S01.E02: The Outspoken King

[Tara Ariano]

Lucious goes into damage control when controversy arises around the involvement of one of his artists in a shooting ahead of Empire's IPO launch; and Cookie proves to be invaluable by helping turn a crisis into a triumph. However, Lucious's plan to stage a huge performance for Hakeem, but not Jamal, doesn't sit well with his ex. Meanwhile, the police begin to investigate Bunkie's murder.

[Primetimer]

Cataloguing the most important faces from this week's Empire.

Read the story

[Syndicate]

Andre is such a pussy and probably a drunk too!  I thought he was this really sophisticated take charge kinda guy, but didn't I see his scheming wife actually threaten to have him COMMITTED if he didn't load up on his bipolar medication?  WOW!

[SimoneS]

Another entertaining soapy episode.

 

Cookie continues to be crazy entertaining. She looked so sad when she busted into Lucious' house and said she was there to look at "her house."  I had to laugh when she ignored his girlfriend in her underwear, then said she was hungry. It was so wrong, but I had to chuckle when she called Jamal's boyfriend, "Dora." She looked so sad when Lucious ignored her when she threw the shoe and my heart broke for her when she teared up in the elevator. Cookie puts herself in these situations where she gets humiliated, but I still feel for her. Who does she have to testify against? Her drug supplier? Lucious?

 

Lucious is such an ass. I wanted Jamal to punch him when he was threatening to disown him if he came out. He is playing Dre and Jamal against each other. Did Lucious genuinely felt Bunkie's loss or was he completely faking? I thought that he felt a little bad, but felt mostly relief. Cookie still has a strong influence on Lucious despite his pretense otherwise. The girlfriend should be nervous.

 

So Dre is bipolar. His wife wearing him a bib to give him a blow job cracked me up.

 

Hakeem is a spoilt nutjob, but he loves Jamal despite Lucious.

 

This is the best that Gabby Sidhe has ever been dressed on a show.

 

Porsche cracked me up. She is so confused by Cookie.

Edited January 15, 2015 by SimoneS

[peridot]

I didn't realize Hakeem was peeing on the floor!  I just thought he exposed himself to the camera for his would-be girlfriend.

 

I really dislike the main girlfriend - I can't believe Lucius didn't say anything when she came out in her underwear.  I hope Cookie gets in one revenge fuck with Lucius and the girlfriend would see it.  I can see Andre tells his wife everything, with that catty remark to Cookie about her brilliance.

 

I love how the characters are like people in real life - with everyone jumping up to defend Cookie from that asshole rapper and Lucius preparing his "sanitized" interview.

 

Crazy/hilarious moments - the bib for the blowjob and the president cursing out and hanging up on Lucius.

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Thought Andre was about to pop off in the elevator.

Glad Lucifer sent Fake Ass Gucci Mane packin.

Jamal needs to grow a backbone, DEAD at Cookie calling his boo thing Dora.

Did somebody hit Malik Yoba in the face with hot cooking grease?

Trophy GF is begging for good and hard chin check.

[wanderingstar]

I was lukewarm after the pilot, but after this episode, I am loving this show. Cookie is everything. Taraji is just bringing it in this role.

 

Hakeem is such an entitled little shit. But I love his relationship with Jamal. I thought their performance was fantastic.

 

I hope Cookie gets in one revenge fuck with Lucius and the girlfriend would see it.

 

This. For DAYS! I cannot stand that woman and her perma-sneer.

Edited January 15, 2015 by Gillian Rosh

[Congo]

Rhonda putting on the bib to give Andre a bj was awesome. Did you notice their maid was right there too?

Cookie was amazing as always. Porsche was hilarious and Anika is her nemesis. I love that the cop's name is Agent Carter!

[SimoneS]

I understand where the girlfriend is coming from and feel for her somewhat. There is she was living the life with her man and then his "out of control, disrespectful" ex-wife shows up. Cookie acts like she owns Lucious and the girlfriend cannot be blind to their connection. He lets Cookie walk all over him and she influences his decisions. So I cannot blame the girlfriend for feeling threatened and playing hardball to hold onto Lucious, but she out of depth trying to swim in their drama. She reminds me of the young mistress in the movie, The Lion in Winter, who thinks that she has Henry only to discover the hard way that for him, it is and always will be Eleanor and their sons.

