S01.E08: The Lyon's Roar

[Tara Ariano]

It's time for the Lyon family to come together to record a legacy album with Lucious, Hakeem and Jamal, who steps into the spotlight with news that surprises everyone. Meanwhile, Cookie and Camilla finally come face-to-face; and Andre struggles with some inner demons.

[editorgrrl]

[CofCinci]

Lucious is the worst.  Can he just die of ALS already?  There is not a bone in his body worth redeeming.

[SimoneS]

I knew it, i knew that Jamal was going to come out to the song. I loved it. I was jumping up and down, cheering him on. I loved the pissed off look on Lucious' face. Go Jamal! Tell your truth. Don't try to please your homophobic asshole father. Fuck him! Oh, I also loved that he found a new boo and is trying to be a father to the little girl.

 

Gawd, Lucious is such a two-faced bastard. Seriously, someone is going to stab him the heart before ALS kills him. He suckered Cookie and seemed so genuine when he was singing with Cookie, Jamal, and Hakeem declaring that he is blessed with the most talented family and then hated on Andre and Jamal. 

 

Cookie, Cookie, she should know better than to trust that man. Taraji was sexy as hell though. I did like that she tried hard to support her three sons in different ways, but it all fell apart. I rolled when she told him to shut up and then told Annick about their second hook up. I hope Annika takes Lucious down. Of course, this was all topped by Cookie telling Camilla that she wish she had been her prison bitch because she bet she has a long tongue. Bwah! Who writes this? 

 

Damn, Hakeem was so sweet in this episode. I loved how he embraced Jamal after he came out. He was like a little boy with his brother and mother. I was glad that he stopped that weird mother psychological games with that woman. Cookie has got to get rid of that woman. I am confident that she can find a way.

 

Poor Andre. He does all the right things, but cannot please Lucious. Andre and Rhonda are cracking. I had a good chuckle when she threw up in her plate. 

 

The preview for next week looks crazy good.

Edited February 26, 2015 by SimoneS

[wanderingstar]

Felt so bad for Andre. 

 

Lucious stays being an asshole.

 

Also, GO JAMAL!

 

ETA:

 

Damn, Hakeem was so sweet in this episode.

 

 

The sight of Hakeem in church praying for his father warmed my cold, cold heart. 

Edited February 26, 2015 by Gillian Rosh

[Neurochick]

I didn't like what Cookie said to Camilla.  Can we say enmeshed?  Camilla is Hakeem's girlfriend and Cookie doesn't have to like her, but she shouldn't be a witch about it.  

 

I feel bad for Andre.  Ralph Richard Banks, who wrote "Is Marriage for White People" has a very interesting passage at the end of his book about how three generations of black people in his family have had three different self conceptions.  His mother grew up in rural Alabama, he grew up in Cleveland and his children are growing up in the suburbs of Northern California.  Lucious can't accept Andre nor Jamal, because their self conceptions as black men are, to Lucious, different from his.  He looks as Hakeem and sees his own reflection.  Lucious cares more for Hakeem because Lucious is a narcissist.  Jamal was right, the only person Luicious loves is himself.

Edited February 26, 2015 by Neurochick

[kpw801]

Ooh!  I was so mad at Lucious!  I was sure he was going to drop Anika and then he turned on Cookie like he did.  Cookie really should have known better because he betrayed her when she went to prison for him.  He dumped her and then tried to deny her $400K foundation money helped found the company.  I want her to triumph in the end.  I cannot stand Andre.  I have zero respect for him.  Man!  I am dating myself but this is the best thing since Dallas and Dynasty!  I never thought another show could be as riveting.

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Jamal had my ass over here like, Oooooooooh the Puss in Boots cat.

Well played young man.

[Syndicate]

So Lucious has been rejecting Andre because he married outside of his race, yet Andre seems to think it's because he has no musical talent.  Either way, Andre being rejected was quite glaring yet again when he spied Lucious, Cookie, Jamal, and Hakeem singing together.  It was bad!  I loved Cookie and Camille going at it.  I thought Camille made a better enemy for Cookie than Anika.

[Badsamaritan]

OMG so much happened! I love this show, and Danny Strong, you magnificent bastard, well done!

Edited February 26, 2015 by Badsamaritan

[CofCinci]

Cookie really should have known better because he betrayed her when she went to prison for him.  He dumped her and then tried to deny her $400K foundation money helped found the company.  I want her to triumph in the end.

