Empire: Discussion Thread

[ChitHappens]

I saved the gif on Twitter and crack up every time!

[ajsp35801]

Great show because of the character building. Enjoyed the fleshing out of Andre and his relationship with the family. I really appreciated how they handled the subject matter of religion and giving each character a position on God without making any overt (sans Lucius of course). I think we have all heard people talking about the God they serve in relation to someone else's. That's for the most part true. I firmly believe that no two people truly think and feel the exact same way about God. Writers ran the gambit:

Andre is the newly minted believer who found God after suffering. Having something to hold onto lifts a weight off his shoulders and gives hope. His scenes describing how he attempted to commit suicide was just heartbreaking. So was the look on his face when Lucius left. Rhonda is not happy with him though. Am I the only one who thought that she might have an abortion or something so that things can go back to the way they were. Something is going to give there. maybe she will leave him.

Lucius who doesn't believe at all because of things that has happened in his life, I assume. I appreciated him attempting to show up for his son. It is important for the show to continue to give him these moments of humanity and caring. Otherwise the audience might give up on him and just see him as some evil villain rather than the flawed anti-hero that I think he is supposed to be. Those flashbacks of his mother "baptizing" him in the tub as punishment were chilling. 

Cookie is the one who grew up in the church and believes. Her speech about kids coming to the lord on their own was good and a decent explanation for why we haven't seen religion as some big aspect of her character. Plus her being away in prison explains why the kids weren't raised in the church. But there was no doubt she was happy about Andre's decision. She was proud of him. I like her new promoter. But Lucious is probably going to kill him if they hook up. At the mention of her mother, I wonder where she is.

Jamal is the one who believes in God but doesn't like how religion has ostracized him and pushed him to the fringes for being gay.  I truly love all his songs.  Why is Michael such a bimbo? Don't know what heteronormal means and of course big strong smart Jamal had to explain it in layman's terms. What young gay person haven't done extensive reading on sexuality? In the day and age where people will google every ailment and sympton to get a medical diagnosis in seconds, he never once read anything about sexuality? Rings false. But the fool literally gets caught with his pants down in his own house at a party. Where is this even done? 

Hakeem is every bit the baby of the family.  Easy to forgive. Loves easily and everyone loves him easily. He doesn't have a strong opinion about God one way or the other. His youth and inexperience with real suffering prevents him from having to seek something beyond himself. I did like the foreshadowing of him being jealous of Cookie and Jamal's relationship. Typical sibling rivaly but it makes them interesting and adds conflict for him where he wouldn't otherwise have because of the design of his character. I am loving him wanting to grow up and be a mogul. I hope he succeeds

Other points:

I see Fox really did hear the cry of latinos. Almost every new character introduced has been one. 

Thirsty is a problem. He knows too much. 

I adore when Lucius flirts with Cookie and she rebuffs him. He is so butt hurt that she doesn't want him talking about that's what happens when he isn't around to protect her. This reunion will be explosive. I hope they draw it out to the end of the season. 

Nice touch with Hakeem getting up to let Lucius sit down. It's some unspoken rule of "home training" that when an older person comes in a room, the youngest always gives them the seat when there aren't others. And it would have been inappropriate for Lucius to sit on the second pew. Not sure if that was intentional or not. Or they just needed it staged that way for the dialogue. But I noticed it.

[Vee]

I knew it wouldn't take Chit long to write off every damn character on the show for opposing Lucious! I love you but you are crazy.

 

I also love how angry the show makes some critics for mixing both the political and the subversive with heightened melodrama. Yes, it believes in many of the politics it espouses and wants to shine a light, but at the same it's subverting that earnestness by showing that almost every character on the show is cynically trading on those ideals for publicity, money and power - case in point, the Lyons exploiting Black Lives Matter to free Lucious. The subversion and the earnest ideals they're subverting go hand in hand on Empire, and that's what makes some people so uncomfortable - that it has no apologies to make for doing this.

