Golden ‘Empire’

Fox’s hit musical drama returns from hiatus

Carrying on the family business just doesn’t have the same wholesome feel that it used to. At least, not when the whole family is prepared to drop the gloves and fight tooth and nail to be the one wearing the company’s crown.

Then again, maybe that’s not a problem that afflicts too many families, but the lust for power and success certainly drives the various Lyons of Fox’s hit drama “Empire.” The sophomore series has been a major boon for the network, and the soapy format seems to draw more viewers every week. A lot was left up in the air in December when the series left off for the winter hiatus, so there’s much in store when “Empire” returns Wednesday, March 30, on Fox.

The success of “Empire” has been evident from the get-go. The series premiere was the network’s highest rated debut in three years with nearly 10 million viewers. The season 1 finale saw a 78 percent increase in viewership from the premiere, and season 2’s opener raked in an audience of more than 16 million. Things are still going strong and the critical acclaim keeps getting louder.

Much of this is due to the cast, whose performances are consistently lauded. The series stars Oscar nominee Terrence Howard (“Hustle & Flow,” 2005) as Lucious Lyon, a one-time drug dealer who went on to become a successful rapper before founding the world-famous record company Empire Entertainment. His family is heavily involved in the business, and when Lucious is diagnosed with ALS in the series premiere, he realizes he must choose a successor to take his place as CEO when he dies.

The story unfolds with Lucious pitting his three sons against one another in order to determine who will be the best choice to run the company. The eldest son is Wharton-educated Andre (Trai Byers, “Selma,” 2014), Empire’s CFO who suffers from bipolar disorder. In the middle is Jamal (Jussie Smollett, “On Our Own”), a talented singer-songwriter whose homosexuality has caused a rift with his homophobic father. Youngest son Hakeem is played by real-life rapper Bryshere Y. Gray, a.k.a. Yazz the Greatest. A rising star in the hip-hop world, Hakeem’s chief concern is with fame — and the money that comes with it — and he may lack the maturity and focus that it takes to run a company, despite his growing success.

Things become more complicated still when Lucious’ tell-it-like-it-is exwife Cookie (Taraji P. Henson, “Person of Interest”) is released from prison, where she served a 17-year stint for running the drugs that financed Lucious’ early career. She sails into Empire Entertainment in the premiere to demand her share of the company, going on to launch her own label, Lyon Dynasty, in season 2.

It’s not an easy family dynamic; they’re constantly at odds with one another, with Empire Entertainment in the center as the ever-present catalyst.

When we last saw Lucious, he was devastated to be ousted from the company by the board of trustees, after being betrayed by Hakeem, among others. Knowing how ruthless Lucious can be, however, it’s safe to say he won’t take this lying down and is sure to do whatever it takes to regain his hold on Empire Entertainment. Showrunner Ilene Chaiken confirmed this in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter:

“Losing his company is possibly the worst thing that could happen to Lucious Lyon, and retribution will be first and foremost for Lucious,” she said, adding that, while the mogul travels in some elite circles now, “he also comes from the roughest and meanest [place]. I would venture that that’s a side of Lucious that’s going to come a little bit closer to the surface in light of these events.”

The complicated relationship between Lucious and Cookie has always been a big part of the storyline, and this is going to have a strong focus when the series returns as well. The two divorced while Cookie was in prison, leaving Lucious to raise their sons on his own, and when we meet him, he’s in a relationship with Empire’s head of A&R, Anika Calhoun (played by Grace Gealey in her first major role). The two have since split, however, and it’s clear that there are still some strong feelings between Lucious and his ex-wife.

“We’re excited to explore that relationship and these two people who are so intertwined and who will never, ever leave one another as long as they’re in this world, as much as they might go at one another in all kinds of vicious ways,” said Chaiken. “That’s really a big story for us.”

Additionally, Lucious and an increasingly successful Jamal are both up for the American Sound Award for Song of the Year. The two have been getting along much better than they were last season, but this new challenge is sure to shatter their shaky rapport. Lucious is not about to be outdone by any of his children, least of all Jamal.

That really just scratches the surface. A lot has come to pass in season 2, and with the fate of Empire Entertainment ever in the line of focus, there’s no doubt that there’s a lot more coming down the pike. Catch a new episode of “Empire” when it returns from hiatus Wednesday, March 30, on Fox.

Terrence Howard as seen in “Empire”