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Empire returned from its midseason hiatus Wednesday with its first episode since Jussie Smollett‘s February arrest for allegedly orchestrating his own hate crime. And it was weird.
In something of an eerie coincidence (considering “My Fault is Past” was shot months before the embattled actor’s alleged attack on the streets of Chicago and subsequent dismissal from Season 5), the episode’s plot found Jamal enduring crises on multiple fronts.
“I don’t know if you’ve been reading the blogs, but it’s been kind of a tough week,” Jamal lamented to an enthusiastic, standing room only crowd at his high school alma mater after wrapping up an impromptu performance midway through the episode. Pre-scandal, the line would’ve breezed by like a speck of dust. Post scandal, however, the line — and the moment that surrounded it — packed a discomforting punch, the unintentional parallels impossible to ignore. (Smollett himself headlined a similarly intimate comeback-themed concert in the immediate aftermath of The Incident.)
The triumphant display arrived in the in the wake of Jamal discovering that the Lyon family’s arch nemesis, Jeff Kingsley, is actually Lucious’ son (and thus his long-lost half brother). And it preceded his presumed breakup with fiancé Kai, who stormed out after Jamal refused to put his lover before his lineage. Standing alone in the apartment, the weight of the loss suffocating him, Jamal broke down.
To be fair, Jamal was not the only member of the Lyon clan having the worst week ever. The news of Kingsley’s parentage gave Andre a brain hemorrhage. It also sent Cookie into a bit of a spiral, leading her to confront the ailing crack addict who birthed Lucious’ bastard child from hell. But instead of feeling anger toward “White Tracy,” Cookie was overcome with empathy. She saw in Kingsley’s ma something of a kindred spirit: another woman wronged by Lucious.
“Empire was built on drugs, Lucious,” Cookie tore into Lucious, her epiphany taking shape before her eyes during the episode’s closing scene. “On people’s pain. My pain. Jamal’s pain. My sister’s pain. And we keep coming back to it over and over and over again like a junkie chasing that first high… We did bad things Lucious. And it’s coming back.”
What did you think of Empire‘s first episode of 2019? Were you able to separate Smollett’s real-life drama from the reel drama? Hit the comments!
With all due respect, you are encouraging the trolls and the haters to interrupt our weekly discussion. :) I’ve loved your writings since the soap days, and consider myself an Aushole, but I think you may be stretching the “life imitates art” to up your article stats. PLEASE go back to the non-sensationalized coverage, and stop facilitating trial by social media…please. :)
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I found this a pretty “meh” episode to be the hiatus-breaker. Glad they got Empire back, and loved Cookie’s speech at the end, which Lucious rudely interrupted, and I’;m glad to see Cookie FINALLY maturing.
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But it’s always the sons who pay for the sins of their father…or the wives. When is it time for Lucious to get some comeuppance? I am tired of the scumbag always coming out on top, and reveling in the fact someone ELSE will take the fall for his crimes. He needs more than the loss of that leg.
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I’m thinking more and more it is Kai in that coffin. Lucious was so proud of beringing him down to their level, something that broke up his son’s relationship in the end. But I’m still hoping it is Kingsley. That character has made the show lose its spark in too many ways.
Naw. I hope we keep Kingsley. He’s fun.
You know, if we lose Andre, the only “biz oriented” son, Kingsley trying to bond w/ Daddy as the new Andre could be interesting. And I don’t dislike Kingsley as much as I disliked Eddie.
Ugh. Eddie was just bad. Awful story too. This show writes villains too cartoonish.
I hope they don’t lose Andre. I think Jamal might leave to be with Kai. Than Lousious will be down one son. But it will be interesting to see Andre and Kinsley competing for Louious ‘s attention. On the other hand neither Andre, nor Kinsley sings. So if they write out Jamal they will not just be losing one brother, but a singer as well.
I think it’s a safe bet that no matter Kai’s fate, Jamal will be in London for the last 2 eps. ;)
I feel like a great new possibility has opened up with the truth about Kingsley or should i say Jeff Lyon…we got the Brain, Andre..Jeff the Tech Guru..Jamal the singer…and Hakeem the rapper. Lucious produced an All-Star team. I hope its his mom or someone else he loved. I want all the boys to stay. I was mad at Jussie at first buy now i feel for him. He should just admit what he did was wrong and beg forgiveness if its tru.
Another site reported today that it is NOT Cookie or Becky in the coffin…
I love empire in all the actors jussiet smollett is a graet actor we all have done lied were not perfect so let him be bring him him back i look forward to seeing him
Please not Kingsley! Right now the most interesting of the Lyons sons. And the best actor among them.
Lucious did get his comeuppance. He lost his memory, he lost his business and let’s not forget he lost his leg.
To quote my comment: He needs more than the loss of that leg. No one forgot. ;) And they lost Empire for all of 10 minutes, and he was faking A LOT of that memory loss so he could keep being Lucious the Duplicitous. Despite EVERYTHING he’s done for Cookie, she once again ensured Lucious would never truly be “broke” with that condo. No…in the final act, Lucious needs to pay BIG TIME. For Bunky…and the rest.
This is bull. People are only giving the mid season premiere an “F” because of Jussie. They’re punishing the show for his actions. Don’t punish the other actors and the show because of him if you’re just here to grade it as an “F” for that reason.
I love empire and it not going to be the same without jussie I look at it they started as a family they should finish as a family my heart go out to cookie it was a very good night every time it get better and better
well said
I look forward to seeing empire. Jamal made a bad decision, a mistake. We all have. Done of us are in any position to judge. And my thought on this is a lot of us have none worse things than lie to the police. It was one episode why does everyone have to be so mean and pick out everyout tells he told and come up with 16 charges? All the wrong you law enforcer do. I hope who ever making these decision will find it in your hard heart not to be so hard on him and hurt him more. I believe that’s sorry that this went so far. Not the first person that told a lie or reported untruth to the police. Don’t use him as a example. He’s going through some things. Find out what it is and help him . Don’t ruin his life. Don’t turn your back on him. He ‘s young and has such a promising future. Empire will not be the same without him. A couple shows Scandal and How to get away with murder I no longer watch. But empire please renew and I will watch it for as long as it’s on. And I would hope and pray that Jamal will be there. I’m sure he has learned something from this. He feels bad enough without everyone beating him down. It’s a cold lonely world out here. He needs our support. Not our holy and righteous judgment. You have mine. He was encourage to report this. It just got out of hand, he was calling out for help. I know how it feels for everyone to turn there back on you. And I done nothing. Just because a family member made the decision to make up lies about me. And people spread those lies because they wanted it to be true. Such a pain I would not want anyone else to feel. We need to learn how to mine our own business and keep other people business out of our mouth. You don’t really know what happen. Stop speaking what you don’t about. Don’t need your 2 cent worth. If you don’t have something good to say don’t say anything. I’m praying for you Lamar even if this never reach you. The Lord knows what’s in my heart for you. And he’s a God of a second chance. Lamr tell him what you need. He has the final say so. Looking forward to Empire continuing and Lamar being there playing his part like no one else can. May God Blessings Be Upon.
One of the best spin cycles i believe I’ve ever read, or tried to make sense of.
lol…The actor or the character? What you say about “Jamal” could apply to either. ;)
This may sound superficial but I could not take Cookie seriously at the end with that green lipstick! It was so distracting!
lol…I was wondering if there was some new trend of matching your lipstick to your dress, or if Cookie was celebrating St Paddy’s Day!
LMFAO. A long lost half brother?
So glad I ditched Empire during Season 2.