S01.E05: Dangerous Bonds

[Irlandesa]

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.)

I think the show has made it pretty obvious that Lucious cares for BBK.  If he didn't, I don't think he would have fessed up about his illness.  He is also careful to show how much he and his ex vibe when BBK is around.  That shows to me that he values BBK in his life and likely cares for her.

 

While I believe he cares for her, I think many things he does, like propose, come more out of calculation than care. 

 

I loved Andre and Rhonda in tonight's episode.  It felt very theatrical in the way the focus would glide to them in the shadows (or with the action in the unfocused background), to hear them scheme and then watch them seamlessly integrate back into the action to execute the plan.  It's almost like they were addressing the audience.

 

I also loved how they used music in the episode.  Drip Drop blended into Jamal's song perfectly.  I was bobbing my head the whole time even though Jamal's song is much better. 

 

TPH was so good and Cookie rules my world. I feel like I could end every episode post like this.

[jsbt]

They did a wonderful job of humanizing Anika in these last two weeks, and it works because I genuinely feel for her. She loves Lucious, but she's being used by him. He  clearly wants her (and her family) locked down, loving and loyal while creeping back to Cookie - his 'real' wife - under the cover of night. He wants them both, just like what he recommended to Hakeem, and he intends to have Cookie back. I'm sure he's already compartmentalized both women in his mind, whether or not he's consciously admitted it to himself.

 

Jamal regularly demonstrates more strength and darkness than Hakeem, who comes off like the relatively innocent but foolish naïf. First when he walked out on Lucious two episodes ago and again tonight with his baby brother, Jamal had a real cold, imperious fury to him. Sure, he's Lucious's heir apparent, but how deep does that run? I think he's not going to be the hero forever. And that's compelling, and still revolutionary with a gay character on a primetime drama.

 

Whitney Houston has had her revenge on the music industry, and it is Tiana Brown and her DGAF attitude to her sexuality. I dug it. I also loved, loved, loved AzMarie Livingston's (Hakeem's queer DJ) reaction to the news - "where is Tiana?"

Edited February 5, 2015 by jsbt

[missbonnie]

So much awesomeness tonight. First of all, I am team Cookie always and forever. Anika is indeed a boojee hoe who thinks that she's just as bad ass as Cookie when she's not even in the same hemisphere. Andre is a cold hearted dick but I really think that he wasn't expecting things to go south the way they did. His concern about Jamal getting shot seemed genuine.

Tianna is no man's fool, she's bound and determined to be a star no matter how many bodies she has to step on to get there. Still hating Rhonda because I think she's seriously lacking in morals and probably a soul as well.

The second Lucious showed up at Cookie's door I knew exactly what was going to be revealed and T Henson knocked that scene right out of the park. As always, I loved all the music and to be honest I was a little heartbroken to see Jamal and Hakeem's relationship shatter. As always, I can't wait for next week's episode.

One more thing, I love W Snipes, but T Howard is Lucious through and through. I saw an interview with Jussie Smollett and he said that he had to audition 7 times before he landed the role of Jamal. I'm dying to know who else was strongly looked at for that role.

Edited February 5, 2015 by missbonnie

[Rick Kitchen]

It's interesting that they have the sons in the cast listed in reverse age order - Yazz first, followed by Jussie and then Trai.

[Alexinla]

My favorite line of the night

Cooky: Jamal is at that ghetto ass studio in the Bronx

Andre: What Studio?

Cooky: That's the name

 

I had to rewind a couple of times because it made me laugh so hard.

Edited February 5, 2015 by Alexinla

[GrtGzu]

Andre - Snidely Whiplash 2.0

[Jazzy24]

Cookie makes me happy

[Syndicate]

I think the show has made it pretty obvious that Lucious cares for BBK.  If he didn't, I don't think he would have fessed up about his illness.  He is also careful to show how much he and his ex vibe when BBK is around.  That shows to me that he values BBK in his life and likely cares for her.

