#FreeLucioius...but he did it... oan... interesting take on addressing America's criminal justice system's unjust affect on the African-American community through a ploy concert for an African-American man who isn't innocent....at least Hakeem points this out.
Swizz Beatz, Al Sharpton...Andre Leon Talley...Don Lemon (and they called him out on Ferguson...bwahaha)...Not even in 10 minutes and all these cameos...
Marisa Tomei, DeRay Davis, Chris Rock...and so it continues, but at least they were playing characters.
I can't with this episode...why did the prosecutor have on a suit jacket with no top...with her chest all out? Anika booty poppin in her sweater dress to "Hot Boy" with Mimi (Tomei), ...Jamal being over the top aggressive and team Lucious...and I was literally brought to tears when they hit me with Miss Lawrence singing on a table...so who isn't going to show up...and ummm slight overacting in my opinion (over dramatic music not helping)...it's like a parody of a soap opera... #toomuch I hope they bring it down a notch next episode...but since I watched it...here's a brief recap...
Cookie, Hakeem, and Andre plan a hostile takeover while Lucious is locked up, by having Mimi Whiteman buy a majority of the shares. Unfortunately, there fake #FreeLucious concert and pimping of Anika (yes, Anika apparently not only danced with Mimi, but slept with Mimi for the sole purpose of getting her to invest in Empire for a hostile takeover) wasn't good enough. After entering the board room to announce the hostile takeover, they learn Mimi met with Lucious and Jamal, and they had a better deal for her. Womp, womp...
Meanwhile...in jail with Lucious, we meet Frank Gathers (Rock), the killer Cookie snitched on. Hoping to save himself, Jermel (Davis) snitches on Cookie to Frank. Frank sends more than roses to Cookie this time, he sends her a human head in a box (smh!). Cookie tells Lucious, and just when we think Lucious is going to back down to Frank instead of protecting Cookie, he tells Frank he loves Cookie and if he has an issue with Cookie he has an issue with Lucious. Frank makes the mistake of thinking the men around them are taking orders for him (specifically orders to kill Lucious quick and quietly), but Lucious reveals they are actually there to take orders from him to kill Frank loud and long. This scene between Howard and Rock was the best scene in the movie to me. Was there a different director? #IJS
With the family safe again, Cookie goes to Lucious' home to tell everyone they can leave (she told everyone to go there, not knowing what Frank would do). And Jamal was quick to show them all out of his daddy's house, since they betrayed him. But when he closed the door he was crying. I see what they're going for...Cookie is now with Hakeem and Lucious is now with Jamal...but Lucious and Jamal is not really buyable for me, even if Lucious did give him Empire. And Jamal crying at the end doesn't help. Last season Jamal stood up to Lucious. So what's the explanation for him being so harsh to his family on Lucious' behalf when he clearly is emotionally torn up about treating them that way. I suppose it's the same explanation for his overall change in demeanor.
Hmmm...well...until tomorrow, Empire.