The latest installment of Empire gave us a lot of fascinating and fulfilling contrasts.
When the episode began on Wednesday, for instance, Hakeem and Tiana’s sexy and supportive night on the red carpet ended with a goodnight kiss. But Tiana wasn’t done for the evening. She had plans with her lady lover, a blonde named India and as soon as Tiana walked in the door, they were all over each other.
Smooches! Now we know why Tiana wasn’t that fazed by Hakeem’s sidepiece Camilla. Turns out, she has one too. Ain’t got time for love, indeed.
Speaking of love, Lucious made time for romance when he popped the question and asked Anika to marry him. And of course she said yes to Lucious and the 18-karat diamond ring he had in tow. For some folks on Twitter, the best part of the proposal was hearing Anthony Hamilton serenade the giddy couple.
I wish they woulda had Anthony Hamilton on a lil longer tho
— S.R. (@Mofochronicles) February 5, 2015
Anthony Hamilton is a Negro spiritual.
— Praline Queen (@blowticious) February 5, 2015
Now compare and contrast Lucious’ engagement to his heart-to-heart with Vernon about Cookie. Apparently, Lucious has a knack for bad timing and his wedding anniversary with his ex-wife Cookie was conveniently or inconveniently around the same date he got engaged to Anika. Awkward.
How you gonna act like u celebrate your ex wife’s anniversary but be engaged to someone else- Lucious be tripping #empirefox
— Brittany E Bonds (@ocean_o_emotion) February 5, 2015
This, of course, won’t be the last time we hear about Engagement Gate and if the previews are any indication, Cookie and Anika will learn the truth next week.
But back to those juxtapositions, which included the lush offices and state-of-the-art music video set Hakeem enjoyed compared to the bullet-hole riddled recording studio where Jamal made musical magic.
The two also had very different support systems. Cookie cheered on Jamal and made his song better while Lucious all but told Hakeem to have a menage a trois with Tiana and India in order to stay on track.
Despite both brothers’ very different situations and motivations, the two managed to come up with really dope songs – Hakeem’s infectious “Drip Drop” and Jamal’s heartfelt “Keep Your Money.” Check them out below and tell us Timbaland isn’t doing the damn thing week after week.
Another contrast of note includes Cookie’s testimony before a grand jury compared to her flashback, where she was shown rocking a Mary J. Blige-like blond asymmetrical bob. Love it! Then there was the contrast of conspiracies.
In one scene, Lucious conspired with Anika’s shady father, a doctor, who agrees to forge his future son-in-law’s insurance papers if it means Empire can go public and his daughter can be a billionaire someday. In another scene, Cookie and her sister Carol conspired with a relative to rub out a man who seemed to be trying to kill Cookie.
But as it turns out, Lucious left the suspicious rose on Cookie’s doorstep, not the hit man and Cookie had the man killed for no reason. Wow. Now she has blood on her hands, too. Looks like Lucious and Cookie are more alike than fans may have realized.
Lawd, #Cookie the murderer. Still #TeamCookie #empire #EmpireFOX
— Lonnell Williams (@3LWTV) February 5, 2015
And for anyone missing Cookie’s one-liners last week, she came roaring back with “dead bitch walking” when describing her status after testifying. She also told an Asian cab driver he was black like her. Oh, Cookie. You are too much! #ishCookieSays
Dead bitch walking !!! She just snitched . She got set up twice !!!! Smh #Empire #EmpireFOX
— CelebrityOfTheYear (@_CelEBriFieD_Me) February 5, 2015
Cookie wasn’t the only one spitting hot fire. There was the sound engineer with the shotgun who thwarted a robbery attempt against Jamal and delivered some choice lines. Another guy in studio embraced Jamal’s sexuality – for the most part – when he said, “Even though you got the whole gay thing going on, you got heat homeboy.” Uhm, thanks?
“We can call this is a standoff or we can make this a multiple homicide.” My man pull the 12 gauge out on ‘em! LOL @EmpireFOX #EmpireFOX
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) February 5, 2015
“The whole gay thing going on” What the hell is that??? #EmpireFOX
— Damn Nature U Scary! (@MsWhitleyToYou) February 5, 2015
Lastly, Jamal gut punched Hakeem, y’all. Guess they’re not cool with each other anymore. Thanks a lot, Andre.
What did you think of the Empire episode titled “Dangerous Bonds”? Feel free to weigh in below.
Empire airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on Fox.