I speculate that she is playing Lucious this entire time.  Revenge ain't just a show on ABC.

[peridot]

That ending made me tear up.  I feel so sorry for Cookie, she's only been with one guy and he abandoned her and is deceitful to her.  I hope she can find some happiness.

 

I was yelling when I saw Andre bring out that gun, I was afraid that would be the end for him.  He looks like he goes completely off the rails next week.  I like Rhonda is being fleshed out more, she isn't just a yes-person to her husband's schemes.

 

Anika was a fool as always.  Why would she want to rush the wedding, when he just slept with someone else?  Being married doesn't mean he won't cheat.

[Syndicate]

I didn't like what Cookie said to Camilla.  Can we say enmeshed?  Camilla is Hakeem's girlfriend and Cookie doesn't have to like her, but she shouldn't be a witch about it.  

 

I feel bad for Andre.  Lucious treats him like crap because he did something different with his life.  

Cookie's responses to Camille were so damn racy!  LOL.  Calling her a potentially good prison bitch with a good tongue?  Oh Cookie!

 

ETA:  Long tongue!  

Edited February 26, 2015 by Syndicate

[SimoneS]

I saw a short interview with the show's creator Danny Strong on MSNBC today. It was too short, but very interesting as he talked about hearing PDiddy on the radio and instantly having the idea for a Hip Hop drama with elements of King Lear, Lion in the Winter, and Dynasty. He and Lee Daniels nailed it. This show is freaking gold!

 

I just saw that Danny Strong directed this episode on IMDB. Very cool!

Edited February 26, 2015 by SimoneS

[Artsda]

Jamal coming out during the song was amazing. I also loved the crowd reaction including his brothers both applauding/nodding in support to him.

 

Really liked Hakeem and Cookie mending fences with Lucious playing Dr.Phil.

 

The family moment in the soundbooth was awesome! The 4 of them all signing together. 

 

Loved Hakeem going to Jamal's after the coming out just to support and be with his brother. 

 

Oh poor Andre with the gun in the same booth. :( I feel so bad for him, but Lucious was kind of spot on with the leaving the company to someone trying to break the family apart comment. Andre's pitting of Jamal and Hakeem against each other and sending those guys after Jamal at a risk of his life. I think Andre loves his brothers, he looked proud of Jamal tonight but he's also willing to hurt the brothers to be the last one standing with the company. 

 

Anika's pathetic, he sleeps with another woman so she wants to marry him MORE and the next day?

 

Lucious seems happier and genuine during the family moments and with Cookie at the start. He has to have an ulterior motive to marry Anika.

Edited February 26, 2015 by Artsda

[mtlchick]

I'll watch the episode later but all I saw on Twitter was "long tongue" and "how did that get past the censors?"  Do I dare ask who said that to whom?

[sarkygal]

That was such a full episode I'll have to rewatch it on the weekend. Yay Jamal! Little Lola's adorable but that scene was so stilted and awkward. I've liked Rhonda from the beginning and I felt she was getting a lot of hate, but tonight showed that everything she's done is to support her hurting man to get his dreams, no matter how twisted they are. Great characterization that she has a breaking point and very well acted.

 

Poor Andre, he just feels like no one's on his side. My heart was just breaking for him. I think my issue with Lucius is how cold and distant he can get; it's creepy and dark the way TH plays it. His eyes go dead. All the warmth and love I could have sworn he felt for Cookie just disappeared. Damn that is one nasty man. I'll have more coherent thoughts later, but this was one of the stronger episodes yet. The family dynamics got fleshed out better, maybe a little too obviously in Hakeem's case, but we're starting to see how the Lyons turned out the way they did.

 

Now I just need some back story on Crusty Unc Vernon in the next 3 episodes. 

[Syndicate]

I'll watch the episode later but all I saw on Twitter was "long tongue" and "how did that get past the censors?"  Do I dare ask who said that to whom?

Cookie, of course, said that to Camille, Hakeem's mommy fixation.

[MizStaken]

This show keeps throwing curve balls right and left. I was really worried for Andre, all he has done is try to please his father and his father continues to ignore him because he doesn't have talent and he doesn't approve of his wife. I was hoping he would just tell him to screw off and move on but that would be too easy.

Go Jamal, here I thought he was going to toe the family line and then Lucious had to go and denigrate him yet again. I don't like the new guy, he's a bit too perfect. And it bothers me that there is still no mention of a paternity test.

