Empire Review: Betrayal, Power Struggle & Revenge

empire

Empire Review: Betrayal, Power Struggle & Revenge!

Empire Review: Lee Daniels’ hip-hop family drama “Empire” stars Taraji Henson and Terrence Howard are entangled in a web of Betrayal, Power Struggle & Revenge.

Reviewed by Emilio Ricci:

You might think that the Fox’s new series “Empire” is similar to the Starz hit series Power executive produced by Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson, but it’s NOT.

“Empire” follows Empire Records’ gangster-in-chief, Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) who is lining up his heirs to the thrown before his life-clock stops ticking. His heath is supported by flashbacks to hospitals, exams and medical tests indicating something bad is going on. The series is straight out of a Shakespearian melodrama of Hamlet meets a touch of King Lear. Howard’s character Lucious decides to pit his three sons against one another in an effort to find the perfect heir. One that embodies celebrity as well as street knowledge and business. Empire records is on the verge of breaking new grounds becoming the first label to be traded on the stock market, but there are some dark secrets that Lucious has swept under the carpet. What his sons need to realize is that their father’s “Empire” is built on drug money and street life, plus or minus a few dead bodies and sacrifice.

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The oldest is Andre Lyon (Trai Byers of Selma, 90210 and Americons), the most ambitious and hard-working son, and a graduate of Princeton. Next is the most notably and naturally gifted son when it comes to making music is Jamal Lyon (Jussie Smollett), the only problem is that his father Lucious is ashamed of him because he is gay. The series uses flashbacks that reveal the Lyon family’s dysfunctional roots, his criminality and his brutal rejection of a young Jamal for being a “sissy”. Finally is the youngest son Hakeem Lyon (Bryshere Gray) the one who lives the part, but has no experience since his life is handed to him on a silver platter. Lucious believes he is the most gifted, but it’s Jamal that helps to inspire his brother’s talent. Lastly is Lucious and wife Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) who is released after a 17-year-stint behind bars and is ready to take what is rightfully hers.

The show centers around power struggle, back-stabbing and family betrayal to become the sole heir to the thrown of Empire Records. What stands in the way? Basically everything like Lucious love interest/girlfriend Anika, portrayed by newcomer, Grace Gealey. Anika is the head of A&R and is quickly becoming a roadblock for Cookies taking over. Her son Andre will stop at nothing to take over for his father and will do anything and everything possible to win, even if he has to sacrifice his brothers in the process.

The show touches on what goes down behind the scenes of a record label and the family involved, but this scenario can play out in any empire, where money, power and corruption is at stake. “Empire”, created by Lee Daniels (“Precious”) and writing partner Danny Strong (“The Butler”), basically chose to write about the hip hop industry since it’s the most relevant for TV viewers. However, the series depicts elements of Bad Boy Records or Rev Run Simmons and how his kids want to be rappers like their father. But like we pointed out “Empire” can take snippets from any hip hop family who has an empire. The series shows promise as well as lots of drama ahead for all the players involved, like Vernon Turner (Malik Yoba) an old player from back in the drug dealing days. He is now seated on the board and is gunning for position under a new rule by Lucious older son Andre.

The series has a lot going on with plotlines and many sub-storylines created by Strong and Daniels. As for the “Empire” soundtrack, it’s produced by rapper Timbaland.  Like the soundtrack, the series seems to play out like a cliché of stereotypical scenarios, but thanks to Terrence Howard’s engaging performance as rap mogul that will stop at nothing to protect his fortune and empire he built and Taraji P. Henson’s stellar performance and convincing portrayal of a woman done wrong. Howard and Henson have true charismatic charm, talent and onscreen chemistry that helps to ignite the series energy. Ms. Henson’s performance on “Empire” will keep viewers engaged because if she was NOT on “Empire” they might just turn the channel. Lucky for FOX, they’ve struck gold with Hollywood’s talented golden charm Taraji Henson, like Kerry Washington on “Scandal” or Viola Davis on “How to Get Away with Murder”. Taraji Henson can now be added to the list of power women on television. Like Henson, Terrence can be added as the new power men on network TV.

“Empire” premieres on Wednesday, Jan. 7, at 9 p.m. on Fox.

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