Lucious Lyon: All Hail The King!

[Actionmage]

This is where we can talk about how the head of a hip-hop empire deals with the 99 problems he has.

[Actionmage]

I am so excited for Mr. Howard to be on my TV!  The extended trailer, while of course making things look enticing, seems to  show Terrence getting good moments to play.

 

You're sick, your family is not what you thought they should be-- how do you handle that? I think the answers will be wonderful to see.

[Actionmage]

Okay, I totally see why Cookie could believe why Lucious is still into her: Terrance Howard's eyes when Lu is around Cookie and it's just the two of them. There is something that is different.  It is what makes me believe that Lucious isn't completely over Cookie. (I still do not want Cookie to go back to him, though.) His demeanor is different when they are by themselves.

 

It's because of that shift that I can't believe that Cookie was so blindsided by the news of luscious and Anika's engagement. (BTW, Lu was lying to the family then too; he told Anika's parents first. Some may say that's splitting hairs, but why not tell both sides at the same time? Or do the boys and Rhonda even know that Anika's folks are around to be told?)

 

Man, I will have to say, having spasms while alone in a mansion and finding out that cops are going through your garbage as the spasm continues? Just glad Berretti didn't show up and have Hakeem signed to his label.  I may not be a Lucious fan, but that was a rough start.

 

Be nicer to Vernon!

[tmelange]

I really can't image anyone but Terrence Howard playing this roll. While Taraji gets well deserved props, Terrence brings a subtly that has you liking him despite him being an evil mess. lol

[Idiotboy]

Terrence Howard makes such fascinatingly evil schemer that it helps paper over those moments (increasingly frequent in S2, I fear) where the character's not filled out on the page, as in those sudden reverses of fortune that the showrunners mistake for plot twists (see Radio, Apex). One of the joys of Larry Hagman's J.R. Ewing was seeing him hatch and nurture his nefarious plots, then spring them on his latest patsy. Howard should be given that kind of room to enable us to see what makes Lucious tick.

[wanderingstar]

I thought this was an interesting observation from the RedEye Chicago recap of the episode "Be True."

 

But beyond that, Lucious hates his sons because they grew up (mostly) entitled. He doesn’t respect them because they didn’t go through the same hard realities that he and Freda have. It’s twisted but oh-so-Lucious that he wanted to give his family a better life but then hates them for it

 

I hadn't given this much thought, but I do think there's some truth to this. One of the criticisms Lucious often levels at his sons - especially the two younger ones - is that they're not streetwise and experienced enough in the ways of the world ( though I'd say he's given them good lessons in treachery through his own behavior.) But I think the recapper makes an excellent point: Lucious made this better life for his kids, but he resents them for having it.

Edited October 24, 2015 by Gillian Rosh

[Dee]

It's interesting that Lucious is deemed "irredeemable" by many when other notorious soap patriarchs like Blake Carrington and Jock and JR Ewing never were.