Empire Season 2

I am loving this show. Love the musical breaks & I'm getting a full-on education of what it is to be an activist & musician dealing with buying & selling dreams, or so I think--maybe maybe not. I njoy the guest star appearances from some real heavies in the biz, both musical & theatrical industry meshing so well. I didn't expect to love it so much. Some of it is very over the top, melodramatic but it really draws you in. The references to Shakespeare are very spot on, especially with the royal family bloodline & the inside & out plot that thickens with every episode. The flashback scenes are amazing, powerful to see the strong will & emotional battles inside struggling with the past and keeping up appearances-succeeding despite the hardships (but without them, where would we be? it inspires the viewer to embrace the past since it serves a higher purpose). So many layers in this show. It covers alot of ground. I think it could be even more controversial but just barely hits the mark-seems the writers don't want to upset the viewers too much with the ugly truth of injustice, corporatism, racism, sexism. The show plays it a little too safe and for laughs & glamour, which keeps it in the realm of soap opera rather than docudrama. Every raw, unspeakable, tragic event is neatly tied in a bow & tucked away without much consequence while the main characters keep recycling their old baggage and turning on each other, only to pop open a bubbly & say 'cheers! here's to us & the family-do or die, we will always forgive & forget cause we do like our bougie materialism more than we like being outcasts".

love cookie to deaaaaaaaaaath....and will always love lucious...I AM "ADDICTED" TO ALL OF THE CHARACTERS BUT "COOKIE" IS THE BIGGEST DRAW FOR ME. I am into her strength "big time". Cookie is like the strong woman in Lucious' life that he did not really see but now in S2,epi 13 Lucious is beginning to stare at Cookie as if he is just now seeing her for the very first time. If nothing else, which, it appears that Cookie would like and prefers: Lucious sees her as his partner. His partner!!! They are in this throll together. (I'm not sure Cookie wants Lucious as her man again but she does want her family to be together without all the fighting.)BUT I VEHEMENTLY OPPOSE COOKIE'S SUGGESTION TO LUCIOUS TO DO A ''TELL- ALL'' ABOUT HIS MOTHER AND HIS CHILDHOOD. I SUUPORT LUCIOUS ON THIS FULLY. THE VIDEO SHOULD JUST START WITH A LITTLE BOY WHO RAN AWAY AFTER HIS MOTHER DIED AND SLEPT UNDER A LION STATUE. HE DOES NOT NEED TO TELL ALL. (I CAN'T SEE THE POINT.)--MOAnd this...And this...And this....Is Lee Daniels going to go there....I mean: like WOW!!! Daniels have crossed some barriers with this production but did he just do an episode where Andre found out about his grandmother...and then go ape on his father for not telling him something that he thought he should know: some: CHILD-PARENT stuff! WoW, wow, wow. (Long overdue in American society.) Would Daniels dare touch this issue? Lucious Lyon was a kid with a different name. His mother had real problems. So Lucious, as a child, had some big problems. A terrible so-called "childhood". So, the trouble boy who grew up as a gangster had children, had sons, and he did what all parents try real hard to do: give their children better than what they had. And Lucious thought his son would grow out of his problem. But he didn't. They say it's an illness. Well. That's a good reason for him not to be head of EMPIRE, but, with his meds he may do better than Hakeem who wants to be a boy-king.So Daniels is touching on a lot of stuff. A lot of stuff. A very mature production with believable characters.

I am one of those viewers who, at the onset of season one, has tuned in weekly, and more often twice weekly, into this artistic representation of classic gumbo that tastes and feels so, so good. Though seemingly grounded in hip-hop culture infused by urban rhythm, Empire is, I understand, influenced by William Shakespeare’s King Lear. I keep asking myself as a lover of Shakespeare’s plays and Empire’s poetic stuttering of complex themes, images and relationships, a rhetorical and interrogative question: Why? Empire is avant-garde art: it is an artistic experiment integrating urban and classical literature. At times, watching Empire is a tug of war between the sophisticated conscious and the authentic subconscious attempting to comprehend humanity’s ugly and beautiful in family relationships and life—at the same time.I suppose this is the answer to my own “WHY"!

I really enjoyed the first season of Empire. Unfortunately, the second season started to head in a low-class-exploitation-film direction film for a while. For a example, the lady D.A.'s entire character, wardrobe, dialogue, and weird sexually charged vendetta against Luciuos was cartoonish and painful to watch. Much of the second season plot seemed rather rushed and Cookie's wardrobe went from Urban Street couture to "OMG-is-she-SERIOUS?" Having said that, Cookie is my absolute favorite character, and she and Porche, and their total lack of social filters, are what keep me coming back.The newest episodes, since the return, seem to be more well thought out and less rushed. The plot points are more logical and less salacious and thrown in for the sake of shock and awe. As for wardrobe: I understand why Hakeem dresses the way he does. It's urban/street/hip-hop couture I suppose. Though it is often hideous to me, it fits his persona and age. But Cookie, some days, shows great urban style that is fresh and fitting a confident sexy music industry exec. Sometimes, however, her outfits are just busy, over-the-top and unflattering. Taraji Henson is a stunning woman with a great figure and vibrant personality. She portrays "Cookie" with style and her own type of class. I hope the writers and producers continue to up their game (and please elevate Cookie's wardrobe game).

Empire: The Complete Second Season [DVD ]Good entertainment, enjoyed season one with various appearances from A-List Celebs throughout, looking forward to watching this season. Empire: The Complete Second Season [DVD

Poor storyline

THIS IS OK NOT AS GOOD AS SEASON ONE AND A BIT SLOW AT THE START BUT GOT BETTER NEAR THE END STILL WORTH WATCHING BEFORE SEAON THREE

Perfect blend of family drama, business and music. A must see for anyone who love R & B

Great