Empire is the story of a big ranch in New Mexico owned by the Garretts: the widow Lucia Garrett, her son, Tal and her daughter, Connie. The vast spread (half a million acres) is managed by the foreman, a man named Jim Redigo. The property provides oil, cattle and the episodes reflected the dealings of diverse people coming to the territory. . The series ran just one season, but star Richard Egan returned as foreman Jim Redigo the following fall on NBC. This time he owned his own spread and his own show, titled `Redigo.' It lasted 13 weeks.