 

While I believe he cares for her, I think many things he does, like propose, come more out of calculation than care. 

 

I loved Andre and Rhonda in tonight's episode.  It felt very theatrical in the way the focus would glide to them in the shadows (or with the action in the unfocused background), to hear them scheme and then watch them seamlessly integrate back into the action to execute the plan.  It's almost like they were addressing the audience.

 

I also loved how they used music in the episode.  Drip Drop blended into Jamal's song perfectly.  I was bobbing my head the whole time even though Jamal's song is much better. 

 

TPH was so good and Cookie rules my world. I feel like I could end every episode post like this.

Andre and Rhonda and their depiction in this episode was nothing special in my opinion since we've seen it before.  Boris and Natasha, anyone?  Hee!

[Malbec]

Still hating Rhonda because I think she's seriously lacking in morals and probably a soul as well.

 

Why just Rhonda though?  Not defending her, she's scheming and nasty, but tonight's episode showed Andre is every bit on her level.  Sending Hakeem's friends over to Jamal's studio was his idea and she was the one to express reservations.

[aprilbabe]

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.

Yea I wondered that too. Although Cookie doesn't seem like the type to cry about Lucious cheating she'd most likely beat the chick AND Lucious ass. Lucious is an ass but I 100% believed he was crazy about Cookie, and unlike now, she was all he had, so I don't know if cheated. Now if they had stayed together when he got famous and he had all those women throwing themselves at him and Cookie was not always with him, Im not so sure he wouldn't cheat. Way too much opportunity.

Anika needs to listen to her mother. He hasn't changed. He clearly has no intention of staying faithful. You don't go to your ex's house at damn near dawn for conversation. He wanted some.

[Neurochick]

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.

 

Had he talked to his mother about it, she probably would have set him straight.  I mean Hakeem's a poser, a spoiled brat; I could never see him setting up Jamal and I have a feeling Cookie would know that.  She'd probably talk to the two guys and ask them how they found out about the watch.  

 

I have a feeling that Annika probably worked for Empire, and that's probably how she met Lucious.  Lucious saw Annika, knew he had to change his image and felt that Annika was the perfect person for that.  He still loves Cookie, but she's too rough around the edges for the life that Lucious wants.  

 

Anika is indeed a boojee hoe

 

 

I never can get why people think that being "boogie" is a bad thing.  I mean even if a person is "ghetto" they'd want their children to do better, have more than they did.  I love Cookie, but I've known women like her and they're exhausting.  

Edited February 5, 2015 by Neurochick

[Milz]

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. 

 

I love Porscha almost as much as I love Cookie. TaRhonda Jones' physical acting (facial expressions, her posturing) is perfect, imo. They say a picture is worth a 1000 words, well, one look from Porsha is worth 1000000 words! And what's so funny about Porsha is that she's watching the Lyons like we do---as viewers.

 

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.

 

This is why I think Cookie's over Lucious. He abandoned her when she was in jail and she's spent the last 17 years getting over it and moving right along.

 

Anyhow, I loved the "Day in the Life of Cookie". She and Jack Bauer would make a great team.

 

RE: Annika

 

After this episode I realized that Annika pretends to be Ms. Independent Woman, but she's incredibly co-dependent. Her mother has every right to be disgusted that Annika accepted Lucious' proposal. And her father???? Commit fraud for a man who's treated your daughter poorly over the years because he guarantees your daughter will inherit the business? Really? Dr. Calhoun has SUCKER written on his forehead, his cheeks, his chin, his hands and other parts of his body covered by clothing.

[luckyroll3]

It was nice to learn that Anikka also has a musical background.  I wanted to hear more about her time at Julliard, what she went there for, and how she ended up at a record label. We just haven't learned as much about her, besides being a debutante, as we have about the other characters.

