S03.E04: Cupid Kills

[vibeology]

16 hours ago, Empress1 said:

I felt a way about this too, and I'd have been PISSED if I were Cookie. She looked amazing (I wish I were brave enough to wear that makeup) but let her look amazing in black tie and the appropriate color, damn.

I know! This isn't just a situation where Angelo might have assumed in error Cookie would look up the venue and dress appropriately. There was a theme and he didn't say shit to her about it. That's total trash and she should have left him at the door. Let's be real, if Cookie had know the dress code she still would have been the most flamboyant and stood out but it wouldn't have made Angelo look like a shitty romantic partner. The show could have gotten the plot it wanted without having his character be an ass so the fact that he was an ass was deliberate.

[withanaich]

2 hours ago, vibeology said:

That's total trash and she should have left him at the door.

The worst part is, she tried! She tried to make a run for her ride but he stopped her, which makes his lie of omission extra shitty. I think he looked sort of amused when she showed up dressed incorrectly. Like he liked the fact that people were going to misunderstand, and that it might cause a commotion. No regard for how Cookie, a real person, felt about being involved in this little ploy. Maybe instead of sowing his wild oats before running for mayor, he's using Cookie in his bid for mayor, like, "Look how real I keep it, poor constituents, I brought a hooker to the opera." Because of course Cookie looked damn good, but in that venue, in a tiny little tight red dress, everyone was going to think she was a prostitute and Angelo knew it. If they don't intend for him to be a villain, then they need to make better choices about the way they're writing him. 

[darkestboy]

That was so good. Easily the best episode we've had this season.

Shyne needs to go though. He's a dreadful character and uninteresting to watch. Nessa can definitely stay though. Loved her scenes with Andre this week and the Ghost Rhonda threesome thing was certainly new.

Jamal really wanted to help Freda but got screwed over again by Lucious. What are they going to do with Freda though?

Did not miss Anika, Leah or Tariq this week. Becky losing out on a promotion to a clueless dumbass like Xavier though was harsh.

Cookie and Angelo, something's not right there and while I don't want Lucious to win Cookie back, Angelo went down in my estimations this week.

The use of Tiana's claptrack and Gia's opera was clever, loved that, 9/10

[Syndicate]

I'm seeing a lot of people questioning Angelo's behavior where Cookie is concerned. What are we to make of it? I'm wondering if he's slowly and methodically trying to hurt and ultimately destroy Cookie for something she may have done to someone Angelo loved or cared about. I mean let's be honest, Cookie and Lucious must have stepped on quite a few toes during their rise to the top.

[phoenics]

On 10/14/2016 at 4:17 PM, withanaich said:

The worst part is, she tried! She tried to make a run for her ride but he stopped her, which makes his lie of omission extra shitty. I think he looked sort of amused when she showed up dressed incorrectly. Like he liked the fact that people were going to misunderstand, and that it might cause a commotion. No regard for how Cookie, a real person, felt about being involved in this little ploy. Maybe instead of sowing his wild oats before running for mayor, he's using Cookie in his bid for mayor, like, "Look how real I keep it, poor constituents, I brought a hooker to the opera." Because of course Cookie looked damn good, but in that venue, in a tiny little tight red dress, everyone was going to think she was a prostitute and Angelo knew it. If they don't intend for him to be a villain, then they need to make better choices about the way they're writing him. 

I think they do intend for him to be a villain of sorts.  Basically they are setting him up as a foil to Lucious.  Lucious was the guy from the hood who was up to no good but who fed her music spirit.  And she left the "good guy" who probably ended up like Angelo to chase after Lucious when she was younger.  Yeah, she married Lucious and had 3 kids with him and together they built Empire, but at the same time, she ended up going to prison for 17 years.

Cookie seems to be working through her regret of not choosing the good guy back when she was younger - and Angelo reminds her of him.

The thing is, the show appears to be illustrating that Cookie may be wealthy and all but she still doesn't fit into the world of Angelo and his bougie friends.  And Angelo set her up to be humiliated for his own amusement and political gain.

Just like Alex Rodriguez's character last year who looked like the good guy at first but was then revealed as a bad guy so Lucious could dispatch him, we're probably going to see the same thing with Angelo once he reveals that he looks down on Cookie when the chips are down.

[Joimiaroxeu]

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It's dumb but I was waiting for Jamal and his ptsd therapist to uh dot dot dot.

I started singing the refrain to Sexual Healing and then had a good laugh when Cookie mentioned the very song later in the show. The connection must've been obvious to people behind the scenes too.

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the three way with Ghost Rhonda.

When my mind immediately went to the Righteous Brothers singing Unchained Melody. That would have been hilarious as background music. Nessa, you in danger, girl.

