Entertainment NOW

TV Media Weekly | March 26 - April 1, 2016 Things become more compli- cated still when Lucious' tell-it- like-it-is ex-wife 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 compa- ny, going on to launch her own la- bel, Lyon Dynasty, in season 2. It's not an easy family dynamic; they're constantly at odds with one another, with Empire Enter- tainment 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, how- ever, 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 con- firmed 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 Lu- cious," 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 sur- face in light of these events." By Jacqueline Spendlove TV Media C arrying on the family busi- ness just doesn't have the same wholesome feel that it used to. At least, not when the whole family is pre- pared to drop the gloves and fight tooth and nail to be the one wear- ing 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 ev- ery 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 "Em- pire" 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 consis- tently lauded. The series stars Os- car nominee Terrence Howard ("Hustle & Flow," 2005) as Lu- cious Lyon, a one-time drug dealer who went on to become a suc- cessful 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 succes- sor 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 By- ers, "Selma," 2014), Empire's CFO who suffers from bipolar disorder. In the middle is Jamal (Jussie Smollett, "On Our Own"), a tal- ented 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. Terrence Howard as seen in "Empire" Golden 'Empire' Fox's hit musical drama returns from hiatus 2 | Cover story Tipton Ford 3 x 10" A/Grindstone Charlie's B/Norris Insurance 1 x 4" 455-2700 3833 S. LaFountain • Kokomo, IN 46902 www.norrisinsurance.com • Home • Auto • Business • Life Call for a FREE Quote! Serving You For Over 50 Years Bill Neher ATTENTION MEN & WOMEN AGES 16 & UP cover model SEARCH lifesty le sign up by Mar. 9 www.heartlandindiana.com www.heartlandindiana.com always online. di di alw always ays on onli line. COVER SHOOT March 19 Interviews HOUSE of Beauty Mar. 12 | noon-2pm Mar. 15 | 4-6pm Posh Salon & Day Spa 623 E.Markland Ave. | Kokomo Mar. 14 | 4-6pm House of Beauty 915 N.3rd St. | Logansport Looking for men and women ages 16 and up with a positive attitude and an active lifestyle to model athletic wear and be featured in our May-June issue of Heartland Magazine. *Must be available for photo shoot on March 19

• Cover