Edited January 15, 2015 by SimoneS

[teezy]

Andre is such a pussy and probably a drunk too!  I thought he was this really sophisticated take charge kinda guy, but didn't I see his scheming wife actually threaten to have him COMMITTED if he didn't load up on his bipolar medication?  WOW!

Andre character is such a stereotype i was hoping he would go against the grain

 

He seems like the type of black person that has little to no black friends , probalby got picked on at school for talking white and is most likely a "new black"

 

ughh why the black guy married to the white women have to be such a cornball every black man married to white women aint corny lol

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Lucifer sitting up there in his Circa 2002 struggle rap video.

Giving me all kinds of "Old Man in Da Club" teas.

[Artsda]

Yazz and Jussie sing great together.

[teezy]

Yazz and Jussie sing great together.

they sure do

[Dusty]

 

Hakeem is a spoilt nutjob, but he loves Jamal despite Lucious.

 

This is his only saving grace for me right now.  The only thing that I like about him.  I almost feel bad for him on that burn that he's going to get with that girl.  Man she was creepy watching him at the end. Like Fatal Attraction creepy.  RUN HAKEEM! YOU IN DANGER GIRL! Also girl whose name I don't know, that goes for her too. Because once she messes with Hakeem, even though he's the ungrateful ass that he is, Cookie...oohh Cookie.  I see a broomstick in her future.

 

 

I hope Cookie gets in one revenge fuck with Lucius and the girlfriend would see it.

 

This is a soap.  It's going to happen and when it does it's going to be amazing! 

 

Speaking of Lucious. You magnificent bastard.  If I didn't watch the first episode and blinked during the flashback I totally would've bought his performance about his friend's death.  It's going to be crazy if that little secret comes out.

 

You know what I think affects Lucious more with Cookie is when she's quietly disappointed in him.  Like during the scene when they were going over the interview questions.  I love Crazy Cookie but I want to see more of that kind of quiet, world weary Cookie.  She does really good in those scenes.  When she's screaming and throwing shoes it sometimes makes it easier for them to dismiss her.

 

I take it no one else knows about Andre being bipolar?  Since he met his wife in college I'm guessing that his symptoms presented itself then and they kept it a secret?  Because that's easy for college students to do?

Edited January 15, 2015 by Dusty

[thuganomics85]

I could not stop laughing and Lucious phone conversation with "President Obama."  I kind of hope that "Obama" keeps appearing off screen like this.  I would love it if every episode, something happens where Lucious is like "Man, you wouldn't believe what he just said to me!", or mentions him in some fashion.

 

This show is just so campy, and I love every minute of it.  Cookie is still the best and Taraji P. Henson is still killing it.  Loved all the Cookie vs. Anika stuff; I'm sure it's only a matter of time, before it comes to blows.  And, I'm sure it will be epic!  Also liked that see saw Cookie meet Andre's wife, and she clearly knows about Cookie's feelings towards Andre marrying a white girl.  And, this new Portia character was cracking me up.  Basically, anything Cookie was one of my favorite.

 

So, as some predicted, Andre is bipolar.  I'm sure that is going to come into play.

 

Hakeem is just a little jerk, who deserves to get smacked in every episode.  If Lucious really wants him to take over, Empire is so fucked.  And, yet, he does have one good thing about him: it does seem like he really respects Jamal.  It was almost worth all his antics to see him be the one to screw up Lucious' anti-Jamal stance at the end.

 

Oh, Lucious.  You really went all out over selling your sadness over Bunky's death.  And pretending like you had no idea who could do such a thing!  Bwah!

[ParadoxLost]

Cookie puts herself in these situations where she gets humiliated, but I still feel for her. Who does she have to testify against? Her drug supplier? Lucious?

 

I doubt its something from when she first got arrested or she'd have been out of jail long ago.  Seems like its not Lucious because they referred to something she'd already done and she hasn't had time to work her way close enough to Lucious to implicate him in something to the Feds.

 

My guess is she decided she'd been in jail long enough (they said she had another ten years left) and took a deal to turn informer on a cellmate.

 

 

You know what I think affects Lucious more with Cookie is when she's quietly disappointed in him.  Like during the scene when they were going over the interview questions.  I love Crazy Cookie but I want to see more of that kind of quiet, world weary Cookie.  She does really good in those scenes.  When she's screaming and throwing shoes it sometimes makes it easier for them to dismiss her.

 

The one that got me was when she asked what she'd done to him for him to treat her that way and then Lucious, shamed, fires the rapper.  I get the feeling Cookie took the wrap for something Lucious was at least partly involved in because he was the one who could get famous and get them out of poverty.

