Hate-boozing is the best boozing.
Viv: PREVIOUSLY ON SCANDAL: We learned that Rowan Pope may not be the fully-fledged devil; Olivia’s mom is really dangerous and stole Olivia’s trench; Rowan is no longer Command, but Jake (which will be interesting to see if he can cut being a bastard like Rowan is); James is milking Cyrus for a job thanks to him sleeping with Sally Langford’s closeted husband, who Sally killed in a fit of rage (or possession); Mellie got some Southern Gothic tragic backstory (and Bellamy Young hit it out of the damn park, you go girl); Quinn got a tooth extraction and is either deep undercover or deep stupid, Charlie is now boinking Quinn; Huck became an unlicensed dentist; Harrison’s got someone coming after him; and Fitz continues to be the dumbest man on Earth. So that’s what you missed on Scandal. /deep breath
Also, apparently there’s a Mexican version of the show and everyone looks fabulous in it.
KC: Well done. And it looks like we are picking up EXACTLY where we left off.
Viv: I continue to love the black and white photos/headline/documentary style with Sally Langston. It’s fucking amazing and it gives a sense of urgency and immediacy to everything.
KC: It’s weird because I was not really feeling the Sally storyline at first, I just found her character contrived, but they’ve managed to loop her storyline into Scandal in a way that makes her more interesting and still sticks with the internal logic of the show. I am actually looking forward to her run.
Viv: Dude, Cyrus must masturbate to Nate Silver’s blog. I’m just saying that his dependency on the numbers is just a little cracked. Meanwhile Mellie’s going for the low-hanging fruit with James in painting Sally as mentally unstable following the death of her husband. I’m not thrilled with it, but it’s something Mellie would totally do without care — lay out the first blow and then keep moving I think is her strategy.
KC: As someone who works with numbers a lot for my day gig, I see what they are trying to do here, I think. Someone who is an analytical genius but lacking in basic empathy and human decency. I get it but, I just wanna say that that’s not all data wonks, you know? Mellie is smart but she’s also got a sense of empathy, which is often why she makes choices that aren’t as analytically sound.
Viv: And as the presidency burns, Fitz and Olivia are….MAKING OUT? WHAT THE FUCK MAN?
KC: I hate them both so much now, they are acting like horny children, making idiotic choices and ruining lives in the process. It’s not star-crossed, or forbidden. They are just dumb, dumb people who deserve what they get.
Viv: I love Sally’s campaign manager knows what talking points Olivia would do. I sometimes fear with this show that they’d make someone stupid just to build up Olivia, but they don’t. I love his strategy also, because it cuts Fitz off at the knees and their talking points. Sally may be crazy, but she’s not stupid.
KC: I think it is also showing that Olivia may indeed be slipping – a lot. All of this season seems to be about Olivia’s decline.
Viv: Totally agree with you there. Here head isn’t clear at all and I think with her family coming apart, she’s more distracted than usual. I have to laud the writers for that actually, because while it makes it hard for us to root for Olivia, it’s showing a willingness to go there that I wonder if people would’ve done in the past — especially with a woman of color. It’s an expansion of writing that I can appreciate, even if I think Olivia is chaotic stupid.
Fitz throwing glasses at Cyrus is like watching a baby throw a fit. He’s becoming such a petulant brat that I wonder if another message of this show is how power corrupts (looking at Fitz campaign, Mellie pre-governor run, etc) and turns people into the worst version of themselves. It just makes me NOT want to be these folks, despite the designer duds. You also don’t talk to youre supposed love like you just did Fitz. Because if my husband did that (or vice versa), things would get fucking worse.
KC: YES, I think it’s about how power corrupts, but also, because I am a bitch with no sense of romance, I think it’s also about how lust and power can corrupt equally. Because speaking of the worst versions of themselves, it’s what Fitz and Olivia do to each other. Both of them cling to each other for reasons of power and lust and they are both worse off for it. No one should ever WANT to be any of these nutjobs.
Viv: I feel like if I was in the Scandal universe, I’d be like David Rosen. Disgusted with James, trying to help Harrison (despite the reluctance to) and probably getting shit on by everyone left and right. And while I like James’ attempts to catch Cyrus, you’d think he’d know how recording stuff works, since he’s supposed to be a brilliant journalist.
KC: I dunno who I would be, I honestly don’t relate personally to anyone on the show, but I think I oddly have the most sympathy for Mellie. I feel like there was a point where she was awesome and then life with the Grant family just took her down the hole.
Viv: Oh I have sympathy for Mellie. I’m totally team Mellie, but I think that it’s also because Bellamy Young has been amazing with what she’s been given.
Joe Morton also continues to get these amazing speeches that voice what we’re thinking as the audience. Despite their distance, you can tell Rowan and Olivia love each other, even with all the deception. I feel like despite her attempts to reconcile, Rowan just is lashing out in anger. I get the parental lecture, but I have to say, getting your wayward daughter to do something is not to do that (and you’re speaking to a contrarian).
KC: She is her father’s daughter, and yes, I do think they love each other. Whatever that means in the Scandal-verse. I think this relationship has the most potential for drama that’s not the usual bed hopping/murder stuff. Olivia is Rowan’s “creation” to a certain extent. Neither of them know how to love each other with honesty or with tenderness.
