S01.E05: Dangerous Bonds

[Tara Ariano]

An anonymous gift from a secret admirer is received with trepidation from Cookie, who suspects it's a veiled threat from a person from her prison past. Meanwhile, Lucious takes charge of Hakeem's first video shoot.

[Neurochick]

Whoa, a lot happened tonight.

 

For some reason I don't like Jamal anymore; I don't like how he punched his brother.  I don't know, I think he's in danger of getting a big head.

 

Oh, Cookie, it was Lucious who sent you that rose.  

[Primetimer]

This lady goes through a LOT before bedtime.

Read the story

[Skyfall]

Overall, Cookie did what had to be done regardless if it was premature or not.

[Syndicate]

So Tianna's a lesbian and Andre's a really really really jealous bitch?  

[Skyfall]

Whoa, a lot happened tonight.

 

For some reason I don't like Jamal anymore; I don't like how he punched his brother.  I don't know, I think he's in danger of getting a big head.

 

Oh, Cookie, it was Lucious who sent you that rose.  

Jamal had every right to punch him though. His brother's crew had guns pointed at his head.

[ParadoxLost]

So Lucious proposed to get a Doctor motivated to sign off on getting him a clean bill of health.  Somehow, I think Lucious is going to make sure that the company and money doesn't end up with his fiancée, even if he marries her.

 

Its interesting that Lucious remembers the his anniversary with Cookie and she's got other things on her mind.

Edited February 5, 2015 by ParadoxLost

[Skyfall]

So Tianna's a lesbian and Andre's a really really really jealous bitch?  

Bisexual.

[SimoneS]

Oh, Cookie. She was all over the place tonight. Talk about a woman who can multi-task. She better hope that guy does not find out that she is behind the killing of his man on the street. I had to laugh when she told Jamal's producer to take care of her son, she is carrying, and ask about Cookie. 

 

Lucious is one confused man. He is in love with Annika, but cannot let got of the Cookie Monster. Perfect nickname for Cookie, really.

 

Jamal punching Hakeem surprised the hell out of me. He always seemed like the steady brother. I guess, Jamal has his father's vicious temper. 

 

Dre is devious as hell. He played Iago in this episode. On one hand, he sends the guys to Jamal's studio, then he is freaking out that he might have been hurt. I like that he is not a one note villain.

 

Ah, Tianna has been outed. I was surprised that Lucious took it so calmly, but for some people there is a difference between two women being together and two men. She isn't his child, anyway. I rolled when Cookie told Tianna that she does not judge, but she is a freak.

 

Porcha (sp?) was so funny in this episode. She is just totally watching the Lyon family drama unfold. I was rolling when she was checking her phone behind Lucious. 

Edited February 5, 2015 by SimoneS

[Syndicate]

Also, Cookie just doesn't seem to care enough about her first born.  I know Andre's a bitch but he's probably that way because his momma pays too much attention to the younger two over him.

Bisexual.

PFFT!

[SimoneS]

Also, Cookie just doesn't seem to care enough about her first born.  I know Andre's a bitch but he's probably that way because his momma pays too much attention to the younger two over him.

 

I think that Cookie just does not have the patience for Dre's games. She knows when he comes to her that he wants something and is scheming. Unlike Lucious, Cookie has no illusions about their three sons. She sees them clearly. 

[ParadoxLost]

I find it odd that Cookie got out of jail for testifying against the killer of a Fed from when she was originally arrested.  Did no one offer her a deal before?  If they did, what made her decide that to wait ~20 years instead of 10 or 5?  If they didn't, why 20 years later?

 

I was expecting more of a jailhouse snitch situation where she learned something from a cellmate.

Edited February 5, 2015 by ParadoxLost

[Scarlett45]

Am I the only one who thinks the man cast to play Annika's father was far too young? Annika is a beautiful woman to be sure but she's no longer a possible debutante. She's got to be in her mid thirties, so her Dad, even if he had her in college/medschool would be in his mid 50s- more likely his 60s.....#shallownote I know.

I was screaming at the tv, "Hakeem and Jamal don't fight!!", I'm glad Jamal wasn't hurt, Andre wasn't fucking thinking, he should have more sense than that. Rhonda is always looking for the next oppurtunity to advance her and Andre's agenda - someone has some sense.