Edited January 15, 2015 by ParadoxLost

[neciamorris]

I think my favorite movement was President Obama cursing Lucious out and then hanging up on him. LOL! I see Lucious didn't tell "Barack" to get that bass out of his voice! This show is ridiculous in the best possible way.

And Boo Boo Kitty has reason to be worried. It was subtle last week and it was obvious tonight: Lucious still craves Cookie's approval and attention. It would be worse if he only loved her or lusted after her--he actually respects Cookie. It begs the question: why did he let her go to jail? The easy answer is he that he's a worthless punk ass bitch (my default opinion) but I think there's more to the story. We know the facts: she went to jail and he moved on, but I'm very interested in the why. Why would Cookie leave her children? It's part of the what makes this show so special. Real melodramas or good soaps tell you a story but realize that you have to wonder about more than the scene you're watching. That's why you come back the next week. And it can't be opaque mysteries with unsatisfying and contrived answers. It's how a character, who has become real to the viewer, reacts in the face of the ridiculous. Last week it struck me as unbelievable that the mother who was ready to kill the man she adored to protect her son would then leave all of her children with the man she couldn't trust to do right by them.

Cookie is inappropriate but she is a fiercely loving mother--they all would be better of if she had been more present in their lives. Jamal is the most well adjusted and I think he owes that to the fact that he's the child with the closest and most consistent relationship with her. It wasn't enough to overcome all the pain and hurt Lucious' inflicted, but he's carved out a life. When I look at Hakeem, the child who had the least time with her, I feel a great deal of pity. He's an obnoxious ass, but Lucious is incapable of giving him any proper support, so he treats him like a man and no one ever let him be a little boy. Andre who had her the longest and lost the most, ruthlessly excised her from his life--only to find her in another form. I don't think Rhonda's playing him, I think she's mothering him, Cookie style.

Edited January 15, 2015 by neciamorris

[Stinger97]

So, like, while I totally felt for Jamal being locked in the closet by his father, I also kind of felt like Lucious had a point. Obviously, Jamal is free to do what he wants to do and to come out of the closet whenever he wants, but he's also totally coasting on his father's money. I mean, it's not cool for a father to basically blackmail his son with money, but Jamal set himself up for it. 

 

Cookie is absolutely nuts, and I love it. Lucious is still a douche, and I'm ready for someone to drop a piano on his head. 

[Rick Kitchen]

Man, Cookie's talk about Lucious having grown a vagina, I was dying!

 

The girl who wouldn't have anything to do with Hakeem until she heard him sing, what is her angle?

[announcergirl]

Sooooo, no one is going to mention that Porsche looks like Fantasia. Alright, it's just me.

I am loving this show! Cookie is everything. Everything, I say!!

Another observation that is probably just me, but could they have put the girlfriend, Ms. Anika. Boo Boo Kitty, in anything more flattering than the lingerie she came out in. She looked horrible. It was like, a big booty, little legs, and were those old lady furry flats? Again, probably just me.

Edited January 15, 2015 by announcergirl

[NorthstarATL]

My favorite additions in the second episode have to be Agent Carter (LOL) and Porsha (or Portia?), and, of course, they are connected to Cookie! She makes every scene better! I find my attention straying until Taraji commands it back again! I have to give Luscious a HUGE fail on his dealings with the President. There is NOTHING that would move the Hakeem incident to the back burner more than for Jamal to come out and get the usual Executive congratulatory phone call! A win-win for all involved!

[announcergirl]

I get a Kelly and Jason Pitts vibe from Andre and his wife. I agree with the poster who says she mothers him, not that she has devious intentions against him.

 

 

 Andre who had her the longest and lost the most, ruthlessly excised her from his life--only to find her in another form. I don't think Rhonda's playing him, I think she's mothering him, Cookie style.

[jhlipton]

She looked so sad when Lucious ignored her when she threw the shoe

 

 

I was hoping (and expecting) her to have better aim .  The view of him walking away and KONK! would have been awesome!

 

I could not stop laughing and Lucious phone conversation with "President Obama."  I kind of hope that "Obama" keeps appearing off screen like this.  I would love it if every episode, something happens where Lucious is like "Man, you wouldn't believe what he just said to me!", or mentions him in some fashion.

 

I dunno -- the Obama references and phone call seemed really forced to me.  Especially Obama using "language like that".  It just didn't play.