Quinn continues to be the worst and are there mini-me’s of Cy running around?
Viv: QUINN YOU ARE THE WORST AND THIS IS WHY YOU HAVE A PASSWORD WITH YOUR KIDS PEOPLE. NO PASSWORD, NO GOING WITH THE SCARY PERSON WITH THE EXCESSIVELY PERKY VOICE.
KC: I still have no sympathy for this annoying, murdering, child kidnapping heifer. She is the definition of the word “tool”
Viv: I seriously want her to be deep cover, because I refuse to believe anyone can be this stupid. But she’s being that stupid.
James’ “Look at our baby,” is hilarious. Like Cyrus cares about that baby at all. That baby’s gonna grow up to be like Olivia Pope and sleeps with the next president.
KC: It was mentioned, I can’t remember by who, that it’s possible that Ella is not even the only child that Cy does not care for. He clearly doesn’t like kids, but he also had a past wife when he was in the closet. it would be wild if there’s another Beene child out there. Worst father ever, with kids all over town.
Viv: And depending on the age of that kid, they could be a spoiled, entitled teenager wreaking havoc all over town. I now really, really want that, because that would be a great comeuppance to Cyrus.
The good ship Mellivia! Kerry endorsed now!
Viv: Olivia and Mellie together, I continue to ship this. Kerry Washington endorsed it also!
VIVA #mellivia !!!!!
— kerry washington (@kerrywashington) February 28, 2014
KC: I have never gone down the Scandal fanfiction rabbit hole but I bet an AU about them would be really intriguing. They honestly do have a lot in common.
Viv: I don’t know if there’s fanfic of those two, I just have it in my head as this lovely “sisters doin’ it for themselves,” thing where they overthrow Fitz. Also because their chemistry is crazy awesome — even better than Olivia and Fitz because there’s a grudging respect they both have for each other’s talents. And they trust each other to get shit done, unlike Fitz. The public lunch I can’t stop laughing at because it’s charming and funny as hell. And Mellie, while I will say she’s chaotic evil, at least she’s smart.
KC: She’s smart but still not as clinical in her machinations as say, Cyrus. But she is, like any good southern belle, the queen of Keeping Up Appearances.
VO: Can I talk about the VP candidate for a moment? I’ll admit, when I first saw him, he reminded me of the VP in the movie RED — that is to say, bland as hell, but also creepy at the same fucking time. Which is why I get Olivia’s instincts about him. Because he’s radiating “MC CREEPERSON’S” vibes even harder than Fitz, and that’s a fucking feat.
But what I found fascinating was watching Olivia put him under fire and the real answer come out about losing the love of his life years ago and not being willing to settle for less. It was like a crack in the facade that I think primes people up for perhaps rooting for him in the future. Also, it showed Olivia actually being good at her job, instead of flailing about.
Fitz’s gut is filled with booze, entitlement and bad decisions, don’t listen to it
Viv: Fitz — your gut is filled with stupid and entitlement and stupid. If he wants her so bad, why doesn’t he do the divorce and resign and all of that? And judging your behavior, you’re not going to survive the election.
KC: And he knows it. As much as he complained about the election being rigged, he KNOWS he was toast without it. He knows he’s a loser and and child of privilege and that he can’t walk and chew gum at the same time without help from other people. Deep down he knows it all, which is why he acts out the way he does, and why he can’t ever make a decision on his own.
Viv: I TRUST YOU. I NEED YOU and yet, he’s telling her what to do and how to behave and that’s not trust and why the hell doesn’t Olivia have a good friend to hit her upside the head. It’s like Jake could be that, but really, the former relationship is just a mess with them also. And those two teaming up as the dude she dates is a lovely strike against Fitz.
KC: He may need her, because he’s a fucking moron, but he doesn’t trust her at all. He’s a needy little boy. Jake is still sprung over Liv and driven by revenge. Is he a bad guy? No. Is he to be trusted in his new position? Also, No.
STOP THE PRESSES. HARRISON GETS A STORYLINE.
Viv: I LOVE ADNAN! I don’t think anyone expected a woman, and that’s a nice twist really on expectations. It also fits into the idea that in the Scandal world, being a conniving bastard isn’t limited to gender or race — everyone is a jerk. Abby and Harrison being the normal ones also cracked me up. Abby offering shooting tips is kind of awesome. But Harrison knowing how to shoot is terrifying. BUT AT LEAST HE’S GETTING A STORYLINE.
KC: It only took three seasons. I can’t help but think it’s gonna be a let down, since we have been building it up for so long.
And in closing: GET IT GURL.
Viv: and in closing: MELLIE YOU BETTER TAP THAT BECAUSE GIRL YOU DESERVE IT.
KC: Mellie’s got a BOO! Yay. I just think it will be interesting to see the kind of person Mellie is/was when she actually is wanted and pursued by someone. She is chaotic evil, but I don’t believe she always was. EVERYONE IS HAVING SEX! OR WILL! WELCOME BACK, SCANDAL!