[Neurochick]

After this episode I realized that Annika pretends to be Ms. Independent Woman, but she's incredibly co-dependent. Her mother has every right to be disgusted that Annika accepted Lucious' proposal. And her father???? Commit fraud for a man who's treated your daughter poorly over the years because he guarantees your daughter will inherit the business? Really? Dr. Calhoun has SUCKER written on his forehead, his cheeks, his chin, his hands and other parts of his body covered by clothing.

 

How is Annika co-dependent?  She has two parents who seem to care about her.

 

I think I saw "GREEDY" written on Annika's father's forehead.  Lucious knows that money talks, bullshit walks and people will do all sorts of shit for the promise of billions for their children.

[Scarlett45]

It was nice to learn that Anikka also has a musical background. I wanted to hear more about her time at Julliard, what she went there for, and how she ended up at a record label. We just haven't learned as much about her, besides being a debutante, as we have about the other characters.

It might be that Annika is jealous of Lucious' musical talent. She wanted to make it big but couldn't, so got on the business side.

I think Lucious does care for Annika, has strong affection for her- no rich man with his pick of women would live with and confide in someone he didn't, BUT no he won't be faithful. He's rich and famous and he knows Annika will put up with his dalliances, what concerns me more is that he must've not been discreet about it to send her crying to her Mom- why was he upsetting her? As far as him being faithful to Cookie, I think he probably was, they seem to have had a strong and passionate love affair, but I agree with the poster up thread that if Cookie hadnt went to prision and he got rich, touring all over the world he would have strayed (especially if Cookie was at home raising the boys)- BUT no way would he have allowed Cookie to be crying about it to anyone. He wouldnt have done anything to disrespect her or hurt her feelings(like have his side pieces calling him when he was with his family etc).

Edited February 5, 2015 by Scarlett45

[Scarlett45]

Yea I wondered that too. Although Cookie doesn't seem like the type to cry about Lucious cheating she'd most likely beat the chick AND Lucious ass. Lucious is an ass but I 100% believed he was crazy about Cookie, and unlike now, she was all he had, so I don't know if cheated. Now if they had stayed together when he got famous and he had all those women throwing themselves at him and Cookie was not always with him, Im not so sure he wouldn't cheat. Way too much opportunity.

Anika needs to listen to her mother. He hasn't changed. He clearly has no intention of staying faithful. You don't go to your ex's house at damn near dawn for conversation. He wanted some.

Anika should listen to her Mom! I listen to mine. Anika is an asset to Luscious and he does care for her, but he never wi be able to give ger the love she wants. Ring or no ring. If he was able to she wouldn't be crying to her Mom about it! Maybe she figures if she Ioves him and nurses him through ALS, she will have done her part and be free to remarry etc in a few years, the WIDOW of Empire......but something tells me that for Anika this is more emotional. Edited February 5, 2015 by Scarlett45

[LydiaMoon1]

UGH.

 

This episode squandered a lot of my good will.  I feel like I need to tweet an affirmation to #BlackLivesMatter.

 

There was too much misogyny. Thot?  Really?  Waaay too much violence.  And Cookie was shown to be the equal of Lucious in every way. Like Lucious, she is great at business, but poisonous to her children.  She is as dismissive of Andre as Lucious is and she's actively pitting Hakeem and Jamal against each other.  Same as Lucious.  And, oh goody, now she's a murderer too. Just like Lew.  Cookie Monster indeed. I'm beginning to think that their children would be better off with both parents in prison.

 

Note to writers:  Characters behaving badly doesn't necessarily make them "complicated".  Sometimes it just makes them assh*les and murderers.

Edited February 5, 2015 by LydiaMoon1

[Jazzy24]

Question: The posse that rolls with Hakeem that person who was wearing the black overalls and driving the car at the beginning is that a boy or a girl because I saw some female characteristics and I'm confused?

