S02.E10: Et Tu, Brute?

[sunsheyen]

So people can't change their minds and open themselves up to different situations as time goes on and circumstances in their life change?

Jamal has gone through one helluva change since the first season. It's not out of the realm of possibility his sexuality has undergone a metamorphosis of some kind as well. This idea that characters have "always been written as" is kind of antiquated. I was positive I was going to be married with kids by the time I was 35 when I grew up. As times changed, things happened and my eyes were opened, that changed to now I'm 39 and I wouldn't get married if you paid me and I don't want kids.

People change. Just because you were some way a year ago doesn't mean you're cemented in time as that forever. Characters on TV shows are allowed that flexibility as well.

Maybe Jamal had never met a woman who he connected with like he connected with Skye. So he slept with her. Sexual arousal comes from many places. Not just your attraction to someone based on gender.

Noting that decisions on childbearing/marriage are a choice, thus not comparable to sexuality, none of that is what I said. My point is that I don't buy some progressive intent from Daniels with this interlude. Edited December 4, 2015 by sunsheyen

[Grace19]

Please writers I don't want michael back. That is the most useless character on the show. Jamal/jamison would be adorable, i love the actor playing jamison since prison break.

[RCharter]

Please writers I don't want michael back. That is the most useless character on the show. Jamal/jamison would be adorable, i love the actor playing jamison since prison break.

Maybe Lucious can buy him a house with a giant staircase....

[CaughtOnTape]

Noting that decisions on childbearing/marriage are a choice, thus not comparable to sexuality, none of that is what I said. My point is that I don't buy some progressive intent from Daniels with this interlude.

 

Missing the point.

 

But ok.

[jhlipton]

If Hakeem is THAT pissed at his dad, then LEAVE and start your own stuff.  What a jerk.

 

He tried that and his ever-so-loyal dad sabotaged him at every turn.  If Daddy can spike Hakeem's business, how is Hakeem being  a baby or thinking with his dick for giving Lu a taste of his own medicine.

 

Why can't Jamal be bi? It's not unheard of. I got the feeling that being bi is more of a stigma than being straight or gay.

 

I think he could be bi, it's just jumping from :I'm gay, deammit!!!" to "it only takes the right woman" is jarring and doesn't fit with any of the gay men I know.

 

Having Camilla be bi- or pan-sexual makes much more sense.

[JenE4]

As a fan of Lost, where you really had to work to find the clues/Easter eggs and would never figure out where they were going, I kind of also like this other extreme of a popcorn show where they let you know what's coming from a mile away. Last week as soon as they showed that staircase, several of you called that Rhonda was going to go tumbling down it and lose the baby. And this week when they showed her teetering down the stairs no less than 3 times--at least one of which wearing huge-ass platform heels (what pregnant woman could wear those!?)--it was obvious that, yep, that's where they were going and the faulty alarm would play a part in it. But, I have to say, I didn't expect Annika to use Rhonda's "cut a ponytail" advice against her rather than Laura--though that was also equally as telegraphed that she was insanely jealous over the Lyon heir. Hey, Annika, maybe if you, you know, told ANYONE you were pregnant, they would have equally accepted your co-heir--but let's resort to murder (Rhonda looked possibly dead too) as a first step.

But the most obvious plot point was Mimi recording Lucious. How HE didn't pick up on how oddly and obviously she was pointing the pen as him when he was speaking was beyond me. She was practically like, "Lucious, talk directly into my pen...so the, uh, vibrations of your glorious voice will loosen up the dried ink...yeah, that's it!" And he would have been like, "Of course pens are huge fans of the great Lucious Lyon's golden pipes! Let me fix that right up! Ink, don't be a Snitch Bitch!"