[Ms Blue Jay]

Porsche is soooooo hilarious I love her.

 

This episode was way better than last and I'm addicted now.  Taraji is the new God.  Last year I was saying Viola was God.  So now there's 2...

 

The music was so great this episode!  I felt spoiled.

Edited January 15, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[GrtGzu]

Where is Cookie getting all her clothes from? I know Loo-shus set her up in the apt., but is she still wearing clothes she had before, or did he give her money to get new stuff?

[DearEvette]

I dunno -- the Obama references and phone call seemed really forced to me.  Especially Obama using "language like that".  It just didn't play.

 

I fan wank  he was  talking to Luther, Obama's anger translator.

 

Once again Cookie is electrifying.  And once again, for me, it isn't the flashy bits that get me with this show it is the intriguing character stuff they are trying to do.

 

- Hakeem and Jamal still being loving brothers and refusing to be dragged into Cookie and Lucious's war.  I hope they keep it like that, keep them grounded.

- Cookie's flashes of vulnerability...Taraji does these so well.

- Cookie being stuck in the 80s.  Yeah, the clothes are the visible signifier of this, but her misunderstanding of 'going viral' kinda hits home.  She was in prison and didn't get to experience the tech revolution in real time like everyone else.  There are probably many pop culture references that Cookie will miss.  While she is fierce, she breaks my heart.

- They should rename him Lucious Lyin' because those fake ass tears when they were talking about Bunkie killed me.  Oh my God!

- Porsha is so Banji!  I love it.  You know she is some distant relative...Uncle Junior's wife's cousin's youngest girl...

- The Irony and sheer Batfuckery of Lucious supporting and throwing his weight around for Hakeem who has humiliated the family name in particular and black folks in general, while threatening Jamal for simply being gay is not lost on me.

-Cookie calling Lucious a terrible parent and reading just how terrible Hakeem is

- I am not even gonna go there with the blowjob bib -- ok I will.  The wife obviously does not swallow.

- I notice Lucious' Billie Dee Williams pompadour was gone.  I wonder if they decided after the pilot he wouldn't have that hair?

 

I am loving the preview scenes.

Edited January 15, 2015 by DearEvette

[teebax]

While I loved the episode, there's something in this review I need to address. Many religious scholars, gay and straight, don't believe the Bible condemns homosexuality. That this reviewer says so definitively that it does is bothersome to me.<br /><br />Luscious may have named his club Leviticus because of the plethora of rules in that particular book, and he probably believes that it condemns gay people. But this reviewer should be more careful to point out that that's one interpretation and there are others who disagree vehemently. As a gay Christian, I just wanted to point that out.

[Mrs OldManBalls]

I was hoping (and expecting) her to have better aim .  The view of him walking away and KONK! would have been awesome!

I thought she was going to hit him and he'd keep walking despite it. 

[LydiaMoon1]

Andre who had her the longest and lost the most, ruthlessly excised her from his life--only to find her in another form.

 

This is a brilliant observation.  Yes, Andre married a white, better educated, more polished version of Cookie.  Cookie's acceptance of Jamal allowed him to stay grounded and accepting of himself, despite growing up in a hostile enviironment. Hakeem is promiscuous because he keeps looking for Cookie in all the wrong places.  The show is doing a great job showing how Cookie's absence affected all three sons. 

 

I thought there was a noticeable quality difference between the first half hour of the show and the second.  The second half of the show was fantastic.  The first half, hmmm, not so much. The music was MEH. Portia did nothing for me. I thought Tianna was going to be okay until she fell for Hakeem's Chris Brown-like antics in the 2nd part of the show, and I was through with her.  Yeah, i know it happens, but UGH! At least Lucious fired that rapper.  He was one ignorant POS.

 

Best scene of the night:

Hakeem and Jamal's performance.  How is it that they're surrounded by music industry professionals pushing them to be solo artists. yet nobody recognizes that they are at their most spectacular together?

 

Worst scene of the night:

Agent Carter and the other Fed snatching Cookie and having a whole conversation in a long, black limo right outside the venue of a presumably sold-out performance that was highly publicized and probably saturated with media.  Was this supposed to be a secret operation?

 

Other observations:

Bunkie got shot.  Dottie got shot.  Cookie went to jail.  It really didn't pay to be the primary caretaker for Lucious' kids, did it?

Hakeem needs another ass-whooping.

Boo Boo Kitty needs to keep her clothes on.

