I never heard about this show until the leading actress appeared on Alan Carr: Chatty Man talking about it, they were saying it had gotten over 17 million viewers and was a ratings winner in America, so when it came to the UK, I hoped for something good. Basically, former drug dealer Luscious Lyon (Terrence Howard) became a hip-hop star and is now mogul and CEO of Empire Entertainment. Following a health scare, being diagnosed with the incurable disease ALS (which later turns out to be wrong), he must decide if one of his three sons should take over the business. There is the eldest business-minded son Andre (Trai Byers) who suffers from bipolar disease, gay singer-songwriter and middle son Jamal (Jussie Smollett) who later develops PTSD and an addiction to painkillers, and fame-obsessed hip-hop star and youngest son Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray) who has a tendency to lash out. His ex-wife Loretha "Cookie" Lyon (Golden Globe winning, and twice Emmy nominated Taraji P. Henson) is released from prison, after serving seventeen years, and wants her shares, control, or equal power in the company. The record label was funded by drug money, so many factors of this past come back to haunt the family. It also focuses on artists who sing for the label, and members of staff at the company. They include R&B star Tiana Brown (Serayah) who has a relationship and baby with Hakeem, executive assistant Rebecca "Becky" Williams (Precious's Gabourey Sidibe) who later co-founds the Bossy Media record label to rival Empire, Cookie's executive assistant Porsha Taylor (Ta'Rhonda Jones), Lucious's vicious fiancée Anika Calhoun (Grace Gealey) until her death, Cookie's older realtor sister Candace (Vivica A. Fox) and younger former drug addict sister Carol (Tasha Smith), and many more. Various issues are covered in the show, including births and deaths, marriage and divorce, drug use, gangs and the criminal underworld, sexuality, racism, depression and mental health, illness and diseases, and much more, all interwoven with great hip-hop, R&B, soul and dance music being produced and performed in studios and onstage. Also starring Andre Royo as Thirsty Rawlings, AzMarie Livingston as Chicken, Nicole Ari Parker as Giselle, Claudette Burchett as Juanita, Xzibit as Shyne Johnson, Rhyon Nicole Brown as Maya, Kaitlin Doubleday as Rhonda Lyon, A. Z. Kelsey as Jeff Kingsley, Meta Golding as Teri, Bre-Z as Freda Gatz, Wood Harris as Damon Cross, Kevin Wigfall as Webb, Mario as Devon, Katlynn Simone as Treasure, Chet Hanks as Blake, Taye Diggs as Angelo Dubois, Rumer Willis as Tory Ash, Morocco Omari as Tariq, Leslie Uggams as Leah Walker, Terrell Carter as Warren Hall, Sierra Aylina McClain as Nessa, Phylicia Rashad as Diana DuBois, Marcell Johnson as Marcel, Jamila Velazquez as Laura Calleros, Toby Onwumere as Kai, Amanda Detmer as Tracy, Pej Vahdat as Kelly Patel, Kiandra Richardson as Yana, Malik Yoba as Vernon Turner, Sara Sevigny as Edna Bunnin, Will Kinnear as Leonard Bernstein, Rafael de la Fuente as Michael Sanchez, Forest Whitaker as Eddie Barker, Antoine McKay as Bunkie Williams, Ajiona Alexus as Teenage Loretha, Jeremy L. Carver as Teenage Lucious, Tobias Truvillion as D-Major, Bella Chanel as Bella Lyon, Skylan Brooks as Quincy, Naomi Campbell as Camilla Marks, Nia Long as Giuliana, David Banner as Philly Street, Demi Moore as Claudia, Keesha Sharp as Dr. Paula Wick, Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Poundcake, Diamond White as Lala, Veronika Bozeman as Veronica, Kelly Rowland as Leah Walker, Yani Marin as Carmen, Marisa Tomei as Mimi Whiteman, Adam Rodriguez as Laz Delgado, William Fichtner as Jameson Henthrop, Judd Nelson as Billy Beretti, Tyra Ferrell as Roxanne Ford, Alfre Woodard as Renee, Jennifer Hudson as Michelle White, Eva Longoria as Charlotte Frost, Max Beesley as Guy, Joss Stone as Wynter, Robert Ri'chard as Julian, Courtney Love as Elle Dallas, Alicia Keys as Skye Summers, Snoop Dogg as himself, Raven-Symoné as Olivia Lyon, Becky G as Valentina Galindo, Estelle as Delphine, Cuba Gooding Jr as Puma, Patti LaBelle as herself, M. Emmet Walsh as Harold Blakeley, Chris Rock as Frank Gathers, Timbaland as himself, Ludacris as Officer McKnight, Ne-Yo as himself, Clarence Williams III as Huey Jarvis, Mary J. Blige as Angie, Rita Ora as herself, Mariah Carey as Kitty, Queen Latifah as Carlotta Brown, Mario Van Peebles as Uncle Ray, Chaka Khan as herself, D. B. Sweeney as Elvis Stone, Gladys Knight as herself, Ty Dolla Sign as himself, Jason Derulo as himself, Pitbull as himself, Gina Gershon as Helen von Wyeth, Eve as herself, Lenny Kravitz as himself, Oprah Winfrey as herself, Common as himself, En Vogue (Cindy Herron, Terry Ellis, Rhona Bennett) as themselves, and Kyra Jones as MC. It is fair to say that the final season of the show was overshadowed by the firing of Smollett following his hate crime hoax scandal, and the coronavirus pandemic halted production, meaning the final two episodes were never completed. It was supposed to end with the reveal of who shot Lucious and blew up Cookie in her car, but this unfortunately remains unresolved. Overall, the show has great acting from the leading stars, especially Howard being the ruthless head of the company who will kill (literally) to make money, but Henson is the real star with her feisty no-nonsense and fast-talking attitude to get things done. The show is full of great original music, but what grips you is the twisted family dynamic, vicious behaviour from the various characters and many other dark elements in amongst the entertainment industry plot, it is a terrific television soap opera music drama. It was nominated the Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Costumes for a Contemporary Series, Limited Series or Movie (four times), Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics, and Outstanding Contemporary Costumes, and it was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Television Series - Drama. Very good!