[RCharter]

As a fan of Lost, where you really had to work to find the clues/Easter eggs and would never figure out where they were going, I kind of also like this other extreme of a popcorn show where they let you know what's coming from a mile away. Last week as soon as they showed that staircase, several of you called that Rhonda was going to go tumbling down it and lose the baby. And this week when they showed her teetering down the stairs no less than 3 times--at least one of which wearing huge-ass platform heels (what pregnant woman could wear those!?)--it was obvious that, yep, that's where they were going and the faulty alarm would play a part in it. But, I have to say, I didn't expect Annika to use Rhonda's "cut a ponytail" advice against her rather than Laura--though that was also equally as telegraphed that she was insanely jealous over the Lyon heir. Hey, Annika, maybe if you, you know, told ANYONE you were pregnant, they would have equally accepted your co-heir--but let's resort to murder (Rhonda looked possibly dead too) as a first step.

But the most obvious plot point was Mimi recording Lucious. How HE didn't pick up on how oddly and obviously she was pointing the pen as him when he was speaking was beyond me. She was practically like, "Lucious, talk directly into my pen...so the, uh, vibrations of your glorious voice will loosen up the dried ink...yeah, that's it!" And he would have been like, "Of course pens are huge fans of the great Lucious Lyon's golden pipes! Let me fix that right up! Ink, don't be a Snitch Bitch!"

As a fan of Lost, I still don't understand Lost.  So yes, its nice to be able to see things coming from a mile away.....like Mimi's pen....with the close up on the pen.  And her damn near putting the pen in his mouth. While Lucious talks about getting rid of board members (which frankly, he couldn't even do by himself IIR Business Associations correctly).

 

I didn't get the staircase at first, but when Rhonda was talking in that nursery about how much Lucious calls the baby "the heir" I knew her fate was sealed.

[Grace19]

I agree that Hakeem can be impulsive and childish sometimes, but there's nothing about voting against his father as CEO that is childish, thats plain old revenge. Noone has ever called lucious childish for all the wrong he's done, and he's done much worse. Oh and lets not forget he voted against Andre before his board members last season. Lucious will get empire back, but for the time being I'm going to enjoy watching him lose to one of his sons.

[Grace19]

Once Anika was shown to be pregnant, i suspected that rhonda would loose the baby, there was no way they would have two pregnancy plot. I guess this means anika is really pregnant with hakeem's child. I read somewhere that grace, the actress playing anika is pregnant. I don't know if thats true, but that might explain why they went this way with her character.

[phoenics]

Well I knew that Mimi was working with someone to take Lucious' company from him and I was right - I just didn't know it was Camille. That is a brilliant twist - wish they hadn't shown her in the promo though - kinda let the cat out of the bag a bit.

But now I wonder if Anika and Camille will go to war over Hakeem? I really, really hope not - he's not worth two grown women - GROWN women - fighting over him. Anika deserves a better storyline. I really, REALLY hope that it wasn't her who shoved poor Rhonda down the stairs. She'd be irredeemable then. I would have preferred it to be an "accident" that looked like Anika pushed her during an argument with Rhonda, so we could "guess" about whether she did it on purpose or not - but welp.

I loved this episode though - TnT were just amazing in that scene. I actually teared up at Lucious crying to Cookie and that whole scene. Just wow - I was glad he lost the company - but conflicted because of what Cookie said about legacy. Hakeem - I get why he did it and it was definitely about getting back at his dad and feeling like Lyon Dynasty wasn't enough - he clearly doesn't understand what legacies are about and is really only thinking short term. So I was glad Lucious got shafted (been predicting Mimi was working with someone to take him down for the past few episodes), but then when he was all emotional and TnT had that super-charged scene I screamed "Now kiss!" when he grabbed her hand, lol.

Just so well done. Wow. Terence Howard may be a jerk, but d@mn he can act. And TPH was brilliant with how she smacked at him to get himself together and then wiped his face... and that hug... wow. WOW.

THAT is what this show needs to focus on - the family interactions. That's when this show is at its strongest. We know err body and they mama trying to get on this show, but get back to focusing on the family stuff and let the guest stars fit in only where they want to fit in. Guest stars do NOT equal ratings - episodes like last night do.