Cookie, you should have known better then to get back into bed, in every sense, with Lucious.

Next week looks like a humdinger.

[Badsamaritan]

Cookie's responses to Camille were so damn racy! LOL. Calling her a potentially good prison bitch with a good tongue? Oh Cookie!

There needs to be an Emmy on TPH's mantel, like yesterday. Between that, her face when Hakeem kissed her on the cheek, and the end bit, she went from cracking my shit up to breaking my heart in less than 40 minutes. She has made Cookie an Icon the likes of which haven't been seen on TV in I don't even know how long. Just watch, ratings will be up again, bet.

[Actionmage]

'Dre! No!! ::would hug him if he'd let me::  Bless Trai; he's owning all of Andre's scenes and is fast going to be the most interesting story, imo.

 

Lucious? FOAD, dude.  He is actively hurting at least half of his "family" and has hurt/ will return to hurting the other half, no doubt. Poor bitty Lyoness, doesn't know what a nasty old man her potential grandpa is, which is good as she's so young, but the upside is that Jamal seems to be thawing.

 

Jamal? Must've had some tiger's blood alongside the edamame. The director is super cute, so go now, Jamal. Especially if you're over Michael so fast. 

 

Hakeem? Good to see you thawing on the Cookie front, but you need to double-check Camilla. It's one thing for you to vent about Cookie. Camilla? Needs to be shut down.  There was no respect for Cookie and nothing but ego-stroking for you.  But then, I have a feeling that Lucious didn't teach you about respecting your actual mom. Not that "respect for women" in general seems to be a high priority in Lucious' ideals.

 

Cookie? Much love.

 

Missed Becky and Portia. Have my Rhonda's back, w/r/t Andre not caring about if Rhonda would like a say in when she gets to "play" the "games" they enjoy.

 

BooBooKitty? Really? On so much this episode. Just...::shakes head::

 

Olivia? You had best be dead. That little girl deserves better.

[Ohwell]

I'm glad I don't know a Cookie in real life.  She's tiring.

[SimoneS]

The song, "You're so Beautiful" is the first song that I have liked from Empire. I read that Jussie Smollett said it was inspired by Gabby Sidibe. I hope it becomes a hit.

Edited February 26, 2015 by SimoneS

[Malbec]

Luscious is a complete piece of shit.  He even almost had me feeling a tiny drop of sympathy for Anika, to say nothing of Cookie.  And not only rejecting Andre, but humiliating him in front of the board?  Piece of shit on a new level.  The healthiest thing Andre could probably do for himself is move across the country and get the hell out of Luscious' toxic grasp. 

 

Bless Jamal for the most epic coming out moment.  The way Luscious' face changed when he realized what Jamal was singing was PRICELESS.  I was worried that Documentary Guy had some nefarious motives where Jamal was concerned (i.e. "seduce Luscious Lyon's son and sell the story for publicity") but at least that ended happily, for the most part.  Hakeem dropping by afterward was a wonderful scene. 

Edited February 26, 2015 by Malbec

[Neurochick]

Hakeem? Good to see you thawing on the Cookie front, but you need to double-check Camilla. It's one thing for you to vent about Cookie. Camilla? Needs to be shut down.  There was no respect for Cookie and nothing but ego-stroking for you.  But then, I have a feeling that Lucious didn't teach you about respecting your actual mom. Not that "respect for women" in general seems to be a high priority in Lucious' ideals.

 

 

But it's not Cookie's business who Hakeem dates.  I had to check one of my friends who got upset because her 30 year old son was dating a woman HER age.  I said, "your son is a grown man; if it's meant to be it'll happen, if he breaks up with her, oh well, just stay out of it."  Cookie needs to take a seat.  I've known people like her in real life and they are exhausting.  And you can say, "sit your ass down and shut the fuck up" only so many times.  

Edited February 26, 2015 by Neurochick

[blixie]

So many feels for all my Lyons! Hakeem/Jamal, poor Andre and the gun, Cookie in her cell singing Beautiful, and yeah I kind of loved the Lucious going from white to black in every conceivable way, the pose (white) vs. his total soulless asshole reality. Good on Cookie for her lying to his face about Anika. 

 

Did I miss Derek Luke, Cookie get you some of that! I'd love to see Andre take over the company before the IPO with the support of Cookie/Vernon and both his brother's I was so deeply sad for him in that confrontation with his asshole father.

[Artsda]

Seems like Lucious thinks Andre wants to be white, which is why he holds the white girl wife and the going to get an education against him when the other 2 boys not going to college get praised. 

