S02.E06: A High Hope For A Low Heaven

[Dee]

The writers have delved deep into Empire's characters and formulated story arcs for said characters that are both long term and cohesive. The  writers have also provided significant resolution and payoff to most of, if not all, of their previous stories.

 

Olivia and Lola will return, in due time, just as Cookie's hit on Teddy McNally and Frank Gathers were revisited this season.

[wanderingstar]

I missed this Lucious quote (to Freda) on my initial watch:

 

"Such a beautiful flame I see in your eyes. A flame I only saw in myself."

 

Don't change, Lucious.

 

In other words, Andre's not a boss, he's just Lucius' bitch, as usual.

 

Same as Jamal when he was supposedly given the keys to Empire.

 

I saw Hakeem's continued rejection of Lucious (and his so-called olive branch) as a sign of growth for the character. He's experienced enough now to know that his father cannot be trusted.

Edited November 8, 2015 by Gillian Rosh

[RCharter]

I missed this Lucious quote (to Freda) on my initial watch:

 

"Such a beautiful flame I see in your eyes. A flame I only saw in myself."

 

Don't change, Lucious.

 

when he said that my eyes rolled so hard I think I saw my brain.

[Rae Spellman]

 

I saw Hakeem's continued rejection of Lucious (and his so-called olive branch) as a sign of growth for the character. He's experienced enough now to know that his father cannot be trusted.

 

But who is paying Hakeem's rent/mortgage? It looks like he's still living in the place that Lucious paid for. 

[RCharter]

But who is paying Hakeem's rent/mortgage? It looks like he's still living in the place that Lucious paid for. 

I mean, of course, these are questions no one is supposed to ask of the show.  :)

 

BUT, if I had to explain it, he could be getting royalties and wouldn't he have sold his stock in Empire to that billionaire lady?  That could be quite a bit of money.

[Lillybee]

I thought that Luscious's song Boom, boom, boom'  Bang, bang, bang. sounded familiar and guess what, it is part of the opening music for NCIS New Orleans.

[Guest]

I don't understand the face Lucious is making in the Empire logo.  I thought it was his dying face back when he had ALS.  Now it just looks like an orgasm face.  Is it supposed to be him singing?  It's creepy.  

[jhlipton]

Is that what he was going for?  yeah...that was bad.

 

Draw your own conclusions..

 

"Delta John":

Delta John to Alpha one, said my systems checkin', something's going on,

What to do, are you coming through?

Delta John to alpha one, said my systems crashed and something's come undone,

911, copy, copy you

Delta John to alpha one, said my system check is done,

Know the rules of how to play, learn the truth it happened today

 

"Major Tom":

Ground Control to Major Tom

Your circuit's dead, there's something wrong

Can you hear me, Major Tom?

 

 

I don't understand the face Lucious is making in the Empire logo.  It's creepy.  

 

So, very appropriate, right?

[DollEyes]

 

What the fuck is Dre thinking?? Did he really think he was in charge at Gutter Life? He barely crawled back into the company and only did THAT because he killed Vernon, so he needs to stop judging other people's characters, at least for a little bit.

 

 IIRC, it was Rhonda who killed Vernon & Dre covered it up to protect her & their unborn child, which has gone left since Lucius & Thirsty know about it-and, knowing Lucius, will use it against Dre if he doesn't do what Lucius wants where Gutter Life is concerned.

[wanderingstar]

I am seriously loving Hakeem and Laura, they are so cute.

Me too. Which is odd - because I thought I'd hate the pairing. 

Edited November 8, 2015 by Gillian Rosh

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

 

Boom Boom Boom Goes The Empire
Hakeem's abduction leaves him hungry for vengeance.

[prican58]

I love the Taraji/Adam reunion.  They were pretty good together in Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself. That film cemented my Taraji love that began with Benjamin Button. She really is an amazing actress. 

 

William Fichtner is such a crush of mine. On ATWT he played one of those rapist turned hero roles and while I hate that kind of characterization, he did wonders in the role. I thought he was outstanding in that show Invasion (with the very pretty Eddie Cibrian) back in 2005.    

Edited November 10, 2015 by prican58

[mostlylurking]

Loved the scene with the three brothers together! Really well done. Their relationship regardless of where they stand with their parents really makes the show.

