Empire is the kind of show that makes you feel smarter for watching it. Created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, the Fox drama premiered in 2015 and ran for six seasons before ending in 2020. It follows the Lyon family, owners of the Empire Entertainment Corporation, as they fight for control of the company after the patriarch, Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard), falls ill.
The show is a soap opera, a crime drama, and a family saga rolled into one. It is also a musical, with original songs performed live on set. The result is a cultural phenomenon that spawned memes, parodies, and endless watercooler chatter. It is also a deeply flawed show, one that relies on shock value and cheap melodrama as often as it delivers genuine emotional weight.
Terrence Howard and the Lyon Family
The heart of Empire is Terrence Howard’s performance as Lucious Lyon. He plays the aging CEO as a charismatic visionary who built the company from nothing. His illness drives the plot forward, and Howard carries the weight of a man who knows he is dying and wants to ensure his legacy survives him.
The supporting cast is equally strong. Taraji P. Henson plays Cookie Lyon, Lucious’s ex-wife and mother of three of his children. She returns to the family business after years away and immediately becomes a threat to her ex-husband’s plans. Henson’s portrayal is fierce and funny, and she anchors the show with a grounded energy that cuts through the excess.
Jesse Williams plays Jamal Lyon, the youngest son and a gay pop star. He is sensitive and artistic, but he is also deeply insecure and jealous of his siblings. Bryshere “Yazzie” Gray plays Olivia, the middle child and a lawyer. She is ambitious and calculating, willing to manipulate others to get what she wants.
The show also features a large ensemble of supporting characters, including the wives, mistresses, and friends who orbit the Lyon family. These roles are often underwritten, but the cast sells them with commitment.
The Musical Numbers
Empire is famous for its musical numbers, and they are a mixed bag. Some are genuinely excellent, with tight choreography and soulful performances. Others are clunky and feel forced into the narrative. The show uses music as a storytelling device, with songs often serving as character monologues or plot exposition.
The best numbers are the ones that feel organic to the moment. When Cookie sings about her return, or when Jamal performs a song about his relationship with his father, the music lands. The worst numbers are the ones that feel like filler, designed to showcase a guest star or pad the runtime.
The show’s use of music is also part of its broader aesthetic. It is glossy and over-the-top, with dramatic lighting and slow-motion shots. This style can be exhausting, especially during long stretches of conflict. But it also creates a distinctive visual identity that makes Empire instantly recognizable.
Soap Opera Formula
The show is unapologetically a soap opera. It borrows from daytime television, with its weekly cliffhangers, its focus on personal drama, and its tendency to recycle conflicts. This formula can be addictive, but it can also be repetitive. The same arguments about power, loyalty, and betrayal are repeated across seasons, with new variables added each time.
The show also leans heavily on shock value. Characters are routinely threatened, beaten, and betrayed. There are murders, attempted murders, and near-death experiences. These moments are often effective in the moment, but they leave a bitter taste when the dust settles.
The show’s reliance on conflict means that there is rarely a quiet scene. Even when the characters are not fighting, they are planning their next move. This constant tension can be thrilling, but it can also be exhausting.
Writing Flaws
The writing is where Empire falters most. The dialogue is often overwritten, with characters delivering speeches that sound more like stage directions than natural conversation. The show also has a habit of explaining things that should be shown. Characters will sit around a table and talk about what they are feeling instead of letting the audience see it.
The show also struggles with pacing. Some episodes are packed with information, while others drag. The show’s six-season run is long, and the later seasons feel bloated, with subplots that never fully resolve. The show’s final season, in particular, is rushed, with major plot points resolved in a single episode.
The show also has a problem with its villains. The antagonists are often one-dimensional, reduced to simple greed or jealousy. This makes their threats feel less dangerous, and it undermines the stakes of the conflict. The show’s attempt to make the villains sympathetic often fails, leaving them as caricatures.
Cultural Impact
Empire was a cultural juggernaut. It became a phenomenon, with its songs topping charts and its cast becoming household names. The show was also praised for its casting of African American actors in leading roles, a rarity in network television at the time. The show’s success opened doors for other shows with similar casts.
The show also faced controversy. Its handling of race and gender was criticized, with some arguing that it reinforced stereotypes. The show’s depiction of black wealth and privilege was also controversial, with critics arguing that it ignored the realities of economic inequality. The show’s creators defended their work, but the criticism persisted.
The show also had a significant impact on popular culture. Its songs were covered by other artists, and its style was emulated by other shows. The show’s influence is undeniable, even if its quality is debatable.
Legacy
Empire ended in 2020, but its influence continues. The show’s style has become a template for other dramas, with its mix of drama, music, and spectacle. The show’s legacy is complicated. It was a groundbreaking success, but it was also a flawed one.
The show’s flaws are real, but they are also part of its charm. The show’s excess is intentional, and it is what makes it entertaining. The show is not subtle, but it is confident. It knows what it is and it does not apologize for it.
The show’s strengths are also undeniable. Its performances are excellent, its music is often great, and its themes are relevant. The show deals with issues of inheritance, legacy, and family, all wrapped in a shiny package.
Verdict
Empire is a show that rewards attention but punishes patience. It is a guilty pleasure that is hard to deny. It is a show that is better in parts than as a whole, with its best episodes being excellent and its worst being mediocre.
The show is not a masterpiece, but it is a compelling one. It is a show that is worth watching, even if it is not worth praising. It is a show that deserves credit for its ambition, even if that ambition sometimes overshadows its execution.
The show’s score reflects this. It is a 7.2 out of 10, which is a fair assessment. The show is not perfect, but it is not a failure either.
Empire is a show that is worth remembering, even if it is not worth emulating. It is a show that is a product of its time, and it is a show that reflects that time. It is a show that is flawed, but it is a show that is memorable.
Key Facts
- Premiere: January 7, 2015
- Network: Fox
- Creator: Lee Daniels and Danny Strong
- Lead actor: Terrence Howard
- Runtime: 43 minutes per episode
- Seasons: 6
- Final episode: May 21, 2020
Season Order
| Season | Premiere Date | Final Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 7, 2015 | March 18, 2015 |
| 2 | September 23, 2015 | May 18, 2016 |
| 3 | September 21, 2016 | May 24, 2017 |
| 4 | September 20, 2017 | May 23, 2018 |
| 5 | September 26, 2018 | May 22, 2019 |
| 6 | September 25, 2019 | May 21, 2020 |
Empire is a show that is worth watching, even if it is not worth praising. It is a show that is flawed, but it is a show that is memorable. It is a show that is a product of its time, and it is a show that reflects that time. It is a show that is not perfect, but it is a show that is not a failure. It is a show that deserves credit for its ambition, even if that ambition sometimes overshadows its execution. It is a show that is a guilty pleasure, and it is a show that is hard to deny. It is a show that is worth remembering, even if it is not worth emulating. It is a show that is a landmark in its genre, even if it is not a masterpiece. It is a show that is a 7.2 out of 10.
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