Empire
EMPIRE Rises Yet Again! Soapy Drama Passes 5.0 Rating and Garners 12.94 Million Viewers!
Courtesy/FOX
Fox’s hit soap opera, Empire continues to increase in key demo ratings, and adding viewers week after week with apparently no end in sight!
And after Wednesday’s night’s airing, which featured some blockbuster moments including: Cookie (Taraji B. Henson) and Lucious (Terrence Howard) having sex, and Anika (Grace Gealey) catching them! Lucious telling his family that he indeed has ALS, the scene with Andre (Trai Byers) in the shower post his dad revealing the severity of his illness, and brothers Jamal (Jussie Smollett) and Hakeem (Bryshere Gray) putting their differences aside in a musical showcase, the drama scored big with the TV audience … yet again!
According to The Hollywood Reporter: “Empire passed the lofty 5.0 rating and averaging a 5.1 rating among adults 18-49. That’s up up three-tenths of a point from the previous high last week, and it could easily still go up even more in final returns this afternoon. Viewership was also up a solid million to 12.94 million viewers.”
In it’s seventh episode, nothing is hotter on the television landscape than Empire, proving that a good delicious soap opera with a twist can work, and be powerful with the viewing audience in this day and age of so many channel and show choices.
What did you think of last night’s Empire? What was your favorite moment from it? Do you think Empire will set the tone for series to follow from other networks, and more primetime soaps will be created? Or, do you think Empire is such a special show with that once-in-a-lifetime across the board appeal? Share your thoughts below!
Breaking News
TEEN CHOICE AWARDS: ‘This Is Us’, ‘Empire’ & Actors Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz, Jussie Smollett Score Nods
On Wednesday, the nominees for those ‘way cool’ surfboard trophies at the upcoming 2018 Teen Choice Awards were revealed. The ceremony will air live on FOX on Sunday August 12th at 8/7c live from Los Angeles.
The awards voted on by fans for their favorites in television, movies and music kicked off the determination of the winners today. Fans have the chance to vote up to ten times a day on each platform: Twitter and at TeenChoice.com up until June 19. For Twitter, viewers can tweet a category hashtag along with the nominee’s name for the vote to be counted.
In the television categories, Riverdale and the just cancelled Shadowhunters led the nominations. but a few of your favorite primetime soapy dramas also came away with nominations in the major categories … This Is Us, and Empire. In addition, Sterling K. Brown (Randall) and Chrissy Metz (Kate) scored acting nominations for This Is Us, while Jussie Smollett (Jamal) received an acting nod for Empire.
Check out these main TV drama categories below and remember to vote.
Choice Drama TV Show (#ChoiceDramaTVShow)
Empire
Famous in Love
Riverdale
Star
The Fosters
This Is Us
Choice Drama TV Actor (#ChoiceDramaTVActor)
Cole Sprouse — Riverdale
Freddie Highmore — The Good Doctor
Jesse Williams — Grey’s Anatomy
Jussie Smollett — Empire
K.J. Apa — Riverdale
Sterling K. Brown — This Is Us
Choice Drama TV Actress (#ChoiceDramaTVActress)
Bella Thorne — Famous in Love
Camila Mendes — Riverdale
Chrissy Metz — This Is Us
Lili Reinhart — Riverdale
Maia Mitchell — The Fosters
Ryan Destiny — Star
So, which show from the nominees do you think the voters will chose for Choice Drama TV Show, Actor and Actress? Let us know in the comment section below!
Empire
EMPIRE Season Four Finale: A Wedding, Two Deaths … Maybe More!
On the season four finale of Empire, two deaths, maybe another, and a marriage, highlighted the twists and turns of the Fox hip-hop music soap opera.
First, Cookie’s (Taraji P. Henson) long time rival, Boo Boo Kitty aka Anika, played by Grace Gealey, took one of the more horrific signature tumbles that Empire is known for. Payback is definitely a bitch!
Courtesy/FOX
Andre (Trai Byers) spiked Anika’s champagne before her press conference when she announces she has taken over as CEO of “Empire.” While she is making her speech, she starts seeing visions of Rhonda, featuring Kaitlin Doubleday reprising her role. As she is speaking to the press, Anika is having hallucinations of Rhonda and her delusions reach epic proportions. Then, we watch Anika smash through glass and fall several floors below to her death. According to showrunner EP Greg Mahoney, Anika is truly dead.
