Empire Review: The Lady Doth Protest (Season 4 Episode 7)

On Empire Season 4 Episode 7, “The Lady Doth Protest,” the return of Lucious is called into question.

We’re supposed to believe Lucious is back. He remembers his past and he’s ready to fight for his family.

Or is he?

Honestly, casting doubt on his return is a brilliant way for Empire to get us all to root for evil Lucious.

“The Lady Doth Protest” reminds us that, no matter what our morals might tell us, evil Lucious is just better.

Plus, the DuBois family really has it coming. 

The new Lucious seems to be lingering. He’s soft with the strikers, he’s still pretending to see music in paintings (I say pretending because I just cannot with this), and he’s not yet declared his love for Cookie.

That’s the part that’s really getting me. Too much time has passed now. I thought Lucious would immediately come back for what is his.

Why are Cookie and Lucious still separate? It seems that even Cookie is ready for the real old Lucious to return.

I’ve said quite a bit that Cookie needs to be in charge and Lucious needs to back off. But “The Lady Doth Protest” shows me that that’s not really what I want in my heart.

I want the old Lucious back too.

I want him to take back Cookie and Empire Records. I want him to do something horrific to the DuBois. I want Anika and Angelo gone.

It seems that that’s what we’re building for. I seriously hope we don’t have to wait much longer.

I don’t know if there’s room for compromise in what I’m demanding, but I am still torn on who should run Empire Records.

It’s entertaining for Lucious to be in charge. It’s fair for Cookie to be in charge.

Can’t they run it together?

Please?

I mean, Cookie’s just so great. And she’s ready to stand up for herself. In losing the ‘real’ Lucious she’s had to take care of herself again. This has been great for two reasons. For one, it’s given us more insight into who Cookie is and how prison shaped her.

At her core, Cookie is good. The story about Poundcake proves it.

It’s also shown Cookie that she can run a business. Although I have to say that I was disappointed in how the strike got wrapped up. Couldn’t Empire Records have met at least one demand? Calling someone family without listening to what they are asking for is more than a little hollow.

I had to cheer at Cookie’s comeback to Lucious saying he’ll be there for her ‘like always’:

“Lucious, you haven’t always been there for me.”

Maybe Empire can find a way for Lucious to take back his throne without kicking Cookie off of hers.

What did you think of this episode of Empire? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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Empire airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on Fox.

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