[thuganomics85]

Finally got around to this and I'm glad I remained unspoiled, because holy crap!  Andre had a threeway with Nessa and..... Ghost/Hallucination Rhonda.  Yeah, that happened.  Well, at least Ghost Rhonda understands that he can't remain celibate for the rest of his life, but I hope she doesn't' plan on joining in every one of his future sexy times, or that might get a bit awkward for him.  As much as I feel bad for Rhonda, I kind of am getting a kick out of all of this and Kaitlin Doubleday seems to be having a ball with this.

If I'm understanding this correctly, Lucious and Freda were actually in cahoots and playing Jamal in order to get her released and declared insane? I had predicted that Lucious was the one who sent the prisoners to beat her up, but she was in on it?  Ouch, poor Jamal!  Lucious sure did love rubbing it in his face that Jamal pulled a "Lyon" move, by bribing that doctor.  Classic Lucious!

I'm not sure if he was being sincere or not, but there is something about Angelo that makes me think he will end up not being good.  The ultimate soapy theory for me is that these flashbacks about Cookie and Barry aren't just a "history repeats itself" theory, but that Angelo IS Barry.  It would make absolute zero sense, since being a councilman would have had him vetted to the extreme, but I can almost see it happening.  Barry's long revenge!  But I'm guessing it will just be something else that makes him be wrong for Cookie.

Hakeem, you silly little idiot!  I saw Shyne's stunt coming a mile away.  Hakeem tries so hard, but he really doesn't seem to be cut out for this.

Shyne really is an asshole.  He is all about beating up people, but when someone finally punches back and beats his ass, he pulls a gun on him. Then, when he rightfully gets an even bigger ass-kicking, he all "This is war!", even though he was the one who escalated this damn thing. Lucious may be the devil, but I so want him to take Shyne down.

Glad they're just using Tiana this go around, even if her story isn't completely grabbing me yet.

I know baseball is big and everything, but making this show go on break seems like a bad idea.  I feel like it's been building momentum compared to last season, but a big break could hurt it.

[tennisgurl]

As much as I love baseball, this cannot stand! You cannot take my Empire from me! Ghost sex people! Ghost three ways! Can baseball give you that? I think not! 

Really good episode, a part of an excellent season. I am worried, however, that they might lose steam. 

[Happytobehere]

8 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

As much as I love baseball, this cannot stand! You cannot take my Empire from me! Ghost sex people! Ghost three ways! Can baseball give you that? I think not! 

Really good episode, a part of an excellent season. I am worried, however, that they might lose steam. 

Well, if it helps any, Empire not airing this week is due to the final presidential debate, not baseball and with the way that sideshow is going, I wouldn't be surprised if we get a political version of ghost sex, so you can look forward to that.

Edited October 17, 2016 by Happytobehere

[Tara Ariano]

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

Empire Gets Operatic

La Bohème (and Antonio) get Cookie's juices flowing.

[Bo-Peep22]

This episode really reminded me of just how much I miss Rhonda. She was just so loyal and caring towards Andre beyond reason (plus she didn't allow Lucious to speak to her in any sort of way he felt like.) The threesome seen around the world was actually sort of tragic for me to watch because Andre just seems so...lost without Rhonda in his life. 

I know it's been mentioned before that she's the one who really took care of the household and making sure that Andre was "ok" every morning but it's starting to seem like Andre just has no idea who he wants to be now that she's no longer there to support him. (Physically) He seems to be bouncing in between being his Dad's lackey and being an uppity businessman at the moment. 

 For now I'm just gonna hope beyond hope that Angelo doesn't turn into the huge tool I'm thinking he will. I like his relationship with Cookie-so far-and the fact that Cookie just looked so happy with him (it's nice.) 

Everytime Jamal gets really close to a guy it just makes me wish Michael were still around. 

[Dee]

If there is one thing I'm glad about, it's that Michael is long gone.

Rafael De La Fuente could not act and Jamal has far outgrown Michael.

[jhlipton]

On 10/12/2016 at 10:02 PM, ZaldamoWilder said:

How do we feel about the hiphopera?

I wish they would have used it more, like Dido's part in Stan.

On 10/17/2016 at 3:42 AM, thuganomics85 said:

Glad they're just using Tiana this go around, even if her story isn't completely grabbing me yet.

I was very glad that the two BOYS fighting over her didn't impress her at all.  She will love who she wants and not who "wins".

[Mrs OldManBalls]

On 2016-10-12 at 10:01 PM, Gillian Rosh said:

The way Lucious uses people against themselves is just diabolical. First Andre, then Jamal. Someone's got to take him down.

You's figure that everyone would see it coming. It's what Lucious does time and time again.  "Fool me once..."

On 2016-10-12 at 10:02 PM, ZaldamoWilder said:

Ohmydays, it just occurred to me why Lucious is so familiar - he's black J.R. Ewing.

He is and I love it! If only Larry Hagman were still alive so there could be some sort of cross-over with Empire and Dallas.