[bookgirl]

I would love if Lucious is actually pretending to be on board with his grandchild, but actually had Thirsty push Rhonda down the stairs because his fear of mental illness and what he suffered with his mother is greater than an heir (who, in his mind, has twice the chance to suffer from the same because of his great grandmother and father).

Edited December 5, 2015 by bookgirl

[phoenics]

One more thing - I actually thought the masked figure was walking a very exaggerated woman walk... it was in the shoulders. Dudes don't move like that. It was almost like whoever was walking was in heels (which would be unrealistic).

Don't know if it's Anika - I'd rather it be someone else.

[RCharter]

One more thing - I actually thought the masked figure was walking a very exaggerated woman walk... it was in the shoulders. Dudes don't move like that. It was almost like whoever was walking was in heels (which would be unrealistic).

Don't know if it's Anika - I'd rather it be someone else.

I would too, but the show has beaten Anika down at every turn.  I had an idea she would eventually go scorched earth on the Lyon family and pushing Rhonda down the stairs would do it.  You can't keep pushing and pushing and pushing someone.  And it gets her back into the family.  Lucious clearly wants a grandchild, or an heir, and if Rhonda were having a baby, that baby would be the heir, and Anika and her child would be shuffled off to some sort of baby momma island.

 

If Rhonda lives, she may not even remember she was pushed down the stairs.  They kept having trouble with the alarm, so the fact that it went off won't particularly tell them that someone was in the house.   And she was always at the top of that staircase tottering around, and it would be easy to just assume she lost her balance.

 

But, to me, Anika is the only one who had something to gain, in that her child will now be the heir....

[Grace19]

I agree, the family interactions is what makes this show great. TH and TPH have insane chemistry, i want them to fight and make out at the same time. This show would be nothing without the two.

[JessePinkman]

I just caught up on the last 6 episodes on Hulu and I have one question...what the fuck happened to Anika? Like...how is she suddenly insane, in love with Hakeem and pushing people downstairs? It seriously feels like it came out of nowhere.

 

Everything else felt like a bunch of sameness. Whatever, one season wonder I guess.

[slayer2]

 

ETA: Is it wrong that I want Jamal to get back with Ryan (the filmmaker from S1)? They were so hot together.

 

That hot Australian? If it's wrong I don't want to be right.

[marina707]

I'm glad the Jamal/Skye situation seems to be over, and that wrapped up the way it did, but I'm still a little annoyed that it happened at all. I mean, I know that pansexuality/sexual fluidity is a thing that exists for a lot of people. But some people truly are completely gay (or straight), and they made it clear last season that Jamal is one of those people.

 

I think, like RCharter mentioned, that if there was even the slightest attraction to women on Jamal's part,  he would've already gone in that direction because it would've made his life much easier. The fact that he was so sure about his sexuality last season, despite the issues it caused for him, makes it hard to believe that this is about sexual fluidity, rather than an attempt at shock value or to placate the homophobic viewers.

 

Sometimes gay (or straight) people have exceptions, so it's possible that he truly DID think he was completely gay and this was the first time he met a woman he was into. But for me it just came way too close to "gay people just need to find the right man/woman to 'fix' them", and Lucious even said as much. I half expected Jamal's reply to be that he didn't need to be "fixed" because he wasn't broken, and I wish it had been. So I don't know, it just bothered me.

 

I am curious about Skye's secret that everyone would disapprove of, though. If it was just that she wanted to do more important or meaningful songs instead of the frivolous pop she was apparently known for, that's a pretty lame secret. But if it was something else, I'm not sure we'll ever find out since I'm pretty sure Alicia Keys was only signed on for two episodes. Maybe she'll pop up again somewhere down the road, though. Oh god...just had a crazy thought, since apparently she and Jamal had sex, what if she shows up pregnant later on? That seems like overkill considering there've already been two pregnancy storylines in a short amount of time (AND we already had a "woman shows up with [what we're told is] Jamal's kid" storyline last season), but it would definitely be soapy, and the show seems to be heading more in that direction as time goes on.