[aprilbabe]

Question: The posse that rolls with Hakeem that person who was wearing the black overalls and driving the car at the beginning is that a boy or a girl because I saw some female characteristics and I'm confused?

A girl. thats Raven Simone's boo. Apparently she was also on America's Next Top Model

[funkopop]

Question: The posse that rolls with Hakeem that person who was wearing the black overalls and driving the car at the beginning is that a boy or a girl because I saw some female characteristics and I'm confused?

 

She is a woman, model AzMarie she was on a season of Top Model.

 

Jinx aprilbabe.  Who owes who a soda?

Edited February 5, 2015 by funkopop

[luckyroll3]

Forgot to add to my previous post that Lucious is way too damn old to use the term "THOT".  Not to mention that it's such a disgusting term and I've already heard two times too many on this show.

[Mozelle]

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

 

 

"The name's Cookie, ask about me." 

 

I am here for Cookie!  All day.

 

Listen. When I tell you all that I have been eyeing faux fur when I happen into a clothing store because I'm dead ass dressing up as Cookie Lyon for Halloween this year...

 

I have to ask: Who in the Chi messed up Trai's head like that? I'm not even certain what kind of non-fade he was wearing but good gracious it was all kinds of bad. I mean, not good bad, either, but like, "Was this the barber's first time using clippers?" bad. 

 

Re: the conversation about whether Jamal is rootable--I feel like I haven't staked a claim to any of the brothers yet. They all have their annoying habits (Hakeem being the most annoying and petulant of them all), and I'm truly just enjoying the ride, seeing how each Lyon son displays his petulance to Cookie and Lucious and to others. Andre, though, is pretty good at holding it very close to the vest. 

 

ETA a not-so-serious question, but when one of the dudes in the studio said something like, "This is the boogie down Bronx" I had to pause. Are people really still saying that? I always feel like when I hear someone talking about the Bronx or being from there, they just say "The BX." 

Edited February 5, 2015 by Mozelle

[Neurochick]

Note to writers:  Characters behaving badly doesn't necessarily make them "complicated".  Sometimes it just makes them assh*les and murderers.

 

 

Maybe I'm odd but I am enjoying this show, this episode and this ride.  I watch "Black Sails" on Starz and all of the characters on that show are questionable, hell, it's a show about pirates.  But the story, the ride keeps me coming back.  Sure, I don't like terms like "thot" but it came out of Lucious' mouth, so it was believable to me.  

 

I don't need any one character to "root" for because I root for the story itself, if the story is interesting, I'm there.

[announcergirl]

My favorite line of the night

Cooky: Jamal is at that ghetto ass studio in the Bronx

Andre: What Studio?

Cooky: That's the name

 

I had to rewind a couple of times because it made me laugh so hard.

Thank you for this 'cause I totally missed it! Gotta go back just for the laugh. With the bullet holes and darkness, yeah, that was a pretty ghetto ass studio. But, they made some hot music. THE MUSIC IN THIS SHOW IS HOT!

Cookie makes me happy

I definitely want her on my side, on my dream team.

[Milz]

How is Annika co-dependent?  She has two parents who seem to care about her.

 

I think I saw "GREEDY" written on Annika's father's forehead.  Lucious knows that money talks, bullshit walks and people will do all sorts of shit for the promise of billions for their children.

 

I was referring to Annika's relationship with Lucious. But since you mentioned her relationship with her parents, the small glimpse we have of her interaction with her mother appears like it's troubled too. But we have only seen a glimpse.

 

SUCKER and GREEDY oft goes hand and hand.

[ZaldamoWilder]

Empire, I love you for the following reasons:

 

1.  ANTHONY muffuggin HAMILTON at the piano.   {{clapperboard}}  Cut! That's a wrap.

2.  Jamal cutting a nasty beat out of the lyrics from Good Times.  

3.  "your girlfriend has a girlfriend.  It's Trigonometry"  Relaughing.

