Ah, Man, Taraji P. Hanson, You and That Show. Too Much, And Hating Myself For Being Too Slow.

While teaching in Kentucky, I woke up one morning and basically had the plot line for a show like Empire. Actually, I was mid-Shakespeare units with my students and we spent some time brainstorming ways to make the Bard's work accessible to 21st century audiences.  My sleep during that time (hyperactive as it is) envisioned a West Coast/East Coast empire for music where a woman, somewhat Lady Macbeth and some what Taming of the Shrew, used her power to play two sides of the nations.

Empire isn't quite that story, but this spring season, I keep thinking, "Yep. This is the plot line that captures the raw, power-hungry tale of so many Greek plays and Elizabethan drama."

I'm fascinated by it.

I know it is hyped-up drama, over the top, cheesy, and somewhat ridiculous, but it truly is fascinating to see where the writers take the story. The hubris each week changes, but the characters are each so flawed that it makes it somewhat mesmerizing - that, and the unraveling of Lucious's story, makes for much drama. I keep coming back.

And when I think about this, I realize that there's a lot of Days of Our Lives to the heightened silliness of backstabbing, killing, lying, and recalculating. I grew up on soap operas, so I guess I have to admit that this one is mine.

Ah, Taraji P. Hanson....you are one of my favorite characters ever. XOXOXO. Wow. I'm in love with your fiction.