Empire: Discussion Thread

[Eric83]

I remember when I hoped it wouldn't drop too hard in Week 2.

Edited March 5, 2015 by Eric83

[YRBB]

Episode 8

Lucious was getting a little too nice and settled there for a minute! So of course he turned around and f*cked it all up by choosing Anika. :lol I love it.

The Lyons Legacy stuff was a great idea. Too bad Lucious' too damn pissed to see that.

It was beautiful to see Jamal getting closer to his daughter and bonding with her. Also, his decision not to come out until Lucious is dead was very sweet. And YUM at Ryan. Cutie, and that accent. I am SO happy that Jamal not only finally came out, but he did it so publicly and with such style. The look on Lucious' nasty homophobic face was enough to make me happy for the rest of March! And then Hakeem telling Jamal he was proud. Be still my heart!

How exciting: We got our first big boardroom drama with Andre and Vernon scheming to have Andre voted interim CEO and then Lucious suddenly voting "no"! I did not see that coming at all. I'm not necessarily sure this was well-founded at all, but whatevs.

I don't blame Rhonda at all for being disgusted with Andre. He went too far with the pimping out. I am still stunned at that beautiful attempted suicide scene with Andre. Not sure if the gun jammed or he was playing Russian roulette but it was SO beautifully shot and lit and his pain and scream was heartbreaking. My God, he is a really, really sick man.

Anika standing outside the limo, the wind blowing, was also a beautifully shot scene and the ending with Cookie singing and the jail was as well.

[YRBB]

I think that was everyone's hope! We really had no idea what we were in for, did we? LOL

[Eric83]

It was a semi automatic gun so he wasn't playing Russian Roulette. I'm still unsure of what exactly he was doing. It was shocking and sad.

[YRBB]

Oh, and I forgot to say that it was lovely seeing Hakeem and Cookie make up and Cookie confronting Camilla (hide the cell phones!). Again, pacing issues. Too fast and too easy, but lovely nonetheless.

[YRBB]

Thanks for that. I really don't know my guns at all lol. Based on his reaction when he realized he's alive following pulling the trigger, I'm inclined to believe the gun jammed. It was indeed really shocking and sad.

[Cheap21]

IMO, the season finale should have been Lucious and Cookie having sex with Anika walking in. That was what, episode 7? There was so much skipped and glossed over that I think they could have slowed down and expanded upon to still have a solid season of 12 leading up to that. The Raven stuff for example. I cant beleive she popped up as the cliffhanger and disappeared. The next episode should have had her there the whole time as we saw her explain her story and we got reaction shots from the family, Jamal and Dora. The ending to that should have been her leaving. I felt like they could have done more with Hakeem/Tiana, Cookie and the feds, Lucifer killing Bunky, etc..

[YRBB]

I didn't have a problem with Lucious and Cookie having sex by episode 7. I don't think it's a strong enough cliffhanger for season 1 for that to have happened then and I felt it was very well timed with the reveal of Lucious' ALS and, indeed, very soapy. Now Anika walking in and finding out so soon, I could go either way. Did they even explain why Anika was back?

The Raven stuff, however, I completely agree. It makes no damn sense and is such a waste of potential to have zero stuff with Olivia/Jamal, no family conversation, nothing. They really should have given that an episode and then have Olivia abandon the kid at EMPIRE.

Speaking of Hakeem and Tiana, where the hell is she? There's been so many big events and no one has questioned her absence... they haven't even mentioned her, save for when Camilla and Hakeem were arguing. Weird.

[marceline]

He was rehearsing. People with suicidal ideation often start testing their nerve to see if they will finally have the courage to go through with it. Cutting, playing with guns, going up to high places and looking down, etc... It's all about getting yourself to the place where you can do it. (And yes, I know this from both first- and second-hand experience) Andre was letting himself imagine what his last moments would be like.

[Angela]

I'm with Cheap on this. The timing with quite a few things this season has hit me as odd, as rushed, as huh??? I feel like the show takes stuff you can build on and just puts it out their too suddenly. The show is really entertaining but it's definitely also sloppy.

I'm not sure who made this but it's hilarious...

[YRBB]

I don't see anyone disagreeing with Cheap on the show's pacing.... Lucious/Cookie was adequately built but there are a LOT of other issues.

LMAO!

[YRBB]

Thanks! Makes sense.

[Cheap21]

Tiana was in the last episode and honestly I didnt realize she and Jamal had broken up. I thought they were still together but I dont think the show had really made that clear except for her being absent

Edited March 5, 2015 by Cheap21

[NothinButAttitude]

at that Solange/Andre meme.

[Angela]

There's definitely many issues with pacing, yes, but personally, I was stunned they did Lucious and Cookie hooking up so quickly. I understand he's the [only] one for her, but his behind let her rot in prison for over a decade while he was making it and hitting it all over town. Typically, a show will keep that type of tension going for as long as possible - the hurt along with the deep attraction. I would have had them heavily making out, starting to disrobe, Anika heading home on the last episode of Season One.

It'll be interesting to see what they do with Season 2. They won't have the stresses attached that they may have had with this season so I expect to see a difference with pacing.