4.  Cookie's getups.  The two toned cream shoe with the gold lame heel though?  My sister (born in '79) was like s'what the what?  I said it's before your time but yes, that just happened because we were doing that then.  

5.  Taraji wearing the shit out of a fedora.

6.  ^ and that black capelet thing.  I want it.

 

Listen. When I tell you all that I have been eyeing faux fur when I happen into a clothing store because I'm dead ass dressing up as Cookie Lyon for Halloween this year...

 

We might have to fight about it.  The thing is, I had my white fracoon jacket fitted with extra shoulder pads this morning and I already have the pink platform lady timbs and bamboo earrings, so.....

 

 

ETA a not-so-serious question, but when one of the dudes in the studio said something like, "This is the boogie down Bronx" I had to pause. Are people really still saying that? I always feel like when I hear someone talking about the Bronx of being from there, they just say "The BX." 

 

I think they are still saying that, but I've never heard the whole thing.   Anybody who's ever said THE boogie down BRONX is not from the Bronx lol!   I've heard the Bx or the boogie down.

[DearEvette]

I don't know if it is fan wanking or if this is actually intentional but it seems like Jamal feels more sympathetic because he has been able to maintain a relationship with Cookie.  She has acted as a humanizing influence on him in a way she hasn't been able to act on the other sons because they excised her out of their lives.

 

Lucious has created a pretty toxic life for his sons.  He has neglected his oldest son, he is bigoted toward his middle son and he has spoiled his youngest son.   Jamal has managed to not to drown in it because Cookie has been a bit of a life-line.  But Andre constantly seeks to get noticed and Hakeem preens in his entitlement.  It is fascinating to note that Andre & Hakeem (the two men who cut their mother out of their lives) have both chosen to have romantic relationships with women who could be considered either a mother figure (Naomi) or a dominant female figure (Rhonda).

 

People like Cookie more than Lucious for the most part, so it seems reasonable to think that the son who has benefited from her  influence the most is also the most likeable.

[mtlchick]

Cookie's blonde wig was the MVP.  I was pissed that Taraji decided to leave Person of Interest.   Then I realized she was moving on to something where she would be fully evolved within a few episodes.  Right now she and Viola Davis are 2 new reasons why there is hope for dramas on broadcast TV.

[BestestAuntEver]

Damn this show! The crazy, the ridiculous, the insane but I am enjoying the ride.

I'm getting old. I didn't get "drip drop " until I saw the fake rain. That's when I finally went, oohhhh, making it rain". I got tickled at myself.

As pointed out, there were so many laugh out loud moments in this episode. Sometimes it is simply people doing things in the background.

TPH gave a class in acting with all the different emotions she portrayed this episode. Cookie did so much it was hard to believe it all occurred in one day. Ya'll can keep the faux fur, Cookie has me wanting to but fedoras in every color.

[Neurochick]

Cookie's blonde wig was the MVP.  I was pissed that Taraji decided to leave Person of Interest.   Then I realized she was moving on to something where she would be fully evolved within a few episodes.  Right now she and Viola Davis are 2 new reasons why there is hope for dramas on broadcast TV.

 

I think the decision to leave Person Of Interest was decided for Taraji.  

 

I loved Cookie in this episode more than any other so far, because through all her bravado, I saw that she was scared.  She was wrong about the rose, but she was frightened out of her wits.  She's not superwoman, she's very human.  I also loved seeing her multitasking, no matter what she was going through, she was handling all of it.  IMO she's the one who should take over after Lucious, not her sons.  

Edited February 5, 2015 by Neurochick

[mrstarvinartist]

Still a fan of the show, but yeah... I'm going to need some more motivaton for all of these characters. I get everyone having an agenda, but I still need to like these people though. Last night, I started to dislike the folks I did like. Less plot more character. I know its only 13 eps, but I dont need to be shoked for 42 mins. That's what got Scandal in the mess its in. Until next week.