 

Oooh, I love this show!

Edited January 15, 2015 by LydiaMoon1

[Neurochick]

I love this!!

 

Oh Cookie, you can't call Boo Boo Kitty "yellow" if you married Lucious, LOL.

[wanderingstar]

And Boo Boo Kitty has reason to be worried. It was subtle last week and it was obvious tonight: Lucious still craves Cookie's approval and attention.

 

The connection between Lucious and Cookie is one of my favorite things about the show so far. And I love that it irritates Anika. She just bugs me.

Edited January 15, 2015 by Gillian Rosh

[SimoneS]

It begs the question: why did he let her go to jail? The easy answer is he that he's a worthless punk ass bitch (my default opinion) but I think there's more to the story. We know the facts: she went to jail and he moved on, but I'm very interested in the why. Why would Cookie leave her children? 

 

Lucious could not have stopped the authorities from sending Cookie to prison. We saw last week that Cookie was the one who did the drug deal while he waited in the car with children. She mentioned her suspicions that the guy seemed off and brought up the possibility that she might go to prison. They were clearly in the drug business together. They were both doing drug deals and he was murdering his competition. If he had given himself up, they both would have been locked up.

[Jx223]

.

And Boo Boo Kitty has reason to be worried. It was subtle last week and it was obvious tonight: Lucious still craves Cookie's approval and attention. It would be worse if he only loved her or lusted after her--he actually respects Cookie.

 

 

 

The connection between Lucious and Cookie is one of my favorite things about the show so far. And I love that it irritates Anika. She just bugs me.

I am enjoying the connection between Lucious and Cookie as well. I think that he definitely still has feelings for her. He keeps giving her these little subtle glances, in his scenes with her, there is something there, at least on his end. I like the way that he talks to her, he respects her as a co-parent to their children. I like how Cookie doesn't seem threatened at all by Anika. I think that she just views Anika as an annoyance, whenever Anika tries to intervene in "family" business.

 

I get the feeling that Cookie has long believed that things are over between her and Lucious, not only because he divorced her but because of how long she's been locked up. I think that she has long resigned herself to the fact that she knew that he would move on with someone, whether that was Anika or someone else.  I think that her main goal right now is to create a good life for herself and bond with her sons.

 

I am interested in seeing how things develop between her and Lucious and if/when their feelings for each other will be addressed.   I think they could be addressed in a variety of ways like her getting a new man in her life (which I think will make him jealous and be entertaining to watch), or she finds out that he's dying.

Edited January 15, 2015 by Jx223

[Milz]

I was hoping (and expecting) her to have better aim .  The view of him walking away and KONK! would have been awesome!

 

 

I was hoping the same thing! And Cookie noticed Tiana and Hakeem's eye contact. Can't wait for Cookie to sweep her out. I'm really curious why Lucious divorced Cookie (I don't think it's because she was in jail and that was bad for his career). 

[Jx223]

I was hoping the same thing! And Cookie noticed Tiana and Hakeem's eye contact. Can't wait for Cookie to sweep her out. I'm really curious why Lucious divorced Cookie (I don't think it's because she was in jail and that was bad for his career). 

 

I want to know why exactly he divorced her too. I also want to know when exactly he divorced her. I wonder how long she was in jail before he decided to divorce her. Was it a year, a couple of years, or just right before he made it big? 

 

I'm thinking that he divorced her, at least a few years before he made it really big. I thought that scene with him telling little Jamal to say goodbye to her, without him saying goodbye to her himself was interesting. It looked like that scene may have taken place, a short time after she had been in jail. I wonder if that scene was setting up the end for them as a couple. Maybe he intended not to visit her after that moment?  

 

I had actually thought that one reason he divorced her was because he knew she would be in jail a long time and he just decided to move on with his career/life without her. But maybe that wasn't the case. I do believe whatever reason he divorced her for, he was still in love with her, when they got divorced.  

Edited January 15, 2015 by Jx223

[DearEvette]

 I'm really curious why Lucious divorced Cookie (I don't think it's because she was in jail and that was bad for his career). 

 

Yeah, I am curious too.  Lucious probably couldn't prevent Cookie from being locked up but why did he seem to abandon her?  And then divorce her.  It could be simply that as his career took off and he was being advised to jettison her.  I do find it interesting that Annika is such a big part of the business with her own roster of talent.  That was not made clear in the Pilot.  It puts a different light on things for me.  It is obvious that Cookie was the one with the drive and instincts while Lucious was the talent.

