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Scandal: Truth and Consequences

“Nothing stops this town like a scandal.”

This week, on Scandal, things are explained. Unfortunately, the audience had already figured most of those things out. Still, it was nice to sort of get a summary of everything that’s happened so far and confirmation of some theories.

Hollis rigged the election for Fitz in order to make more money. Jesse was paid by Hollis to rig votes for Fitz. Becky was hired by Hollis to blow up Cytron. Huck was targeted by Becky for getting Quinn out of the Cytron frame. Verna Thornton got Quinn’s case dismissed. Some of this is new; most of it is not. Still, the episode did a good job of wrapping things up without being overly repetitive.

We did have at least one totally new piece of information: Hollis was not the one who tried to have Fitz killed. Who was it? Whoever hired Becky had to have access to Hollis’s desk, where the phone used to communicate with Becky was found. I’m guessing that it’s one of our conspirators. You’ll remember their first meeting this season took place in Hollis’s office. It can’t be Mellie; this week we saw just how desperate she is to get Fitz back. I can see her paying someone to attempt to kill him, but not to actually do the whole thing. It also can’t be Cyrus. He would have nothing to gain by Fitz’s death as was made obvious when he was kicked out of the White House by Acting President Langston. Again, I can see him paying someone to try to kill Fitz, but that’s all. Verna? I don’t know why, but she was giving off sort of an ominous vibe this ep. You’re on my list, Verna! Anyone have other ideas?

In other news, Mellie proves just how far she’ll go to keep Fitz. Doesn’t it seem like it would be a breach of ethics to induce labor on a woman only 8 months pregnant just so she can get her husband back? Next week’s episode is called “Nobody Likes Babies,” so I’m guessing the birth of America’s baby is going to be an episode-long event.

I like my female characters strong, brave, and empowered. Still, I never liked Olivia more than in the  episode where she has a complete break down. She has done some really, really bad things and I’m very happy to see her finally realizing that. I still don’t feel good about Liv rigging the election, but I’m more forgiving now that she knows how wrong it was. We’ve never seen her do so much as doubt herself before.

Huck was very sweet with Olivia this week. Huck and Olivia are my second favorite couple of the series. I adore the way they take care of each other. He’s her confidante and her guard dog (loved him facing off with Hollis) and she’s his sponsor and friend. It’s definitely a complicated relationship, but it’s so close.

Now onto my first favorite couple of the series. Earlier this season, Fitz got jealous of Olivia for talking to Edison in a park. This week he begs her not to marry Edison yet and asks her to wait for him in a kind, romantic way. I think I like him better post-bullet. Still, if I were Olivia, I wouldn’t be holding my breath for that divorce.

Bits and Pieces:

Scandal was originally only renewed for 13 episodes, which explains why everything is wrapping itself up so neatly in February. Don’t worry, Scandal fans. The remaining nine episodes were eventually ordered, so we’ll have a full season.

Jesse says that Hollis will make 2 billion if the Republicans win the White House. Maybe I’m jaded, but is that really that big of a profit for an oil company? To compare, BP’s 2011 revenue is listed at 386.46 billion.

Olivia’s ‘I’m such a bad person montage’ was very well done. Much better than her ‘I should rig the election montage.’

Hollis has an assistant named Trixie and gets his bacon cheeseburgers from Gettysburger.

The Grant children get names: Jerry and Karen.

The writers of this show know how to plan ahead. Quinn lending Jesse money to get his computer fixed was mentioned in the season premiere. Now we see how the computer got broken.

Last season, Olivia assumed Cyrus had Amanda Tanner killed and now she’s surprised that he would kill someone? I believe Liv referred to Cyrus as “pit bull” “off his leash.” Continuity, anyone?

Becky was reading Fahrenheit 451 while waiting for Cytron to blow up.

Huck lied to Becky about wanting her bank account number just to hire her a lawyer. Did he also lie to her about his real name?

Quotes:

“He got shot and he saw the light and baby Jesus or whatever, and now he thinks he can do anything he wants.”
“Baby Jesus or whatever” might just be my favorite Mellie line ever.

