Ep 1. Pilot

Empire is a music drama television series that premiered on FOX in 2015. The series revolves around the Lyon family, who owns one of the most successful record labels, Empire Entertainment. The first season began with an episode titled "Pilot."

The episode opens with Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard), a former drug dealer turned music mogul, announcing his plans to take his company public. However, his life is turned upside down when he is diagnosed with ALS, a terminal disease. Lucious is forced to confront his own mortality and decide who among his three sons will inherit his empire.

Lucious's eldest son, Andre (Trai Byers), is a financial whiz, but lacks musical talent and is often overlooked by his father. His middle son, Jamal (Jussie Smollett), is a talented singer-songwriter, but Lucious has always been ashamed of Jamal's homosexuality. Meanwhile, his youngest son, Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray), is a rapper who is constantly at odds with his father and is more interested in partying than running a business.

As Lucious prepares to announce his successor, he is informed that his ex-wife, Cookie (Taraji P. Henson), has been released from prison after serving a 17-year sentence. Cookie was instrumental in the early success of Empire, and she intends to reclaim her stake in the company.

The episode follows Lucious as he scrambles to keep his illness a secret from his family and the public, while also dealing with the return of Cookie. The episode also introduces several subplots, including Andre's struggle to gain recognition from his father, Hakeem's relationship with an older woman, and Jamal's struggle to come out of the closet.

The episode is full of tense family dynamics and drama, as each member of the Lyon family vies for control of the company. Cookie, in particular, is a standout character, as she brings a disruptive energy to the otherwise polished world of Empire Entertainment. Her return throws a wrench into Lucious's plans and sets the stage for future conflict.

Overall, "Pilot" sets up the central conflicts and characters that will carry the rest of the season. The episode effectively balances intrigue and character development, and leaves the audience eager to see where the series will go next.