empire – The Double Scoop

Empire Season 2 Review

Author: Amy Nicole

To be quite honest I had completely lost interest in Empire after watching the first half of season two. The storylines were all over the place and I felt that the series was starting to lose its authenticity. My interest for the show returned after I watched the winter finale last December. The finale ended with a pregnant Rhonda getting pushed down the stairs.

When Empire resumed last month it was revealed that Rhonda had lost her baby. In a very emotional scene the whole family is crying and comforting Andre after he learns the devastating news that his child died. This scene in my opinion definitely shifted the tone of the show. I felt the series started to become more authentic again like it was in season one. Although the Lyons are a dysfunctional family, their love for one another is undeniable. I especially love the relationship that Cookie has with her sons.

The second half of the season touches on real and relatable issues. Rhonda struggles with her faith in God after she loses the baby which causes conflict between her and Andre. I thought this was a great topic to address because so many people deal with similar issues. People try to sugarcoat religious topics so it was great that Lee Daniels provoked this type of conversation.

Mental illness is also addressed more in this season. Andre suffers from bipolar disorder and he discovers that his grandmother had the same disorder. For years the family thought that Lucious’ mom Leah Walker was dead but they later find out she is still alive and that Lucious had been secretly paying to keep her confined in a mental health institution. Andre is outraged and has his grandmother released from the facility in hopes that they will be able to establish some type of bond due to the fact that they have the same mental illness.

What the family doesn’t know is that Leah has a more severe form of bipolar disorder. As a child Lucious was physically and mentally abused by her which sheds light on why he has the type of personality that he does. Lucious can come off as uncaring and flat out evil at times so by introducing his mother to the show you find yourself having more empathy towards his character.

I’m glad mental health was addressed more this season because in the black community we tend to overlook the severity of the disease and fail to seek professional help.

Although this season touched on some heavy topics there was still plenty of drama to keep fans in suspense. Anika reveals to the family that she is pregnant by Hakeem and Rhonda realizes that Anika is the one that pushed her down the stairs.

The finale leaves viewers with plenty of cliffhangers. Hakeem is left at the altar by Laura, and Lucious and Anika get married to prevent Anika from having to testify against him in court. Although this is only a business arrangement to help protect the family Cookie lets it be known that she is done with Luscious for good. The biggest cliffhanger happens at the very end of the episode. Rhonda attacks Anika while she is standing outside on the roof of a high building. As they wrestle back and forth hanging over the balcony the camera cuts to Andre as he runs out and screams with a look of horror on his face letting viewers know that one of the women have fallen to their death……. (Now that’s what you call a season finale)!

I definitely like the new direction the show seems to be going in for season three and I’m looking forward to tuning in when it returns in the fall!

THE FALL OF EMPIRE

Although Empire is still the most watched show on Fox there is no denying the drastic drop in ratings. Season one was engaging and suspenseful and kept viewers looking forward to a new episode each week. In season 2 it seems as though the director and writers are folding under pressure to maintain the same level of success. With the excessive use of celebrity appearances and unnecessary, explicit sex scenes it seems as though the show is more focused on shock value rather than quality content.

Despite the criticism of the show I was a fan of season one but I can’t say the same about this season. The music of the show is still dope but there isn’t enough creative content to keep me engaged. At times it even feels like I’m watching a bad urban soap opera. The writers also seem confused about which direction they want to take the characters. One character in particular is Anika. In season one Anika was beautiful, independent and headstrong. This season after cutting ties with Empire she engages in a sexual relationship with Lucious’ youngest son Hakeem which causes her to become overly obsessed with him. The show even reveals that she is pregnant by him. In my opinion this character change just doesn’t quite flow well with the show.

I will say that the winter finale did do a great job with leaving viewers in a state of suspense. When the show ended Andre’s pregnant wife Rhonda is pushed down the stairs and Luscious loses his Empire estate.

Empire resumes March 30 , 2016. Will you be tuning in?

Photo Credit: Vulture

Empire Season Finale Leaves Fans Eager For More

Author: The Double Scoop

Many people are suffering from withdrawals on Wednesday nights since the first season of Empire has come to an end. Whether you love the show or hate it people can’t stop talking about it. Over 16 million viewers tuned in to watch Empire’s season finale according to Nielsen, and the show is already set for a second season.

The two hour season finale was packed with so much fast paced drama and suspense that viewers didn’t have time to process everything. When you’re competing for money and power even your family and closest friends will become your enemies; there was a lot of backstabbing, jealousy, deceit and manipulation. Lucious found himself all alone from burning so many bridges with people close to him, but he fell back into good graces with Jamal (his least favorite son) and in turn Lucious gave him the key to the empire. Out of spite Andre and Hakeem are ready to see Lucious head to an early grave and even his most loyal supporter Cookie has a change of heart about Lucious after she discovers he is the one that killed her cousin Bunkie. When Lucious finds out that Cookie has been giving her “cookies” away to one of his top security officers (Derek Luke), he banishes her from the company that she helped build. The tables turn when Lucious is informed that he was misdiagnosed with ALS but before he can celebrate the good news he is arrested for the murder of Bunkie. Ironically the key witness to the murder (Vernon) is killed accidently by Andre’s wife.

Lee Daniels, one of the creators behind Empire has come under attack by some who criticize the show for promoting a negative stereotypical image of black people. The show gives viewers a peek into the dark side of the music industry; it shows how money, temptation and greed can destroy a family, and it also shows how hard an artist must fight to stay relevant and current in an ever changing industry. Aside from music the show also highlights topics such as homophobia and mental illness. In contrast to the negative criticism of the show, Empire shows a black man rise out of poverty to establish a successful million dollar company and in turn he has established something that he owns and can pass down for generations to come. The show also provides a platform for a diverse and talented black cast.

Fox Premieres Empire

Author: Ashley E.

The highly anticipated series Empire premiered last night on Fox. The show introduces us to Lucious Lyon (played by Terrence Howard), the head of Empire Entertainment. Lucious is aware that his business is not as profitable as it once was due to the changes in the music industry over the years. As he looks for other financial opportunities to keep his empire secure, he discovers that he has ALS and has an estimated 3 years or less to live. This is where the plot thickens. Lucious has to appoint someone to take over the business so he turns to his three sons to see which one can step up and fill his shoes. The brothers are as different as night and day. Hakeem and Jamal are both music artists and the oldest brother Andre chose to avoid the celebrity lifestyle altogether. Hakeem is young and reckless but Lucious makes it a priority to manage his youngest son’s career in an attempt to turn him into a mega star that will bring more money to his empire. Jamal is a very talented artist as well but because of his homosexual lifestyle, his dad looks upon him as the “black sheep” of the family. The oldest son is seemingly well rounded and responsible; however his lack of affiliation to the entertainment industry causes his dad to question his leadership.

Taraji P. Henson’s character Cookie ignites the show. The first episode shows her being released from jail after serving 17 years for selling drugs. When she gets out, she finds out a lot has changed with the empire she helped to establish, her 3 sons, and the man she once loved. She is back to remind Lucious that she sacrificed years of her life to help build the business and she wants her piece of the pie. The competition to take over the throne is in full throttle! Will the love of money and power cause a split in the family? We shall see.

It was also great to see Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard unite on the screen again. Ironically Terrence Howard’s character looked like he stepped out of a scene from Hustle and Flow. Henson and Howard co-starred in the 2005 film.