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Video revealed in Smollett case 0:49
(CNN) - "Empire" came to the end of its six-season run this week with a kind of series finale, ending what has been a long and strange journey. Famous for its exaggerated twists and its "hooks" at the end of each chapter, the music drama that was once one of the biggest hits on television then experienced a drop almost as steep as its rise.
When Fox announced last May that the series was coming to an end, Fox Entertainment chief Charlie Collier added: "Let the fans bow down and have the ending they deserve."
However, like everything related to the program, it did not work as planned, since "Empire" closes more with a groan than with an explosion, again due to circumstances that were beyond its own control.
The coronavirus intervened in this case, shortening the production of what would have been a 20-episode season. The chapter that will be broadcast on Tuesday will be the 18th, although it will incorporate material from the penultimate hour that was partially shot.
The show's producers, Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, have left the door open for a definitive ending later, perhaps a movie to tie up the loose ends. Even, in a statement Daniels was disconsolate when affirming: "we are not going to get to shoot the end that we wanted". However, the chances of that happening seem slim given the logistics.
The show's instant success was a huge boost for Fox when it premiered in January 2015. “Empire” positioned itself as the best drama on television with that season, drawing more than 17 million viewers with the finale, and also skyrocketing. in other metrics.
As Nielsen Media Research pointed out, its two-part finale that spring generated 2.4 million tweets, more than any other series. The soundtrack sold over 430,000 copies and stayed on the Billboard charts for 19 consecutive weeks.
Big stars went through the series as guests, and a spin off, "Star" (lasted three seasons), was even ordered, as Fox sought to further capitalize on the show's popularity.
The show featured Terrence Howard in the role of Lucious Lyon, the patriarch of a musical empire who, faced with a terminal diagnosis that conveniently disappeared once the series became a success, is organizing a succession battle between his three children: Andre (Trey Byers), Jamal (Jussie Smollett) and Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray).
Much of the drama revolved around Lucious's ex-wife Cookie (Taraji P. Henson), who after leaving prison competes not only for the company, but also for the loyalty of her children. Henson immediately became a featured character in the series, earning a pair of Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe in 2016.
However, while the combination of soap opera situations and music was appealing, the stories were difficult to maintain. Ratings or ratings had already dropped sharply by the time the off-screen controversy erupted.
In January 2019, Smollett claimed to have been the victim of a hate crime in Chicago. However, his argument was soon questioned, prompting police to charge him with organizing the attack, in an alleged effort to provoke sympathy and gain a raise, and to file a false report.
While the charges were originally dropped, the appointment of a special prosecutor ended with a grand jury, which subsequently returned an indictment on six charges related to the incident. Smollett has continued to deny those charges.
The producers initially expressed their support for the actor, but Smollett was eventually removed from the show. The only thing viewers knew is that the character moved to Europe.
The ratings, already in decline, continued to decline throughout the season as Smollett's story unfolded in the media. The series currently has an average of around 4 million viewers, losing more than a third of its audience from last year.
In an interview with Vulture last June, Daniels said he felt the scandal "played a big role" in Fox's decision to cancel the series.
However, even before those events, executives from competing networks suggested that "Empire" had been a shooting star, which in television terms is a fitting analogy. Because once the light fades and you begin to descend, it is difficult to resist gravity.
The finale of "Empire" will air this April 21, at 9 pm on Fox.
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