“Wife of a senator. Not too shabby.”
“Please. Husband of Olivia Pope.”
That is definitely my favorite Abby line ever.

“Another common side effect is delusion. Maybe you’re having that. One hell of a grade A delusion that makes you believe that while in office you could divorce your nine-months-pregnant wife and what? Kick her out of the White House and move in your mistress? No, you can’t think that, because we’re not French. Marry your mistress? Now, Liv is a lovely, smart woman. I can’t get enough of her. But she is not exactly a hue that most of your Republican constituents would be happy about, even if they could get past the divorcing and the cheating and the abandoning of America’s baby. It concerns me, sir, how big your delusion is.”
Another sarcastic Cyrus monologue! There will never be enough sarcastic Cyrus monologues!

“Huck, you have to stop killing people.”
I love that she says this in the same way someone might say “You have to eat more vegetables.”

“You know what our electoral process is! It’s magical! It’s like believing in Santa or the Tooth Fairy or the Easter Bunny. Magical, as long as they believe. What you’re doing is telling the people that the shiny presents and the bulging stockings on Christmas morning are just Mom and Dad staying up all night to do the work. You’re telling them we’re Santa, we’re the Easter Bunny, we’re the Tooth Fairy. You’re taking the magic away. You’re ruining Christmas morning, and the whole republic is gonna come crumbling down because you’re not tough enough to do what needs to be done!”
Never enough.

three out of four crazy childbirth faces

7 comments:

  1. It is disconcerting to see Olivia so sad, feeling so helpless and being so depressed she can’t get out of bed. Because she is always so strong and so in control, it packed quite a walllop. I love shades of grey and to see our lead character describe herself as “the bad guy,” especially since the moral parts of us know she is right, just underpins all that emotion.

    Speaking of shades of grey, the characters on this show just keep getting better and more fun to watch. Having said that, I am getting a little tired of Harrison’s blind loyalty to Olivia. Is he in love with her? If it hadn’t been for Quinn standing up in that room and telling them all what needed to be done, Harrison would not have been able to help Olivia. He can’t see it, however, and continues to think he is somehow smarter and/or above the others. Part of me wants to smack him.

    Loved your quotes section and you’re so right about sarcastic Cyrus. It doesn’t get any better than that.

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  2. By the way, Scandal won Outstanding Drama Series last night at the NAACP Image Awards. Kerry Washington won two, one for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for Django Unchained and the second for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series.

    Very cool!

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  3. I seriously can't handle the brilliance of this show. This season is one of my favorite TV seasons I've EVER watched honestly. It's beyond spectacular and every episode has been superb.

    Chris, I just watched the video of her accepting the award from Tony Goldwyn no less. I love her. And apparently she won a THIRD award in the same night for her social work. Awesomeness.

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  4. I just watched her win, Nadim, and got tears in my eyes. They make such a lovely couple!

    :-)

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  5. But oh my God, what was she wearing? She almost always looks amazing but last night it looked like My Little Pony picked out her dress. I do love her, but runway ≠ red carpet ready. C'mon Kerry. The Oscars are in less than a month.

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  6. sunbunny -- LOL! You have changed the way I watch award shows. I swear that, until recently, I have rarely noticed what anyone was wearing at these events. But, when I watched this clip earlier, I thought to myself, 'sunbunny is going to hate that dress!'

    LOL -- again.

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  7. Nice review, Sunbunny.

    Team Pope is really one bada** menagerie.
    Supposedly "hiding" under the "you might be called to testify" guise as Harrison noted, they really are loyal and have Liv's back no matter what.
    I am quite surprised though that Abby readily gave her support; she used to question Liv at every turn.

    Huck is one very dangerous guy. He really know the killer's psychology. :)

    Nothing can beat Mellie's diabolical mind.
    This is really one lady you don't mess with.
    Very selfish, very evil.
    When she's bad, she's really, really bad. :)

    ReplyDelete

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