 

I agree with some others that it looks like Michael will be back, given the mention of him in this episode and the wording which made it sound like he was some great love of Jamal's or something. I thought after cheating on Jamal that that'd be the end of his character, but apparently there's some speculation that the actors are dating in real life, so I guess it's not all that surprising if he comes back.

[slayer2]

I just caught up on the last 6 episodes on Hulu and I have one question...what the fuck happened to Anika? Like...how is she suddenly insane, in love with Hakeem and pushing people downstairs? It seriously feels like it came out of nowhere.

 

Everything else felt like a bunch of sameness. Whatever, one season wonder I guess.

 

 

I posted about this in the Anika thread because I feel like it was completely OOC and came out of nowhere as well especially given her upbringing. It's not particularly "tv upper class" to go pushing people down stairs, what Mimi and Naomi Campbell's character did is a very " television upper class" way of going about it. To me Anika is this show's Blair Waldorf and Blair Waldorf doesn't just go around pushing people down stairs and crying like a baby over 12 year olds (still love me some Hakeem but, damn he looks young).

Edited December 5, 2015 by slayer2

[represent]

 

I posted about this in the Anika thread because I feel like it was completely OOC and came out of nowhere as well especially given her upbringing. It's not particularly "tv upper class" to go pushing people down stairs, what Mimi and Naomi Campbell's character did is a very " television upper class" way of going about it. To me Anika is this show's Blair Waldorf and Blair Waldorf doesn't just go around pushing people down stairs and crying like a baby over 12 year olds (still love me some Hakeem but, damn he looks young).

The problem with Anika is that they didn't draw out her crazy stunts long enough, there wasn't enough build up IMO.

 

You see her in one episode frantically walking and talking to someone on the phone. OK, but she certainly doesn't look like she's on the verge of a break down because we can't even figure out who or what she's talking about. Then you don't see her anymore during that episode. Also I don't think we had enough of the other characters looking at her sideways over time to help with the build up and Hakeem is too wet behind the ears to tell something was really off. 

 

I think the next time we see her is when Hakeem gets dropped off by his kidnappers and again, she looks fine and ready to comfort the "baby boy". 

 

Before these two sightings I think we see her very last interaction with a Lyon and I believe it was Cookie, who finally told her to just go away. 

 

I know we see the first real signs of her craziness when she's in the bathroom with newspaper cuttings, knife in hand, showing up at Hakeem's, then the picking up of Laura as the limo driver. And didn't all this happen in only two episodes?  Because other than these scenes  I can't think of a build up of enough behaviors to get us to where she is by the finale. 

 

 

That's why I've seen a number of post this season saying where is Anika? She just hasn't been on enough for them to make this even remotely believable. Not to mention for me, I missed season one so I'm trying to figure out was this love she had for Luscious so strong that she would lose her shit  to this extent?

 

What is this woman's background? 

 

And as I have posted before, I don't even get why or how a woman with her background got involved with Luscious to begin with?

 

She's the one who wheres that debutante badge with honor and a sense of I'm better than you, so you mean to tell me Luscious was her only option?

 

Yeah, I know same old reason, the whole attraction to "bad boys", that's past being old. 

 

Tell me something else writers, what is this woman's backstory, really. 

Edited December 6, 2015 by represent

[RCharter]

^^^Don't watch Season 1 Anika because you really won't have any idea where the hell new Anika came from.  Anika was evil, but calculated.

 

I do think its as simple as she was attracted to the bad boy/boss Lucious.  But he was also her boss, so I'm sure that relationship was somewhat calculated for her.  She strikes me as a woman who isn't above using her sexuality to get what she wants....but she isn't about to sleep with anyone but the boss....period.  

 

I more wonder what got her into the music industry.  Its not bad, but last season her mother seemed very conservative, and her father is a doctor.  So there is something there with her.

 

In no way do I think Lucious is her only option, but maybe she likes that lifestyle more than she should.  