[LoveLeigh]

I found this episode to be very confusing. 

 

If Cookie went to jail for selling drugs, and in this episode we saw that drug bust, in her trial wouldn't she have learned she sold drugs to a fed? Wouldn't he have testified at her trial? 

 

If "Frank" is in jail and her testimony at the grand jury is to keep "Frank" in jail, who did Cookie put a contract out on and have killed? Who was shot in that car in that drive-by? 

Edited February 5, 2015 by DakotaLavender

[marceline]

UGH.

 

This episode squandered a lot of my good will.  I feel like I need to tweet an affirmation to #BlackLivesMatter.

 

There was too much misogyny. Thot?  Really? [snip]

 

Note to writers:  Characters behaving badly doesn't necessarily make them "complicated".  Sometimes it just makes them assh*les and murderers.

 

 

Forgot to add to my previous post that Lucious is way too damn old to use the term "THOT".  Not to mention that it's such a disgusting term and I've already heard two times too many on this show.

 

I know that Lee Daniels said he wanted to rip the lid off of homophobia in the black community but I think he's also shining a pretty necessary spotlight on the hypermasculinity of hip hop in general. They keep singing about "hos," "tricks" and "thots" evan as they're surrounded by scantily-clad women but it's the women on this show who are handling their business. Cookie, Rhonda, Anika and Tiana are all here for real and I think it's an important counterpoint. With the exception of Lucious, the men on the show are all talk but the women are all action.

Edited February 6, 2015 by marceline

[izabella]

I'm not happy that they turned Cookie into a murderer.  Or would be murderer.  Who died at the end?  Did the Roses people kill the guy that Cookie hired for the hit?  Or were those people in the car hired by Cookie's hit man to kill the Roses guy Cookie identified as the killer of the Fed?

Edited February 5, 2015 by izabella

[Scarlett45]

I am showing my ignorance but I have never heard the term "Thot"- please enlighten me? It's a derogatory term for women I take it?

[Timetoread]

They did a wonderful job of humanizing Anika in these last two weeks, and it works because I genuinely feel for her. She loves Lucious, but she's being used by him. He  clearly wants her (and her family) locked down, loving and loyal while creeping back to Cookie - his 'real' wife - under the cover of night. He wants them both, just like what he recommended to Hakeem, and he intends to have Cookie back. I'm sure he's already compartmentalized both women in his mind, whether or not he's consciously admitted it to himself.

 

Jamal regularly demonstrates more strength and darkness than Hakeem, who comes off like the relatively innocent but foolish naïf. First when he walked out on Lucious two episodes ago and again tonight with his baby brother, Jamal had a real cold, imperious fury to him. Sure, he's Lucious's heir apparent, but how deep does that run? I think he's not going to be the hero forever. And that's compelling, and still revolutionary with a gay character on a primetime drama.

 

Absolutely on Lucius.  He is starting to stake claim on Cookie and her savvy business side is only making her more attractive to him - all her acts, including Jamal, belong to him.  While I think that Cookie still has feelings for Lucius, she's not going to agree to be with him romantically.  For starters he abandoned her when she needed him the most but lastly, and most importantly, she KNOWS him - has always known him - and she sees that monster that he's become and, as they say, game recognizes game.  Cookie is NOBODY'S mistress.

 

Loved seeing the dark side of Jamal.  For two reasons, one because it is unrealistic to make him Little Mary Sunshine (completely unfazed by being raised by Lucius.)  On the contrary the show has set up that he is the kid who is the MOST like Lucius, sexuality notwithstanding.  Jamal will only be pushed so far before he pushes back and when he does, he does so with force.  The other reason is that I like that the show is not confusing homosexual with "fairy".  I had a gay male friend who was not at all effeminate and he told me about some dudes trying to gay bash him outside a bar once.  One of the dudes made a move and my friend knocked the guy clean out with one punch.  Gay doesn't mean punk.  Jamal is not a punk at all.

