Dee

'Empire' Executive Producer Sanaa Hamri: “We're No Longer Scared Telling The Real Truth”

I'll never understand why fans have/had such an issue with Hakeem's kidnapping. It was never meant to be a multiple episode arc, unlike say, the ASA's, Nana Leah's return from the "dead", or Andre & Rhonda's marital issues.

Ratings: Fox’s ‘Empire’ Finishes as Season’s Top Broadcast Series in Demos

I hope Lucy isn't gone for good. She was a nice counterpoint for the misogyny of work scenes.

Inside 'Empire' Star Kaitlin Doubleday's Gorgeous Wedding -- See Her Two Swoon-Worthy Gowns!

Charlie's spaz attack at possibly getting fired was hilarious. I'm so glad Deon Cole is back.

I love the genuine love Jamal and Freda have for each other. He's hella moody and she's hella mercurial, but they make great music together.

Nana Leah is the best. I'm super glad she's staying.

The second season of Empire hasn't been nearly as bad as it's been made out to be. In fact, aside from a few minor pacing issues, it's been a really solid season. And if last season was Taraji Henson's star turn, then this season was definitely Terrence Howard's. Viola Davis & Cicely Tyson are legends but they couldn't rescue the second season of How To Get Away With Murder. Scandal is still entertaining. Utterly nonsensical, but still entertaining. The sixth season of Shameless was also very good. The major issue hampering the show this season was trying to realistically reweave William H. Macy's Frank back into the Gallagher household, when that time would've been better spent allowing his kids a break from the unrelenting drama of the last couple of seasons. In that vein, Mandy and Mickey Milkovich were 'fun' characters but their constant presence irreparably warped the show. The best thing Shameless did was writing them both out. Blackish is a mediocre show saved solely by the occasional witty one liner and an extremely talented cast. I love Nikki Beharie but the writing was on the wall for Sleepy Hollow the minute Orlando Jones was let go. Tara was the best character on True Blood. I'll never forgive Alan Ball for the way he wasted poor Rutina Wesley. I really enjoy The Sisterhood on Grey's Anatomy. Ellen Pompeo, Kelly McCreary and Caterina Scorsone are fun together, even if Amelia is hella annoying. In that vein, I wouldn't be upset if Alex ends up with Maggie. DeLuca was really hot but nowhere near Maggie's level and Alex deserves better than wishy washy Jo. Also in that vein, I enjoy the large size of Grey's Anatomy's cast. While it's a drag that not everyone is featured every week, the ensemble more than makes up for it in terms of sheer talent.

After a decidedly rocky start, Michael & Colin have really come into their own. It's kind of amazing.

Exactly. Pops basically says that to Zoey, when she's complaining about Dre to Resheida, in 'Daddy's Day,' and in the episode before this one, Junior acknowledged that Andre was enough, verging on too much, for him. So it's kind of weird that the show suddenly is trying to act as if Dre is a non-factor in the kid's lives due to his job.

It always tickles me that Rhonda acts so thoroughly aghast at her family's shenanigans when she's clearly as insane as they are.

I still enjoy Dre's interactions with Charlie, Josh and Mr. Stevens. But a huge part of the fun of Dre's office scenes is/was the interplay of Dre's various insane co-workers which has felt hollow since Curtis, Daphne and Lucy have all gone MIA.