 

Maybe Annika represents sort of the same thing, but in a  Ready for Primetime package?  It wouldn't surprise me if they made her out to be the daughter of black music royalty a la Quincy Jones or Berry Gordy where she was the prize for Lucious making it into the big time and divorcing Cookie was the price he had to pay for it.

Edited January 15, 2015 by DearEvette

[nb360]

I love the assistants Becky and Porsha... Hope we see more of them.

[wanderingstar]

I am enjoying the connection between Lucious and Cookie as well. I think that he definitely still has feelings for her. He keeps giving her these little subtle glances, in his scenes with her, there is something there, at least on his end. I like the way that he talks to her, he respects her as a co-parent to their children. I like how Cookie doesn't seem threatened at all by Anika. I think that she just views Anika as an annoyance, whenever Anika tries to intervene in "family" business.

I get the feeling that Cookie has long believed that things are over between her and Lucious, not only because he divorced her but because of how long she's been locked up. I think that she has long resigned herself to the fact that she knew that he would move on with someone, whether that was Anika or someone else.  I think that her main goal right now is to create a good life for herself and bond with her sons.

I am interested in seeing how things develop between her and Lucious and if/when their feelings for each other will be addressed.   I think they could be addressed in a variety of ways like her getting a new man in her life (which I think will make him jealous and be entertaining to watch), or she finds out that he's dying.

 

 

Jx223, yes to all of this! There's a lot of promising potential for where they can go with Lucious and Cookie.

 

nb360, I'm loving the assistants as well - particularly Becky. I'd love to see them have their own little rivalry.

[BestestAuntEver]

This damn show has me cackling and rewinding constantly. TPH is still awesome. The emotion she brings to her scenes, woo.

ITA, Lucious secretly respects Cookie and keeps glancing at her. Hell, even Vernon stood up to protect her.

Lol, I to have been wondering how he will react when she dates or has sex with someone.

I love how neither Jamal nor Lucious likes to disappoint Cookie. Especially, Lucious. IMO, TH is doing a good job of portraying his inner turmoil when Cookie is disappointed.

Boo boo kitty and Rhonda better sit down before they are squashed by the Queen.

I actually think Cookie will respect Rhonda more once she realizes everything she's done for Andre. It is hard to keep individuals who are bipolar on their meds and functioning

Edited January 15, 2015 by BestestAuntEver

[Mozelle]

Y'all, whose cousin is Porsha? More precisely, whose cousin is the actress? She had me dying, but looking at IMDb, this is her first role ever, and she really did have me thinking that she was just like this in her real life. 

 

Also, why did someone on Twitter say about the elevator scene, "Of course sometimes shit goes down when there's a hundred dollars on the elevator"? I am unable! But Anika's face will be so cracked when Lucious and Cookie have some hot, angry sex, because we all know it's bound to happen. There's way too much chemistry there.

 

Lastly, Rhonda's bib. Lawd, is that, uh, what we doing in the '15? (I'm asking for a friend.)

[Milz]

Lucious definitely respects Cookie and he knows without Cookie, his career would be a big ZERO (the flashback make it seem like Cookie had the brains). Which is why I wonder the exact reason(s) for divorcing Cookie. Would it have really damaged his career if he was married to a convicted drug dealer, serving time or would it have given him more of a "bad boy" reputation that appealed to his emerging fan base (as Hakeem's restaurant antics did)?

[40Love]

I dunno -- the Obama references and phone call seemed really forced to me.  Especially Obama using "language like that".  It just didn't play.

 

 

I fan wank  he was  talking to Luther, Obama's anger translator.

 

Ha-Ha... that's what I was thinking too. After TH hung up the phone I said.. "Luscious must have been talking to Luther!" LOL!!!

[wanderingstar]

Y'all, whose cousin is Porsha?

 

 

I read an article where the showrunner, Ilene Chaiken, said they envisioned the character as the niece of someone Cookie met in prison.

[izabella]

Best scene of the night:

Hakeem and Jamal's performance.  How is it that they're surrounded by music industry professionals pushing them to be solo artists. yet nobody recognizes that they are at their most spectacular together?

 

Yes, this.  It seems ridiculous that no one would have had this thought occur to them.  Lucious obviously has issues with Jamal, but everyone else? 