 

Hakeem's dating his mommy issues is someone Lucious may approve of at this point since he doesn't approve of the white wife or Jamal being gay.

Edited February 26, 2015 by Artsda

[Actionmage]

Neurochick, I would agree if Camilla was just dating Hakeem, but she is now actively getting into Cookie's side of work.

 

Camilla pushing Hakeem when he is actually being conciliatory with his brother is not helpful. Camilla jumping in as, apparently, Hakeem's manager- which I am pretty sure is Anika's gig, is overstepping, imo. I personally love the soapiness of the Camilla/Hakeem relationship, especially as a veteran soap watcher.  

 

The respect thing also goes both ways, though. Camilla, knowing she is going to be introduced as Hakeem's significant other, steps on Cookie's professional toes, Anika's professional toes, and is disrespectful of her  significant other's mother. 

Edited February 26, 2015 by Actionmage

[thuganomics85]

As soon as I saw that Danny Strong was both writing and directing this, I figured it was going to be a big episode.  Just not this big!

 

I figured Jamal was going to come out this episode, but I loved it!  It was great seeing the weight not only lifted from his shoulders, but the petty part of me loved that he found a way to do it to spite Lucious in the biggest way possible.  Not only too his face and at a big party, but during one of his biggest songs.  Damn!  Jamal ain't fucking around.  But, what I really loved was how happy everyone but Lucious was.  Vernon.  Cookie (of course.)  Even Andre and Rhonda seemed really happy for him.  And, of course, Hakeem.  It really amazes me how much I actually like him when it comes to his relationship with Jamal.  For all his flaws, I truly believe he loves him, and I find that refreshing that he has his good qualities.

 

Which I'm struggling to find with Lucious at the moment.  Dude went back to full-blown scumbag tonight.  Playing around with both Cookie and Anika.  Shitting on both Jamal and Andre.  He might kill Empire or even himself, before the ALS does.

 

Really felt bad for Andre.  Again, he's clearly not all there when his meds aren't working, but I do think the fact he isn't a musician is just isolated him from everyone else, and Lucious is just brutal to him.  I hope he gets it together, but I think it will only get worse, before it has a shot at getting better.  And, it looks like he and Rhonda clearly have breaking points when it comes to their "games."  I'm surprised over how fascinating I find those two.

 

Cookie vs. Anika has been fun, but I am so down for more Cookie vs. Camilla.  That little spat was hilarious.  Mainly because, while Cookie was great as always, I felt like Camilla actually did hold her own pretty well.  I can see this being very entertaining.

 

Next week looks to be even more insane.  This show is just so damn fun!  And I continue to worship at the altar of Cookie and Taraji P. Henson.

[GreekGeek]

Best line of the night: "You want Cookie's nookie, ditch the bitch."

 

Lucious is going to die alone at this rate. The only one of his inner circle that he hasn't pissed off is Hakeem, who is about as ready to be a CEO as Little Lola.

 

I still feel for Andre, although prostituting his wife for board votes was pretty low. I guessed what was coming when I saw how much Rhonda was drinking at that dinner. M. Emmett Walsh talking about Stephen Hawking and how he can still get it up was funny in a queasy sort of way. I was almost screaming when I saw Andre with the gun to his head. He really is in bad shape. Time for him to pack up and take his business savvy elsewhere, before he goes off his head completely. 

[missbonnie]

I think that Lucious had every intention of dumping Anika until she brought up the part about him blackmailing her father for the clean bill of health for the IPO and threatened to bring it to a screeching halt.

[me5671]

Lucious is the worst.  Can he just die of ALS already?  There is not a bone in his body worth redeeming.

 

LOL... seriously though.  And yet, his character is what keeps this show interesting and unpredictable.  There was a brief moment in this episode when Cookie, Lucious, Jamal and Hakeem were all getting along and it seemed too good to be true.  I wondered what the writers are going to do with the show... they can't stay one big happy family and still have an interesting show.  And not two minutes later, Jamal and Hakeem are fighting over which one's verse goes last, Andre's jealousy rears its head, and Lucious breaks Cookie's heart yet again.  Lucious needs to be irredeemable for this show to work, and the writers know it.  This was made clear this week when he told his son he doesn't trust him just because he married a white girl.  Damn, that's cold.  So we can add racist on top of homophobe and murderer.  

