Empire Recap Episode 3 – The Devil Quotes Scripture (VIDEOS)

Empire

Empire Recap – Episode 3 – The Devil Quotes Scripture.

On tonight’s Empire, Bunkie is laid to rest, while detectives find an eye witness to the murder. Hakeem has a surprising hookup, and Jamal finally stands up to Lucious after a dinner party for the family goes awry. Plus, we meet a man from Cookie’s past, played by guest star, Cuba Gooding Jr. Naomi Campbell also guest stars.

Right off the bat, things are contentious at Empire. Hakim, hanging out at his new girlfriend, Tiana’s video shoot, disagrees with his father about the next phase of his career. He thinks it’s time to line up more performances. Lucious wants him back in the studio first.

Bad Girl

Meanwhile, Lucious figures out that Hakeem and Tiana have a thing going (as if his sons tell him anything).  The shoot comes to an abrupt halt when the gal singing the bridge on Tiana’s song complains that she pushed her.  The singer’s small time manager, Mel, also happens to be her cousin. makes the huge mistake of threatening Lucious.  In the guise of inviting Mel to a “private” meeting, Lucious takes him to his trailer and proceeds to beat the shit out of him.  Oh Lucious and your thuggish ways.  Needless to say, cousin Mel is now the singer’s ex-manager.

http://youtu.be/xhPdHBm3KLk

You may remember that Lucious canned  Kidd Fo-Fo last week–a mediocre but popular artist–after he dissed Cookie one too many times. Turns out, Lucious’ biggest rival, Creedmore has scooped him up and is spinning it in the press like he was poached from Empire. The man who runs Creedmore is Lucious’ mortal enemy. We don’t know why at the moment, but I’m sure we’ll find out. The staff is tasked with figuring out a way to hit Lucious’ rival hard, and as soon as possible.

As if life wasn’t complicated enough, Lucious receives the worst news possible.  A detective stops by the office with word that a witness to Bunkie’s murder has turned up. Lucious is all “That’s great news.”  But not really. You know. Because the murderer is staring the detective right in the face. Time for more Academy Award worthy acting from Lucious.  He sends Andre down to City Hall to scope the deets.  Lucious frames it like he wants to make sure justice is served. But we know it’s just the opposite.

Meanwhile, Cookie auditions prospective songwriters for Jamal. Example lyric of one: “I’m full of AVCS/ that  turn into mp3s/A bloody mary mix/a spicy fantasy. Eep. Cookie’s bossy assistant Porsha, orders him out of the room. Andre walks in on the tail end of the mess. He suggests Cookie talk to “The Jorgensons” who happen to be right outside the door.  Cookie is all “WHAT ARE THESE WHITE BOYS”  Two white boys who charted 4 number one hits last year, Andre says. COOKIE WHILE YOU WERE OUT THE SWEDES TOOK OVER OK.  Just as she’s talking up the hitmakers, Anika interrupts. THE BITCH SPEAKS SWEDISH! She spirits them away, but not before she says in their native tongue “She is visiting from…prison.”

When Jamal finds out Cookie is looking for songwriters, he’s not happy. He’s a songwriter. Therefore, he writes his own songs. Period. Partly, Cookie is punishing him for punking out on the “coming out” press conference. But also, she believes (and to be honest, she is correct) he needs hit songwriters to deliver a hit single.  He’ll never be able to compete with Hakeem otherwise.  Jamal hates that he’s being pitted against his brother.

Anika, threatened by Cookie, hired a private investigator who snapped photos of Cookie as she was approached by Agent Carter outside of Leviticus after Hakeem’s debut. The PI correctly surmises that  Cookie was approached by some Feds. Lucious assumes that his ex-wife is spilling secrets–like how Empire was seeded with drug money–to eff him over.

Don’t mess with Lucious

http://youtu.be/q3h2lMevgPw

As Cookie sobs over  Bunkie’s casket at the funeral home, Lucious continues to display his ACTING talents, playing  the grieving friend. Actually, there is some real guilt and regret laced into his reaction. We learn that her cousin was a father figure who looked out for everyone, saving Cookie and Lucious’ ass on several occasions.  Here, Lucious confronts Cookie about her clandestine meetings with Agent Cooper without letting on how he knows.  “Did you snitch on me so you could get out of jail early?” he demands to know.  He insists that, as the mother of his children, he loves her. But anyone who gets in the way of his company is going down (Just ask Bunkie. Oh wait…)  Cookie insists that she would never do anything to sabotage her family or HER company.

