Empire Recap: Trouble in the Lyons’ Den

EMPIRE: Pictured L-R: Trai Byers, Terrence Howard, Bryshere Gray, Jussie Smollett and Taraji P. Henson in the “Without Apology” Empire Season 4 Image courtesy of FOX. ©2018 Fox Broadcasting Co. CR: Chuck Hodes/FOX

Karintha Styles
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV

On the episode “Without Apology” on Empire, Eddie’s money issues sets events in motion for a high-powered tech company to partner with Empire Entertainment, Cookie struggles to hide health issues, a former singing group threatens to sell their story to the highest bidder on the eve of the showcase and Hakeem tries to win Tianna back while Jamal and Andre continue to put their lives back together after recent setbacks.

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Dwight Has Left the Building Lucious is Back

Lucious is back like he never left. In the opening scene, he wakes from a nightmare covered in sweat. In the dream, the moments just before his accident replay in his mind. The nightmare prompts him to send Thirsty looking for answers. He tells Thirsty before he leaves on his mission to pay close attention to Andre because he thinks his son knows more than he’s saying about the car bombing that almost killed Lucious and Cookie in Vegas.

Papa Lyons tells Cookie he misses her and wants to prove that even though he is the same old scandalous Lucious, Cookie is still his weakness. He makes it clear he will do whatever is necessary to get the love of his life back.

Three Black Divas  

A former female group does an interview with TMI making allegations about their treatment while recording for Empire Entertainment. During the interview, they vow to sell their story and next album to the highest bidder. Cookie, Porsha, and Becky find the group at a shopping mall singing. It’s clear the ladies have fallen on hard times. When they buck up to the formidable trio from Empire, Becky looks around in disdain and reminds them they are singing in a mall and therefore they can’t negotiate with power. Three Black Divas agrees to Cookie’s terms on the condition that Lucious apologizes. His attempt at a sincere apology end up in a shouting match. He reveals he let the lead singer go because she gained weight. As TBD prances out of the offices, they vow to record a diss track to with a competitor to get their careers back on track.

Lucious tells Cookie they need to handle the ladies the old-fashioned way. When the Lyons meet with Three Black Divas, they inform them Empire Entertainment now owns the label and all the contracts belonging to the opposing label. The announcement causes TBD to question what the acquisition means for their career and reunion album. Lucious gleefully announces that it means they are now the property of Empire Entertaiment and they won’t even sing in the shower without permission from the Lyons family first. Cookie explains the rest of the details to the ladies. Before Lucious dismisses them, he demands they apologize to the queen of Empire.

Cookie to the Rescue…Again

Kelly Patel, a tech giant, tries to low ball the Lyons during negotiations. He realizes he has met his match when Cookie tells him to stop playing games. She reminds him that despite all of their problems, there isn’t another label on the cutting edge of entertainment. The businesswoman asks Patel point blank, “Are you in or out?” He agrees to the terms of the agreement and moves forward with the partnership with Empire Entertainment.

Hakeem, Tianna, the New Lucious and Cookie

Hakeem and Tianna share a tender moment on the verge of reconciling. Later, Hakeem gets down on one knee and proposes to Tianna. Instead of saying yes, Tianna hedges her bets saying she needs more time. When he shares his news with the family, his mom explains Tianna gave him the classic “It’s not you, it’s me” answer. Hakeem is taking the non-answer from Tianna hard.

Andre Comes Clean

Andre returns home to face the ghosts of his imaginary girlfriend. The guilt eats away at him and sends him to church looking for answers. The paster tells him if he wants to be whole again, he has to confess to the person he wronged. During the family dinner, Andre asks to have a moment alone with Lucious. He confesses his betrayal and then hands Lucious a gun and tells him to kill him if he wants.

His father lunges at him and hits him with the pistol. Cookie, Jamal, and Hakeem run in demanding to know what happened. Mama Lyon demands her cubs get their brother out of their site and to stay with him. Cookie grabs Lucious and rocks him. He says the only reason he didn’t kill him is because of his mental illness. Just like that the kumbayya moment the brothers shared last week disappears. Hakeem wants to believe Andre is still having issues with the psychotropic drugs in his system. Jamal is not having it. He ticks off all the ways Lucious has hurt him over the years and reminds Andre that despite all of that he never tried to kill him.

Jamal and Hakeem Leave Andre to his Thoughts.

The Lioness is Down

All the stress from holding everything and everyone is together takes its toll on Cookie. While discussing Andre with his father, the Matriarch buckles and grabs her chest. She is complaining of difficulty breathing and sore arm, all warning signs of a heart attack in women.

Eddie the Frenemy No One is Watching

Eddie convinces Jamal to drop out of the showcase. He plays on Jamal’s sensitivity by telling him even though his parents would never ask him to drop out, it would be the best thing for the family and company.

Eddie’s third wife, Giselle ( Nicole Ari Parker) comments on how he looks at Tianna and asks Uncle Eddie point blank if Tianna is wife number four. After manipulating Jamal, Eddie starts working on Tianna. He dangles big career moves in her face and then threatens to withdraw the help.

Eddie and Giselle set up a side deal with the tech giant behind the Lyons back to steal Empire.

Jamal and Becky Reconnect

Becky tells Jamal she’s pregnant.

He helps her work through her feelings about the pregnancy and the baby’s father. Jamal tells Becky that whatever she decides to do he’ll support her and help her get through it.

Empire airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on FOX.

(Image and video Courtesy of FOX)