 

My prediction is that neither Lucious nor Cookie will succeed in tearing Hakeem and Jamal apart.  Tiyana, however, is going to be the bad influence that pulls Hakeem away and makes him question his relationship with Jamal.  There is Trouble written all over that girl.

[Jazzy24]

I must be in the minority but I hope Lucious and Cookie stay done.

This man probably let her take his fall for the drugs he abandoned her in prison, spent half the episode disregarding her and letting that punk ass rapper do the same he's a punk and I don't need Cookie getting back together with someone who treated her like that.

[maczero]

I love this!!

 

Oh Cookie, you can't call Boo Boo Kitty "yellow" if you married Lucious, LOL.

I was thinking "isn't that the pot calling the kettle".  Cookie's only a shade or two darker than Annika.

 

Are Taraji and Terrence wearing make-up to make them look older?  There characters look older than the real life actors' ages.

[Milz]

I must be in the minority but I hope Lucious and Cookie stay done.

This man probably let her take his fall for the drugs he abandoned her in prison, spent half the episode disregarding her and letting that punk ass rapper do the same he's a punk and I don't need Cookie getting back together with someone who treated her like that.

 

We're in the minority together. I don't want Cookie to get back together with Lucious, for the same reasons you mentioned. From what we currently know, Lucious is a Loser. BUT I do want Cookie to get a romantic interest, maybe not this season but next season (because Empire is bound to be back next season).

[Timetoread]

Am I remembering this correctly? I recall in the car flashback, Cookie telling Lucius that if she gets caught for the crime that she wanted him to keep moving forward with their dream.  If that is true, he moved on because she told him to move on - albeit sloppily and callously.  But here's my take:  Lucius has loved only one woman in this life and it was Cookie.  I get the sense that they were partners in every way you can define that word.  TH is KILLING IT when it comes to portraying in his face and eyes that not only did the boys suffer from her absence for so long, but so did he.  He "missed her honesty", the not-so-quiet wisdom she imparts and the support she gave him.  He truly respects her and when she indicates that something he is doing makes her lose respect for him, it hurts him a lot and he seeks to quickly remedy the issue.

 

- Cookie's flashes of vulnerability...Taraji does these so well.
- Cookie being stuck in the 80s.  Yeah, the clothes are the visible signifier of this, but her misunderstanding of 'going viral' kinda hits home.  She was in prison and didn't get to experience the tech revolution in real time like everyone else.  There are probably many pop culture references that Cookie will miss.  While she is fierce, she breaks my heart.

 

Right now she is like a scared lion that has been caged and out of the jungle for a long time.  It will take a moment to acclimate to her surroundings, learn the game and learn the players, flex her muscles and sharpen her teeth before she finally - triumphantly - roars.  When that happens all will know her power and will fall in line or be forcefully removed from it, indeed it may be HER who takes over Empire when all is said and done.

 

Cookie on her own is a force of nature.  I think it is more and more clear that in addition to that she has power over the man in power.  Anika honey, you don't stand a chance.  Leave now, while you still have your dignity.

Edited January 15, 2015 by Timetoread

[beetlesoda]

Cookie continues to be a huge part of the reason I watch this show. She is just fantastic. Although I think I should add Porsha to the list now lol great addition

I love cookie with Jamal but I wanna see her try with the other boys. Not so much Hakeem cause he's a spoiled little douche and I know Andre isn't genuine but during that elevator scene when he was obviously out of it I wanted Cookie's motherly instinct tobkicknin and ask if her son was alright.

Rhonda showed a different side when she was at work, I was just expecting her to be a stay at home mom who wants her husband to be more rich and powerful now I know it has nothing to do with Andre she wants the power cause she basically controls him.

As much as a douche he is I like how tolerant Hakeem is. He's cool and has a loving relationship with his brother and he's friends with Azmarie. If only he wasn't a spoiled brat but I do like in perfect characters which is why I'm hoping to see a flaw in Jamal soon. An unlikeable flaw like his brothers has.

[LydiaMoon1]

Episodes 1 and 2 have already shown Jamal's great flaw; cowardice.  He's afraid to pursue the company because he believes he can't win Lucious over. He was afraid to play in front of anything other than very select audiences because he's afraid the won't appeal to a mass audience.  He talks about coming out publicly, but he backs down as soon as Lucious threatens to disown him.  He's always afraid.  I'm not saying his fears are unfounded, but his Daddy would respect him a whole lot more if he just went for it instead of always backing down.

Edited January 15, 2015 by LydiaMoon1