At the funeral, Cookie accuses her little sister of ratting to Lucious about her deal with the Feds. She swears she said nothing.  Sis mentions, in passing, an old friend Puma (played by Cuba Gooding Jr) who used to pen major hits for Empire artists.  Cookie thinks Puma would be the perfect songwriter for Jamal.  Unfortunately, nobody seems to know where he is. Cookie has to track down her old friend first.

A crowd has assembled in the old neighborhood to welcome King Lucious home.  He stops to talk to a little boy who is crying. It turns out his dead daddy used to rap him his songs. Men don’t cry (ugh) says Lucious before slipping the kids some money. The boy smiles. He wants to be a rapper when he grows up. The exchange, a mixture of kindness and creepiness, has Lucious imparting the message to a sad little boy that money and fame fix everything.

At the funeral, Lucious delivers the eulogy, calling Bunkie a gambler, a drunk and a degenerate–but also his “friend.”  Lucious is roiling with mixed emotions, as a woman sings a gospel hymn.  We cut to flashbacks of Bunkie warning Cookie and Lucious that the cops were coming, just in time to ditch a pile of cocaine.  Lucious admits he feels responsible for his friend’s death. But only because he didn’t lend a hand when Bunkie asked for help. At this moment, Lucious isn’t acting completely. The complexity in this character is beautifully played by Terrance Howard. There are so many layers to Lucious Lyon.  “I’m going to regret that the rest of my life,” he says.

Andre meets with the pretty deputy mayor down at City Hall. And. Uhm. They get down to business right away. He grabs her from behind and pushes her up against the desk. Oh she likes it like that. Make no mistake they’ve practiced before.  “UHMMM YEAHHHH MR. LYONS THE CITY WOULD LOVE TO HELP YOU.” I’m sure.

Back at the manse, we finally see Lucious experience ALS symptoms. Anika walks into the room and wants to know what’s wrong.  “My leg went to sleep,” he says.  “It’s because you’ve been standing on it all day.” Her interest, not  piqued one bit.  Lucious thinks Barretti, the head of Creedmore, is coming after him hard, trying to sink the IPO.  She tells him to relax, reminding him that Hakeem’s single is blowing up. Checking out a photo of Hakeem and Tiana doing some promo together, Lucious decides to go all PR on their relationship. Which, you know, is just going to ruin it.

To start, Lucious suggests throwing a little dinner party for the pair.

The detectives attempt to question the witness to Bunkie’s murder. He’s a drunk old homeless man named “Old Salty” and he is pretty much out of his mind. Despite not being able to get anything intelligible out of him, the detective senses that he knows something.

The deputy mayor calls Andre with the details. A homeless man is a witness, but he probably won’t deliver much. Andre figures they’re off the hook. Just as he finishes the flirty call, Rhonda enters the bathroom. Andre is clad only in a towel and she in a robe. You’d think she’d be upset that he’s flirting with another woman. But instead it makes her hot. Really hot.  “Call me her name Mr. Lyon,” Rhonda purrs as he demonstrates how the deputy mayor likes it. These two are WANKY.

Hanging at Leviticus, with Tiana, Hakeem gets a call. It’s from “Camilla.”  She shows up. Oooh. It’s an older woman played by Naomi Campbell.  Oh. Hakeem has a mommy complex. That’s what happens when your actual momma is sent up the river.

Cookie meets with Agent Carter, who hands over the photos Anika’s PI snapped.  Imagine how livid Cookie is at that news. Now, the two of them have to cook up a plot to get Lucious off of their tail.  The case Cookie is cooperating with appears to have no direct relation to Lucious, but with a man named “Frank Gatis,” who I’m guessing is higher up the drug food chain. Cookie agrees to help Agent Carter fool Lucious, but in return she wants her to find Puma.