 

:Hands down, line of the night was "If you want Cookie's nookie. then ditch the bitch."  Cookie still rules!

[Tiger]

Excellent episode, especially Jamal's coming-out and Rhonda at the dinner with the creepy geezer. I loved that we finally got some decent character development for Rhonda.

But I couldn't understand a word the documentary guy said. And starting with the white party scenes, it looked like Terrence put fillers on the right side of his face (but not the left); it was very strange.

[wanderingstar]

I really needed Vernon (aka he who saved Lucious from a murder rap) to punch Lucious dead in the face. Can that happen in the season finale? 

[aprilbabe]

I think that Lucious had every intention of dumping Anika until she brought up the part about him blackmailing her father for the clean bill of health for the IPO and threatened to bring it to a screeching halt.

I thought the same thing. He told Anika he needed to talk the her, then when not only he finds out that she knows about the fraud but about cookie as well his plan changed.

He's gonna regret picking Anika once he finds out about her betrayal. And probably try to charm cookie I hope she turns him down and hooks up with Malcolm, he deserves to be hurt. She played hard in front of Lucious but in that end scene you could tell her heart was broken.

[40Love]

Damn Cookie is good... How fast did she recognize and call out her baby boy's Mommy issues?!

I'm okay with Cookie telling Camilla to back away from Hakeem. She can recognize a snake in the grass when she sees it.

The photographer is a cutie. But I was hoping Jamal would take a little longer to get over Michael.

Can't wait to see next week's episode.

[Jazzy24]

This show gives me life.

I adored Hakeem, Jamal, Cookie, and Lucious together in the booth it made me forget what a arrogant bastard Lucious is and than Andre just made my heart hurt they all need a rude awakening where he is concerned.

I loved Jamal coming out and that big feck you to Lucious the bastard deserves it.

Cookie and Hakeem being good together makes me smile I love them together.

The previews give me life.

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Am I the only one, that thought M. Emmett Walsh was Dead?

Was stunned to see him, looking close to 100 years old.

[aprilbabe]

Oh and yay Cookie got her bigger office.

And Rhonda is clearly not as ok with the sex games as Andre thinks. He has to know there was a line he shouldnt cross.

[40Love]

Am I the only one, that thought M. Emmett Walsh was Dead?

Was stunned to see him, looking close to 100 years old.

Nope. When I saw his name in the credits. I thought "hey isn't he deceased? Sorry about that M.E.W.

[appledumpling]

"It the kind of song that makes "A Man Love A Man, A Man Love A Man, A Man Love A Man"  GO MAL!

 

I thought Lucious didn't want Andre as the Interim CEO because he's mentally unstable they caught me off guard with it being because he married a white girl.  It brought to mind the line "If she can't use your comb, don't bring her home".

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Rhonda's mask is. chipping away, not quite the ice princess after all.

[NorthstarATL]

Jamal's coming out was bidg and splashy, just like his parents! They should BOTH be proud! (Too bad Michael's been written out. It would have been interesting to see his reaction to have it happen so soon after he went away. But, then, Jamal came out for Jamal, which is more important ultimately than coming out to please a boyfriend.)

 Taraji ran the gamut tonight! Playing and being played by Luscious, connecting with her family, smacking down Camilla and Annika, and then singing all alone in her cell. Made me a little misty.

    I love Andre and Rhonda. A good soap NEEDS unpredictable characters who are power mad and willing to do anything, and they bring that and more. At the same time, they're damaged, and not just "bad", which makes them far more interesting. I always assumed that Andre felt himself to be an outsider due to not being as musical as the rest of the family. I figure that's when he set out to be better at school, etc., because the Lyon path wasn't available to him. Luscious probably would realize it too if he weren't so blinded by prejudice, just as he is with Jamal.

     "So what do YOU do? Play the tambourine?" was delivered so smoothly, it still cracks me up.

[DearEvette]

I actually felt bad for Rhonda.  It is one thing to be a swinger and enjoy salacious sexual games with your husband.  it is quite another to be .. as she called it... pimped out as a 'Geriartric Whore.'  That was a line that Andre crossed and I am glad she called him on it.

 

I loved that song.  It was so damned catchy.  And the scene with Jamal singing it and the entire crowd into it...man, the energy just crackled even on my tv screen.  And I love how every single person in the family (except Lucious) showed their support.

