Ep 1. A Taste for Power

In Empire season 1 episode 1, titled "A Taste for Power," we are introduced to the Lyons family. Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard), the patriarch of the family, is a successful music mogul who is about to take his company, Empire Entertainment, public. He is charismatic, confident, and has a reputation for being ruthless in the industry.

The episode begins with Lucious receiving a devastating medical diagnosis. He has ALS and has been given only three years to live. He is forced to confront his mortality and starts thinking about what will happen to his business once he's gone.

His three sons, Andre (Trai Byers), Jamal (Jussie Smollett), and Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray), are all involved in the music industry in different ways. Andre is an executive at Empire, Jamal is a talented singer/songwriter, and Hakeem is a young rapper who is hungry for success.

Lucious has always wanted one of his sons to take over the business, but he's unsure which one has what it takes. Andre is the most business-savvy of the three, but he lacks musical talent. Jamal is an incredible singer, but Lucious is ashamed of his homosexuality and doesn't believe he can handle the pressures of the industry. Hakeem is talented and ambitious, but he's also immature and impulsive.

Meanwhile, Lucious' ex-wife, Cookie (Taraji P. Henson), is released from prison after serving 17 years. She was a major part of Empire's early success, having helped start the company with Lucious when they were both struggling to make it in the music industry. But she went to jail for drug dealing and is now back in Lucious' life, demanding a share of the company as part of their divorce settlement.

The tension between Cookie and Lucious is palpable. She has always been a force to be reckoned with, and she's not afraid to use her street smarts and cutthroat tactics to get what she wants. She sees potential in Hakeem and convinces him to side with her in the battle for control of Empire.

As Lucious tries to navigate his diagnosis, his complicated relationships with his sons, and the power struggle with Cookie, he also has to deal with the day-to-day challenges of running a music empire. He's grooming a rising star named Tiana (Serayah), who has caught Hakeem's eye. He's also trying to land a major endorsement deal with Pepsi, which hinges on him getting a popular rapper named Titan (guest star Terrence "T.I." Harris) to sign with Empire.

Throughout the episode, we see glimpses of the brutal and cutthroat nature of the entertainment industry. Lucious, Cookie, and their sons are all willing to do whatever it takes to succeed, whether it's betraying each other, blackmailing their colleagues, or making deals with shady characters.

The episode ends with a stunning twist that sets the stage for the rest of the season. Lucious' diagnosis is not what it seems, and he's been keeping a devastating secret from his family. As the Lyons family gathers for a dinner to celebrate the upcoming IPO, tensions simmer beneath the surface, and it's clear that things are about to get even more complicated.

Overall, "A Taste for Power" is a gripping and intense introduction to the world of Empire. It sets up the major players and conflicts, introduces us to the music and culture of the industry, and keeps us on the edge of our seat with its twists and turns. It's a promising start to what will become a wildly popular and critically acclaimed series.