Empire: Discussion Thread

[ChitHappens]

Sorry, I am not seeing where Cookie has done too much. Think Bobby Brown/Bobbi Kristina. Cookie looked at Hakeem like she hated him. That should not be happening. Frustrated? Absolutely! But that is not what I'm seeing. Cooking views Hakeem as only an artist competing with her son. I'm not good with this. Daniels needs to fix this!

[Vee]

She did not look at him like she hated him. But she can't fix Hakeem when Hakeem is too close to his father right now and won't accept her help. Jamal has the initiative and the willingness to listen. Hakeem has Dad and some green screens. I enjoy his dumbass songs but when he starts going on and on about putting all the other rappers on notice and then we get "Drip Drop" (which, while enjoyable, is stupid) and "Now That's What I Call: Don't Trust Them Hoes! Vol. 17", he's asking to get clowned.

He is a vulnerable and hurting young man who needs guidance. So was Jamal. He got his from Cookie and is manning up, but Hakeem is younger and has a long way to go.

Edited February 12, 2015 by Vee

[ReddFoxx]

Cookie has tried with Hakeem, but he pushed her away. There is the element of him being a competitor, but she did offer to come hear his music and he pushed away once again. There's not much else she can do.

Andre is going to be decent toward Cookie, because he is a schemer and isn't going to burn any bridges that could potentially be useful to him and his plans.

[MoTheGreat]

Really!!! I don't see anything in their relationship when she all about Jamal.

[Juliajms]

Couldn't we say the same thing about Lucious though in terms of being all about HaKeem? As long as Hakeem is "bringing the heat", that is. He's not really parent of the year either. I think that neither of these people are the kind of touchy feely helicopter parents we are used to seeing. I see Lucious and Cookie both as pretty hard people. They've had to be, but we've seen into Cookie's head when she was talking to that Black Muslim lady. We know she has regrets and loves her kids.

As for Hakeem, I think there is going to have to be some kind of plot catalyst before Cookie makes any progress with him. Hakeem is clearly repulsed by her because he wants to f*ck her on some level. I'm not sure how that's going to change, but I don't think Cookie can just bulldoze her way into that without making him pull back even further. IDK, maybe they should show Cookie as being more vulnerable in regard to her children, but it doesn't bother me that she's not bleeding all over the place in every episode. She did 17 years to get these kids onto the sidewalk.

What's really strange to me is that Hakeem isn't pressing home the fact that he did not hire those thieves. It just seems unrealistic to me that he wouldn't go to his father about it. If my brother accused me of something like that I would not just let it go and I'd say Hakeem and Jamal are closer than my brother and I.

Edited February 12, 2015 by Juliajms

[MoTheGreat]

Yeah, but she just got out of Jail. she the one who should be reconnecting with all her sons. Like Andre said Lucious respect Jamal more then him because Jamal can sing. Isn't Cookie doing the same thing to Andre that Lucious is doing to Andre.

[ChitHappens]

I'm not getting why others are not seeing this. Cookie is worse than Lucious. He's a [wonderful]jerk to his sons, but Cookie doesn't like the sons that aren't named Jamal, and she has no reason for this. She looked really bad yesterday in spite of being awesome! Cookie should be moving mountains to win over Hakeem and at least spend some time with Andre that isn't about Empire. Fix it, Jesus!

[Vee]

You're just mad because Jamal is winning it.

[ThePrinceOfSunspear]

Michael doesn't necessarily have to "lose" Jamal. I did feel bad for him last night...esp during the web interview segment. That was just gut wrenching. But at least Cookie warned him and I'm sure he'll get it together and find a way to be stronger. Even if they do part down the road I don't think he's gonna just disappear.

[Eric83]

Empire was adjusted up to a 4.8 in the final ratings!!!!

Week 1: 3.8

Week 2: 4.0

Week 3: 4.4

Week 4: 4.3

Week 5: 4.6

Week 6: 4.8

Edited February 12, 2015 by Eric83

[marceline]

Sorry but I'm just not seeing it. Cookie has made several overtures to Hakeem and he's spit in her face and disrespected her every time. The next move needs to be his.

[ReddFoxx]

It's just the first season and we are only six episodes in, so there is plenty of time for Cookie to cultivate relationships with her sons.

[ChitHappens]

I can live with that Red, but Cookie's overall contempt for the son she left and didn't raise? That is written all wrong. Yeah, he's a little sh!t, but that is her son whom she abandoned. If Cookie spent more time trying to get to know her sons as she did trying to get Lucious to nail her, she would make serious progress by now. I don't need an overnight reunion, but I do need Cookie to stop acting like her young son owes her something. She owes him!

The first scene with the broom was great because she got his attention, but now, its all up to her.

[marceline]

But she has made overtures. She tried to comfort him when Bunkie died. He slapped her away. She tries to talk to him at the office and he treats her like garbage in front of other people. She gave him advice about his music (Don't rap about what you don't know.) which worked and he still disrespects her. She invited Hakeem and Tiana over to her house for dinner and he stood them both up so he could frolic in the hot tub with Miss Jane Pittman. Three separate people have called out Hakeem for disrespecting Cookie: Lucious, Tiana and Jamal and he still can't act decent enough to even acknowledge her presence.

It's time for Hakeem to stop acting like a punk. Like Lucious said, if he can't love his mother he should at least respect her even if he can only do it as a professional.

[Juliajms]

Is he? I'm no judge of hip hop or rap, but I got the feeling we are supposed to think Hakeem's last song is really good. I'm enjoying the competition though, I hope it goes on for awhile.