Empire Review: A High Hope for a Low Heaven (Season 2 Episode 6)

We need to talk about Hakeem. This week’s episode of Empire, “A High Hope for a Low Heaven,” has me all kinds of confused. Spoilers ahead.

Y’all know that I’m pretty much the biggest Empire fan out there, but this week’s episode… I just don’t know. Anyone else feel weird?

I mean, what is going on with Hakeem? I know getting kidnapped is probably really scary, but why is he so sweaty? And what is with the weird voices in his head and crazy camera angles? Was he brainwashed? Is he having a breakdown? What is going on?! I know a lot of murders and stuff have happened on Empire, but this is all a bit too dark for me. Also, why did he go straight to Anika? I need answers and the show is not giving them to me. I think I expected a lot more time to be dedicated to the actual kidnapping. It was really played up, and then we had to wait two weeks to see what happened… and then thirty seconds into the episode it’s over.

I had trouble focusing on the other stories happening this week, but some good things did happen:

• Brotherly love – I may not get exactly what’s going on with Hakeem, but I do love that his brothers have his back. I need more family love on this show.
• The daughter Lucious never had – Lucious seems to be going off the deep end with his new artist. He’s even giving her songs he wrote for Hakeem. Seriously, what is going on?
• Andre’s off book – Andre doesn’t seem to quite get what his job is. It’s kinda hilarious. This is definitely going somewhere good.
• The company ink – Cookie is blurring the lines with her promoter (slash body guard, slash personal assistant?). But the tattoo on his back?! Cookie is being such a boss with everything that’s going on. I seriously hope she’s not getting swindled. Not that I’m as worried about her as I am about him, if she is.
• A love story for Becky – We are finally getting a storyline for Becky. It’s about time, since she’s been on the show from the start and all we really see of her is her job.
• A love story for Hakeem? – Is Hakeem falling for his lead singer? Last time she taught him the important lesson that not all women want to be sexually harassed. This time she saves him from embarrassing himself on stage. The way he looks at her makes me think that he might be having some feelings about her. I think she’d be good for him.

I didn’t hate this week’s episode of Empire, but I didn’t love it either. I think it was just really not what I was expecting. I need more info about what happened with Hakeem while he was kidnapped, what is going on with him and Anika, and whether Lucious has something to do with it all ASAP.

What did you think of this week’s episode of Empire? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments below.

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Empire airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on Fox.

Amanda Coyne

Amanda is an associate editor for Tell-Tale TV. She is a writer, teacher, and pop culture enthusiast with a love for 30 Rock and The Mindy Project. She is also the proud mother of two orange cats. Follow @amandarcoyne