[Actionmage]

Poor Cookie. How was she supposed to read Lucious' mind and remember the anniversary of a marriage he bailed on 17 years ago and treats like a burden around everyone else? I bet Lucious forgot totally about the symbol on the drugs Cookie sold, especially if he can't tell Andre from Jamal in childhood photos. Still, Cookie handling her sister/Feds/old drug connections/her one son's recording insanity and her other artist's PR situation? Gold. She deserved that bow from Jamal.

 

Andre and Rhonda? There's a handbasket express waiting with your names on it.

 

Jamal? I'm still pulling for you. Unfortunately, you have your parents' quick temper and you haven't stopped to think who'd benefit from you and Hakeem not staying tight. C'mon, just take a couple of minutes. At least talk it out with Cookie; she'd smell too much coincidence.

 

What the actual fuck, Anika's Dad?! If you already weren't cool with Lucious, and the Mrs. isn't down for it either, why not tell Lu to get stuffed? Anika isn't some teen or a chick who has no prospects. What a disservice to your own kid, Doc.

 

Hakeem? WTFever. You are dating a mom-substitute, so what's up with the 'tude about Tianna? It's not like you are a real couple; I don't remember anything but mutually enjoyed sex between ya'll. You aren't interested in actually giving up Camilla, so back off and grow up. Ignore your dad, though. He's decent enough in business, but not so much in the person-to-person realm.

 

Man, with the specter of Lucious dying and Cookie contracting a hit? Yikes!  It's the best kind of soapy and I'm loving it!

 

PS: Gotta work "shoe-letto" into my vocab!

Edited February 5, 2015 by Actionmage

[DearEvette]

"The name's Cookie, ask about me." 

 

I am here for Cookie!  All day.

 

That Tiana gal is a ...not great... actress but damn if she doesn't have a banging body!

 

How very natural and effortless the scenes between Cookie & her sister and Cookie and Lucious are.  Felt like you ere just hanging with friends so accessible was the dialogue and body language.

[peridot]

"Smell the roses!" You gotta love this show.

 

Andre is a piece of crap. Why on earth send someone to rob your brother, no matter if he has a weapon or not?  Overall, this episode showed how different Hakeem and Jamal are.  One guy stood up to a thug waving a gun in his face and the other crumpled like a used tissue at the fact that his girlfriend had her own piece of ass.

 

I laughed when Jamal punched Hakeem.

[ParadoxLost]

I think that Cookie just does not have the patience for Dre's games. She knows when he comes to her that he wants something and is scheming. Unlike Lucious, Cookie has no illusions about their three sons. She sees them clearly. 

 

I caught at the end that Lucious misidentified a picture of Jamal as a child as being Dre.

[Malbec]

So Lucious proposed to get a Doctor motivated to sign off on getting him a clean bill of health.  Somehow, I think Lucious is going to make sure that the company and money doesn't end up with his fiancée, even if he marries her.

 

Its interesting that Lucious remembers the his anniversary with Cookie and she's got other things on her mind.

 

Dr. Dad is a dumbass if he signs anything before he sees Luscious and Anika's marriage license.

 

Andre and Rhonda certainly got their douchebag on this episode.  I sometimes feel like we hear about Andre's scheming more than we actually see it, so it was kind of good to see him go full-on manipulator this episode, as much as an a-hole as he was.  I do think both Cookie and Luscious unwittingly made it clear exactly how Andre turned out that way -- they both wanted nothing to do with him unless he could do something material for them. 

 

Cookie... holy shit, the box she just opened.  Luscious and his damn rose!

Edited February 5, 2015 by Malbec

[TwistedandBored]

Taraji P. Henson's acting range was crazy good this episode. She never seemed to miss a beat and I loved every minute of it.

[Artsda]

Wow, a lot happened in this episode.

 

Tiana's getting it on with her girlfriend in public at a photoshoot just seemed very stupid of her.

 

Andre's awful, he set up his brother to be robbed, he got that guy shot all because it's a bitter psycho. I wish Lucious will find out what Andre did. Despite his own issues with Jamal, I don't think daddy will take kindly to Andre setting up his son to be mugged and almost shot.

 

Anika's parents just make me wonder how the heck did she get involved with this lot? You've got Andre sending criminals after his brother, Lucious and Cookie shoot people and set up gang style shootouts. Anika's parents are the opposite, a Fifth Avenue looking mother that looks like she's old money and a white prominent hospital owning renowned doctor?  Talk about opposite of her life she grew up with.

