Ep 5. Doing Good

In Empire season 1 episode 5, titled "Doing Good," the Lyons family continues to navigate the world of hip hop and the music industry while facing their own inner conflicts and external challenges.

As the episode opens, Lucious Lyon (played by Terrence Howard) is being honored for his philanthropy at a fundraiser for his ALS foundation. He gives a heartfelt speech about the importance of giving back and using his success to help those in need, but behind the scenes, tensions are high. Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) is visibly upset and confronts Lucious about his ongoing affairs and mistreatment of their son Jamal (Jussie Smollett).

Meanwhile, Jamal is struggling to find his own voice as an artist and balance his personal life with his career. He enjoys spending time with his new boyfriend, Ryan, but fears that coming out publicly will damage his image and reputation in the industry. He also clashes with Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray) over their different approaches to music and their father's favoritism.

Andre (Trai Byers) is dealing with his own demons as he tries to balance his mental health issues and his duties as CFO of Empire Records. He confides in Rhonda (Kaitlin Doubleday), his wife, about his struggles and they discuss the possibility of starting a family. However, their plans are put on hold when Andre receives devastating news about his health that threatens to upend his entire life.

Throughout the episode, the Lyons family members grapple with their own personal struggles and complicated relationships with each other. They all have their own ideas about what it means to be successful in the music industry and how to achieve it, but they are all united by a common desire to do good in the world and make a positive impact through their music.

As the fundraiser comes to a close, Lucious takes the stage once again to perform a song he wrote for his late wife, who died of ALS. The emotional performance brings the crowd to tears and reminds everyone of the power of music to heal and inspire. In that moment, the Lyons family puts their differences aside and comes together to celebrate their shared love of music and their commitment to making a difference in the world.