VO: STOP TELE-EH-PHONE-EN-MEH-MEH-MEH is what I sang immediately when I saw Fitz calling Olivia. While Fitz is the worst, I also love how Olivia is playing him.
KC: Every time I am ready to give up on Olivia as a character she brings me back. Her back and forth with Fitz annoys me but I guess I get it. He’s that guy that ain’t shit that she can’t quit (hey that rhymes!) but she’s trying to keep the upper hand. I swear his neediness is a real boner killer.
VO: The whole problem with those two is that they’re still in this crazy over the top romantic love notion. Which can’t sustain itself. I suspect this is why they keep getting together and breaking up — because they prefer the reunion sex at times.
Quinn’s going off the books. I wonder what the fuck she’s planning. Admittedly naming herself might not be smart, but really she would be easily traced by when she started asking questions.
KC: Quinn’s not her real name though. I do wonder “what’s coming” though and why OIivia is being monitored. Oh this is so very Alias!
VO: Well we know Mama Pope is coming back, so all hell is probably going to be breaking loose soon. And it’ll probably have something to do with Fitz.
I’m dying of laughter at Abby’s horrified face. I feel like Abby when I saw that. And admittedly a little like Cyrus because I’m an asshole.
KC: Yeah I totally would have LOLed too. That’s why we are friends.
VO: I am so happy Abby got an episode! And now we know who that slimebag dude is.
KC: This was a plotline about 2 seasons in the making, since Abby’s past as an abuse survivor was hinted at/mentioned before I believe. I am glad though. I imagine we would have finally gotten our Harrison episode too, if Columbus Short hadn’t fucked up
VO: NO HUCK. DO NOT GO. YOU’RE IN TOO DEEP AND THE COPS ARE GONNA COME AND GET YOU. NO.
KC: I don’t think he cares, though. He’ll risk freedom to see his son again. I do like the return of sympathetic Huck.
VO: I find it interesting how both Huck and Quinn are watching over and taking care of Olivia.
KC: More so Quinn than Huck. Huck has always been protective of Olivia and loyal to her but Quinn has always been a bit of a wildcard and resentful of her place in OPA, so her taking the lead on this is really interesting to me.
VO: It admittedly makes me wonder what angle she’s playing, but that’s because I’m a skeptic and her whole wanting Olivia back and working hard for it makes me wonder why, especially after last season.
Oh Abby. I can’t lie, I’m tearing up at this because this is what friendship is about. Bringing two dresses to your friend when she’s puked on herself. Asking what they need, and if possible, raining hell down upon everyone else. I don’t doubt that Olivia is also using this as a distraction from what’s going on with Jake, but it’s a damn good distraction.
Darby Stanchfield also is amazing. Normally we see Abby as snarky and angry, but to also play vulnerable and shattered? That’s a great thing to give her as an actress.
KC: I am really happy with the slow development of Abby and Olivia’s friendship over this past season.The lack of a true girlfriend for Olivia seemed so weird and out of place for Shonda and I feel like this makes Olivia a lot more human and relatable. And Darby Stanchfield is really killing this season. I did have to laugh at her list of all the things Fitz supposedly did as president. Equal Pay? Gun Control? Education? Bipartisan leadership? That man can’t walk and chew gum at the same time without help.
I also like “press secretaries can’t cry, it’s a rule” That is exactly why I suck at PR. I’m a crier and a yeller.
It’s so nice to see Olivia really being the formidable Olivia Pope we all know from season 1. Not just getting it done, but kinda scary while doing it. Especially in support of her BFF.
VO: Also I’m kind of dying at the makeover because I get Susan’s feeling of “WHY DO I NEED TO MAKE MYSELF OVER.”
KC: I get that too. But Olivia was telling the truth. And she did need to get her brows done, straight up. I was looking at some conversation from the think piece crowd about Olivia self-identifying as a feminist and OF COURSE there were a few people calling it into question. So apparently making bad relationship choices can get you kicked out of the feminist club as well. Well, shit, who is left, then?
VO: According to them? Miley Cyrus. Those think pieces are meant to make people angry as far as I can tell. Pay them no mind.
Leo! I love this little snarky asshole. He’s adorably slimy and looks like Dan Ackroyd circa the eighties!
KC: I think Leo and Abby will make an interesting couple if they go that route, and it seems clear that they will. Honestly, I never like Abby and David that much as a couple so I am OK with this.
VO: Cyrus, he’s not that pretty. And I’m pretty sure that Charlie is on retainer and you may as well murder him because if you don’t Charlie still gets paid.
KC: I think Cy has had enough of the murder game, but I’d like to see him seriously do some double-crossing with this guy.
VO: So wait. Reagan existed? What happened to Cooper? And I kind of want to think that Mellie is secretly a Eleanor Roosevelt fangirl. She totally is an Eleanor fangirl. And Lizzie is totally playing into Mellie’s boredom.
KC: OK, here is where you need a script supervisor to keep track of this shit, I was sure that the Scandal/RL timelines split at Reagan. Reagan = Cooper. Now we know that Reagan and Cooper existed. Did Cooper replace Bush I? And did the Reagan assassination attempt happen? I need to know.
VO: See, they said the Cooper assassination attempt happened in 1986, sooo….was Reagan a one-term president? WE NEED ANSWERS SCANDAL!
I want jailhousemingle.com to exist. And I love the line “I’ve been Poped and I don’t know it….”
KC: Here’s where I think Josh Malina really influences the writing here.