 

Lucious's proposal was for his own selfish motives, but her father doesn't seem like he's hard up for money nor her mother. So really he's willing to commit fraud, his medical license for a billion dollars that would probably end up going to who ever confiscates the money due to the fraud? Stupid. 

Edited February 5, 2015 by Artsda

[Neurochick]

I think Andre is the most ruthless of the three brothers. I still remember last week's episode, Andre as a child and as an adult lying quite easily to the police. I think Cookie and Lucious are so wrapped up in Jamal and Hakeem, that they are ignoring their eldest son.

[ParadoxLost]

Cookie flipped out in front of Lucious there at the end.  I wonder if she's going to manage to avoid explaining what is going on and for how long.  Jamal is doing 'hitman', my mom is so crazy.  But how long can that last?

[wanderingstar]

So - this was the polar opposite of last week's episode. Lots and lots of plot. 

 

Andre is as awful as his devious daddy.

 

I liked Jamal's song. I may even download it. Yeah, I know!

 

Cookie to the cab driver: "What do you mean, you people? You black like me." Cookie is love.

[tmelange]

 

I find it odd that Cookie got out of jail for testifying against the killer of a Fed from when she was originally arrested.  Did no one offer her a deal before?

 

I think the way Agent Carter explained it is that the drug kingpin is in jail and is about to get out. The feds are trying to ensure that doesn't happen by indicting him on new charges that apparently involve the death of that undercover agent. Since Cookie was an eyewitness to the killing, she got a new opportunity to be useful, which got her out of jail early.

[Malbec]

Anika's parents just make me wonder how the heck did she get involved with this lot? You've got Andre sending criminals after his brother, Lucious and Cookie shoot people and set up gang style shootouts. Anika's parents are the opposite, a Fifth Avenue looking mother that looks like she's old money and a white prominent hospital owning renowned doctor?  Talk about opposite of her life she grew up with.

 

Anika's mom seemed to be thinking the same thing (albeit she doesn't know the half of it).  She needs to slap some sense into her husband.

[thuganomics85]

So, Tiana likes the company of women too, huh?  Yeah, for this show, that's not surprising.  Of course, Hakeem would get high and mighty, until she reminded him of his little extra loving.  At least Tiana doesn't call her lover "mom", Hakeem.

 

I really can't love Cookie even more then I do now.  It seemed almost everything was thrown at her, and yet she still managed to multi-task, and help out Jamal and Tiana's scandal.  And, even got herself on the board.  Nicely done!  Too bad she mistook a gift from Lucious, and now probably just started a war with this guy she is snitching on.  Whoops!  No one's perfect!

 

Oh, Andre and Rhonda.  You two really are the worst together.  Totally got Jamal and Hakeem pitted against each other, now.  Can't believe I'm actually feeling bad for Hakeem, but he really had no idea what just happened, and Jamal wasn't in the listening mood, to say the least.

 

I liked seeing Lucious pull his own weight, and talk Hakeem down, after the Tiana stuff.  When they aren't at each other's throats, Lucious and Cookie can be a powerhouse pair.  But, wait!  He just proposed to Anika!  This is going to be fun!

 

I'm not an expert on hip-hop, but I thought both Hakeem and Jamal's songs sounds like believable as possible hits, so the show got that right.

 

Noticed this was directed by John Singleton.  That's pretty neat.

 

Next week's previews are already cracking me up and making me want next Wednesday to get here fast.

[dirtypop90]

Taraji is just amazing

 

Andre continues to be the most interesting brother. I was glad to actually see him scheming. I think if Lucious found out what he did he might actually be impressed. He has far more Lucious and Cookie in him than Jamal and Hakeem.

 

lol at Hakeem's reaction to Tiana and her female lover but IA it was a stupid move for Tiana.

[aprilbabe]

Dr. Dad is a dumbass if he signs anything before he sees Luscious and Anika's marriage license.

 

 

Yep, Lucious isn't going to give Anika any of that Empire. He's playng a game. She better read the fine print on the prenup.

So Lucious has been cheating on her and based on him coming by Cookies in the middle of the night he has no intention on stopping. He is so using Anika and her family. If he wasn't dying he would've never proposed.

[damalanop]

I caught at the end that Lucious misidentified a picture of Jamal as a child as being Dre.