 

Ironically I think the weakest of the boys is Hakeem.  I always feel sorry for him when people manhandle him because he honestly has no fight in him at all.

 

If "Frank" is in jail and her testimony at the grand jury is to keep "Frank" in jail, who did Cookie put a contract out on and have killed? Who was shot in that car in that drive-by? 

 

The guy she had killed was Frank's enforcer who takes care of business for him while he is in jail.

Edited February 5, 2015 by Timetoread

[BestestAuntEver]

I found this episode to be very confusing.

If Cookie went to jail for selling drugs, and in this episode we saw that drug bust, in her trial wouldn't she have learned she sold drugs to a fed? Wouldn't he have testified at her trial?

If "Frank" is in jail and her testimony at the grand jury is to keep "Frank" in jail, who did Cookie put a contract out on and have killed? Who was shot in that car in that drive-by?

The fed was murdered. Who knows why it didn't come out 17 years ago. She could have stayed out of jail if she had testified then.

The guy killed was Frank's man on the outside that still handled his business.

ETA : THOT is "that ho over there".

Edited February 5, 2015 by BestestAuntEver

[funkopop]

I am showing my ignorance but I have never heard the term "Thot"- please enlighten me? It's a derogatory term for women I take it?

 

I can't account for its origins but it stands for "that ho over there".

[Mozelle]

Empire, I love you for the following reasons:

 

1.  ANTHONY muffuggin HAMILTON at the piano.   {{clapperboard}}  Cut! That's a wrap.

2.  Jamal cutting a nasty beat out of the lyrics from Good Times.  

3.  "your girlfriend has a girlfriend.  It's Trigonometry"  Relaughing.

4.  Cookie's getups.  The two toned cream shoe with the gold lame heel though?  My sister (born in '79) was like s'what the what?  I said it's before your time but yes, that just happened because we were doing that then.  

5.  Taraji wearing the shit out of a fedora.

6.  ^ and that black capelet thing.  I want it.

 

 

We might have to fight about it.  The thing is, I had my white fracoon jacket fitted with extra shoulder pads this morning and I already have the pink platform lady timbs and bamboo earrings, so.....

 

 

 

I think they are still saying that, but I've never heard the whole thing.   Anybody who's ever said THE boogie down BRONX is not from the Bronx lol!   I've heard the Bx or the boogie down.

Dang. You already have the bamboo earrings?

 

I know that Lee Daniels said he wanted to rip the lid off of homophobia in the black community but I think he's also shining a pretty necessary spotlight on the hypermasculinity of hip hop in general. They keep singing about hos, tricks and thots surrounded by scantily-clad women but it's the women on this show who are handling their business. Cookie, Rhonda, Anika and Tiana are all here for real and I think it's an important counterpoint. With the exception of Lucious, the men on the show are all talk but the women are all action.

 

I really wish that Lee Daniels had taken this tact. I understand that he's an out gay Black man, but there's something a bit--I dunno, bothersome--trying to pin homophobia on Black people. Like, across the board, across ethnicities, homophobia exists and not in glaring ratios between ethnicities, either.

 

I think he would have done well just to say that he wanted to shine a light on the hypermasculinity of hip-hop. That still wouldn't be quite so accurate (because, again, there are other music genres that are hypermasculine as well (e.g., Bjork out here talking about the sexism of the music industry and no one would ever confuse her for a hip-hop artist)), but it wouldn't feel as accusatory as "There's way too much homphobia in the Black community" as Jamal said in the first episode.

[ZaldamoWilder]

^^ at least two pair.   ;)

 

damn you for mindrewinding to Bjork.  Ptoooey.

[Easyspreestep]

I finally saw why Lucius does not want to leave the Empire to Dre, he is ONLY concerned with the bottom line.  when Dre was telling Lucius how over budget they were for Hakeem's video and and Lucius asked what did you think about the song and Dre's response was it's good.  I saw what the problem was Lucius is an artist 1st and to him the music drives the business and not the other way around.  That is why Lucius was happy with Tiania stating that Cookie would protect the music, because right or wrong he is about the music and the artist being real.  

