It…I….She… I’m not really sure how to start this recap due to the sheer trauma I experienced due to this week’s Scandal episode. Shonda Rhimes, you’ve done it again. Just when I thought you couldn’t get any better, you did. I applaud you and bow at your feet. Shall we just dive in? There’s a lot to get to.
The episode picks up from the cliffhanger at the end of last week’s episode with Hollis in the elevator with Cyrus’s hired assassin. In the nick of time, Huck stops the elevator door from closing, preventing Hollis’s death. Huck makes a deal with Hollis, ensuring Huck’s protection if Hollis keeps his mouth shut about the election rigging. Because he has a natural inclination to continue living, he agrees. We next meet Fitz, Mellie, and the nameless baby at a photo shoot. Does anyone else feel really sorry for that child? Firstly, it was conceived as a cover up for the Amanda Tanner incident. Secondly, his mother forced him our prematurely to manipulate her husband. Thirdly, no one has bothered to name it, and fourthly his mother clearly does not care about him. But then again, little No-name shouldn’t take it personally. Apparently, no one likes babies. And just to clarify for the viewers and Mellie that just because Fitz stayed for the delivery of his child does not mean that he loves Mellie (again?). We know this from his sharp, stern delivery of the lines, “Don’t. Push. Me.”
Back in Cyrus’s office, Cyrus is making apologies to Olivia for almost killing an innocent man. No one is buying it Cyrus. You are a power-hungry evil chipmunk! Olivia took his apology pretty readily because for some reason she trusts him and sees him as a mentor, which is pretty troubling. Anyway, Fitz walks into Cyrus’s office to discuss presidential things, but we know he does not really do his job. In accordance with that theory he does not even finish his sentence when he sees Olivia. Maybe what he needed to ask Cyrus could have saved lives. Maybe it could have helped more Americans in their pursuit of happiness. But ha, priorities. Fitz needs to make out with Olivia no matter what war or international or domestic crisis is happening. That face! His face when he sees Olivia was blush inducing! Also, does anyone find annoying Olivia’s non-excitement, even miserable look on her face when Fitz gets close to her? I’ve noticed this in several episodes. I guess Shonda addresses their hyper-unbalanced power dynamic a couple of episodes ago when Fitz forces himself on Olivia in an elevator in a flashback to the campaign. Anyway, their relationship needs to develop further for me to get 100% on board.
After some kissing, Fitz reveals that he knows about Mellis inducing her delivery. SHOCK! For once Fitz proves not entirely oblivious. Haha, he probably thought he was so smart for figuring that out. Oh Fitz, you have no idea. The big reveal this episode was Judge Verna hiring Becky to kill the president. Claiming to be “saving America’s soul” and ignoring her own conscience, the dying old woman then accuses the personification of morality and white hats of her own hypocrisy because she refuses to turn Verna and thusly herself into the authorities. Olivia then turns to her band of former convicts for help, resulting in the best line of the episode, “Bobblehead lives.” Bobblehead is the spy recorder Olivia told Huck to place in Rosen’s house. In another funk inspired montage, the associates listened to the CDs looking for clues to get Rosen on their side, giving all R-rated material to Abby who she dated. Meanwhile, in another of Mellie’s hateful speeches, she states that she will dance on Fitz’s grave then run for public office. Oh Mellie!
Finally we see James and Cyrus’s baby, who also has no name. When David asks, James goes straight into his reluctance in testifying in court about the Cytron case. His testimony could take one of baby No-name 2’s fathers away from her. They also mention a couple of times the memory card from Ohio James brought David, which will also help his case. Pope and associates also find out about this memory card, and Abby volunteers to use her special skill of safe picking to get the memory card. Meanwhile, James yells at Cyrus for putting them both in danger of incarceration. He also mentions their adopted baby’s name! Ella! That’s cute. At least not all of the children on this show will not grow up with self-esteem issues. In an odd turn of events, Cyrus and James end up naked… Take that Lena Dunham! In this scene, Shonda shows Lena that one can both show a diversity of body types on television as well as a diversity of ethnic groups. Back to Scandal, Cyrus’s speech was quite touching. He basically says how much he wants to be president and how qualified he is, but he is not good looking or heterosexual, so he settles for Chief of Staff. Right when Cyrus almost convinced me to feel some sort of sympathy for him, I remembered that all he wants is power. He is unsatisfied as Chief of staff because it falls short of the most powerful position in the entire world. Cyrus, calm down and wipe your nose. The fakest baby cry in the history of television draws James out of the room and Cyrus our of James’s heart.
Next, Abby relives her entire relationship with David Rosen. Unlike Cyrus’s speech, this scene actually made me sympathize with Abby. She really did fall in love with David and Olivia Pope murdered that love. Harrison, the only associate that still believes this gladiator ideology gives the same speech he gives almost every episode. Suck it up and take it because Olivia is God! Speaking of my least favorite characters, Quinn asks Huck to kill Hollis Doyle, who ruined her life, for a meager $5 thousand. Huck, being the boss he is, convinces her that to forget about revenge if she wants to keep her life as Quinn Perkins. Spliced with this scene is the more engaging storyline of Cyrus nearly murdering his own husband to save himself. Cyrus is human after all, well barely. Not that surprisingly, Cyrus’s husband perjures to save his husband. Rosen, who is continuously screwed over by Olivia and apparently anyone close to Olivia, accuses Abby of stealing the memory card. After a confrontational and public breakup, Abby reveals her loyalty to the one and true god, Olivia Pope. She did steal the memory card! I still don’t like her.
The most obvious of plot points comes when Olivia finally breaks up with Edison. He comes for her final answer, and she says no. Shocker! She then explains her decision, saying she doesn’t want a safe, loving, fruitful relationship. She wants, “painful, difficult, devastating, life-changing, extraordinary love.” Edison replies, “Love isn’t suppose to be painful. Love isn’t suppose to hurt.” I mean I totally see his point, but aren’t we all a little masochistic? At least, that’s the love we want to see on our television sets and laptop screens every week. After she rejects Edison, Olivia then tries to flirt with Fitz at Justice Verna Thornton’s funeral. But he coldly rejects her. It turns out, the perfect, innocent, naïve Fitz murdered the already dying woman after she revealed that she along with Cyrus, Mellie, Hollis, and Olivia rigged his election. It was clearly not the best of plans to reveal a man’s downfall to his face, while in such a vulnerable state. Basically Fitz’s worst nightmare is true. Like his father has drilled in his head his entire life, he is not worthy of being President of the United States. His facial expressions at hearing this were worthy of an Emmy. Tony Goldwyn, I applaud you. Ironically, by killing Verna he saves both of their legacies. But who knew Fitz had the balls to watch a woman suffocate to death while forcing her hands down? I know he did an awful thing, but I definitely have more respect for the man. The most heartbreaking part of this scene was the music. “The Light” by The Album Leaf, also known as the Fitz and Olivia song first introduced in Season 1, plays while Fitz learns the truth about the people he trusted, especially Olivia. The ball is no longer in her court. He’s not waiting for her. He wants nothing to do with her, leaving her crying alone among the empty pews of the church. And from what it seems, there will be no divorce. Mellitz (see what I did there?) is back!
Questions for the comments section!
Any guesses at what America’s baby will be called?
Did you feel sympathy for Cyrus?
How do you feel about Abby?
Do you hate or love-to-hate Mellie?
Do you listen to “The Light” on repeat when you’re feeling sad?