VO: I have no problem with this to be honest.
I know that the dude who plays Tom is probably dead this episode, but find it wonderful that they’ve given hm such a meaty speech and scenes in this episode. And I think that Tom is saying every question we’re thinking.
KC: Tom really got weird here to me. I know he’s ride or die for the Prez, but he almost seems like a creepy zealot here. But his “you don’t have a father, you just have Command” was so much like Rowan’s in cadence and delivery that it’s like he went to the B6-13 School of Oratory Arts.
VO: “I could protect him from everyone –” I’m waiting to see Tom/Fitz slashfic now.
KC: I bet you it’s allllllready there. But hearing Tom talk about Fitz mewling when Olivia was gone. I am sorry, what woman would want a man so pathetic without out her.
VO: Calling her Helen of Troy. She could create war if she wanted to.
KC: And he gave her an idea…
VO: Susan Ross and her crazy eyes is hilarious. Probably the smartest move is having her
daughter do the ad. Sometimes brilliant people are terrible on camera.
KC: Not every politician is made for TV. I’d argue most aren’t. I have sympathy though with my weird eye problems I do the crazy eyes a lot. I could never be on TV. Also, was that Susan’s real daughter or a kid actor?
VO: I think real daughter. The kid was just more comfortable and natural than her mom. While I see what Olivia is saying about “Be a hero!” I feel like it’s dangerous. And Abby’s speech back is probably the answer as to why many women don’t report these cases. I get what Olivia wants to do, but I also get why Abby is being quiet.
KC: Not to bring reality in to this but everything she said reminded me of the Jian Ghomeshi case. Women don’t talk about harassment/abuse because when they speak out they are often punished for doing so.
VO: OH EW PHONE SEX. I JUST….AUGH. NO. MY EARS. WHAT’S THE OPPOSITE OF TURNED ON? I NEVER WANT TO HAVE SEX AGAIN.
Is it wrong I laughed at the end of “Depends on how much hope there is,” and Olivia’s disgusted eyeroll and her falling back?
KC: Such a boner killer. “I’m very powerful you know” Oh shut uuuuup. And especially after all of the patheticness displayed by Fitz, even if he was good at phone sex I wouldn’t care. But even Olivia is annoyed with herself when it comes to Fitz.
VO: Oh Huck. You’re gonna get arrested for creeping around like that. And how is that kid playing the claw game not weirded out by some dude, face up against the glass and lip wibbling?
KC: I wonder if there is a lip-wibbling acting coach in Shondaland?
VO: Does Mandy McConceia have beer flavored nipples or something?
KC: Cy is just lonely.
VO: Abby shutting down Leo. It might not be huge, but it’s wonderful. I think it was a small pressure point, but it had to have felt good to tell him that. I really don’t think she was trying to manipulate Leo, but she was just so fed up of Chip getting what he wanted, and she felt powerless so she lashed out in a way. I really don’t think that she thought Leo would do what he ended up doing.
Do you ever wonder if Rowan Pope basically was trying to raise Olivia to be his replacement in the future? But it just failed. There’s also something just creepy and selfish about his “You do not choose one of them over me.”
KC: As creepy as Tom is/was he has a point. Rowan has often called Olivia “his” as if he owns her. He sees her as a creation, not a person. So of course he thinks she is his creation to mold.
VO: “Against me, you will lose,” Dude, he blinked. He can’t even believe that lie.
KC: Man, her “oh really, bitch?” look in response? THAT was when I knew that Olivia went super saiyan on us.
VO: Cyrus, he’s not that cute. And he’s not as snarky funny as James. There’s something sweet about Leo and the leaking — like he has principles. But I wonder if he figured end it now before allegations probably began leaking out later, because I doubt Abby was the first in his long line of abuse. And how the hell does someone drink that much bourbon?
KC: You get a new liver when you work in the Beltway.
VO: Weirdly I like Leo and Abby, just because he made her laugh. Really laugh.
KC: Leo is weirdly charming, I must admit.
VO: We totally called this last season didn’t we? YAY! MELLIE GETTING BACK TO HER OLD POWERFUL MELLIE. I love all of Mellie. Now I feel like we’re getting back to the beginning.
KC: She looked so pretty on the balcony too, red is her power color! And her line “i won’t soon forget” mannn, I hold grudges so I get her. In a weird way, Mellie seemed like the show itself to me: “I’M BACK, BABY!”
VO:And of course Huck’s child would find him. HE’S A HACKER COMPUTER NERD JUST LIKE HIS DAD!
KC: Of course he is! He’s the real Baby Huck, not Quinn! But also, he tracked Huck by his IP address? Sounds to me like Huck wanted to be found. I do hope that Huck can be reunited with his family in some way.
VO: Huck totally wanted to be found. Pressing your head up against the glass and watching a boy usually is a sign for security to show up. Also that kid isn’t stupid, as he said, he’s seen pictures of Huck around.
Of course Olivia ran that game because she’s her father’s daughter.
KC: YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS! I swear I didn’t believe she actually had Tom shanked at first. THIS is a badass Olivia I will get behind, and I am stoked! Can we keep her? But also, Fitz’s eyes? He does not know who is is really dealing with here. The real Olivia Pope may be more like her dad than any of us previously knew.
VO: Jake: “This is the weirdest request for a threesome ever.”
KC: LOL!!! Now that’s the scene to launch a thousand fanfics. Yahtzee! But seriously, BEST SCANDAL EP SINCE SEASON TWO. Bravo, Shondaland!