[Dusty]

When he said "thot" I was thinking he meant "thought". Like she's just a thought. Well...damn. I feel old.

[quinn]

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

I like Cookie Monster but when she donned that hat, all I saw was Carmen Sandiego, make that Cookie Sandiego.

[Jazzy24]

Judging by next week's promo Cookie is acting a fool about Lucious marrying Anika.

And I'm wondering why he didn't tell her this privately because they all know how Cookie get and telling her this privately could prevent so much. I just hope Cookie get it together quickly and realize this is a blessing in disguise.

Porsha is awesome!!!

I love Jamal's song and I would punch Hakeem also because the little punk should be punched by everybody who crosses his path.

Andre know he was wrong. I still need more story from him like why is he breaking apart his brothers for a company ugh.

[photo fox]

3.  "your girlfriend has a girlfriend.  It's Trigonometry"  Relaughing.

Line of the night. I laughed SO hard.

Anybody who's ever said THE boogie down BRONX is not from the Bronx lol!  I've heard the Bx or the boogie down.

I just assume this kind of "error" is built in for people like me who would have no idea what the BX is. ;)

They keep singing about hos, tricks and thots surrounded by scantily-clad women but it's the women on this show who are handling their business. Cookie, Rhonda, Anika and Tiana are all here for real and I think it's an important counterpoint. With the exception of Lucious, the men on the show are all talk but the women are all action.

Yes! I love this. I was thinking after the last episode that it was an interesting contradiction. A show that is all about what is generally seen as a misogynistic culture (hip hop), but where the strongest characters are women. From Cookie to Rhonda to Becky, the women on this show get shit done, while the men are constantly angsting and hand-wringing. Love.

[aprilbabe]

Judging by next week's promo Cookie is acting a fool about Lucious marrying Anika.

And I'm wondering why he didn't tell her this privately because they all know how Cookie get and telling her this privately could prevent so much. I just hope Cookie get it together quickly and realize this is a blessing in disguise.

 

The first look fox posted on the episode shows more of the dinner scene. Yea it gets WAY worse.

[Timetoread]

When he said "thot" I was thinking he meant "thought". Like she's just a thought. Well...damn. I feel old.

Don't feel bad, I thought he said "thigh".  Cue the music.  "Thank you for being a friend.  Travelled down the road and back again...."

[funkopop]

When he said "thot" I was thinking he meant "thought". Like she's just a thought. Well...damn. I feel old.

 

When I initially heard that term in life that's what I thought as well.

[Jazzy24]

When I initially heard that term in life that's what I thought as well.

Me too.

It's such a stupid term the mysogomy is horrible but the term alone annoys me. All I kept thinking was "really, who says that?"

[pembroke]

Cookie's blonde wig was the MVP.  I was pissed that Taraji decided to leave Person of Interest.   Then I realized she was moving on to something where she would be fully evolved within a few episodes.  Right now she and Viola Davis are 2 new reasons why there is hope for dramas on broadcast TV.

 

Taraji was not offered EMPIRE until months after she was written off POI and almost a year after she was informed that her POI gig was ending. The timing of her exit from POI was the creator's. 

 

The POI creator of the series wanted to change the storyline, and all of the cast members knew that any of their characters could be killed off. Taraji did not know when it would happen, but she knew that it would happen before 7 seasons. She was fine with being written off because she would go back to working in films, although she's said that there are very few roles for black actresses in their 40s.

 

With EMPIRE, now says that she happily would be on EMPIRE for 7+ seasons. However, I think that EMPIRE is more of a 5-year max series. Primetime soap operas like this crash hard between the third and fifth seasons.

Edited February 5, 2015 by pembroke