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Empire (2015)

2015 · Drama,Music · family-relational, mob-organized-crime

Empire poster

Empire is a high-octane American family drama set inside a fictional hip hop media empire, built around the combustible chemistry of Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard as Cookie and Lucious Lyon — a couple whose love, ambition, and mutual destruction fuel every season. The music is integral and broadly praised even by viewers who don't ordinarily enjoy hip hop. The show runs hot: power struggles, betrayal, backstabbing among family members, and soap-operatic escalations are its native register. It attracted a wide and loyal audience through its bold performances and irresistible central pairing, though later seasons are widely seen as a decline into excess and contrivance. Best suited for viewers who want propulsive drama, strong lead performances, and genuine musical entertainment.

From the reviewers

Taraji P. Henson's portrayal of Cookie Lyon is iconic-sharp-tongued, stylish, and deeply layered. She brought heart and fire to every scene, often stealing the spotlight.
This show is nothing without Taraji. She steals every scene she is in (with her on fleek outfits, her low laugh, her tigress growl, etc.).
All 7 stars in this review are for the performances of Terrence Howard and Taraji P Henson as Lucious and Cookie Lyon. These two together on the screen are just chemistry personified.
With music produced by Timbaland and later Rodney Jerkins, Empire delivered bangers that genuinely stood on their own. The show blurred the line between fiction and real music industry relevance.
I do not care for rap music, but I became immersed in this series because of the plot, the talent of the actors and the words of the music that related to their lives.

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