Empire Season 2 Episode 2 Review- ‘Without a Country’

In my opinion, just the title of the episode revealed that Andre was the principal character of Season 2 Episode 2 as he searched for a place to call home. In the fallout from Episode 1’s failed hostile takeover, Andre has partnered with Cookie and Hakeem to create a new label that will, later in the episode, be known as the Lyon Dynasty. Andre, on realising that his life’s devotion to Empire should not have led him to such a solitary place, left Cookie to attempt a reconciliation with Lucious. His efforts to reclaim his place in the family Empire failed as Lucious informed him that he will never be forgiven. I really don’t know what Andre’s next move is. He is lost and desperate. Despite Rhonda’s pleading with Jamal to let Andre back in since they are expecting a child, this really isn’t Jamal’s call anymore. Andre just might be on the verge of another breakdown now that he is in no man’s land.

A lot of viewers on social media were a bit confused with Lucious’ flashback of Kelly Rowland. If my interpretation is correct, Kelly was cast as Lucious’ mother who, while singing to him, showed signs of mental illness. Perhaps the similarity between his son and his mother has caused Lucious much turmoil and is the reason why he has never been fully accepting of Andre. No wonder Lucious is attempting to reunite with Hakeem even after he openly betrayed him. In his eyes, Hakeem is his only ‘normal’ son.

On another note, thank goodness Lucious is out of prison (thanks to the shady dealings of his new lawyer Thirsty). I have so many questions about this University of Guam graduate. Who sent him? Why? I don’t believe he just was just coincidentally in the visiting room. Maybe I’m reading too much into this but I just find that his appearance was far too unbelievable.

However, thank you Thirsty because I don’t know how much more of Ludacris as a Prison Officer or Lucious’ struggle jail rap I could stomach. Man, they even resurrected Petey Pablo (Clyde) who backed up Lucious in the worse diss since Meek Mill’s. I never could have fathomed that a rapper’s voice could annoy me more than Drake’s but Lucious Lyon managed to do that. Hopefully, now that he is free there’ll be more scheming and less rapping.

 

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