Empire
Music sceneMusicians, bands and the industry behind them.This show: 9/10Soap & telenovelaHeightened, continuing melodrama.This show: 9/10Family sagaBonds and fractures across generations of one family.This show: 9/10SerializedContinuous arcs where every episode builds on the last.This show: 8/10Secrets & liesHidden truths straining every relationship.This show: 8/10Cliffhanger-drivenEngineered for the 'one more episode' effect.This show: 7/10Elites & privilegeThe rich and powerful, glamorous or rotten.This show: 7/10Antihero leadA protagonist doing bad things you can't stop watching.This show: 7/10
Rate this series
Starring
Terrence HowardTaraji P. HensonJussie SmollettBryshere Y. GrayTrai ByersTa'Rhonda Jones
Written by
Lee DanielsDanny Strong
Starring
Terrence HowardTaraji P. HensonJussie SmollettBryshere Y. GrayTrai ByersTa'Rhonda Jones
Written by
Lee DanielsDanny Strong
Ratings per Episode
Votes per Episode
Empire Episode Ratings Heatmap
| Avg | E1 | E2 | E3 | E4 | E5 | E6 | E7 | E8 | E9 | E10 | E11 | E12 | E13 | E14 | E15 | E16 | E17 | E18 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | 8.2 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 8.3 | 8.1 | 8.5 | 8.6 | 8.6 | 8.2 | 8.1 | 8.3 | |||||||
| S2 | 8.0 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 8.3 | 8.1 | 8.8 | 8.0 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 7.8 | 7.5 | 8.3 | 8.7 | 7.8 | |
| S3 | 7.4 | 7.5 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 7.4 | 7.7 | 7.6 | 7.1 | 6.7 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 7.2 | 7.7 | 7.6 | |
| S4 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.2 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 7.5 | 7.9 | 7.3 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 6.8 | 7.1 | 6.9 | 8.0 | 7.2 | 7.6 | 7.9 | |
| S5 | 6.7 | 7.2 | 7.0 | 6.8 | 7.3 | 6.9 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 7.3 | 7.5 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 5.4 | 6.9 | 6.4 | 6.2 | 6.1 | 7.1 | 7.0 | |
| S6 | 7.2 | 6.8 | 6.9 | 6.6 | 7.6 | 7.6 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.7 | 7.6 | 7.8 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 5.6 |
Download Infographic
About
"Shakespearean family warfare set to a hip-hop beat"
Empire centers on Lucious Lyon, a hip-hop mogul who learns he's dying and must choose which of his three sons will take over his music company, just as his fierce ex-wife Cookie gets out of prison and muscles back into the business. What follows is glossy, high-stakes family melodrama set against recording studios and boardrooms, full of betrayals, power grabs, and musical numbers. The tone is soapy and theatrical rather than subtle, moving at a brisk clip, and it's carried almost entirely by its performances, especially Taraji P. Henson's scene-stealing turn as Cookie.
Watch it for
Taraji P. Henson's ferocious, scene-stealing performance as Cookie anchors every episode.
Maybe skip if
you dislike over-the-top soap opera plotting and constantly escalating melodrama.
Written by our AI editor to help you decide, spoiler-free by design.
All Seasons
▶
Season 12015
8.210K128h 46m
Lucious Lyon's reign as the head of Empire Entertainment has been unchallenged for years. But all that changes when he learns he has a disease and must choose one of his three sons to take over: Andre, Jamal or Hakeem. Complicating matters is their mother and Lucious' ex-wife, Cookie, who emerges from prison to claim her share.
▶
Season 22015
8.08K1813h 26m
The second season picks up three months after the shocking arrest and incarceration of Empire Entertainment head Lucious Lyon. Knowing Lucious won’t be held much longer in prison, Cookie and her allies within the Lyon family make a desperate attempt to seize control of the company. But as the Lyons continue to battle each other, a bigger external threat emerges that could force them to unite.
▶
Season 32016
7.45K1813h 19m
Lucious pursues his music legacy with his streaming service, while also clashing with his half-brother, Tariq, who is leading a federal task force investigating him. Cookie aims to start over, in pursuit of her own happiness with a new romantic interest. Meanwhile, the Lyon brothers struggle with fame and ambition, and the choices they face will become a battle for the soul of the Lyon family.
▶
Season 42017
7.54K1813h 46m
▶
Season 52018
6.73K1813h 8m
▶
Season 62019
7.22K1813h 11m
Full Cast & Crew
Cast
Terrence Howard Lucious Lyon
Taraji P. Henson Cookie Lyon
Jussie Smollett Jamal Lyon
Bryshere Y. Gray Hakeem Lyon
Trai Byers Andre Lyon
Ta'Rhonda Jones Porsha
Gabourey Sidibe Becky
Serayah Tiana Brown
Grace Byers Anika Calhoun
Andre Royo Thirsty Rawlings
Crew
Lee Daniels
Danny Strong
Similar Series
Popular picks Shows that people who know this one usually know too. From our AI taste analysis.
Our recommendations Specific picks with the reason, including shows you may not have heard of. From our AI taste analysis.
P-Valley
12K 28 2020–present
Southern Black drama blending music, ambition, and family strife
Godfather of Harlem
27K 41 2019–2026
Crime-family saga rooted in Black music and culture history
The Family Business
3K 62 2018–present
Black family crime-drama with soapy power struggles
Hit the Floor
3K 41 2013–2018
Glossy melodrama with music/sports industry backstabbing
The Chi
10K 88 2018–2026
Character-driven Black urban drama with intertwined family stakes
Queen of the South
38K 62 2016–2021
High-stakes empire-building drama with a fierce lead
Rap Sh!t
3K 16 2022–2023
Music industry hustle from a fresh, grounded perspective
Sistas
3K 234 2019–present
Tyler Perry-style ensemble drama with romantic intrigue
Close in taste Nearest neighbors in our taste profile comparison: shared tone, themes and style.