Written And Directed by Danny Strong
Cookie: "You really gonna pick this bitch over your own family, Hakeem?"
Hakeem: "At least she doesn't beat me with a purse."
Camilla: "Unless you want me to."
This show has been off the air for a while now that a part of me had it to the back of my mind and given that I was focused on the DC world even more so this week, this is why this review is happening now. It's been four months since the mid season finale but this episode picks up from where it left off.
First off all, the horrible stuff - Andre and Rhonda lost their baby and it was devastating to watch. Not only did Andre have his faith shattered as him and Rhonda lost their child, but Rhonda blamed herself before she realised that someone attacked her. I know the show is making it look like Anika was the attacker but I would be shocked if it were her. Anika is a lot of things but even I don't think she's capable of doing that, despite her insensitivity when visiting Rhonda in the hospital.
Of course with Andre and Rhonda losing their baby, Anika now is carrying a heir to the Lyon throne and it's obvious that she's going to pose more of a problem within the next few episodes now that she's done brooding over Hakeem at the moment. Speaking of Hakeem, this was a bit of a mixed bag for him, episode wise.
Betraying his family for Camilla certainly did him no favours. Lucious threatened to kill him at the end of the episode and Cookie put her skills with both a broom and a purse into handy when she attacked him. Not to mention the fact that Hakeem was a jerk to Laura before he became CEO of Empire thanks to a little persuasion from Camilla.
Of course, Camilla didn't get her way with everything. Cookie and Jamal's scheming against her worked like clockwork as Hakeem brought the rest of his family into Empire once again, which means that provided Lucious doesn't screw up (which means he clearly will), Cookie's plan to flush out Camilla should more or less go off without a hitch. The show is clearly gearing up between a physical smack down between Cookie and Camilla, aren't they?
As for the rest of the episode - I liked that there was some consequences in relation to Jamal sleeping with Sky. As much as I wished that storyline hadn't happened, at least we had Jamal reaffirm that he's a gay brother looking for a man (his words, not mine) but Jameson's annoyance over him sleeping with Sky had some justification behind it. Now can we have a male love interest for Jamal? Or Michael, who judging by the trailer for next week is back once again.
Also in "Death Will Have His Day"
There was two callbacks with the pilot - Cookie's beat down on Hakeem and Lucious taking his son to the same spot where he killed Bunkie.
Thirsty: "Excuses are the tool of the incompetent."
Andre: "Doesn't help, Thirsty."
Rhonda's attacker was definitely female if we're going her remembering the shoes. Maybe it's that deputy major who Andre slept with. I really don't think it's Anika.
Camilla: "Get out of my office."
Lucious: "Bitch, you're gonna have to drag me out of here."
Rhonda: "God doesn't exist."
Andre: "Don't say that, Rhonda."
Rhonda: "If he did, the baby would still be here."
Cookie mentioned having miscarried a baby girl to both Jamal and Andre in this episode. Cookie may have also slept with a woman too if her conversation with Jamal is anything to go by.
Jamal: "I'm still a gay brother looking for a man."
Cookie: "Yeah, me too. All night long."
Camilla: "Hello Cookie. It's never a pleasure to see you."
Standout music: Jamal's "Heavy" and "Freedom" as well as Menage a Trois's "Crown".
Lucious (to Hakeem): "If you want to be king, kill your father and sit on his throne."
Chronology: From where Et Tu, Brute left off.
Death Will Have His Day was a superb mid season premiere. It heavily focused on the main cast, abandoned the special guests of the week, had great music. Definitely one of the strongest episodes the show has done.
Rating: 9 out of 10
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