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"Empire" is back for Season 2, and it's just as good as it was in Season 1.
So … it's not particularly good at all.
Honestly, I want to like this show. I'm a fan of prime-time soaps. And I'm thrilled that, for the first time in American TV history, there's a hit drama populated by a primarily African-American cast.
But … it's not very good.
Just because it's a soap opera doesn't excuse bad writing. And 13 episodes into "Empire," the plots are already repetitive and — quite frankly — boring. Already, it's tough to care who's running Empire, the music company, and that's the heart of the show.
I've always been somewhat uncomfortable with "Empire" because Terrence Howard stars as Lucious, a violent, homophobic guy who treats women badly. And Howard has his own problems. His recent interview in Rolling Stone is appalling — he's got a lot of excuses for why he's gotten violent with women (and men).
And the opening scenes in the Season 2 premiere are beyond uncomfortable. Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) is leading a rally to free Lucious from prison, calling it a clear case of racism that he was arrested in the first place and citing genuine statistics about how many African-Americans are imprisoned in this country.
Except … Lucious did it. He's a murderer. And she knows he's a murderer.
This is what the first hit drama with a primarily African-American cast wants to be?
That's upsetting, but not particularly surprising. Creator/executive producer Lee Daniels' movie "The Butler" was sort of a ludicrous mess, too.
I want to like "Empire." But I've watched the first three episodes of Season 2, and it's just not good.
Too bad.