Episode four of “Empire” has been met with lukewarm reviews but one storyline that is intriguing is Lucious’ childhood flashbacks that showcase his mother’s (played by Kelly Rowland) struggle with bipolar disorder. Starting a conversation about mental illness could be Daniels’ most provocative angle yet, especially with the topic popping up in headlines everywhere from the presidents Oregon address to Soulja Boy’s recent Twitter rant, to even actor Terrence Howard’s personal struggle etc. Mental illness is a touchy subject in the Black community and Daniels’ efforts to face it head-on should be applauded.
Bipolar disorder is defined as a disorder associated with episodes of mood swings ranging from depressive lows to manic highs. There are over three million yearly cases of bipolar disorder diagnosed and many more go unreported, according to clinical psychologist Dr. Raushannah Johnson-Verwayne, also known as Dr. RJ.
Lucious’ flashbacks allow us to see a vulnerable child who is at the mercy of his mother’s mysterious illness. Aside from the flashbacks, the audience doesn’t get a chance to see Lucious show vulnerability so it’s presented as a not so subtle key to unlocking the mystery that is the main character. It also explains why Lucious is so worried about his grandson being affected by his son Andre’s bipolar disorder.
“Mental illness, specifically bi-polar disorder is genetic and can be transferred from parent to child,” says Dr. RJ. She also suggests that part of Lucious’ paranoia could be that he struggles with the disorder himself but because of his personality traits he has been able to overcome some of the tell-tale signs while his Andre is unable to do the same. “The character Lucious’ behavior suggests that he is dealing or has dealt with mental issues himself, which could be part of the blame for his continuous criminal behavior,” Dr. RJ explains.
While Lucious’ son and mother are the only characters that are labeled as having mental illnesses, Dr. RJ’s conclusion that Lucious too suffers from the disorder offers another dimension to the storyline. It’s also interesting because while no one would suggest Howard doesn’t do a bang-up job of playing the maniacal tyrant that the public loves to hate; Howard has had his own public struggles with mental issues and violence that render his portrayal eerily on point. Howard has had at least six instances of domestic violence charges lodged against him along with several instances of attempted suicide and recorded instances of behavior that would support the profile of a patient battling bipolar disorder.
In 2013, a police report showed erratic texts from Howard to his ex-wife, Michelle Ghent. Howard’s texts allegedly read, “If this is goodbye, then I hate everything and will now use my gifts to destroy mankind. I will become Satan Himself! You were my last chance to love. I will now Hate in all things and seek my vengeance upon Humanity for all the wrongs ever done to me!! You just killed the last grain of light within me. Now the darkness has begun! I hate all things because of you! The Antichrist is Here!”
Hopefully, Daniels’ “Empire” will shed much-needed light on bipolar disorder, and if Howard himself struggles from the disorder, perhaps his accurate portrayal will act as a form of therapy.