 

But Anika from last season was bad, but she always had a plan and an agenda.  This Anika here, cutting out newspaper clippings and writing shit all over them?  Stalker Anika?  Anika showing up multiple times at Hakeem's place uninvited and practically begging him for a relationship?  That really did sort of come out of nowhere for me.

Edited December 6, 2015 by RCharter

[Dee]

Anika has never been calculating. She was good at her job & bragged about being a boss but it was all lip service.

 

Boo Boo Kitty being a jealous, emotional headcase isn't a huge leap for the character. Not in the least.

[NicoleMN6]

Why did Lucious even want Empire to be a public company? Seems like he would be the type to prefer to have all the control, rather than have to worry about a board of directors, shareholders, etc. The CEO of a public company also doesn't get to name his successor, like he seems to think he's entitled to do.

Edited December 6, 2015 by NicoleMN6

[wanderingstar]

Boo Boo Kitty being a jealous, emotional headcase isn't a huge leap for the character. Not in the least.

 

Agreed. Lest we forget, this is a woman who was so threatened by the arrival of Cookie at Lucious' house in an episode early last season that she took off her clothes so she could parade her lingerie-clad self in front of her rival.

 

Back to this ep: I'm curious to see how Lucious gets back control of Empire. I'm guessing he will have to team up with Cookie and the rest of the family - minus Hakeem - to do it.

Edited December 6, 2015 by Gillian Rosh

[represent]

 

Agreed. Lest we forget, this is a woman who was so threatened by the arrival of Cookie at Lucious' house in an episode early last season that she took off her clothes so she could parade her lingerie-clad self in front of her rival.

Agreed. My question is not that she's gone insane, but why? What in her background which looks pretty stable to me from what I've read on this board would make her lose her shit like this over some man?  Like I said, it's like she feels she has absolutely no other options in life? And for this debutante to have that mentality, I don't get it. Unless it's that she is so full of herself, that having Luscious cheat on her with the likes of Cookie who she sees as garbage, well, that's enough to drive her insane.  Maybe that's it because she sure thinks her shit doesn't stink and she also acts as if Luscious doesn't come from the same place that Cookie does. Same thing Anika, he ain't no better than Cookie girl.

 

Sorry, I get being depressed, angry, hurt, cause you've been betrayed, having difficulty letting the next person in, but to completely destroy your life. Yeah, for me it takes a special kind of imbalance for someone who doesn't have a history of mental illness to allow that to happen and I wanted to know what I'm missing from her background. It looks like everything was stable with her upbringing but looks can be deceiving. 

Edited December 6, 2015 by represent

[Dee]

Anika's always been insecure, neurotic, jealous, paranoid and emotional but not crazy. She's dedicated so much of her recent life to Empire & the Lyon family, that she feels lost without them, despite own wealth & accomplishments.

 

To find oneself on the outside looking in of a tight-knit family you were once a part of, on top of feeling used & abused by various members of the aforementioned family, has to sting. Painfully.

 

Only now, her behavior seems amplified because she's outside the Lyon inner circle instead of inside as she used to be.

 

She's treating Laura the same way she treated Cookie. From digging up dirt on her new "rival" to slinging snide putdowns at her nemesis in front of the man she's desperately trying to impress. It's all textbook Boo Boo Kitty.

Edited December 6, 2015 by Dee

[GreekGeek]

I would love if Lucious is actually pretending to be on board with his grandchild, but actually had Thirsty push Rhonda down the stairs because his fear of mental illness and what he suffered with his mother is greater than an heir (who, in his mind, has twice the chance to suffer from the same because of his great grandmother and father).

I'm not convinced by this theory, fascinating though it is. I'm guessing Lucious is counting on BPD showing up every other generation. Since his own mental health is of course perfect in his opinion, it would stand to reason his grandchild would take after him and not Andre.

[healthnut]

Anika has never been calculating. She was good at her job & bragged about being a boss but it was all lip service.

 

Boo Boo Kitty being a jealous, emotional headcase isn't a huge leap for the character. Not in the least.

