Empire S2, E6: “A High Hope for a Low Heaven”

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(spoilers ahead)

The Prince is in emotional peril this week on Empire, having to contend with what his father Lucious has branded a “smash and grab” ransom kidnapping due to his high profile status. Jamal’s big brother instinct kicks in and he offers to join his parents in the search for the missing Hakeem, but Lucious refuses to let him come along, due to the same reason that made his younger sibling a target.

A deal is eventually made for his release, but not without receiving a nasty shiner over his right eye and severe damage to both his psyche and ego. Luckily for Anika, she’s coincidentally in her former beau Hakeem’s vicinity later, and in his desire for some instant comfort he goes to town all over Boo Boo Kitty with kisses and glomping, all in broad daylight.

The writers are fairly vague as to the possibility of anything else that may have happened to Hakeem during his ordeal. You could perhaps chalk that up to the rapid pace of the show in general or just Daniels and Strong wanting to stir the pot a little, your guess is as good as mine. Either way, the youngest Lyon isn’t willing to open up to the others regarding details, and tries to power through his rehearsals with Menage-a-Trois for a big upcoming performance. However, it’s made apparent through some distorted visuals and audio that Hakeem doesn’t have all of his gears and motion, and the only thing he’s able to properly focus on is K.O.ing a nearby mirror.

 

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In what at first seems like a genuine effort to help Hakeem overcome his anxiety, ace promoter Laz suggests to Cookie they form a truce with his kidnappers and assimilate them into Lyon Dynasty with a good deal- in the way a number of 90’s artists who dealt with shakedowns had, he argues. Hoping to help both her son and her new fledgling label, Cookie reluctantly agrees. During the warehouse meeting, what follows is perhaps both one of the most dramatic confrontations of the season to date and some of Henson and Gray’s better performances, as Hakeem whips out a pistol at the Longhorn boys in a fit of rage. Cookie emotionally talks him down, then flashes her own Nina at the gang in the midst of a “don’t mess” Mama Bear moment.

Empire itself isn’t without its own marketing misadventures this week, because the newly baptized Andre has some new ideas for the main label’s direction- namely the promotion of J-Poppa, a faith influenced rapper and Becky’s current flame. His debut at the Leviticus club meets with raised eyebrows, clashing badly with the street inspired Gutter Life artists also billed. The Lyon head sends out Freda Gatz as an example of what he wants to market, but Andre isn’t impressed with her kicking a heckler in the face.

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Despite expressing his frustration over Empire marketing him as a gay artist specifically, Jamal does more to quell drama this week than create it himself. Maybe it was the constructive meeting he held with Jamieson, a prominent David Geffen-esque producer (William Fichtner, I guess fresh off from being fired by the Shredder) that put him in better spirits. Either way, it’s him and Andre who order their squabbling parents out of the dressing room and eventually break through their troubled brother’s defenses, getting him to finally open up about his shattered confidence. The three Lyon sons have a sweet bonding moment, and Hakeem is able to overcome his fears and help Menage-a-Trois tear the house down. Overall, he’s had a solid arc these past three episodes that signal at further growth for him down the road.

Meanwhile, Cookie and Laz have a late night fling to unwind after this week’s whirlwind, but in the heat of the moment she doesn’t notice the odd markings on her lover’s back…

Odds and Ends

– I love that club name, “Leviticus”. Lucious’s homophobia is so over the top, it’s like Lee Daniels wanted to put as many qualities he found repellent into one villain.

– Jamal’s song this week may be hinting at some future drama involving Michael. There’s still the whole Chase One business that hasn’t been emotionally resolved yet. Also, all of his interactions with Becky are so cute and charming I can’t stand it.

– So it’s only a matter of time before Cookie gets wise to Laz pulling a fast one on her. How she discovers it will be potentially interesting, as the writers so far have kept a good balance of keeping her in peril without making her look foolish or helpless.