But also, at the top of the hour, recovering junkie Tori, played by Rumer Willis, was rushed to the hospital. This was following an emotional confrontation with Jamal (Jussie Smollett). He visits her in the rehab center where she realizes she’s still got deep addiction issues. After, they have a talk, she tells him to watch out for himself, and that the Lyon family will bring him down, and he needs to find his own path in life. Later, Jamal comes back to see her, only to find out that she has suffered complications from a grand mal seizure, and has died. This prompts Jamal to go on a self-journey, and leave the Lyon’s nest for now.
Meanwhile, at the end of the episode, Cookie and Lucious (Terrence Howard), finally, finally after all the bickering … all the backstabbing … all the health issues … all the betrayals … went down to city hall to get re-married. This was a long time coming. It was a simple ceremony, but as with any Empire season finale, there was a major juxtaposition going on adjacent to the main scene, and this was also the case for season four’s final moments.
While Cookie and Lucious were getting married, the camera cuts to Hakeem (Bryshere Gray) and his baby mama Tiana (Serayah McNeill) getting ready to travel in a car along with white rapper Blake in tow, only to see that Blake’s racist father comes out of nowhere and attempts to assassinate Hakeem! We don’t know if anyone was struck … we don’t know if anybody died … we fade to black.
On the business end of things, Eddie, played by Oscar winner Forest Whitaker, won the “Empire” auction. He has forced the Lyon family to start from scratch as they no longer have the business that they spent years putting their blood, sweat, and tears into.
Courtesy/FOX
When TV Line asked showrunner Brett Mahoney about the shooting at the end of the episode and if it will lead to a third death, he said, “I won’t say. I will say that things won’t be the same between the four people that were involved in that.” Mahoney added that the early part of season five will focus on the Lyon family building a new empire. He teased, “Yes. But I think it’s going to be a much more difficult process than Cookie thinks it’s going to be. And it’ll tear at the relationship between Cookie and Lucious and the boys, in terms of trying to achieve that goal.”
So, what did you think about the season four finale of Empire? What did you think about who died? What did you think about Cookie and Lucious tying the knot? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Empire
EMPIRE Renewed For Season 5!
DAYS Freddie Smith and Alyssa Tabit Officially Engaged!
BIG BROTHER: Team FOUTTE Or Team Level 6?
GH’s Kathleen Gati and Michelle Stafford Deliver The Power Performance of The Week!
Jason Canela Reveals: “I’m Proud And Honored To Officially Be A Full-Time Member Of The Young and the Restless Family”
NASHVILLE: The Penultimate Episode Leaves Relationships On The Edge
GH’s Billy Miller Lands Role In Apple’s Upcoming Thriller Series, ARE YOU SLEEPING
DYNASTY’s Brianna Brown Is A New Mom!
BIG BROTHER RECAP: Bro-My-God! Brett Or Winston … Who’s Going Home?
Jordi Vilasuso Joins The Cast Of The Young and the Restless
25th Annual ESPYs Emotional Moments: Nassar Survivors, NFL Legend Jim Kelly, Marjory Stoneman Coaches Recognized
Dominic Zamprogna Speaks Out On His Decision To Leave GH, His Final Scenes With Emme Rylan & How Dante Exited The Canvas
Y&R Cliffhanger Friday: Victor and J. T. Come Face To Face?
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Hilary, Lily, Charlie … Car Crash!
GH’s Vinessa Antoine Lands Primetime Series Will Make Canadian TV History!
Jordi Vilasuso Joins The Cast Of The Young and the Restless
General Hospital Promo: Obrecht Decides It’s Time To End Peter’s Life, But Her Plans Go Up in Flames!
Jason Canela Reveals: “I’m Proud And Honored To Officially Be A Full-Time Member Of The Young and the Restless Family”
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Nick Has Been Masquerading As J.T. And Blindsides Victor
GH’s Billy Miller Lands Role In Apple’s Upcoming Thriller Series, ARE YOU SLEEPING
Does GH’s Margaux Have A Connection To Someone In Port Charles? If So, Who?
25th Annual ESPYs Emotional Moments: Nassar Survivors, NFL Legend Jim Kelly, Marjory Stoneman Coaches Recognized
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Hilary, Lily, Charlie … Car Crash!
General Hospital Promo: Obrecht Decides It’s Time To End Peter’s Life, But Her Plans Go Up in Flames!
B&B Preview – Week of July 16, 2016
Y&R Preview – Week of July 16, 2018
Y&R Cliffhanger Friday: Victor and J. T. Come Face To Face?
General Hospital’s Wedding To Die For: Will Michael’s Plan Succeed Or Be A Major Fail?
‘House Of Cards’ Robin Wright Breaks Silence On Kevin Spacey Dismissal
GH Promo: A Shocking Reunion, A Mystery Patient, A Legal Battle Heat Up The Summer!
