The second episode of “Empire’s” second season was more ridiculous but also more focused than the season premiere.
‘Empire’
8 p.m., Wednesday, FOX
3 out of 4 stars
“She crazy. I love her,” Hakeem says of an auditioning female artist named Valentina (Becky G). He may be talking about the feisty Hispanic singer, but his words are more than a little applicable to the show itself. “Empire” crazy. But we love it.
Take, for example, the development that Luscious decides he wants to create an album from prison. A “Luscious Lyon joint from the joint,” he tells Jamal. Oh, no problem. His new lawyer friend will just sneak a laptop and some recording equipment into a convenient little room in the prison. Luscious will come in, lay down a track with his fellow prisoners who all somehow know how to work this equipment, and then they’ll get the recording back outside, even if they have to beat it out of a new prison guard played by Ludacris. No big deal.
There’s the struggle with “Empire.” It’s not outside of its realm of possibility that a man in prison for murder will have the capability to record new music. Or that Ludacris will show up to show off his bad acting skills. But while you’re shaking your head at these ludicrous (forgive me) developments, the show is also doing what it does best: We get to see what the legendary Luscious Lyon is capable of for the first time as he produces music in prison that is infinitely better than what he was struggling to spit out as the head of a company. Going corporate will destroy an artist, while going back to his roots will save him.
On the outside, Cookie, Hakeem and Andre (and sort of Anika) are starting their own company, which is apparently going to be called Dynasty. I’m sorry, Lee Daniels. I know subtlety is not your thing (I mean, there was a character named Mimi Whiteman last week), but Dynasty? After there have been a million thinkpieces comparing “Empire” to the soap “Dynasty”? Was it necessary?
Anyway, the episode showcased these characters in their purest forms. All Andre wants is recognition and Empire, so he tries to get back in. Cookie can turn nothing into something, as she did with Empire, and as she is starting to do with Dynasty. Hakeem is an idiot who does what he wants when he wants to with no regard for consequences, whether it’s having a bubble bath with his new artist or leaking his album to the web, copyright laws be damned.
“Empire” succeeds when it balances the Lyons fending off the attacks of the outside world with them fighting amongst each other. Lately, it’s been a lot of the latter, but there were moments in this episode that reminded us that these people are, in fact, a family. Rhonda might have been pulling another Lady MacBeth moment with Jamal, but the two seemed genuinely sweet when discussing his future title of “Uncle Jamal.” And despite the fact that she lowered the reality of her new company on him seconds later, how quickly could Cookie get Jamal on her side by playing to his daddy issues and pinching his cheeks?
With Jamal fully in Luscious’ grasp and Andre clawing to get back in, it looks like Dynasty is just Cookie and Hakeem (and maybe Anika?) in an old warehouse for now. But they’ve got Tiana (“You’re on fire, mama”) and her new dance moves lined up, so big things have to be on the way right?
Except that Luscious’ prison beat is already tearing up the radio and his new lawyer, Thirsty, just got him out of prison. So what’s it going to be—Dynasty or Empire? The show isn’t called “Dynasty.”
Best lines of the week:
“Let me translate it for you, bitch.”
“I haven’t found my Beyonce, yet.”
“Nothing wrong with a couple JLos, so long as they can really sing.”
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“Rainbow Sensation.”
“Anika knows all about marketing. She made a whole career selling her ass.” / “As opposed to your stellar pharmaceutical career?”
Lauren Chval is a RedEye special contributor.