By: Amanda Anderson-Niles
“Empire” quickly became a massive hit in its first season, and the ratings pretty much increased with each episode.
However, in its second season, the hit drama is now seeing a drop in ratings.
Is the show in trouble?
Click next to find out how season two is faring in comparison to the first season.
I think this is a bigger deal than people are making it out to be. They lost over 2 million viewers in one episode. This means people are not enjoying the current direction of the show and I must say I’m not either. The writing this season is all over the place and the hasty addition of all these latinas/latinos and guest appearances feels forced.
One of the producers said Latinos are the reason Empire is a hit so they wanted to add more of them to the cast. That offended me because the numbers have been showing it’s mainly black people and whites watching.
Wait what?
Girl yes!! I know we can’t post links on here but look up Carlito Rodriguez. Latina Magazine interviewed him and he said one of the producers told him that.
blk ppl always so damm desperate to make eerrbody else happy as if they do the same for us… the step and fetchin just goes on and on even when nigs get put on lol
The writing this season is all over the place and the hasty addition of all these latinas/latinos and guest appearances feels forced.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who noticed this. It’s a little annoying. They don’t include us in their media. Why do we always have to include them…
I’m sorry, what does adding Latinos have to do with you disliking the show? The problem is, this season is boring. I supposed if I was on a Spanish blog and they said, they added blacks to the show, it’s feels forced, you would be in an uproar. The show is based in New York City in the music industry which is very diverse. And yes, I’m half Puerto Rican.
Lol oh please. I’m sorry how often do you see Afro Latinas in Latina magazine? Or black people in Spanish soaps? Telemundo? Sorry but Latinos rarely include black people in anything and I don’t recall them being active in the Black Lives Matter movement either. But for some reason black people have to include everyone in our stuff. And Hip Hop is mainly black although most executives are white. So yeah…but whatever. I said what I said.
When are Hispanics included in black Hollywood movies? They’re all black casts. How often do you see a Spanish person in a Tyler Perry film? Not often. So, you’re argument is moot. I lived in Puerto Rico where we fully embrace our African roots and its prevalent in our local programming and news. Educate yourself before you make bigoted comments towards Latinos. Newsflash, Fox is a major broadcasting network that’s in every home, so I wouldn’t call adding Latinos to the show as forced, it’s all inclusive. You’re making blanket statements with little to no facts.
Tyler Perry put Sofia Vegara on though and he includes Latinos in his TV shows regularly. Sis I said what I said. You can toss out the word bigot all you want and try to shame black people for trying to have our own and I will still be unmoved. There’s plenty of facts out here about how dark skinned people are treated in the Latino community. Be obtuse if you want to but I’m not interested in discussing it this morning because we both know you won’t acknowledge that. So we’re done here, right?
Thank you Angie. As a Latina, I am happy to see more of us on Empire.
Angie, you’re really missing the point and at the same time in your responses, you’re proving the points people have been making about the addition of Latinos. Yes, the addition of Latinos was forced. Even a writer for the show confirmed they felt the need to add a lot more Latinos to the cast because of the Latino outrage which was led by Latino Magazine anti Empire articles. And even a producer said they wanted to add more Latinos because they feel they are the reason the show is so successful ratings wise, even though the demographics published by Nielsen prove that’s inaccurate. Empire is mainly watched by blacks over 80 percent. You’re continuously asking why aren’t Latinos added to black movies and the question is why should they be? Do y’all add us to yours? I don’t see black people on the Spanish channel…do you? I’m not sure why you’re so offended. No one said Latinos suck. We said the addition was forced because it is. Even the writers and producers acknowledged that. So I don’t understand the back and forth.
We just want our own things like they have their own things. Everytime we get something successful, we are forced to add whites and latinos to our projects. Even the Best Man Holiday had Nia with a white man. It’s not even subtle anymore.
I inquired about Latinos in black movies once when it was repeated said that Latinos don’t include black people in their programming. you’re explanation is much more reasonable and I can see what you’re saying. But my opinion is that the show is lacking due to the writing and poor direction.
Oh ok I understand. And the writing this season sucks really bad. I’m questioning if I should keep watching it live or just DVR it instead.
I can’t reply to your most recent comment. Saying a show is lacking people of the use of Latino actors is a bigoted statement. The show has become boring and lacks direction period. I’m perfectly aware of the treatment of darker skinned people, my father or dark as they come. It’s well known that people of dark skin in ALL cultures are mistreated. It’s prevalent in India, Thailand, Latin America… I can go on and on. It’s prevalent within our own community, ever heard of colorism? It had nothing to do with adding Latin actors to a show that has a predominantly black cast. No one is shaming black people for having their own. I’m black! You brought race into a show that’s simply lacking. You obviously have a problem with Latinos, “sis”.
Your opinion of me means nothing since you don’t know me. I gave my opinion (the addition of Latinos to Empire after being called out by Latino Magazine makes it seem forced) and you’ve been in your feelings since and my opinion won’t change. Continue to be upset I guess.
