Still in federal lockup, Lucious is trying to run Empire from inside, while a headline-grabbing state prosecutor hangs her political ambitions on bringing him down - no matter what it takes. Cookie stages a star-studded #FreeLucious concert in his support, while scheming with Andre, Hakeem, Anika and the business savvy Mimi Whiteman to finalize the hostile takeover of Empire.
Empire was the biggest new show on the broadcast networks in the past decade. It was astonishing to watch it grow and grow every week. That's simply unheard of in today's marketplace. And yet, Empire made it look easy. All of the episodes of the first season were produced before the show had the breakout success it did. That meant the quality of the show couldn't be molded from that until the second season premiere. The season finale already started taking the show to some overly dramatic and drastic places. It crammed so much into that final hour that it was no longer the entertaining behemoth it was and more the show doing their best to do the most surprises to end the season. "The Devils Are Here" comes directly after that episode. And yet, the show hasn't changed because of the success and the desire to go even bigger and broader in Season 2. That's what makes this first episode back so enjoyable."The Devils Are Here" still tries to do a lot in the span of one hour. It features two stories running concurrently that both affect the Lyon family - Cookie and company's attempt to take over the company from Lucious and Frank Gathers targeting the family for getting him locked up in jail with Lucious. These stories show the two sides of the Lyon family. They are split into two factions with Lucious and Jamal battling Cookie, Anika, Andre and Hakeem. That conflict is escalating in very exciting and compelling ways. But they are also a family. One that is able to come together in order to protect each other when an outside threat could destroy the entire family. That's an interesting dichotomy. Everyone is trying to secure a legacy. Jamal and Hakeem are focusing on their music while Cookie and Lucious are trying to make the empire a lasting success for the family. That creates a conflict that all stems from Lucious being a despicable man in the eyes of everyone in the family. Everyone except Jamal who is more willing to embrace his father and believe he's innocent since Lucious gave him the company. And yet, they all have to rely on Lucious in order to handle the threat that comes from Frank. As much as they despise him, they still need him. His current situation in jail could go any number of ways. But Lucious is still able to get a lot done both on the inside and the outside. He's not going out quietly which makes him just as unpredictable and temperamental as ever.
The show is also able to use its platform in order to talk about some real issues. The opening sequence of the premiere is an astonishing accomplishment. It's a very political statement. Cookie and the rest of the family are throwing a massive #FreeLucious concert. Cookie and her cohorts believe he's where he belongs but are putting on a show in order to impress potential investor, Mimi Whiteman (Marisa Tomei). Jamal believes that the concert can lead to a bail hearing that will finally get Lucious out of his harsh conditions. Cookie is using this grand event to get what she wants. But the message of the concert is very strong. It addresses the major problems regarding the current mass incarcerations of African Americans in this country. When the music starts playing, it delivers a message of how much mistreatment people of color have had in this country lately. Cookie is able to play her part and captivate the crowd dressed in a gorilla suit. It's completely ridiculous but extremely poignant and political. The passion for this cause is apparent throughout the crowd. This is something that affects people of color today and Empire was able to tackle it in an honest way.
Of course, the story had to then get back to the personal as Cookie was desperate for Mimi's money. It's impressive how far she was willing to go - and push others to going to as well - in order to achieve this takeover of the company. She basically pimped out Anika in order to get Mimi's support. That's dedication to the cause. It also shows just how desperate these four characters are to get one over on Lucious. He has wronged all of them. Sure, some of them are naive in their actions. It's no surprise that things don't go their way in the end. Mimi and Lucious know how to play the game better than they do. Cookie doesn't know how to stage a hostile takeover. It's a crushing defeat that creates an even stronger schism between the family. Cookie can't get rid of Lucious that easily. And now, the four of them have been exposed as people who wanted to take this company down. Mimi only invested knowing that Lucious would remain as CEO. Cookie, Andre, Anika and Hakeen don't have a place at Empire if Lucious and Jamal are still in charge. Cookie wanted Jamal to be a part of the new company too. But since it failed, it only feels like her stabbing him in the back.
The family is able to unite when Frank learns that Cookie is the one who snitched on him and he wants to enact his revenge on her and her kids. That's a story that was crucial at one point early in the first season. And then, it was dropped for no reason and without giving Cookie any kind of consequences for her actions. It reappears here but it plays like the show addressing something that was curiously left open-ended from the previous seasons. It's a different type of character for Chris Rock to play. It's never a multi-dimensional character. He's threatening and imposing but nothing more than that. It largely just shows just how much power Lucious has in jail. He is able to thwart the hostile takeover on the outside. But that was because of Mimi reaching out to him. In jail, he is in control of his actions and the situation. Money and power can hold a lot of influence over people. When he meets with the new prosecutor on his case, he notes that she's just using him as an example in order to run for office. He is also able to buy the support of his fellow inmates in order to turn the tables on Frank. That hints at a future where it doesn't matter if Lucious committed the crime but instead who has the most power and influence over the legal system.
As grateful as Cookie is that Lucious handled the Frank situation for her, she must know that he still plans on coming after her for what she did behind his back. She, Anika, Andre and Hakeem have to decide what's next. This failure could lead to Hakeem's precious album failing to get released. Andre's been working on a project for Empire that could suddenly become a lot more complicated. Anika isn't up to much. So where does that leave her in this mess? Cookie is so passionate about doing right by her sons. She wants to mend the pain that Lucious caused them. She sees that Jamal is heading down a dark path. But she can't do anything to stop it from happening right now. Jamal and Hakeem are fighting and Jamal no longer wants to address Cookie as his mother. That's cold and so drastically different from where things were at the start of the series. It also makes it so much more exciting for the future.
Some more thoughts:
- "The Devils Are Here" was written by Danny Strong & Ilene Chaiken and directed by Lee Daniels.
- Jamal and Michael have apparently gotten back together. They weren't a memorable couple last season and Michael is reintroduced here like it's nothing. He's a part of Jamal's life again which the audience is just suppose to accept. The audience is dropped into this plot when it could have used more backstory as to how the two of them reconnected.
- Andre and Rhonda killing Vernon (and subsequently ruining the state's case against Lucious) was the most extraneous twist from the finale. Andre is still being haunted by that night too while Rhonda is worried his newfound religion will lead to him confessing this major sin.
- Hakeem is so immature. He has a lot of growing up to do. He is rude and so self involved. I'm glad the takeover didn't go his way because adding more power to his ego is not what makes him a better human being.
- How convenient was it that Lucious was able to watch the big concert from prison? Also, Hakeem addressing the camera as he says that Lucious didn't do it was such a perfect moment.
- Of course, Lucious and Mimi got along. They have the same taste in women.
- Even though Frank is now dead, he will still have a presence on the show considering Lucious is planning on signing his daughter to Empire.
- Cookie: "Your father is a tampon."
- Jamal: "Bill Clinton is out there." Cookie: "Yeah, he needs to be if he wants his wife to get elected."
- Cookie: "I thought I told you to sleep with her." Anika: "I did." Cookie: "You can't even dyke right."
- Lucious: "Game over, bitches. Bye bye."