[SimoneS]

So much happened in this episode that I forgot to mention how much I loved the flashbacks. It was heartbreaking watching Cookie saying goodbyes to her babies and telling Lucious to take good care them, only for Jamal to talk about how Lucious seemed a tv celebrity to his children.Then there was another heartbreaking final flashback of Cookie singing alone in her cell. She has had a hard life those 17 years much have been torture, no wonder she jumped at the first opportunity to get out.

[Syndicate]

I actually felt bad for Rhonda.  It is one thing to be a swinger and enjoy salacious sexual games with your husband.  it is quite another to be .. as she called it... pimped out as a 'Geriartric Whore.'  That was a line that Andre crossed and I am glad she called him on it.

 

I loved that song.  It was so damned catchy.  And the scene with Jamal singing it and the entire crowd into it...man, the energy just crackled even on my tv screen.  And I love how every single person in the family (except Lucious) showed their support.

I'm rather confused by Rhonda though.  She may have hated her husband pimping her out to an old goat, but why didn't she feel equally the same when she asked to be screwed the same way her husband screwed some lawyer bimbo in a previous episode?  She should've saw that as very offensive.  I can't help but wonder what she'd feel if Andre sexed up another man for business purposes?  These two are just.............I don't even know anymore.

Edited February 26, 2015 by Syndicate

[wanderingstar]

I loved that song.  It was so damned catchy.  And the scene with Jamal singing it and the entire crowd into it...man, the energy just crackled even on my tv screen.  And I love how every single person in the family (except Lucious) showed their support.

 

I may or may not have danced in my living room during that scene.

[Whitley Trillbert]

Ok as someone who was raised and watched practically every soap from daytime to night, that White party was just soooooooo delicious and soapy. By far my favorite thing this show has done.

 

I do have some gripes about the show in general though. 

 

I really don't like how they are handling Andre being bipolar. Here's the problem don't say bipolar, give him schizophrenic symptoms and make him act like he has dissociative disorder. Pick one. They use bipolar because it's the most known but when it comes to displaying it, they pick from all other illnesses and call it bipolar.

 

I also don't like that now with Jamal, fake Maxwell's daddy is also homophobic. I understand Lee is purging through this show but the homophobia wears thin on me.

 

I feel like i'm losing the hope that I had with Anika becoming a formidable foe who could go toe to toe with Cookie, but again with tonight they had her doing some really dumb things. I thought for a second that she wanted to marry Luscious so fast  because her dad was secretly poisoning him and she wanted to get married to perhaps get in the will somehow. 

 

I wanted to feel sorry for Rhonda but when you play the game you cant get upset when you do something that you don't want to do so girl bye and save those crocodile tears. 

 

So i'm wondering is the hit that Cookie put out ever going to come back into play again or has that been dropped ? 

 

When Jamal was singing to little baby Lyons it all but confirmed that child isn't his. I felt like that scene was telegraphed for the bombshell that's going to drop. 

 

Love love love Cookie but I'm ready for somebody who can go toe to toe with Cookie. Somebody like Diahaan Carroll. 

[jsbt]

I about died when they had ol' M. Emmet Walsh roll up trying to get in on it with Rhonda. What the Christ.

 

Every episode is better than the last - and this was easily the most emotional, on so many levels. Jamal's coming-out was an incredible, emotional, cathartic and joyous spectacle, while Andre and Lucious' confrontation highlighted Lucious' fatal flaw. He's a brilliant artist, a devoted husband and a father, and a man capable of so much art and love, modern in his thinking and instincts in so many ways, but he's also a bigoted dinosaur drunk on machismo, hypermasculinity and womanizing. He has never gotten over the idea that he cannot be respected and admired by the rest of the world, and he's determined to never allow his sons to shed his overwhelming fear and insecurity - to make sure they carry his terror with them, inside. That goes for all of them: Jamal with his sexuality, Hakeem with Lucious pushing his worst attributes on his youngest son, and Andre with Lucious dismissing his education, his hard work and the woman he loves.

[ridethemaverick]

I went from laughing at Andre sitting there listening to Pretender to gasping and covering my face when he pulled out that gun. Great scene. I felt awful for him.

Boo Boo Kitty isn't stupid. She wanted to push up the wedding to secure that payday before Luscious fell all the way in love with Cookie and cut her loose. Some women are about their paper and she seems to be one of them. If he can't be faithful, oh well. She can still be set for life (in her mind).

Yay for Jamal. What a feel good and powerful moment. I actually teared up.

Ugh, I love this show so much!

Edited February 26, 2015 by ridethemaverick