With a lot of the same old type of shows coming out this fall (do we really need another Law and Order spin-off that will clog up the airwaves for ten years and take a spot from a potentially better show?), Empire strikes us as something new. It's a series that focuses on the family drama behind a hip hop empire, and has been getting some positive attention already for its use of original songs. Empire is brought to us by Lee Daniels (thank you for not calling it Lee Daniels' Empire, by the way) and his The Butler screenwriter Danny Strong, so we know we're in capable hands.It also boasts a pretty tremendous cast, with Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, and Gabourey Sidibe set to star. It's refreshing to see hip hop taken seriously on television, where it's usually relegated to minor comedy bits with rapper-turned-actors. In a way, it almost feels like a show that should be on a cable network like AMC or HBO, which given the stellar quality they've had over the years, is a high compliment indeed.