Cut to a conference room at Empire, where Agent Cooper is pretending to be Cookie’s probation officer, reading her the riot act. Lucious walks in, overhears the discussion, and  totally buys it. The agent flatters Lucious by asking for an autograph for her kid. The ruse explains why the meeting is taking place at Empire.  When Agent Carter leaves them alone for a few minutes, Lucious apologizes for attacking her at Bunkie’s funeral. He makes up for his bad behavior by inviting Cookie to his dinner party for Hakeem and Tiana. She’s pissed she wasn’t invited in the first place. After the little charade succeeds,  Agent Carter hands over the address where Cookie can find Puma.

Cookie drives out to visit her old friend, who now lives on a horse farm where he works with disadvantaged youth, and is pretty much out of the songwriting business.  I don’t quite get why he was so hard to find? Anyway, it turns out these two have a history. Well, more like unrequited love. Puma always had a thing for Cookie.  Poor Cookie in her high heels dodging the horse poop! Ha. The two reminisce about old times.  He agrees to send her a song for Jamal. An old song she’ll remember. Cookie describes jamal,  as “just as talented as Lucious but with a heart.”  Puma calls Lucious a “son of a bitch for having you go down for him.” Oh.

Back at Jamal’s place, he complains that the song is old school. In a flashback, we see Cookie and Lucious working on Puma’s song. Lucious was completely resistant to the tune, because it was OBVIOUSLY about Cookie. They never used the song. But Cookie is sure Jamal can make it work. He re-arranges it, contemporizing it, but keeping that old school feel that’s so hot right now.  As Jamal plays, the scene cuts between then and now. Lucious struggles with the song, while Jamal soars. As Cookie leaves, she tells Jamal to bring his boyfriend to the party.

The detective takes another shot at Old Salty. This time, the old dude begins mumbling about animals. “Daniel was brought in and cast into THE LION’S den. He stooped down as THE LION crouches…THERE IS A LION IN THE WAY.”  The detectives rolls up a photo of Lucious on his phone.  “Is this the lion?” he asks. Old Salty, afraid, nods affirmative.  Uh oh. Old Salty is about to take Bunkie’s place at the bottom of the Hudson.

Party time.  Lucious acts all sads that the witness is supposedly useless. He suggests to Andre that they put a reward out to find Bunkie’s killer. Michael thanks Lucious for inviting him to the party.  “I didn’t invite you,” Lucious says, making sure that NO HOMO is still firmly in place. “Thank HER,” he says, nodding to Cookie.

Cookie takes HER place at the head of the table. When Anika attempts to dislodge the interloper, Lucious tells her to let it go. “This is my family. I belong at the head of this table,” Cookie sniffs.  When Anika invites the assembled party to “dig in and enjoy,” Cookie interrupts. “Excuse me. In this family, we say grace before we shove food in our mouths.” Next, Cookie, doing her BEST DRAMA QUEEN, takes a giant jab at Anika as she THANKS THE LORD,  “…we want to thank you for the most precious blessing of them all. Our family,” says Cookie, laying it on a thick as syrup, “…and GOD please do not withhold your blessings EVEN FROM  HOS THAT HIRE SKANKS TO SPY ON ME IN JESUS NAME I PRAY AMEN!” OMG Cookie rules!  “Hallelujah” she blows Anika a kiss.

Cookie says Grace

http://youtu.be/GedtHF5Qc_o

After dinner, Jamal performs the newly arranged song from Puma. “Don’t be too intimidated,” says Lucious. “This is room is just slightly larger than those coffee houses you play. ”  Jamal snarks back, “You should stop by sometime. Those hipsters love a blast from the past.”

Cookie can’t wait, because she knows the song will really bug Lucious.  Jamal introduces the song as a tune written by “a friend of Cookie’s.” The look on Lucious’ face as Jamal sings! Cookie probably wished she could take a photo.  But Lucious becomes emotional as he flashes back to that time they worked on the song together.  The room is captivated. But sadly, Lucious decides to take out his mixed feelings about Cookie on Jamal. Cruelly, Lucious reminds Cookie that he STILL owns that song and that he loves Jamal’s version but…oop… It would be PERFECT for John Legend. “Son. You’ve got a great career as an arranger!” says Lucious. WHAT A BITCH. Cookie is furious.  Jamal tells her forget it. He gathers his things. As he and Michael head for the door, Jamal turns to Lucious, “Cookie told me back in the day you couldn’t make the song work. How does it feel to have your LITTLE GIRL do something that you couldn’t? You washed up. And the songs that I’m writing will only further prove that I’m you, but on steroids. ”  GO JAMAL.