B&B Preview – Week of June 18, 2018
General HospitalJuly 14, 2018Dominic Zamprogna Speaks Out On His Decision To Leave GH, His Final Scenes With Emme Rylan & How Dante Exited The Canvas
The Young and the RestlessJuly 12, 2018Y&R Cliffhanger Friday: Victor and J. T. Come Face To Face?
The Young and the RestlessJuly 18, 2018THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Hilary, Lily, Charlie … Car Crash!
Breaking NewsJuly 14, 2018GH’s Vinessa Antoine Lands Primetime Series Will Make Canadian TV History!
Breaking NewsJuly 19, 2018Jordi Vilasuso Joins The Cast Of The Young and the Restless
Breaking NewsJuly 17, 2018General Hospital Promo: Obrecht Decides It’s Time To End Peter’s Life, But Her Plans Go Up in Flames!
Breaking NewsJuly 21, 2018Jason Canela Reveals: “I’m Proud And Honored To Officially Be A Full-Time Member Of The Young and the Restless Family”
RecapsJuly 16, 2018THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Nick Has Been Masquerading As J.T. And Blindsides Victor
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There is still life in the genre – this show off the hook ! The writiing, the production and the cast esp Taraji P. Henson who basically steal the show as the tour de force Cookie !!! The watercooler show of the season !!!!
Just give Taraji the Emmy now.
Exactly…Don’t forget a few dozen roses to go along w/ the
golden statuette.
I had quite a few favorite moments. First, when Cookie reamed her two sons out doing rehearsal, second, when Lucious asked Cookie to give the speech because he knew she would do what was necessary. Loved to see how he still trusted her and her instinct while the others were not even concerned with his welfare. And Cookie KILLED on that stage and Lucious clapped afterwards and said those three little words. LOVED IT. My favorite scene was of course when Cookie and Lucious connected on the couch and afterwards, I’d been waiting for that. Taraji and Terrance have great chemistry and they made us want for that and they sure delivered. I loved it. I do think Empire is one of a kind; it would be nice to see more dramas like this but sadly some will just try to copy it and won’t pull it off and the others will be way over the top in a way that it is forcing reactions. But I guess time will tell.
It just might inspire others to follow but none may reach the popularity as Empire or Downtown Abby…to be a huge hit depends on a combination of many things…the writing, actors/characters ect., and most of all will viewers tune in…you can make a really great serial but it still depends mainly on the viewers to make it a hit…jmo
Just started watching it, and it is so good, the story lines are great, the acting is excellent. In fact the show was so good last night it seem to me at least that it had just started, and it had been on for a full hour, it is going to be my must watch on Wednesday nights!
Empire is unique in it’s storytelling, but the key is the diversity of it! There are many upon many stories to be told that has not been given the attention that is needed. Noone should try and “copy” Empire, but bring another unique story to light. People want to hear it!
Well done, Empire! I’ll have to catch up with this week’s episode on Friday.
I can’t wait! Cookie, Jamal, Lucious, Andre….all of them! I’ll post more when I watch the new episode.
Last night’s episode was another brilliant piece of Art. Every moment of the episode was my favorite. Empire might set the tone for series to follow from other networks, but they’ll never have what this show has, “the perfect cast”.
my favorite show right now
Had to laugh when Hakeem gave his gf that necklace with his name on it. So trashy.
Fave moment when Cookie and Lucious got busy!
If they keep the show on the track they have, it’s going to surpass this week-by-week. I just hope the summer break doesn’t kill the incredible momentum this series has.
I haven’t had an appointment show on the networks in a while. (Usually just AMC and HBO these days.) Love Jamal and boy can that man sing and move that cute little body of his!
Empire is a power play of actors..
The casting director should get huge praise for gathering the cast of Empire..
,,,, excellent casting ,,,,, !
Taraji was in talks with creator Lee Daniels and he suggested an
actor for the lead of Lucious, Taraji fired back by saying Terrence
would be perfect for the role,and if he was in so was she…
They’ve been friends a long time since Hustle and flow.
This show is absolutely fabulous!!!
Terrence and Taraji are MAGIC TOGETHER.
EMPIRE has been already been renewed for season two.
What amazes me is that there is something so endearing and fascinating about both of the leads, I really find myself already caring about these characters, similar to how I feel about the soap characters that I have watched for decades. When I heard the show was about the hip-hop industry, I thought there was no way I would enjoy it, but I’m so glad I gave it a chance. My favorite line of the night was when Cookie referred to Hakeem’s much older girlfriend as Yoko Ono. That was hilarious!
Fantastic show. I was hooked from episode 1 and it just keeps getting better & better.