If my opinion didn’t matter, you wouldn’t respond. I’m not in my feelings, I call it how I see it. Empire is boring. They need to step their writing game up, Latino cast members have nothing to do with the dip in ratings.
I respond every time you respond to me…and if you need to think I care about your opinion of me to feel better about yourself, then by all means think that. I wrote my opinion and you’re bothered. I said the addition of Latinos feels forced. Like who gets worked up over that? Continue ranting.
I’m bored with Empire right now. Next Wednesday I’m going to watch Modern Family and Blackish instead and catch Empire on demand.
I have to agree girl. Like Blackish is coming with it this season.
That’s a pretty significant drop though. We’re talking millions dropping off. Fox doesn’t need to panic yet, but they need to pay close attention to what happens in the next few weeks.
They have too many celebs doing guest appearances. Chris Rock as a crime boss was just really bad casting. And that Luda storyline was just pointless. And the little J-lo girl sleeping with Hakeem was just so boring. Not to mention the whole Lucious in jail thing is weird too.
I still don’t understand why they had Cookie in a gorilla suit in a cage.
Right! Made me feel some type of way considering the network the show is on.
This should be expected no show is going to keep record ratings every week. I think Empire will be just fine but last episode was boring and Ludacris acting was atrocious. Hopefully it will get better as the season goes on.
I think we won’t know if it’s in trouble or not until the season finale. Right now I’m nervous because it just hasn’t been good this season. If it doesn’t pick up next week, more people will stop watching. Everything is all over the place. I didn’t understand Kelly Rowland’s cameo. The writing isn’t good this season.
I think Kelly’s cameo was to show where the history of mental illness comes from. Particularly with Andre.
I’m struggling to keep watching. I didn’t like the fact that Lucious referred to that lawyer as a black b*tch. That made me cringe. And Cookie in the gorilla suit…yeah they may want to chill out on offending black people since we’re the reason it blew up in the first place.
Guest appearances will be the death of this show.
I mean did they fire all the writers from last season cause…
Season two has gone to sh-t. People don’t want to wait until episode five for things to turn up when season one hit the ground and took off running.
There are still a lot of people who do not embrace homosexuality, I think after the kissing, and touching on the first episode turned alot of people away. I have nothing against the lifestyle but even for me it was a little more than what I am used to.
Beside that, they are doing too much with the celebrities.
It’s been boring. They better crank it up ASAP before they lose even more.
I haven’t seen it yet…..cause I was waiting on it to hit Hulu….my boyfriend and I have been watching a street drama series based in Brooklyn which is really good and interesting and doesn’t have celebs running thru it…
Money & Violence???? Yaaaaaas, watched it last year with my babe, love it. Can’t wait for the new season
Yes!!!!!!!…….I just got put on……a couple of nites ago lol
Well I have a new show to check out. Thanks y’all.
They really need to chill with the guest appearances. Nobody is watching empire for that.
It’s kind of lame now.
It all comes down to the writing not being very good this season.
The ratings will continue to drop too. You can’t have subpar writing and expect people to keep watching.
Oh dang.
I was included in that drop off. The premiere just killed it for me.
I recorded it and it took me two days to watch it. I just couldn’t get into it.
i love the show i just think they were stupid to cut it off when they did…and bring it back so quick…that’s not like a normal pattern for tv watchin lol
I was bored with king lou in prison. I think the ratings shows that. So they was smart to let him out. He is the KING. I’m very disappointed that closet a-s five dollar rapper Ludacris/fer aka Satan even got on the show. He is not acting that’s Satan in person on live TV. He hate women because he don’t have a p-ssy. Five dollar d-ck sucker.
So this post took an interesting turn. I don’t really mind the surge of Latinos on the show, but I just have to question why there aren’t any Afro Latinos being added. It’s like only a certain type of Latino is getting booked. The J-Lo ones. The ones who have more of a Caucasian look. That’s pretty disappointing to me. I hope that changes soon because there are some great Afro-Latino actors and actresses.
Zoe Saldana would be perfect but I’m not sure if she would consider a soap like Empire.
The show writers are black but with a lot of influence and pressure to include everybody in “our” show. They making stuff be hella gay orientated and that I think is turning a lot of black viewers off. I never liked the show Terence Howard has no black wives or women ever so why is he playing beside one in a movie. They might as well get a real black men who has a real black wife that’s how i feel. #Blacklivesmatters#
If this Empire becomes flooded with “Latinos/Latinas” I will no longer watch the show. It’s no wonder the show is falling off. The nerve of that producer saying they are the reason this show is successful.
Wow!! These comments are something. We all are Free to have our Opinion..I LOVE IT! Keep doing your Thing! Everyone will not approve of the changes..who cares..keep it coming..not much to choose on TV with All This Reality World! Thats what IM TIRED OF! #ijs Like my Fanpage on facebook [link removed]