As I write this article who other do I have crooning to me than the one and only Jussie Smollett singing his Pepsi Empire season two track Ready To Go.
I like many Empire super fans have been going through Empire withdrawals since the winter of season two when it was abruptly put on mid-season break, I wondered like many of the diehard Empire fans who are in the know, some of us actually working in the extra department or knowing cast members would I soon be hearing pre-rumors about the show being cancelled. (Bummer).
I shouted for joy when I read it would be renewed for season three and I shouted for Motha when Taraji won her golden globe for best actress in a TV drama.
Being a major in the fitness field which means a lot of networking and being blessed by chance with knowing quite a few who’s who in the growing Indie and web series industry I have learned quite a bit of knowledge throughout the years of what it takes to market, Make a return on budgets, promotion and the like to have a successful show and a successful business.
Having a successful business or show whether in Hollywood or the Indie industry is both an art and a science to accomplish, It’s knowing how to serve a particular demographic and or demographic who can empathize and identify with your material and not only entertains but could possibly fill in the gap specifically for peoples who are marginalized or who rarely see characters, shows or business’s providing quality services and entertainment not only geared to them but that those peoples can feel is “authentic”.
Empire needed no one’s help and in a stunning feat that TV stations and executives across entertainment are still trying to understand overnight Empire became the Beatle’s of modern television shows with a historic rise of ratings for a consecutive nine weeks.
With nearly 10 million viewers its first night and catapulting with 17.62 million viewers by the end of season one not counting the millions who DVR’ED or watched it via Fox’s site during the following day’s it’s safe to say Empire came at the right time in history, Million’s can empathize or identify with some element making it a mass cultural phenomenon and last but not least it’s just damn right entertaining!
Even through a sophomore mid season slump Empire still dominated prime time television which say’s a lot about it as a show itself. As a fan and a writer there are just a few things I’d like to see as this awesome show continues and my personal constructive observations.
This in no way is saying Empire no longer serves however these are observations I personally feel would absolutely slay into season three and beyond. These are my personal opinions and are not to be affiliated as the opinions or sole thoughts of Empire Boo Boo Kitty, Fox and or any of the cast, director’s or writers For Empire.
A.) Character Development via getting deeper into the psychology of the lead cast
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| Cookie Lyon |
Some people say writers are more biased than the general non- writing/ performing arts general population and to an extent that’s true.
I can’t tell you how many times I watched a television show and re wrote several scenes or in my mind added some suspense here or said a romantic relationship was to dry and predictable and needed some dramatic tension.
I think that Empire has done more than a superb job in creating character’s we can identify with and that go even further then that but that cross cultural, religious, economic, racial and sexual orientation lines. There’s a sense of the human experience and spirit at the core in all of the character’s and that’s one of the reason’s the show has become such a cross cultural hit.
Loretha aka Cookie Lyon is the spirit and the essence of a strong woman who was willing to do anything for her kid’s to break the cycle of poverty and to afford them a better life , She’s a survivor and a fighter and in every hood, every ghetto, across the country from the most remote country areas of the south all the way to the most posh areas of Manhattan, New York and the east coast there is a cookie we know especially if you grew up in an urban city or a community of color.
She actually transcends that and just being a strong black woman, Cookie Lyon is the spirit of feminine power, strength and tenacity. She’s a strong, modern American woman.
Who can’t identify with a character like Jamal Lyon? The son or daughter, The human being whose truly a caged bird who has the potential to soar but feel’s pushed aside, marginalized, like no one’s listening and whose dreams, aspiration’s and truth are pushed aside and under rated for family, societal and corporate politics?
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| Jamal Lyon |
Where drawn to our favorite character’s out of a combination of identifying with them and who they are, The character’s energy and essence (I.E. Cookie’s great fashion sense, Hood diva attitude and asinine one liner reads but behind the fur coats and vocal tongue lashing’s who is Loretha aka Cookie Lyon?
What drew her to Luscious besides him being so “street and talented”; She def. saw a way out of the hard inner city Philly slums through partnering with him as a team so what was her home life as a young woman like?
Is she so tough and Motha Hen of H.B.I. C. because from an early age did she have no choice but to be the mother figure and runner of the household for her family and sister’s?
We know Lucious’s mother was bi polar but what was the breaking point and or points in his life as a young boy and young man that pushed him to the breaking point of being ice cold and broke his heart and soul potentially as a youth?
He nearly killed Jamal as a child and the brief flashbacks I wish would have ran a little longer and more in depth shows his mother was terribly ill and could go from 100 to 0 quickly so could Luscious have not only been neglected but severely abused before his departure at age nine from his home?
While there’s only an hour each show I definitely want to be able to see who these people are outside of the on point wise cracks, being tough and spinning tracks at Empire records.
Young character’s like Hakeem whose barely twenty two and supporting characters such as Becky, Porsha and Cookie’s sister’s can add comedic relief, a splash of color for now and can be developed further into season three’s and four’s but character’s such as Luscious, Cookie, Andre and Jamal who are focal point’s of story line’s I want to see developed further for continued endearment that they’ve all ready won and for deeper resonation from the viewing population.
B.) Conflict and war plots outside the family
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| War Tank |
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| Hakeem Lucious Jamal |
I can’t go really go deep here as I don’t want to spoil the mid season return and season three possibly by default but intra- family warfare, Jamal vs. Cookie, Jamal vs. Hakeem, Anika thotting around with everyone whose last name is Lyon except Cookie, Jamal vs. Luscious, As we wrap up upcoming season two and go into season three I want to see competition that’s not with each other or one of the family member’s scorned ex-lover’s.
I want to see Luscious sweat and truly get tense and slightly frazzled, I want to see Hakeem truly get challenged to become a man without Cookie or Luscious being able to look over his shoulder and come save the day prematurely for him.
I want to see Jamal in a romantic relationship that isn’t so “Safe and cute” that pulls out of him and makes him write the greatest music his ever written before.
With continued writing fleek game I know the Empire writing team is capable of continuing to push the envelope on life, romantic, cultural, political, family issue’s etc and a resolve to take it to the next level with each season.
I know there will definitely be more season’s of Empire to come!