“Let him go,” says Lucious as Jamal and Michael leave, “This night is to celebrate a man and his woman, not some sensitive punk and his bitch.”

Later, Andre goads Hakeem. Calling him a “made man” and “Dad’s boy.”

“So, it doesn’t matter if you’re as talented as Jamal,” Andre says, “Dad is going to pick you no matter what.”  Burn.  Hakeem is about to punch Andre, insisting that he’s his own man. Andre laughs in his face,  and intimates he’d be great backup for Jamal. Then, when Hakeem walks away pissed, Andre is all JUST KIDDING!

Cookie and Anika pass each other in the hall. “Just because I asked Jesus to forgive you, doesn’t mean I do…boo boo kitty.” Cookie warns Anika to WATCH HER BACK. Anika doesn’t break a sweat, bragging that her father is a doctor and she, the end of a line of debutantes.  Anika wonders if jailbird Cookie knows what that is. “A bougie ho with a lot of money,” answers Cookie, dismissively.  Anika finishes the description, “…who can slice your throat without even disturbing her pearls.” Cookie might have met her match. But I’m thinking Anika might find those pearls wrapped tight around her pretty little neck some day. My money is on Cookie.

As Lucious struggles to open a pill bottle, Cookie catches him. He insists he’s being treated for hypertension. But unlike that dumb “bougie ho,” Cookie knows that something is up.  She believes Lucious is intimidated by Jamal. “You’re afraid, because you know that he’s a true artist, and you can’t deny it anymore.”

“Something’s got you shook,” Cookie says as moves right up into Lucious’ face. “Like it’s chasing you, and you don’t want it to catch you.”

“Whatever it is…you’re trying to hide it,” she says. “But you know you can’t hide it from me.”

Meanwhile, Hakeem is making out with Camille, who we discover he’s been dating in secret for a year.  Is it because Lucious wouldn’t approve? Dating his mama wouldn’t be good for his image? Hakeem doesn’t elaborate.  He asks Camille if she thinks he’s more talented than Jamal. She says it doesn’t matter, because he is going to inherit the kingdom, regardless.  Hakeem hates that he’s regarded by everyone as the heir apparent for no other reason than being his dad’s favorite.

“Tell me…who am I to you,” whispers Camilla. “My mama,” says Hakeem, helplessly. Alrighty then.

Back at the loft, Jamal gets a surprising, late night visit from Lucious.  He confesses that he’s not really sure why he’s there. “I arranged that song for you, because I love you,” says Jamal. “And you spit in my face. ”

If Jamal doesn’t toughen up, says Lucious, the streets will eat his ass alive.  Jamal accuses Lucious of hating him. That he always will hate him because “I’m always going to be who I am.”  Lucious insists, “I don’t hate you. I don’t know you. I didn’t bring any women into this world. And to see my son become somebody’s bitch. I DON’T UNDERSTAND YOU.” Lucious doesn’t get it. At all.

“I’M A MAN,” declares Jamal. “You can keep that stupid ass song and your money and whatever else that Lucious Lyon thinks that he owns. MY OBEDIENCE IS NO LONGER FOR SALE.”

When Lucious reminds him that he owns EVERYTHING including the apartment they are standing in, Jamal calls Michael to begin packing up their things. They are leaving. Michael is like “WHAT,” seemingly not down for leaving the plush digs.  Hey. He’ll endure being called a punk ass bitch if it means a 12k a month loft in So Ho!

“Are you sure you want to give everything up?” asks Michael, unsure. “I’m not giving up anything,” insists Jamal. “I’m going after his Empire. I’m gonna take it.”

Oh. IT’S ON.

http://youtu.be/Emskqi6mwZg

About mj santilli 34833 Articles
Founder and editor of mjsbigblog.com, home of the awesomest fan community on the net. I love cheesy singing shows of all kinds, whether reality or scripted. I adore American Idol, but also love The Voice, Glee, X Factor and more!