anika spiking Elle's drink with drugs has officially earned her her c*nt credentials. The scenes in which Lucious tells the family he has ALS and then Andre has his panic attack were really touching. Rhonda showed genuine concern and love for Andre when she saw him. And, of course, Cookie/Lucious sex and Anika seeing them. YAAAAS. Lucious looks like he can f-ck real good.

"If you want Cookie's nookie, ditch the bitch!" :lol:

Empire was rounded up to a 5.8 in the finals!!!!

Week 1- 3.8

Week 2- 4.0

Week 3- 4.4

Week 4- 4.3

Week 5- 4.6

Week 6- 4.8

Week 7- 5.2

Week 8- 5.4

Week 9- 5.8

It has gained two full points since its premiere and is the highest rated broadcast drama in the demos since Greys Anatomy had a 6.1 on 10/01/09.

Not gonna be hard to beat that 6.1 at all!

Empire was rounded up to a 5.8 in the finals!!!!

Week 1- 3.8

Week 2- 4.0

Week 3- 4.4

Week 4- 4.3

Week 5- 4.6

Week 6- 4.8

Week 7- 5.2

Week 8- 5.4

Week 9- 5.8

It has gained two full points since its premiere and is the highest rated broadcast drama in the demos since Greys Anatomy had a 6.1 on 10/01/09.

Their success is phenomenal. I could not be happier!!

Empire was rounded up to a 5.8 in the finals!!!!

Week 1- 3.8

Week 2- 4.0

Week 3- 4.4

Week 4- 4.3

Week 5- 4.6

Week 6- 4.8

Week 7- 5.2

Week 8- 5.4

Week 9- 5.8

It has gained two full points since its premiere and is the highest rated broadcast drama in the demos since Greys Anatomy had a 6.1 on 10/01/09.

And the show was up also on HH numbers…it hit a 9.6 HH rating…up from 9.2 from last week.