I’ve been so torn about Scandal lately.
On one hand, the various twists and turns are still extremely riveting, but what good is that when the characters are so darn irritating? I don’t know if Shonda is purposely doing this, but Olivia has morphed into an enormously unlikeable protagonist. I honestly don’t feel any sympathy for her anymore which is a real pity. And the less said about Fitz the better – the President has effectively assumed the role of a 12-year old brat who kicks and screams every time something doesn’t go his way. Put him out of his misery please.
On the bright side, all the various subplots culminated in one heck of a final ten minutes that pretty much had me on the edge of my seat. With Pope and Associates taking down B613, Charlie and Quin crashing into Mama Pope’s place, and the evil Momma revealing her huge bomb.. well, things are undoubtedly going to get explosive from here on out. Plus the final moment was jawdropping with Jake storming into Liv’s office and choking her against the wall while pointing his gun at her goons. I just wish I cared more about Liv and her plight. And if I have to hear her talk about the “darkness’ and the “light” one more time, I just might slit my wrist.
Thankfully there’s always Abby. Not only did the lovable gal get to play Olivia’s proxy complete with white coat get-up (although I hated how she wasn’t taken seriously), but I loved her poignant little pep-talk to Liv about being a gladiator. Writers, if you’d like to kill off you lead and replace her with Abby, I don’t think I would mind at this point. At least she’d know better than to keep circling around someone as destructive as Fitz.
Scandalous Bits
– Interesting tidbit: B613 gets all its funds by skimming off small bits from every agency around. Resourceful aren’t they?
– “Taken for Granted” is a HILARIOUS name for a tell-all book.
– Admittedly powerful scene by Livia to Fitz about what service she’ll be “billing” him.
– So Mama Pope has a terrorist boytoy? How amusing and deliciously sinister. But her strongest moment was definitely crashing Liv and Rowan’s dinner party where she admitted to missing wine more than her family, before building into the reveal of Claire’s murder. Woah!
– I guess I was supposed to be affected by Olivia and Jake’s scene through the door. But, it just creeped me out.
– A highlight: Andrew firing back at Olivia’s “emotional assassination”. I’ve never hated Olivia more, and Andrew summed it up perfectly: “What did he do to you?”. Burn.
– It must have been pretty awkward trying to edit around Kerry Washington’s pregnant figure during the sex scene with Jake. Oh, and she hacked his phone.
– Another moment that made me want to punch the screen: Fitz throwing the ties Mellie arranged on the floor.
– I had forgotten Governor Reston existed. His diabolical scene with his wife in prison was mildly entertaining.
– Another highlight: Mellie storming into the Oval office after Andrew refuses her advances and slapping the hell out of Fitz before screaming: “YOU TAKE EVERYTHING FROM ME”. Amazing.
– I like how Olivia regretted not getting on Rowan’s plane in the premiere. Great continuity always makes me happy.
– Seriously that final scene was a glorious crescendo. But was the whole “You just killed the President” proclamation supposed to make me sad? Because I’m kind of rejoicing here (although we all know they won’t go there).
Quipyness
Olivia: We can’t be together because you kill my friends.
Abby: Liv I think the house is burning down.
Andrew: (to Olivia) Tell me something, what’s it like being you? Cutting people’s throats and calling it politics.
Harrison (to Huck) You’re lucky you’re not a normal man.
David: This is like watching Mozart work.
Huck: Mozart couldn’t break down B613.
Conclusion
An exciting hour of Scandal that’s tainted by a pack of grating characters. I think this show’s in a bit of a pickle.
Nad Rating
B+