She did drug Courtney Love's character, I think that was calculating. I don't think she's a sociopath but that's apparently the direction they are taking her, wearing wigs and stalkish behavior, it's too bad, they've really destroyed a great character. Maybe someone else pushed Rhonda but that would require more imagination than Lee Daniels & crew have shown thus far.

[Dee]

Anika drugged Elle, in a room full of people, on one of the most important nights for her soon-to-be family & their company. All because she wanted to sabotage Cookie.

 

That's not calculating, that's petty.

 

Anika wearing a wig to get info on a rival is no different than her hiring a P.I., with no provocation, to dig up dirt on her fiancee's ex. She's just doing her own dirty work this time instead of outsourcing.

 

So the writers haven't destroyed Anika, they're just building on the foundations that they've already set from season one.

[RCharter]

Anika has never been calculating. She was good at her job & bragged about being a boss but it was all lip service.

 

Boo Boo Kitty being a jealous, emotional headcase isn't a huge leap for the character. Not in the least.

The Anika I remember was always calculating in season 1.  She drugged that singers drink so she would tank, and that was Cookie's only client, and the one who refused Anika.  And thats just off the top of my head.  Boo Boo Kitty may have been jealous, and who knows how emotional she was, but she would deal with it by being cool and calculated....not this nonsense she is doing now.

Anika drugged Elle, in a room full of people, on one of the most important nights for her soon-to-be family & their company. All because she wanted to sabotage Cookie.

 

That's not calculating, that's petty.

 

Anika wearing a wig to get info on a rival is no different than her hiring a P.I., with no provocation, to dig up dirt on her fiancee's ex. She's just doing her own dirty work this time instead of outsourcing.

 

So the writers haven't destroyed Anika, they're just building on the foundations that they've already set from season one.

I thought her move with Elle was far more calculated than anything else.  She didn't want Cookie to get a foothold into Empire, so she arranged to have the biggest name she was representing tank on the night of her "big comeback"  That is a pretty calculated move to cause maximum damage.  If Cookie had known Elle was drugged any earlier she could have done damage control.  By making sure to have Elle drugged at the event she ruined any chance Cookie may have had for damage control.

[RCharter]

Why did Lucious even want Empire to be a public company? Seems like he would be the type to prefer to have all the control, rather than have to worry about a board of directors, shareholders, etc. The CEO of a public company also doesn't get to name his successor, like he seems to think he's entitled to do.

Money and the power that comes with it.  The CEO of a public company doesn't get to name his successor, but the board of directors does.  It sounds like he was going to be able to retain control of the board by having a majority of the shares kept within the family (board members are voted by the shares).  By him keeping a majority of the board's voting shares, he would be the one to name the next CEO. 

[Dee]

Anika keeping Cookie from Empire was over once Lucious agreed to Cookie's rightful demands in the pilot episode. From the day Cookie was released Anika grew unnecessarily jealous & increasingly insecure over her position in Lucious life, even though Cookie never tries to fight her over Lucious.

 

In fact, it's Anika's constant insertion of herself into Cookie's life that causes most of her own headaches. Instead of welcoming Cookie back into the fold, she chose to see and treat, Cookie as the enemy from Day One.

 

Elle was not Cookie's only client. By that point in season one, Cookie was managing proven hitmaker Tiana and potential hitmaker in Jamal in addition to reviving Elle's career. So Cookie was proving herself to be a team player & strong asset while Anika was struggling to sustain Hakeem's momentum in the aftermath of Drip Drop.

 

And, how is drugging Elle, one of Empire's marquee acts, on a night of huge importance to Anika's potential family & their company, all the while unaware if anyone could fill said marquee act's shoes, calculating exactly? Answer? It wasn't.

 

It was impulsive, shortsighted, and backfired in her face spectacularly; basically textbook Anika. 

 

The night ends with Lucious brushing off Elle's "relapse," Cookie helping get Jamal & Hakeem to reach a truce to perform together again AND Lucious choosing Cookie over Anika to deliver the all important investor speech, a speech Anika wrote, when his MG flares up, which leaves Lucious vociferously praising Cookie & all but ignoring a seething Anika.

