Empire - S1E4 - False Imposition
Previously on Empire, ‘The Devil Quotes Scripture’
This week Jamal learns the struggle is real, Tiana joins Team Cookie, and Lucious’ old manager threatens to bury Empire and everyone in it.
Cookie’s Best Line: “You need to stop rapping like you’re from the streets, because you ain’t about that life,” she snapped at Hakeem.
Lucious B. Lyings: As he rubbed the fabric of Cookie’s dress, Lucious cooed, “I did some things that I had to do in order to make sure that when you got out, you would have all of this stuff.”
Number of times you wanted to slap Hakeem: Oh, let me count the ways. Hakeem wants to be as big a superstar as rapper Titan, but doesn’t want to put in the work. He skipped dinner with his mother and Tiana, where they were supposed to iron out the details of Takeem’s Teen Choice performance. Instead he took a bubble bath with his cougar Camilla, knowing Tiana had a key to his place. Why is there a hot tub in the living room?
Most triflin’ character: Bill Baretti (Judd Nelson), the owner of Lucious’ first label, showed up to Club Leviticus claiming to be responsible for all of Lucious’ success. He put his name on the credits to Lucious’ original songs, and continues to make money from them. Now he wants Lucious to cancel Empire’s IPO. Beretti threatened to dig up the dirt from Lucious’ past and “bury the Empire and everyone in it.” The only good thing he said was that he was going to change the name of Leviticus to “Cookie’s.”
Health check-up: Lucious started to visibly shake while shaving, which led him to reveal his diagnosis to Boo Boo Kitty. We learn that his doctor told him he has 3 years at best.
Who should jump the line for relationship counseling: Andre needs to deal with some paternal burdens. We saw a flashback of him hiding a gun for his father, and now he’s provided a false alibi for the night of Bunkie’s murder. You don’t have to carry it all, Andre.
Lee Daniels Extraness: Apparently, The Nation killed Lucious’ father. Why, Lee?
Best Minor Character moment: The Black women in the board room who were trying not to giggle when Cookie burst in talking trash to Boo Boo Kitty.
Least subtle reference to a real celebrity: Bill Baretti as every white owner of a 1950s soul music label.
The BET award goes to: “Keep It Movin”’ by Takeem (Seraya McNeill and Yazz).
Most unbelievable moment: It wasn’t the drive-by at the diner; it was Jamal giving that check back to Lucious. Sure, you don’t want his money, but this is payment for a performance, not a handout. You need that check to buy some Combat Source Kill Max for that pest problem in your apartment.
What did you all think of this episode?