 

I thought was so telling.  Lucious seems to be running around taking credit for raising the boys while Cookie was locked up.  Yet he can't even tell who's who in a baby picture?  Or maybe it was a statement about how he feels about Andre...he just never paid much attention to him.

 

Cookie is a force to be reckoned with!  Handling the Feds, Jamal, Tiana, and her own well-being all within a day.  Gotta love that woman.  

 

Loved Jamal's song and how all of that came together.  He is so confident in his music now, and I love that!  I don't agree with him punching Hakeem at all. Jamal should have heard Hakeem out before deciding that Hakeem had set up the robbery.

 

Andre's ass is diabolical.  He's now got his brothers literally fighting each other and almost got one brother killed.  Is becoming the head of the company worth all that?  I guess we'll see.

 

Now we know why Tiana didn't care that Hakeem was gettin' it in with old girl...

Edited February 5, 2015 by damalanop

[SimoneS]

Cookie to the cab driver: "What do you mean, you people? You black like me." Cookie is love.

 

I forgot about that great line. It made me roll. Cookie does not put up with bullshit.

 

John Singleton directing this episode was pretty cool. I saw that Debbie Allen will be directing a future episode.

Edited February 5, 2015 by SimoneS

[tmelange]

I thought Jamal had every reason to suspect Hakeem. Hakeem's boys show up at his session, trying to rob him of a specific possession. The only way he thinks those guys would know his location and the type of accessory he would have on is from their friend Hakeem. These guys put a gun to his head and actually shot one of his musicians. He could have easily died as a result of that altercation. I would have jumped to that very reasonable conclusion and been mad at Hakeem too.

[Ms Blue Jay]

Taraji's face, I love it so much.  It's so delicious!  I'm weird, I know.

 

Also, this was the first episode where I was like, Wow, Annika is so pretty.  In that Anthony Hamilton scene!  She seems to have huge shoulders but she looked so pretty tonight.  I think she was a victim of bad styling before.

 

Dre is devious as hell. He played Iago in this episode. On one hand, he sends the guys to Jamal's studio, then he is freaking out that he might have been hurt. I like that he is not a one note villain.

 

I interpreted Andre as totally "acting" scared that Jamal was hurt.  Was I mistaken?

 

Porcha (sp?) was so funny in this episode.

 

Every episode.  She is the best.

 

How very natural and effortless the scenes between Cookie & her sister and Cookie and Lucious are.  Felt like you ere just hanging with friends so accessible was the dialogue and body language.

 

You nailed it!  

 

Cookie Monster!

[memememe76]

In Jamal's defence, I would've punched Hakeem just for his indifferent reaction to the news that his brother was almost shot. Andre showed a lot more grief (although that easily could've been guilt). 

 

I also like how Jamal truly respects Cookie. He accepted all of her musical suggestions and celebrated with her when it works. 

 

I love Cookie and her sister. The scene with Cookie in the taxi solving everyone's problems was fantastic. 

[ParadoxLost]

I interpreted Andre as totally "acting" scared that Jamal was hurt.  Was I mistaken?

 

I thought that was legitimate fear because they made a point of Andre saying that Hakeem's hanger-ons weren't killers and having Hakeem telling Andre there was an actual shooting before he reacted.

 

I think Andre wants to pit Hakeem and Jamal against each other so that in going public 'the board' or whatever doesn't allow Lucious to choose either one, with Andre able to maintain the appearance of clean hands.  When the dust settles, I fully expect that Andre would want both signed as artists to make the company money as long as Andre is the one in charge.

I also like how Jamal truly respects Cookie. He accepted all of her musical suggestions and celebrated with her when it works. 

 

It was fairly clever of them to make Cookie's suggestion so obvious.  It bugged me all episode that the beat was drowning out Jamal.  Cookie fixing that puts the viewer in her corner.

Edited February 5, 2015 by ParadoxLost

[40Love]

I think Andre was genuinely worried that his plot had gotten Jamal hurt. When his wife asked him if it was a good idea to send thugs to the studio... Andre claimed they were harmless. But, it was a stupid plan. Thwre were so many ways his scheme could have gone wrong. What the hell was he thinking?

Yeah... BBK is never going to walk down the aisle with Lucious. She's just a pawn in Lucious's game to go public.

Taraji was on fire. Love her... Love Cookie.

