What’s Worth Watching: Empire’s Cookie Goes Gunning for Anika

Empire, “Once More Unto the Breach” (Wednesday, March 4, 9/8c, Fox)

The hip hop Shakespearean drama calls in the dogs of war as Lucious (Terrence Howard) rallies his family to save Empire Entertainment against a full-on attack by his longtime industry rival, the very scary Billy Beretti (Judd Nelson). Well not quite the whole family. Feeling rejected by his dad, oldest son Andre (Trai Byers) goes off his bipolar meds, and ex-wife and current lover Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) goes gunning for Lucious’s smug fiancée, Anika (Grace Gealey), who is double-dipping with Baretti in various nasty ways.

All that and a smokin’ duet between Jamal (Jussie Smollett) and Delphine (Estelle), a hot talent the newly out singer is cultivating. As the propulsive hit series’ first season finale nears, the question in this violent music world looks to be who will be around to proclaim, as Beyonce’s lyrics put it a while back: “I’m a survivor. I’m gonna make it.” We’ll bet on Cookie.