Edited December 7, 2015 by Dee

[represent]

 

I thought her move with Elle was far more calculated than anything else.  She didn't want Cookie to get a foothold into Empire, so she arranged to have the biggest name she was representing tank on the night of her "big comeback"  That is a pretty calculated move to cause maximum damage.  If Cookie had known Elle was drugged any earlier she could have done damage control.  By making sure to have Elle drugged at the event she ruined any chance Cookie may have had for damage control.

 

Really, well I'll be glad when she's gone, I don't see her purpose for being on the show quite frankly. I mean how many "old ladies" does Hakeem need? 

 

Maybe by the end of it all she'll have the baby and someone will have her ass committed.

[Dee]

The Lyons will accept her back into the fold once they're aware she's pregnant with Hakeem's baby.

 

While they bicker incessantly and stab each other in the back for power, they love each other just as hard.

Edited December 7, 2015 by Dee

[RCharter]

Anika keeping Cookie from Empire was over once Lucious agreed to Cookie's rightful demands in the pilot episode. From the day Cookie was released Anika grew unnecessarily jealous & increasingly insecure over her position in Lucious life, even though Cookie never tries to fight her over Lucious.

 

In fact, it's Anika's constant insertion of herself into Cookie's life that causes most of her own headaches. Instead of welcoming Cookie back into the fold, she chose to see and treat, Cookie as the enemy from Day One.

 

Elle was not Cookie's only client. By that point in season one, Cookie was managing proven hitmaker Tiana and potential hitmaker in Jamal in addition to reviving Elle's career. So Cookie was proving herself to be a team player & strong asset while Anika was struggling to sustain Hakeem's momentum in the aftermath of Drip Drop.

 

And, how is drugging Elle, one of Empire's marquee acts, on a night of huge importance to Anika's potential family & their company, all the while unaware if anyone could fill said marquee act's shoes, calculating exactly? Answer? It wasn't.

 

It was impulsive, shortsighted, and backfired in her face spectacularly; basically textbook Anika. 

 

The night ends with Lucious brushing off Elle's "relapse," Cookie helping get Jamal & Hakeem to reach a truce to perform together again AND Lucious choosing Cookie over Anika to deliver the all important investor speech, a speech Anika wrote, when his MG flares up, which leaves Lucious vociferously praising Cookie & all but ignoring a seething Anika.

Actually, the night was much more important to Cookie than it was to Anika.  

 

Empire has a roster of hitmakers, and they were barely paying attention to Tiana.  She seemed to mostly serve as Hakeem's girlfriend.

 

However, Elle was a huge hitmaker that was on the cusp of a comeback, and if she had, all of her glory could have been traced to Cookie, and it would have cemented Cookie's place at Empire, on par with, or even higher than Anika.  As it was at the time all Cookie had was a broom closet office.  

 

Drugging Elle was a calculated move because the person it hurt most was Cookie.  I believe there were other acts that night and Elle would be the showcase.  Anika still got her acts to perform just fine.  The only person with high profile egg on their face was Cookie.

 

A calculated move is one that takes into account the risk and reward of the move.  From Anika's perspective, since she couldn't have Elle, and since Elle wasn't going to make or break Empire the person that would hurt the most if Elle derailed....was Cookie.  Not Lucious, not the rest of the Lyon family, not Anika.  If Elle broke down, Lucious would be upset for maybe an hour or two and then focus on his roster of other top acts.  The rest of the Lyon family would move on.  But it would have a HUGE impact on Cookie since that was the biggest act she was in charge of.  It meant the most to Cookie that Elle hold it together, so by derailing that Anika caused a few moments of concern for Empire overall, but a BIG problem for Cookie.  Especially when she caused Elle to derail, in a manner that kept Cookie from making alternate arrangements.