[Syndicate]

I hope season 2 brings a steady rival clan to lock horns with the Lyon clan a la The Bold and The Beautiful.  Wesley Snipes was reportedly in the works to play Lucious, but since that didn't happen.........................

 

How about:

 

Wesley Snipes as rival record label mogul Tyrone McMillan

Vivica A Fox as his semi-classy wife Tara McMillan

Tanisha Lynn as Tara's spunky daughter from a previous relationship named Stylish.

Gabrielle Union as Tyrone's headstrong daughter from a previous relationship named Sheila.

Redaric Williams as Tyrone's bisexual nephew named Houston.

Edited February 6, 2015 by Syndicate

[ParadoxLost]

Yeah... BBK is never going to walk down the aisle with Lucious. She's just a pawn in Lucious's game to go public.

 

I don't know, it might happen; but there will definitely be a pre-nup that he convinces her to not mention to her parents.

 

It seems like there is too much going on already for this to happen, but I'd like to see someone make a move on Cookie just to see how Lucious would react.  I tend to think he'd kill anyone that tried it.

[Malbec]

Hakeem seemed to be Andre's main target this episode.  I thought Andre wanted to make fools of Hakeem's crew as much as anything to do with Jamal -- he clearly thought they were a bunch of wannabes, and sent them somewhere that it could be reasonably expected they would get their asses handed to them.  Still a MASSIVE dick move but I do think he legitimately underestimated them. 

 

He's lucky Jamal didn't get hurt though.  Cookie would be on him like a firestorm.

[Easyspreestep]

For me the writing is to heavy handed in Jamal's favor which makes me not want to root for him. Look at how great Jamal is he can record the song with a 8 year on the boards lol. Also him punching Hakeem was all kinds of wrong and he was taking out all his anger and frustration out on Hakeem. If the goal was was to turn me to Hakeem job accomplished

[ParadoxLost]

For me the writing is to heavy handed in Jamal's favor which makes me not want to root for him. Look at how great Jamal is he can record the song with a 8 year on the boards lol. Also him punching Hakeem was all kinds of wrong and he was taking out all his anger and frustration out on Hakeem. If the goal was was to turn me to Hakeem job accomplished

 

I agree that the writing is heavy handed in terms of being in Jamal's favor; however, making Hakeem an amalgam of Kanye and Justin Bieber is stopping me from backing him.  Really, I'm just enjoying the show quite a lot.  I find all the characters interesting which is all I need.

Edited February 5, 2015 by ParadoxLost

[photo fox]

Andre continues to be the most interesting brother. I was glad to actually see him scheming. I think if Lucious found out what he did he might actually be impressed. He has far more Lucious and Cookie in him than Jamal and Hakeem.

Agreed on all counts!

Tonight addressed a couple of things that had been bugging me in the first few episodes. I was glad to see Jamal's violent temper, because he has previously been written as having no flaws in a family of otherwise completely effed up people.

Also, Cookie's instincts have been just a little too accurate, so it was past time for them to fail her in a big way. Now she's got blood on her hands. She and Jamal are both much more interesting now.

I'm in the minority I guess, but I think Lucious really cares about BBK. I think he has residual feelings for Cookie, too, but I think she's too closely tied to the past he wants to forget. (I wonder if that isn't part of his problem with Andre, too. Of the boys, Andre is the only one who can remember him being a banger, and I think Lucious sees that when he looks at him.)

[tmelange]

The one thing that I didn't like about tonight's episode was that too much of it was a Hakeem music video. The music video footage bored me.

 

On a side note, I want to know who exactly is Uncle Vernon? Everything Lucious decides to do seemingly involves him. He's one of Lucious' and Cookie's original friends, since he was in that Jamal flashback, and I originally thought he was the company lawyer. But now, I don't think so. I read an early article that said he was chairman of the board, but that makes little sense to me. Cookie's disdain for him is funny, but I want to know exactly who he is.

[ParadoxLost]

The one thing that I didn't like about tonight's episode was that too much of it was a Hakeem music video. The music video footage bored me.

 

I think this was intentional.  Its just what you would expect of Lucious Lyons rich kid son and underlines the media's perception of him as Lucious's son which Hakeem didn't like at all.  Meanwhile, Jamal is putting together a single with no financing.  The dichotomy is going to end up in the narrative, at least temporarily, that Hakeem is nothing special and Jamal as the next big thing.