[xtr]

I am wondering what is going with Rhonda and her pregnancy. I was thinking that maybe she really wasn’t pregnant and had said she was out of desperation to keep Andre from going to the cops about Vernon’s death. Then I remembered that in the season finale, they showed her getting an ultrasound with Andre holding her hand. So I guess she really is pregnant. Maybe the baby isn’t Andre’s? They were separated for a little while after he met Michelle and Rhonda decided to leave him. Maybe she slept with another guy after she left Andre. I’m not sure how long her and Andre were separated before she came back, killed Vernon and announced her pregnancy. Or maybe the show is foreshadowing that she’s going to have a miscarriage. I’m definitely wonder what will end up happening with Rhonda and her pregnancy.

I noticed Michelle was mentioned today. I wonder when we may see her again. I liked her and Andre’s chemistry and the way they interacted together. Maybe she may come back into the picture if something goes wrong between him and Rhonda.

I also enjoyed seeing the three brothers talking together, I love the family moments on this show. I also enjoyed Hakeem’s interaction with the new singer for his girl group. He may end up really falling for her.

Edited October 22, 2015 by xtr

[MoTheGreat]

I think this episode was much better then then the other ones this season.

 

 

Edited October 22, 2015 by MoTheGreat

[ChitHappens]

X, I don't think Rhonda is pregnant either.  I think she said that in the heat of the moment.  If anything, she's gotten smaller.  

 

I'm over Cookie!

 

And why is the prosecutor on leave when this is when she should really be coming for Luscious?  So ridiculous!  

 

Jamal's bf getting a bj from that filthy guy was so random and ridiculous.  I don't watch Jamal, so did he and Dora ever discuss this?  

 

Luscious remains the only reason to tune in.  I see the ratings falling some more.  Ilene Chaiken is still a colossal idiot!  

[Vee]

You're the only one down on it, all because people are after Lucious.

[ChitHappens]

You are much too smart to be posting such dumb sh!t.  A true villain has plenty of foes.  Just ask my siggy!  

[Vee]

And you don't like it because it's not The Lucious Pwns Show! BTW, the ratings rose.

[ChitHappens]

I'm happy ratings are up because I want Empire to succeed.  Why aren't they posted?

[Vee]

 

 

But you see no reason to tune in without Lucious, Chit! Other people seem to still be hot on the show but with you it's all every other character's fault! Every other character and Ilene Chaiken! And I haven't posted them in here because IIIII got [!@#$%^&*] to do. Google it! I love you.

Edited October 22, 2015 by Vee

[London]

So ya'll think she got that Doc. or whoever in on a scheme? Because the last scene last season was of her and Andre getting a sonogram. I mean it is funny that she isn't showing, it reminds me of some other show (which escapes me atm) where they didn't show for the LONGEST time! It was mind boggling.

LMAO! This reminds me of when someone called him Fraggle Rock and I was in tears.

[ajsp35801]

This is Empire, so I'm thinking it's possible that Rhonda aborted this kid or miscarried and told no one.

 

Glad to hear the ratings went up. 

[ajsp35801]

Looking at the night’s entertainment programs, “Empire” averaged a 4.8 rating/15 share in adults 18-49 and 12.28 million viewers overall from 9 to 10 p.m., up a tick from last week for the show’s first week-over-week gain of the season. It was also up 4% from its fifth episode of its rookie season. “Empire” was especially dominant in adults 18-34, where its 4.4 rating/17 share more than doubled the No. 2 program on Wednesday, ABC’s “Modern Family” 

 

http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/ratings-empire-bernie-sanders-jimmy-kimmel-1201624077/

[marceline]

Personally I think this was the best episode of the season if not the series. It had some nice character based stuff and actually made Dre's Christianity sensible to me for the first time. The conversation between the brothers when he invited them to his baptism was one of the high points for me. His facial hair however, is not.

 

Ne Yo is actually a pretty good actor. I enjoyed his vibe with Jamal. It's nice for Jamal to have a friend who isn't going to try and suck his dick. I cracked up when he said that maybe taking romantic advice from Lucious isn't a good idea.

 

Cookie's new love interest works for me. I hope he sticks around.

 

I hope this look at Lucious' flashbacks actually turns into something real and I'd very much appreciate it if the writers would dial back his God complex to more show and less tell. I'm tired of hearing Lucious refer to himself as a "god."

Edited October 23, 2015 by marceline