The whole Anika and Hakeem weirdness was just strange. I wish she would just go away.

Totally agree with the recapper - Lucious - the worst. Cookie - the best. End of story.

[Joimiaroxeu]

H is for Hakeem, WTF? Anika? (Yeah, I get it, almost died, need to feel alive, but what a user. Oh wait, your Father's son.)

People elsewhere are saying that they do think Hakeem was raped while he was kidnapped and that's part of what drove him to pounce on Anika and is partially driving his PTSD. As far as the doctor giving him the "everything's still intact" verdict, Hakeem could have paid the doc off to keep quiet because he's ashamed of what the gang members did to him and doesn't want his family to know. I guess we'll see if that plot point comes up again.

 

Boom, boom, boom'  Bang, bang, bang. sounded familiar and guess what, it is part of the opening music for NCIS New Orleans.

"Delta John":

"Major Tom":

The theme song for NCIS New Orleans is a 1997 song called "Boom Boom" by Big Head Todd and the Monsters which itself is a reworking of classic bluesman John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom". BHTATM's version has Hooker (RIP) himself featured on the track. The "boom, boom, boom, boom; bang, bang, bang, bang" bit is the song's key refrain and I don't think Empire's music producers could seriously claim to have picked it up accidentally.

 

Now "Delta John" seems like plain and simple theft to me unless the producers paid for the rights to bastardize David Bowie's song. (And speaking of Bowie, could Empire get him and/or his wife Iman to do a cameo too? I mean as long as they're letting everybody and his/her brother/sister do drive-by appearances...)

 

I can't fault Empire for doing such homages to classic rock, R&B, rap, etc., music since Music Past versus Music Future basically what the show is about. One would hope homages are what they're doing and they're not straight up plagiarizing.

[nicepebbles]

I thought it was just me who was like, "Jamal, enough with the singing already!" It seemed too much especially when I was concerned about Hakeem. Which, why didn't anyone insist he go and get a CAT scan or something? I mean, come on. I figured he went to Anika so he could feel like a man again. His treatment of her after just shows he's still a kid. In my head, I was thinking he and Anika didn't really sleep together in S1 but have acted like they did. I was really hoping they didn't actually have sex this time around. Like they were going to but then Anika got her mind right. Alas, no. This show. 

 

Now I know Anika did some shady shit. But who hasn't on this show? It seems like she and Andre are the only ones that are getting punished. So sad since the show is totally missing some opportunities with Anika and Cookie pairing up and Andre showing his father he doesn't need him. It's pathetic what's going on with Andre and Anika. 

 

That play pen song was terrible. The only thing more terrible is when Lucious raps. Ain't no way this show is ever going to convince me Lucious built Empire off the strength of his talent. I LMAO every time he raps or sings. Terrible. Speaking of, I'm not sure if Freida Gatz is terrible or good. I can totally see Lucious getting in her pants. Nasty ass. 

 

I grew up watching The Young and the Restless with my grandmom. Lucious reminds me of Victor Newman. Just a horrible human being that believes his shit don't stink. 

 

I totally missed Adam's character's tattoo. I think they can explain it away without making him a bad guy so he can stick around. Him and TPH, love! Their chemistry was the only good thing about that awful (that movie makes me angry) Tyler Perry they were in together. 

 

I know this is a soap but please show, surprise me. No Anika being pregnant. No Hakeem and Laura. No bad guy Adam's character (blanking on his name). No William Ficthner's character trying to get in Jamal's pants. And if you have to go there with Frieda and Lucious, she needs to f'em up good in some way. 

 

 

[aradia22]

Decent episode.

 

I like Cookie getting a new attractive man but are they always going to be bodyguards in some sense? Even without the tattoo his suggestion was shady but I hope it takes her a while to figure it out. Look, I get to be shallow sometimes.

 

I'm still on the fence as to whether I care about the lead singer of Mirage a Trois and Hakeem and their possible romance.

 

I almost felt bad for Boo Boo Kitty/Anika when he closed the door in her face.

 

Luscious is such a liar saying he wrote that song for Freda. He better not try to sleep with her (as he implied to Frank).

 

I'm vaguely interested in seeing where Andre goes with Christian music. I mean, it is profitable.