[loveigniting]

For me the writing is to heavy handed in Jamal's favor which makes me not want to root for him. Look at how great Jamal is he can record the song with a 8 year on the boards lol. Also him punching Hakeem was all kinds of wrong and he was taking out all his anger and frustration out on Hakeem. If the goal was was to turn me to Hakeem job accomplished

 I kinda agree with this. I like Jamal but I don't like being told whom I need to root for either. It makes me contrarian as hell. Lucious is about Hakeem and Cookie is about Jamal (and the narrative is too) - pssh, I'm about Andre rn. And Cookie. Always Cookie.

Edited February 5, 2015 by loveigniting

[dirtypop90]

I agree that the writing is heavy handed in terms of being in Jamal's favor; however, making Hakeem an amalgam of Kanye and Justin Bieber is stopping me from backing him.  Really, I'm just enjoying the show quite a lot.  I find all the characters interesting which is all I need.

 

I agree. I don't know that I root for any of them to get empire tbh. But luckily I don't have to because in the preview lucious is trying to miracle cure so he's not going anywhere. lol

 

I don't find Jamal that interesting tbh but I'm hoping that changes after this episode. He's just such a Gary Stu.

 

 

I want to know who exactly is Uncle Vernon? Everything Lucious decides to do seemingly involves him. He's one of Lucious' and Cookie's original friends, since he was in that Jamal flashback, and I originally thought he was the company lawyer. But now, I don't think so. I read an early article that said he was chairman of the board, but that makes little sense to me. Cookie's disdain for him is funny, but I want to know exactly who he is.

 

he's a member of the board but I don't know if he is also an executive in the company. Andre is both, member of the board and chief financial officer, but I'm not sure about Vernon. He must have some sort of credentials though because you can't just sit anyone on the board of the company, especially now that the company is going public.

 

 

I kinda agree with this. I like Jamal but I don't like being told whom I need to root for either. It makes me contrarian as hell. Lucious is about Hakeem and Cookie is about Jamal (and the narrative is too) - pssh, I'm about Andre rn. And Cookie. Always Cookie.

 

I'm with you. And if I get nothing else this season, I want a real cookie/andre moment.

Edited February 5, 2015 by dirtypop90

[pembroke]

Am I the only one who thinks the man cast to play Annika's father was far too young? Annika is a beautiful woman to be sure but she's no longer a possible debutante. She's got to be in her mid thirties, so her Dad, even if he had her in college/medschool would be in his mid 50s- more likely his 60s.....#shallownote I know.

 

 

The actress playing Anika is 30 years old, and Anika is supposed to be the same age. In episode two, she gloated that she was much younger than Cookie.

 

Terrence Howard (45 years old) and Taraji P. Henson (44 years) look younger than the actor playing Anika's father, and the actor playing Jamal is 31 years old. The actor playing Andre is around 29 - 30 years old.  

[pembroke]

-

 

Edited February 5, 2015 by pembroke

[Rick Kitchen]

Hakeem's song is really weak.  That's going to be a hit?  Don't think so.

Loved Cookie with the blond hair.

Tiana calls Hakeem "Keemo".  Ha!

I hope DeRay Davis makes further appearances.

Hakeem's posse are as much posers as he is.

I love Cookie using Tiana's scandal to their advantage.

Why does Anika have a different last name from her parents?

Does Lucious think his current doctor won't come forward if he dies from ALS and there is press about the insurance payout?

Did anybody else think that both songs had the same beat?

Courtney Love next week, playing herself?

The actress playing Anika is 30 years old, and Anika is supposed to be the same age. In episode two, she gloated that she was much younger than Cookie.

 

Terrence Howard (45 years old) and Taraji P. Henson (44 years) look younger than the actor playing Anika's father, and the actor playing Jamal is 31 years old. The actor playing Andre is around 29 - 30 years old.  

 

Tim Hopper (Anika's father)'s imdb entry doesn't have a birthdate for him, but it does say that he has been a member of the Steppenwolf Theater Company since 1989. His first credit is from 1987.

Shanesia Davis-Williams, who plays Anika's mother, was born in 1966.