 

Which is exactly what Anika's move was calculated to do.  It called Cookie's judgment into question AND it ruined her top act.  At the time Jamal was still trying to make it.  "Potential" hitmaker that no one else is paying attention to, or putting any promotion behind is not going to be a top priority if you're trying to take someone down.  Cutting off Cookie at the knees, but putting Elle back on a bender and starting the process in the most public venue was a very calculated move, and one that turned Cookie against Elle, who could have been a huge star on the Empire roster.  

 

Anika is a very calculated individual -- I could go back and find more examples in Season 1, but almost all her moves were cool and calculated and designed to get rid of her nemesis.  

Edited December 7, 2015 by RCharter

[mostlylurking]

I agree with Hakeem voting against his family 100%.  Luscious looks out for #1 and that's himself.  He only cares about his sons or anyone else for that matter when they are doing something that benefits him.  Yeah I get it his childhood was fucked up but sorry he is not a sympathetic character in the least way.

 

Cookie is everything but it makes me like her a little bit less that she is team Empire now, although I guess is makes sense for the show.  Focus on building up your new "empire" and bring your three sons with you.  Luscious doesn't deserve anything from her, especially after not visiting her in prison for 17 years all to save his ass.

 

I felt like Anika was going to do something to Rhonda and I hate it!  Even if it wasn't her who threw Rhonda down the stairs, she just serves no purpose.  It's not a necessary storyline and feels shoe-horned in just to give the actress some air time. If they wanted to keep her on the show they should have written her differently so it could flow a little better.  

Edited December 8, 2015 by mostlylurking

[snowblossom2]

I felt like Skye and Jamal was less him experimenting or "finding the right woman" (ugh, I hate even typing that out - Lu you are a horrible father) and more of Jamal interacting with someone who he has been an OG superfan since he was young. I think he was star-struck, particularly when she became vulnerable and he was helping her. It was less physical attraction to a woman and more awed by being near and helping Skye

[Eolivet]

If they are planning to keep Anika on the show long-term, I don't see how she can be the person who pushed Rhonda. Surely Rhonda has lost the baby (if not her life) and I don't think you can redeem a character who has perpetrated that act.

 

I hope not! Anika as the mother of the "Lyon heir" makes so much better drama than Rhonda. Once Lucious had no problem with a half-white grandchild (which I thought might be the case last season), it makes no dramatic sense for Andre (the unfavored son) and Rhonda (who used to be scheming, but now is just there) to have the baby. But Anika? And Hakeem's baby? And Hakeem having just done what he did to his father, his family and the company? And the history between Anika and all of the family? As I said in the last episode thread, boy if you thought Lucious was going to try to wrest control of Lola from his son last season...we ain't seen nothing yet!

 

I cannot wait for the (speculation, of course) pregnancy reveal -- I cannot wait to see everyone's reaction. I cannot wait to see what outrageous demands Anika makes and have everyone hold their nose around her because she's part of the family now. This is going to be great drama. Andre and Rhonda? Not so great drama (to me, anyway). And even if the family finds out what Anika did, they can't really turn their backs on her because...Hakeem's child. Oh man, and Camilla just came back. She'll love this. Ha ha ha ha. Go, Anika. The season was less dramatic when you were gone -- in so many ways.

 

Most of this finale's major plot points were predictable, but I enjoyed the heck out of it anyway. I always enjoy a show that's done well, even if I can see where they're going -- and this was. March is too far away!

[RCharter]

^^dang, you're making me excited now!  Maybe I end up getting the Cookie/Anika power team that I had hoped for after all!

[TaurusRose]

TnT were just amazing in that scene....Just so well done. Wow. Terence Howard may be a jerk, but d@mn he can act.

And isn't that what it's really all about? We all can be jerks. Fortunately, for the rest of us, we don't have the media following us around to make every one of our jerk moments public. The only thing we should be concerning ourselves with is TH's abilities as an actor and what he's doing with this role. This need to constantly judge other people's RL struggles really bugs the shit out of me and IMO, is another undesired result of our PC society. Can we please just not?

Edited March 12, 2016 by taurusrose