Step over, Shonda Rhimes, there’s a new show we’re obsessed with. FOX’s “Empire” trends every Wednesday night and into Thursday morning each week, and its audience keeps growing. Last week, there more than double the tweets about “Empire” than there were about “Scandal.” That’s a big record to beat.
Thanks to a Twitter Party last night with the stars and writers room, there were 750,000 tweets around the show.
We take tweeting very seriously! Here’s a little glimpse inside pic.twitter.com/ET8Ny9lzKU
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— Empire (@EmpireFOX) March 12, 2015
The show’s popularity is due in part to taking tweeting seriously. Like the early days of “Scandal,” you have to stay away from social media if you don’t want any spoilers.
Will Lucious meet Cookie’s demands? Check out tonight’s #scripttease and tell us what you think will happen! #empirepic.twitter.com/AuJ2YywZRY
— Empire (@EmpireFOX) March 11, 2015
You can’t manufacture this kind of social media marketing. It’s a special blend of good soap opera-y drama and the kinds of characters that America really hasn’t seen before on primetime television. Timbaland produces the music, and unlike “Glee” or “Smash” the tunes blend seamlessly. Most of the tracks have even made the Billboard Top 50, like “Drip Drop,” my personal favorite. But nothing beats Cookie, the lead female character, for driving social chatter. FOX, smartly, even has an image archive for fans to make their own Cookie memes.
FOX has pulled out every trick to engage its new legions of fans: you can shop Cookie’s closet, complete with alternate “looks for less” links for those of us who can’t afford Roberto Cavalli dresses. Or visit The Lyon’s Den, a very real feeling, fake website for Empire the record company where you can read all about Lucious’ gangster past and a magazine feature about how he’s going to create the new Black Wall Street. You cannot get enough of this family once you start.
The two-hour season finale airs next week. Prepare to the Internet to break.