Fox’s new drama “Empire” is set to air its pilot Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015, and viewers can expect a story well worth their DVR space. The show comes to us from Academy Award nominee Lee Daniels and Emmy Award winner Danny Strong, and this sexy, powerful drama has style, substance, and a soundtrack tailor made by Timbaland. With a strong foundation of production, it’s only fitting to have a cast just as talented.
Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) is the CEO of Empire Entertainment and a hip-hop mogul who is a former drug dealer, with all the money, power, and fame anyone could ask for. Lucious’ throne is threatened when he is diagnosed with ALS and is told he has three years left before he is crippled and incapacitated. This information leaves him to decide which of his three sons will acquire his dominion after his illness takes over. His eldest son, Andre, played by Trai Byers, is a Wharton-educated business man who has had his eyes on the throne since his adolescent years. Andre is currently the CFO of the company and has the business sense, but lacks the essential charismatic personality and celebrity status needed uphold the image of a music mogul. Jussie Smollett plays the middle son, Jamal, who has the potential to be a musical phenomenon but doesn’t desire the spotlight. Because he is homosexual, Jamal is constantly seeking his father’s acceptance, attention and love. The youngest of the Lyons is Hakeem, played by newcomer Bryshere Gray, and he is the quintessential socialite who desires the fame and constantly indulges “rich kid” lifestyle of sex, alcohol, and partying. Hakeem is a musical superstar in the making, but battles with creative differences with his father.
As the sons are preparing to compete against each other, their mother, Cookie (Taraji P.Henson), is released from prison after a 17-year bid. Cookie returns home to a husband that divorced her while she was in prison, three sons who barely know her, and she is determined to claim her half of Empire Entertainment. Cookie’s return strikes emotion and confusion among the family, and is the beginning of drama that is well worth watching.
Throughout the series, expect to see flashbacks of Lucious and Cookie in the early ’90s as young adults hustling to keep their family intact, while readying for Lucious’ first album that started the company. Between the cast, storyline, and amazing music to look forward to, Jan. 7 will be an entertaining day.
Story published by Jamisha K. Daniels
