A glossy, high-voltage family soap with big performances, sharp hooks, and a strong first-season engine. It’s most rewarding if you want melodrama, music-industry intrigue, and ruthless power plays; later seasons become more uneven and repetitive.
Empire
Where to watch: Buy
TV Show · Drama · Soap
Wed
Created by: Danny Strong, Lee Daniels
Starring: Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Bryshere Y. Gray
Overview
A powerful family drama about the head of a music empire whose three sons and ex-wife all battle for his throne.
Created by
Danny Strong, Lee Daniels
Cast
Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Bryshere Y. Gray, Trai Byers, Gabourey Sidibe, Ta'Rhonda Jones, Serayah, Nicole Ari Parker
Curator Review
Verdict
A glossy, high-voltage family soap with big performances, sharp hooks, and a strong first-season engine. It’s most rewarding if you want melodrama, music-industry intrigue, and ruthless power plays; later seasons become more uneven and repetitive.
Best for
Viewers who like heightened primetime soaps
Fans of music-industry drama and family succession stories
People who enjoy big, memeable performances and cliffhangers
Skip if
You want subtle character drama
You dislike camp, excess, or soapy reversals
You prefer tightly plotted shows that stay consistent across all seasons
Overview
Empire is built on pure soap-opera propulsion: a dynasty fight over a music label, with betrayals, alliances, and public humiliation arriving at a relentless pace. The show’s appeal is immediate and very watchable, especially in its early run, where the combination of family warfare, hip-hop spectacle, and outsized performances gives it a real pop-culture charge.
Worth noting
Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson anchor the series with star power, and the ensemble is designed for maximum friction. The music and fashion elements help it feel bigger than a standard family drama, and the show knows how to end an episode on a hard turn. At its best, it’s addictive, glossy, and shamelessly entertaining.
Bottom line
The downside is that the series can become repetitive as it stretches across six seasons, with escalating twists sometimes replacing deeper development. It remains a strong pick for viewers who embrace melodrama and spectacle, but it’s less satisfying if you want long-form consistency or realism. The first season and select stretches after it are the main draw; later episodes are more of a commitment than a revelation.