I love Scandal when it’s full-on serialized. The Defiance arc this year was a shining example of how to construct an epic narrative that kept viewers engrossed and on edge. While this hour was more of a standalone outing, it was still mightily intriguing.
I’ve never seen Lisa Edelstein on House but she was pretty darn excellent here as a CEO caught in a media firestorm. In fact, I would love for her character Sarah to join the cast permanently as she has an easy chemistry with Olivia (loved the wine-drinking scene) and an inherent likeability as a strong-willed yet flawed woman. The parallels drawn between both women’s betrayals were textbook Shonda Rhimes – a tad heavy handed but impeccably accurate. Shonda does this kind of thing on a weekly basis on Grey’s Anatomy so I don’t mind it on Scandal every once in a while. The tight performances and confident storytelling made it all work.
Has the world come to an end or is Quinn finally interesting? I was surprisingly amused by her and Huck stalking CIA Director Osborn. Now that the latter has evidence of little miss fixer following him, things are going to get messy fast. Here’s hoping this arc will prove to be as absorbing as Defiance which was utterly mindblowing on every level. The expectations are high, but I’m hoping the show will pull it off with flying colors.
Scandalous Bits
– Olivia strutting into Sarah’s house while the reporters were distracted at the “top of the hour” was pretty darn genius.
– While Sarah mistaking Abby for Olivia was amusing, it wasn’t really paid off in any way by the end of the hour. Are we just supposed to assume that Sarah is kind of racist?
– I really felt like punching Fitz when he took the baby and slammed the door in Mellie’s face. And I don’t even like Mellie that much!
– Hell hath no fury like Cyrus and Olivia having an all-out war over one woman’s reputation.
– Sarah’s husband going nuts and attacking the photographers was awesome.
– Oh Quinn you actually made me laugh, taking your shirt off at the dry cleaners.
– The episode’s standout scene: Fitz and Liv having that poignant phone-call and not really saying much as Sarah and her husband did all the arguing in the background. Gorgeous scene.
– Jack’s got some moves beating up the photographer and stealing the pictures!
– Can I just point out that Abby and Harrison’s bluff with the empty box was beyond epic? Seriously.
– Sarah’s husband ripping the paternity test was expected yet undeniably touching.
– So Mellie now knows about Fitz’s secret rendezvous meetings with Jac. Hmm…
– The smile Jack gave himself to the hidden camera in Liv’s home? Creeped the heck out of me.
Quipyness
Olivia: Normal is over. Normal ended hours ago.
Olivia: (to Cyrus) I will not be responsible for an untimely heart-attack. Take a breath.
Cyrus: (to Olivia) Is your vagina apolitical?
Cyrus: (to Mellie) Where your husband is dipping his signing pen these days isn’t my primary concern.
Olivia: This is-
Sarah: A 300 dollar bottle of wine. I was saving it for a special occasion. My husband calling me a whore feels like a special occasion.
Sarah: What if he never forgives me?
Olivia: Then you’re going to have to learn to forgive yourself.
Sarah: That sounds lonely.
Olivia: It is.
Conclusion
While it didn’t do much to advance the overall plot, this was a solid and compelling hour of Scandal.
Nad Rating
B+
Lisa Edelstein took my breath away in that epic wine scene. So beautiful. So touching. I really would love to see her as a regular on the show.