HOLLYWOOD─When the FOX series “Empire” premiered several years ago, it was a fantastic guilty pleasure people. I mean that first season was fantastic. When is the last time you recall watching a series, where during its first season each episode delivered a surprise, twist or shocker that you just did not see coming from a mile away? Yes, it’s very rare. Of course I will admit no season has lived up to the perfection of the first season. I still think seasons two and four are the weakest of the bunch, with season 3 and season 5 bouncing back.

With that said, we have come upon our final season and final episode of the musical drama this week people. I’ll be the first to admit if the drama involving Jussie Smollett never transpired, I think we’d have another season or two of the series, but it is what it is at this point. Season six started slow, but more mayhem has unfolded and the last few episodes have been excellent in my opinion. Between the Cookie and Lucious love affair, we have a new battle where Andre’s antics not only threatening the lives of his son and his wife Teri, not to mention a bad contract deal that allowed Giselle to get her hands on Empire Records yet again.

Yes, that was the one plot point that has annoyed me often it always seems to be a battle for the Empire and that gets stale after sometime people. As of late, Andre finally got treatment for his mental illness and was in recovery, Lucious and Cookie aligned to launch Bossyfest in competition with the ASA’s. Kelly Patel and Giselle have weaseled themselves back into the company that the show has its main focus. Things culminated in last week’s episode, with Andre deciding to take a missionary trip to Africa hoping for redemption.

However, the series finale, ‘Home is on the Way’ brought all the chaos fans have come to witness in the past sixth seasons have come to an end. I loved that the episode opened with a wink to the Blaxploitation flicks of the 70s with Cookie feeling like she was in charge, but it was all a dream as she explained to her therapist. Cookie and Lushion laid out the groundwork letting Giselle and her secret lover aware that you do not mess with the Lyon clan without getting bite in the process.

Hakeem tried to reason with Andre to not move overseas and fight to stay in his son’s life against all odds. Things were still being fixed for the BossyFest, as Becky dealt with Kash Doll as it was clear Porsha and Becky’s friendship was fracturing right in front of our eyes. Cookie learned that Lucious wrote her plenty of letters while she was in prison, which left her speechless. OMG, c’mon people we need Cookie and Lucious to reunite already these two are destined to be together.

Andre made a decision to STAY in town to work on himself to ensure he proves to Teri and Walker that he is the man that he knows he can be for his family. Maya was taken aback by an interviewer who posed some insensitive questions and Hakeem stood by her side. Lucious made peace with his rival Damon, just as Becky apologized for her antics to Porsha. Yana realized that her love for Lucious was not enough to get him to go on tour with him.

Damon was not happy to see his rival still after his daughter and drew his gun, but in a turn of chaotic events, she was fatally shot by her OWN FATHER! Wow, that was a twist I did not see coming people. Lucious and Cookie was clearly worried that Damon was out for revenge, and this meant extra security for the entire Lyon clan. Cookie received a letter from her past love, as the audience was teased to a scene of Lucious going to war with Damon. Punches were thrown, bodies were tossed, and Cookie realized her one true love was on the verge of death.

Well it looks like Lucious was able to take out Damon once and for all, but rather he was still breathing was another question people. Cookie arrived and begged her love to fight to survive. It all culminated with the “Empire” movie premiere chronicling the lives of our patriarch and matriarch. I have to admit I was slightly disappointed by the finale. I expected a just a bit more for a show that was so game-changing, so amazing and unforgettable it did not leave me with that wow moment that I came to expect from the series that changes the world of music and TV as we know it, and be honest I will not remember this series finale to a show that was a game-changer for network TV!