Still loving Jamal and Derek together. His refutation of Jamal was harsh but Jamal knew the score from the beginning, so it's not like Derek was acting out of character. They also remain majorly en fuego together. This episode was filled with beautifully acted, if rather intense, scenes between most of the main cast: Carol and Cookie, Hakeem and Laura, Jamal and Lucious, Rhonda and Anika, Andre & Leah. Just a ton of interesting dynamics and quality character based interactions. Loved Andre sticking with Nana Leah. He finally found somebody in his family who he feels less alone with, and he's doing everything in his power to keep her happy. Also? More lingering shots of Trai Byers in tight pants is always welcome. Loved Nana Leah in general. Leslie Uggams is an undisputed legend and has pretty much been a scene stealer from the word go. Carol and Cookie FINALLY having it out was awesome. It's sad that the closest two Holloway sisters are at odds, since neither one of them is particularly close to snotty Candace, but their confrontation was long overdue. Also? Drunk Carol is fantastic. Glad Hakeem is finally seeing Laura as underwhelming. She's cute as a button but light years away from his speed. Shrewd Tiana has always been a better match for him. Poor Jamal is currently the only Lyon that sees just how far his family is careening into madness, unfortunately he remains a day late & a dollar short at keeping them from embracing the darkness. I felt for Anika. She's desperately trying to regain her footing in a den of Lyon's who refuse to fight fair. I said last season that she was gonna regret manually ejecting herself from the family, and she has. Hopefully she receives a measure of redemption in the finale because Gealey's too good an actress to lose. That said, I love Kaitlin Doubleday's dry approach to Rhonda. Even when Rhonda strongly suspects Anika of betraying her in such a foul manner, Doubleday underplays Rhonda's barely concealed venom almost to comic effect. I really felt for Freda. She's another character who, although far from innocent, was made an unwitting pawn in a war she didn't start. Hopefully she, like Boo Boo Kitty, receives a measure of redemption in the finale because, both Bre-Z and Freda, have come a long way from the immature little girl who stomped out of Empire at the beginning of the season. Taraji P. Henson exhibited exactly why she's a Golden Globe winning, Oscar and Emmy nominated actress. The range of emotions she ran through in this episode was amazing. Terrence Howard acquitted himself really well this episode too. Lucious is a real son of a bitch, but Howard manages to keep the character just on the right side of empathetic to remain viable. That said, Lucious 'The day you die from AIDS I'm gonna celebrate' jab at Jamal was perilously close to crossing said line. Overall though, the back half of this season has been utterly fantastic, which says a lot considering the first half wasn't too shabby.

And, in an ironic art imitating life twist, her hubby's Black. lol

Curtis and Dre are pretty friendly too. Unfortunately Allen Maldonado largely disappeared, more or less, around the same time as Deon Cole's abrupt exit.

I know Lee and Ilene have repeatedly said Michael is Jamal's true love (UGH!) but Jamal has way more chemistry, and potential, with Derek. I'd much rather Empire put it's efforts into building Jamal & Derek as a couple then for the show to twist itself into knots to bring Dora's useless ass back again. And we've seen that Andre, himself, can be pretty destructive despite being mentally ill. He may not be as ruthless as Nana Leah, but he's pretty malevolent towards his family when he's not properly medicated.

I liked the role reversal arc of the episode. Dre begins the episode disappointed because, in his eyes, Junior isn't enough like him to justify them cultivating a close(r) relationship, then when Junior starts exhibiting standard Cool Kid tendencies Dre is understandably over the moon, only for him to later become depressed once his insecurities surface about potentially not being enough, as a father and a provider, in Junior's eyes. And, to Junior's credit, he's perceptive enough to not to internalize Dre's neuroses and willing to allow his Dad the emotional space to work through his issues with only a minor bit of teasing.

How long before High Booty and Mellie hit the sheets?

I continue to love the Holloway sisters and the way the wardrobe department styles them so distinctly that you can totally comprehend their personalities without them uttering any dialogue. Candace appears immaculately pulled together in a rich brown & cranberry trench ensemble with beautifully understated dark makeup and honey highlighted hair to prissily lecture Cookie who is decked out in a snakeskin mini dress with teal fringe and flashy pastel makeup only for them to immediately be joined by meek Carol whose increasingly divided loyalties are clearly defined by her simplistic black and white outfit.

Keyser Soze Jack is the best.

Grandma Leah has to stay. Leslie Uggams is magnificent.

Cookie did support Hakeem during his brief tenure as CEO. She constantly questioned his decisions and lectured him about keeping his emotions under control, but she also vouched for him at the shareholder's town-hall and remained firmly in his corner even though Hakeem sold out his family (with power she entrusted in him previously) on a whim. When Hakeem confided his plan to wrest control of Empire away from Mimi via sextape, to Cookie and Jamal, Cookie was summarily impressed and willing to cede him space to pursue his plan, which worked.

Who is dressing Laurence Fishburne? That purple monstrosity Pops wore was hideous.

I lost it at the family finger crossing scene & Zoey smoothing down her edges before charming the parents.