[Dusty]

I agree that the storyline is geared to favor Jamal out of all the brothers but damn Hakeem just makes it so easy to hate.  I'm rooting for Andre though, I want Jamal to succeed but I'm in Andre's corner because no one else in that family but Rhonda is.  Even though I didn't really like how he set up Jamal I do believe that he didn't think anything like what happened would happen.  I'm assuming that Hakeem's friend's aren't from the streets and more of the sidewalk variety otherwise I'm not sure how he'd have met them from his big mansion.  I like that they had both of them bring up the possibility of Jamal being hurt and once that idea was naively dismissed they weren't like all systems go.  It shows a level of caring that a one note villain wouldn't have.

 

I just love Cookie and Jamal's relationship.  I loved the scene at the end in the studio.  It just made me smile.  I wish we could see more of that with her other sons though.  Andre only goes to her if she needs anything and Hakeem is not willing to have a relationship at all.  I really do hope we see some development on that from both her others sons.  Maybe when Andre's secret bipolar disorder comes out and Hakeem...I don't know gets over his mommy issues?

 

Hakeem had to think about adding up to TWO.  I was laughing at that.  Also I'm glad that Tianna called him about on his sidepiece.(Is her girlfriend, India, supposed to be someone in this universe?  Because if she wasn't they wouldn't name her right in the gossip site?)  Like really dude.  He really needs to get over himself.  His song sucks and honestly, naming his upcoming album "Prince of Empire" is really going to help with him become his own man and not Lucious' son Hakeem.

 

I don't understand why Annika is with Lucious.  Her mom said she always went crying to her because he constantly cheated on her.  She doesn't need him for money and I really don't think she needed him to find a job.  I guess that whole love knows no reason applies to her.  It's funny though.  When Lucious is with Cookie alone is so different than Annika and him.  There's a comfort there and I get that their history is like 99% of that but he has a history with Annika.  I'm just not really feeling it.  The only time I did was last episode when she helped him shave. Otherwise it seems more business than relationship.  Also while he's being newly engaged to her he's thinking about his anniversary with his ex-wife that he's probably been divorced from longer than he was married to.  Just putting that out there.

 

It also makes me wonder if Cookie had to put up with Lucious cheating.  They seemed tight and so together in all the flashbacks and I just can't see Cookie putting up with that.  I understand that Lucious is a dastardly fellow and seriously flirting with being a sociopath but there's just something about their scenes together that humanizes him greatly.  I really like him in those scenes.  The actors are doing such an excellent job with each other.

 

Last but never the least COOKIE!  Yeah she jumped to conclusions and set up a shooting but man when she was on the phone with five different people, setting everything up I was cheering.  I can't text two people at the same time without accidentally sending a text for someone else to the other.  My wish is for her to take over the company when Lucious is no longer able to run it.  Then in 20 or so years they can figure out which brother to give it to.

Edited February 5, 2015 by Dusty

[Actionmage]

Thinking about the episode, I realized that in the course of the day shown, Anika got engages and had supper with her folks to announce to them the engagement.

 

Cookie? TCB, like Elvis said.

*Went to the studio with Jamal.

*Had to deal with Feds and testified about a drug dealer.

*Went home for some reason and found a rose, which flipped her out.

*Being unsettled, she told Andre about Jamal, demanded a seat on the board of directors, looked out for Tiana--video-wise-- and left to go to Philadelphia--by taxi!

*Gave Jamal advice about his song's intro, over the phone and in a taxi.

*Met up with her sister and hatched a plan.

*On the way back, dealt with Jamal's studio situation and Tiana's scandal.*

*Finally got back to Jamal at the studio, gave the song a final tweak, and celebrated with him and the crew.

*Finally got back home, was starting to relax when Lucious pays a visit.

*Realizes that dumbass Lucious started her freakout and she has become a felon. Again.

 

Meanwhile at Anika's folks' house, Anika is caught up in the size of the stone on her hand, not in her mom's "you know he's cheated on you before, so what's different now" talk. At the same time, Dad's seeming to entertain the thought of losing his medical practice and however many years of building a reputation in order to help/ensure/hope/ ??? Anika ends up with supposedly billions of $$$ after Lu dies?

 

Cookie may have made a mess, but she's a pragmatic realist.  Anika has seemed to be in Fantasy-Come-TrueLand. Which is nice, but Anika also seems to be checking boxes on her Having It All to-do list. Big diamond? Check. Well-paying job? Check. Catch the eye of a rich dude? Check. I want to see her watch Lucious painting video girls with such attention, like he did tonight. How does that make her feel?

 

Portia? Please stay forever.  Classic Greek choruses aren't near as fun.