We were so excited that “Empire “has returned to the small screen and we get to bring the Lyons right into our living room every Wednesday night at 9 p.m. on Fox again (at least for the next several weeks). The episode definitely did not disappoint. It came with all the drama Cookie and Lucious Lyon left off last season but more! Sex, fighting, drugs, music for a minute I didn’t know if I was watching a scripted Lee Daniels’ television series or an episode of “Love & Hip Hop.”
I had the pleasure of attending Tobias Truvillion’s viewing party hosted by Fox and D Major (Truvillion’s character on “Empire”) in the heart of Beverly Hill’s at the District by Hannah, a restaurant.
Hollywood producers, stylists, tastemakers, designers, actors and even Mary Wilson from the Supremes who did look simply amazing was in the house! There were big screen tv’s everywhere and the bar was filled with $20-25 cocktails. We had complimentary passed hors d’oeuvres, a raffle with phenomenal expensive prizes; and I was really elated that everyone respected the show and piped down during the “Empire” scenes.
Meanwhile, speaking of scenes, we were entertained during the first half of the show by an “Empire” performance from Nessa (Sierra McClain) and, of course, Cookie wouldn’t be Cookie if she didn’t pull one of her many dastardly deeds and have Hakeem (Bryshere Gray) and Tiana (Serayah) crash the show.
Then next thing you know Lucious gets a call that Jamal (Jussie Smollett) has left rehab and he and Cookie leave the Empire performance only to find Jamal is secretly recording in the studio with his new BFF he met from rehab named Tory (Rumer Willis, daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore).
Remember the season left off with Andre saying he wanted to kill Lucious? If looks could kill when Lucious put his hand on Andre’s shoulder during his speech. I couldn’t quite tell where that was going, but I’m sure that look will be explained later. I don’t know if the part of the season opener that left everyone speechless was when Lucious had the audacity to sit in that meeting and in front of Cookie he brings in his “wife” Anika (Grace Gealey) who we’ve come to know as Boo Boo Kitty and makes this woman the head of A&R for Empire; or what he said that preceded announcing her title. To address her as his “wife” technically was correct, but his “muse” and calling her the DNA of this company was definitely a dig to Cookie.
Or was the real gag when Cookie (Taraji P Henson) immediately left the meeting and commenced to get her Ice Cube (Straight Outta Compton) re-enactment on and pick up her baseball bat to bash every record hanging in Lucious’ office that she had something to do with? The grand finale was bashing his home piano (his prized possession). Couldn’t you just feel Cookie’s pain, blood sweat, tears and the 17 years she spent in jail taking one for the team during that scene?
Wow, I can’t wait until next Wednesday to see how this pans out. I only hope the Cookie character hasn’t taken its toll on Taraji P. Henson in real life as we learn that she may be ready to walk away from “Empire” for good. Would there be any interest in Lucious without Cookie?
What do you think about last night’s ending? Check out the viewing party gallery as well.
